External Assessment Consultant – Maternity and Neonatal departments

Expected Start Date: May 25, 2026 (To be confirmed)

Duration: 1 month (including minimum 14 days onsite at the SFMC) (To be confirmed)

Location: SFMC Hospital, Sinjar, Nineveh, Iraq

Languages Required: Arabic, Kurdish and English

Contract Type: Consultancy Contract

1. Background

La Chaîne de l’Espoir (La CDE) is implementing a comprehensive capacity-building and quality improvement program in the maternity and neonatal departments of SFMC. This intervention follows a structured approach that includes:

• Assessment of the availability, quality, and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Develop and review the training plan provided by the hospital for the relevant departments.

The program aims to strengthen clinical competencies, improve adherence to evidence-based protocols, enhance infection prevention and control (IPC), and ensure continuity and quality of maternal and newborn care.

To support these efforts, CDE seeks to engage an external consultant to contribute to the assessment, refinement of SOPs, and preparation of training plan to enhance the relevant departments abilities.

2. Objectives of the Consultancy

The consultancy aims to support the continuum of assessment → program design → training implementation (out of the scope of this contract), through the following objectives:

1. SOP Assessment and Strengthening:
   Assess the availability, quality, and practical implementation of SOPs in maternity and neonatal departments, identify gaps, and support their revision in alignment with national standards and international best practices, in coordination with hospital management, CDE teams, and relevant authorities (MoH/DoH where applicable).
2. Training Program Design:
   Contribute to the development and refinement of a structured, competency-based training program based on assessment findings, covering the needs identified to enhance the capacity of clinical and paramedical staff in these departments, in coordination with hospital management, CDE teams and relevant authorities (Hospital management / DoH where applicable).

3. Scope of Work / Key Tasks

The consultant will work in close coordination with CDE teams and hospital staff, and will be responsible for:

1. SOP Assessment and Review

• Review existing SOPs in maternity, neonatal, and operating theatre services.
• Assess their availability, relevance, quality, and level of implementation in practice.
• Identify gaps in alignment with national and international clinical standards, IPC protocols, and patient safety requirements.
• Support the revision and standardization of SOPs in coordination with hospital management and CDE teams, in line with MoH/DoH guidance where required.

1. Training Program Design Support

• Contribute to refining the training plan based on assessment findings and identified competency gaps.
• Ensure the program covers the training needs of the hospital departments mentioned, as well as any additional trainings required based on the assessment results.

1. Reporting

• Provision at the end of the assessment a detailed report including the SoPs available at the maternity, neonatal, and operation theatre departments, if these SoPs are followed or not, and identify the missing or outdated SoPs if any.
• Provision of an updated training plan including the real needs with evidence based and approved by the hospital departments and hospital manager.

4. Deliverables

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Fluency in Arabic, English and Kurdish (written and spoken) is highly desired
• Advanced clinical background in maternal and neonatal health (Obstetrics/Gynecology or Midwifery is highly preferred).
• Demonstrated experience in:
• Managing a maternity department
• Reviewing and implementing SOPs.
• Clinical training and capacity building
• Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
• Familiarity with hospital systems strengthening and service organization
• Experience in humanitarian or resource-limited settings is an asset

6. Contractual Notes

• The consultancy fee is all-inclusive (travel, accommodation, and related costs).
• All deliverables and materials produced remain the property of CDE.
• The consultant is expected to work in close coordination with CDE teams, hospital management, and relevant health authorities.

7. Budget

The maximum budget available for this assessment is EUR 3,500 (including all costs, transportation, accommodation, food). Consultants are expected to submit detailed financial proposals that reflect this budget limit while ensuring high-quality deliverables. Proposals will be evaluated based on their alignment with the scope of work, methodological rigor, and cost-effectiveness.

9. Payment Terms

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables, in line with a milestone-based payment schedule as defined in the contract. Specific milestones and payment tranches will be detailed in the service agreement.

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents:

1. Detailed CV(s) of the individual applicant(s) or an organizational profile, in case of institutional.

Applications:

1. Technical proposal, outlining the proposed methodology and work plan.

iii. Financial proposal, detailing the overall costs and fee structure.

References from previous assignments of a similar nature.

Deadline for applications: 10th of May, 2026.

Please note that applications may close prior to the deadline if the position is filled.

Submit applications to: recruitment.iraq@chainedelespoir.org