Individual consultancy services (international) on updating midwifery curricula to meet global competency standards, capacity building, and Training of Trainers (ToT)

Hiring office: UNFPA Turkmenistan CO

Title: Individual consultancy services (international) on updating midwifery curricula to meet global competency standards, capacity building, and Training of Trainers (ToT)   

The background and purpose of consultancy:  High-quality midwifery care is essential for advancing Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health (SRMNAH) outcomes and achieving Universal Health Coverage in Turkmenistan. Strengthening the quality of midwifery education and establishing sustainable, equitable deployment systems are key national priorities aligned with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry (MoHMI) of Turkmenistan. While Turkmenistan maintains high institutional delivery rates, there is a recognized need to modernize pre-service and in-service midwifery education to fully align with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice and Global Standards for Midwifery Education. Transitioning toward competency-based, direct-entry midwifery education standards, alongside establishing mandatory Continuous Professional Development (CPD) systems, will build stronger professional capacity across the health workforce. Furthermore, ensuring equitable access to high-quality care across all regions requires moving toward evidence-based, data-driven health workforce planning. Developing structured, data-informed mechanisms and digital health workforce tracking for strategic deployment and retention in rural and underserved areas is vital to address geographic distribution imbalances and optimize maternal and newborn health outcomes.

 To address these strategic priorities, national partners from the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and medical educational institutions have requested UNFPA technical assistance. The primary purpose of this international consultancy is to:

1. Conduct a gap analysis and update national midwifery education curricula to align with ICM Global Competency Standards.

2. Deliver capacity building and a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) program to prepare national master trainers who will roll out the updated curricula to midwives across the country.

Scope of work:   The international expert will work under the supervision of the UNFPA Reproductive Health (RH) Programme Analyst and in close collaboration with specialists from the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry (MoHMI), medical schools, and regional health authorities. The assignment consists of four phases:

Phase 1: Assessment and Desk Review (5 working days)

- Conduct a comprehensive desk review of current midwifery education curricula, clinical practice standards, and existing regulatory frameworks.

- Review national health workforce data systems, regional midwife distribution metrics, and current deployment protocols.

- Perform a comparative analysis against ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education and World Health Organization (WHO) SRMNAH competency frameworks.

- Produce an Assessment & Gap Analysis Report detailing findings and policy recommendations.

Phase 2: Curriculum Standardization & Workforce Model Development (15 working days)

- Draft updated, competency-based midwifery modules/curricula incorporating ICM core competencies, interactive clinical simulation methodologies, and modern SRMNAH practices.

- Formulate clinical and practical training guidelines for midwifery faculty and preceptors.

- Host an online technical workshop with national education and health stakeholders to review and refine the draft materials.

Phase 3: Capacity Building (6 working days)

-Compile and develop training materials of developed and updated documents.

- Deliver a 5-day practical Training of Trainers (ToT) in Ashgabat for selected national medical educators, clinical preceptors, and MoHMI specialists to qualify them as master trainers.

- Deliver specialized modules on competency-based educational delivery, clinical simulation, and evaluation methodologies.

Phase 4: Reporting & Finalization (3 working days)

- Develop a comprehensive Final Consultancy Report summarizing overall outcomes, lessons learned, and an implementation roadmap for curriculum rollout and rural deployment.

Duration and working schedule: The duration of this consultancy is 29 working days, scheduled from October 12 to December 15, 2026 (including operational contract closure). Specific dates for deliverables are outlined below. 

Outcomes and deliverables: All deliverables must be submitted electronically in English or Russian and provided to UNFPA:

Deliverable 1: Gap analysis report on midwifery curricula submitted by October 15, 2026.

Deliverable 2: Draft updated competency-based midwifery curricula (aligned with ICM standards) submitted by November 6, 2026.

Deliverable 3: Online technical workshop conducted and core policy/curriculum documents finalized by November 16, 2026.

Deliverable 4: Onsite 5-day Training of Trainers (ToT) conducted in Ashgabat for national master trainers, medical educators, and MoHMI  by December 2, 2026.

Deliverable 5: Final Consultancy Report with implementation roadmap submitted by December 15, 2026.

Place where services are to be delivered: The consultancy services will be delivered home-based/online.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered: Dates for deliverables as indicated in the outcomes and deliverables section. All deliverables should be submitted in an electronic format.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline: The UNFPA Programme Analyst on Reproductive Health will monitor the International Consultant’s work through reviewing submitted materials. The consultant will provide an update on a weekly basis on progress, challenges encountered, and support requirements. 

Ethical Considerations

UNFPA requires its consultants to adhere to ethical principles and standards when doing research. The selected consultant should clearly identify any potential ethical issues and approaches, as well as the processes for ethical review in the inception report.

National Ownership

The involvement of appropriate national partners will be a critical condition for the development of all the mission outcome materials in ensuring stakeholder ownership and its subsequent utilisation.

Supervisory arrangements: The International Consultants will directly work under the supervision of and report to the UNFPA Programme Analyst on reproductive health, along with the overall guidance from the UNFPA Head of Office.

Expected travel: One in-country travel for 5 days is expected under this consultancy in November 2026. During presence in the country, the consultant will meet with UNFPA staff and deliver tasks specified above. Exact dates of travel to be agreed with the selected consultant. Logistic arrangements such as visa, tickets, stay in Turkmenistan to be arranged by the UNFPA country office. Travel costs will be covered additionally according to UNFPA’s Duty Travel Policy.

Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies including language requirements: - Minimum 7 years of professional experience in health education development, midwifery curriculum modernization, and health workforce management.

- Extended practical experience with ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education and WHO SRMNAH competency frameworks.

- Proven expertise in data-driven health workforce planning models.

- Previous experience facilitating capacity-building workshops for health authorities and faculty.

- Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required; working knowledge of Russian is a strong asset.

- Experience in Central Asia or Eastern Europe/CIS health contexts is highly desirable.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner, if applicable: UNFPA will provide the consultant with all the necessary materials, data, information, and available reports. The UNFPA Country Office will put together a list of core sources and readings before the start of the consultancy.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any: The consultancy fee will be calculated based on the P-4 level of the of the UN Salary Scale for Professional and higher categories effective 1 January 2026 and will be paid in a lump sum upon successful completion of deliverables

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.