Consultancy – Regional Technical Support Cold Chain Management Roster, UNICEF EAPRO, Bangkok, Thailand

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfilling their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a better future

UNICEF works to ensure the rights of all children in the East Asia and Pacific Region. This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference?

The Health and HIV/AIDS Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking applications to a roster for individual consultants to provide technical assistance and build capacity of national and subnational levels in supply chain management, with particular focus on cold chain capacity analysis, Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) including use of new tools, improvement plans, costing and Immunization Supply Chain Management (iSCM) to address gaps and emerging needs, and as part of health systems strengthening.

Work Assignment:

Under direct supervision of the health/immunization specialist in the office where the assignment takes place, with overall oversight from the Section Chief (responsible for immunization) and guidance from the regional health/immunization specialist in the regional office (EAPRO). The consultant will provide technical support to the National counterparts in the national Immunization Team, and in particular to National Logistics Management Team (where applicable) to assess the cold chain capacity and gaps, or guide the EVM assessment, facilitate and if necessary draft the EVM improvement plan, and costing, either as part of Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP) application or without, in particular for the potential COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the country as well as for future vaccine introductions and preventive or outbreak response campaigns

The consultant will work closely at the national level with UNICEF Country Office, with the government counterparts, Provincial Health Authority/Office (as necessary), WHO country office, and at regional level with UNICEF Regional Office to provide technical assistance in supply chain management, EVM including mapping the existing capacity, identifying gaps, use of new tools, improvement plans, costing and iSCM, or in some cases, provide cold chain capacity analysis and gaps with the view of introducing new vaccines, while keeping in mind the national health strategic plans and budget and health systems strengthening perspectives.

The specific tasks to undertake are:

• Desk Review background documentation and reports related to above subjects.
• Facilitate an effective management of country’s the cold chain inventory and the assessment of vaccine and cold chain management capacity and performance at central and service delivery level, in light of new vaccine introduction plans in the coming years. For this purpose, ensuring forecast for cold chain equipment needs considering various scenarios and population growth (target group) should be prepared. Through this process, a consultant will provide on-the-job training (virtually if travel restrictions are in place) to build capacity of the UNICEF CO and Ministry of Health staff so that they can conduct the future assessments as well as building capacity of others the team without the external technical support for sustainability purpose.
• Provide technical input and Facilitate EVM assessment (including on the use of the EVMA 2.0 tool where agreed) including through project management, development of training materials and conduct of trainings.
• Provide technical Review on the recommendations and implementation status of EVM assessment including drafting the report where necessary and propose updated improvement plan with cost.
• Review and propose recommendations to improve the existing maintenance and spare parts management system in place.
• Conduct trainings for national and sub-national staff on key selected vaccine and cold chain management topics. The target groups of training will cover new users and those who are in need regardless of experience in previous capacity building programmes. The module should include Training for Trainers.
• Prepare and submit final report of the activity, recommendations at the end of the mission.

The consultant is expected to achieve one or more of the following deliverables:

• Cold chain capacity inventory analysis and gaps.
• EVM assessment, improvement plan and costing.
• Proposals for CCEOP for Gavi.
• Proposal for iSCM strengthening in support of health system strengthening.
• Assessment of the existing level of implementation of iSCM systems including different platforms, tools, reporting forms and reporting mechanisms at different levels of health system, and improvement plan with emphasis on integration of multiple iSCM tools and linkage with DHIS2.
• National guidance for supply and logistics adapted from global guidance, in preparation for new vaccine, including for potential COVID-19 vaccines.
• Training materials and trainings sessions to UNICEF CO and national counterparts on supply and logistics management for new vaccine, including for potential COVID-19 vaccines.
• A final report on the support.

Official travel: The consultant will work remotely from home and travel may require when necessary.

Estimated Duration of Contract: For a period between 2-6 months, depending on demand, and assignment specifications of each country office.

Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required:

• University degree in Public Health or related field with focus on EPI and/or Cold Chain Management.
• Eight or more years of working experience in the field of vaccine and cold chain management, with international/UN organization. Experience in East Asia and Pacific countries is preferable.
• Proven a good track record on Technical knowledge and experience in use of tools in vaccine stock management and cold chain maintenance (including EVM assessment methodologies as per WHO and UNICEF guidelines).
• Experience in undertaking / analyzing inventories of cold chain equipment and suggesting long term plans.
• Experience of working in Emergency context preferred.
• Strong facilitation skills, with prior training experience in EPI cold chain and logistics management.
• Writing and speaking fluency in English languageAbility to work independently and to meet deadlines.
• Ability to write clear and concise reports in English.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work and communicate in a multicultural environment.
• Computer literacy with high ability to use excel spread sheets.

Interested candidates are requested to provide CV/P-11/profile, proposed professional fee per day and per month in USD, some example of previous work, and contacts of 3 references by 3 November 2020.

FORM P11.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

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