Consultant to support MI Integration in the UNICEF IPC for immunization curricula

Contract

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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 fulfill 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, opportunities.

How can you make a difference?

Background

In Romania, according to the National Institute for Public Health, the 2019 national coverage for measles containing vaccines is still below the WHO recommended threshold, the rate for the first dose is 90% and for the second dose is of 76%.

Since the beginning of the current measles outbreak in 2016, in Romania there have been registered 20,204 cases (according to the latest data of 17 July 2020) and 64 deaths, of which the vast majority were unvaccinated children.

The low vaccination rates can be attributed to a broad range of factors: stockouts, lack of data on unvaccinated children, lack of information, migration of families with children.

The decision to refuse or delay vaccinations is one of the factors affecting the vaccination coverage. It is strongly connected to the availability of information about vaccination, its benefits and side effects and to the interaction between caregivers and health workers. A study conducted by WHO in Romania in 2017 shows that the health workers (and especially the family doctors) are perceived as the most reliable source of information. Nonetheless, the data from the study reveals that:

• Almost one third did (29%) of the caregivers did not agree with/did not respond to the statement that they know where to go for information about vaccination; and one fifth (20%) did not agree with/respond to the statement that they were satisfied with the information from their family doctor.
• Less than half (46%) of respondents knew when it was time for their child’s next vaccination.
• Only 58% reported that they were informed by the health clinic about their child’s next vaccination.
• 21% did not respond/disagreed that their family doctor provided clear information about vaccination. 31% did not respond/agree that their family doctor provided clear information about potential side effects.

Context

UNICEF in partnership with US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, design, implement, and evaluate an intervention based on Interpersonal Communication (IPC) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques to increase timely immunization uptake among children in two selected counties in Romania. The intervention will teach hospital, primary and community-based health care workers how to initiate and maintain conversations with new mothers about vaccination and will teach community-based mobilizers how to approach caregivers who defaulted on childhood vaccination visits. The goal of these conversations will be to deliver information about vaccines, probe for vaccine hesitancy, address concerns, and establish a personal relationship with the caregiver. This will be achieved by the adaptation and implementation of the UNICEF Interpersonal Communication for Immunization (IPCI) as well as additional motivational interviewing techniques and tools.

UNICEF seeks an international consultant to produce and guide the integration of Motivational Interviewing techniques, methods, and resources into the existing UNICEF Interpersonal Communication for Immunization curriculum for healthcare workers.

Specific Tasks:

• Based on the results of the needs assessment for curriculum adaptation, provide expert opinion on the proposed adaptation of the existing UNICEF IPC curriculum to include MI elements necessary for the success of the intervention:
  • Recommend those modules of the existing UNICEF IPC curriculum where MI can be integrated;
  • Propose the concept of MI integration in the existing modules
• Develop and provide all necessary training content (theoretical information, practice, practical examples) for the MI module of the training curriculum;
• Adapt and make changes of the MI module content based on the review done by the UNICEF and CDC teams;
• Provide input for the training materials (powerpoint presentation) related to the MI module content;
• Adapt materials (if needed) on the MI module after the Training of Trainers sessions;
• Provide feedback to the intervention during the rollout, advising on tweaks or changes when necessary.

Timeline: 20 March – 30 June 2021

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, or another relevant technical field;
• At least 7 years’ experience in developing and implementing Motivational Interviewing programmes;
• Extended experience in designing and developing programmes applying Motivational Interviewing to increase vaccination acceptance and uptake;
• At least 7 years’ experience in designing and applying Motivational Interviewing training programmes;
• Experience in drafting research papers, methodologies, analytical documents, policy papers and notes, project and program documents, studies, etc
• Proficiency in English is required, with working knowledge in a second UN language (French) being a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

Application procedure:

The application will be made in the dedicated UNICEF platform and it must include:

1. an updated CV focused on the skills and experience requested by the current consultancy;
2. a financial offer Fin template_Ind cons_per day.docx, specifying the requested gross hourly fee in USD taking into consideration that the consultant will be responsible for paying all his/her due income taxes as per fiscal legislation.

General conditions

Working conditions:

The Consultant will work remotely from his/her own premises.

Reporting:

The Consultant will work closely with the implementing partner and will engage with the CDC Atlanta team and the UNICEF team (UNICEF Romania C4D Officer, UNICEF ECA RO C4D team and the UNICEF NY C4D Specialist), the evaluation team, as well as with other stakeholders, as needed.

Payment:

The payment will be made in US$ on the finalization of deliverables (MI module content and training materials) and completion of the consultancy.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.