Covid-19 vaccination Integration Consultant. Remote/Home based with travel to countries. Req

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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.

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For every child, LOVE

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Covid-19 vaccination Integration Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: COVAX/ACT-A/Health/Programme Group

Duration: 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023 – Remote/Home based with travel to countries

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Background:

The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) was launched in April 2020 with the aim of accelerating development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. ACT-A brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, philanthropists, and global health organizations. UNICEF plays a substantial role in all three ACT-A pillars (diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines), and in the Health Systems connector.

Since January 2022, urgent operational, technical, and financial support was provided to 34 countries that were at or below 10% primary series coverage. With the availability of vaccines and a decrease in the equity gap, there is now an increase in primary schedule coverage with an average rate of 24% reported in January 2023, up from 3% in January 2022. Across the 34 countries for concerted support, the dominant strategy is now the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into primary health care. With integration, countries will further accelerate reach to high priority groups and facilitate the implementation of immunization recovery plans. Given this, there is now a need to determine what support is needed for countries to achieve this.

The COVDP, a temporary emergency structure has provided 34 countries with operational, technical, and financial support will transition out by June 2023. It will be critical for National Governments and stakeholders to take into consideration three pivotal strategic thrusts.

• First, continued COVID-19 vaccination coverage acceleration and specially focus on continued efforts to increase coverage of primary schedule and boosters among high priority groups, such as the elderly, health care workers and persons with co-morbidities through sustainable tailored strategies.
• Second, given the increase in primary series coverage, the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into primary health care services (through essential Immunization programs) for sustainability.
• Third, given the related disruption to essential immunization services, concerted efforts for immunization recovery, particularly for the countries where the biggest losses in coverage were reported.

Irrespective of the transition, the CoVDPs partner agencies will remain steadfast in their commitment to the 34 countries from Regional to Country Offices. In addition, Gavi is currently designing its future COVID-19 program for 2024 and 2025 which will have a strong focus on integration.

Purpose for the job

The consultant will work closely within the ACT-A COVAX unit in coordination with Immunization and PHC/HSS unit as needed. In strong collaboration with the Country Support Team and One Country Team, he/she will have the following objectives:

• Ensure strong coordination at global and regional levels and with the Country Team, to reduce countries’ transactional costs and respond to their needs.

Where required, help countries to efficiently reach high-risk populations, overcome COVID-19 delivery and integration bottlenecks to achieve their integration plans and accelerate vaccination to achieve their target vaccination rate

Scope of Work:

The consultant will operate and may travel to countries (TBD) in coordination with existing country mechanisms, structures, to perform:

1. Global tracking of global COVID-19 vaccine acceleration to reach high-risk populations in countries and regions:

• Participate in regional mechanisms to facilitate knowledge transfer and address issues related towards a process of integration of COVID-19 vaccine delivery
• Coordinate global tracking of global COVID-19 vaccine acceleration to reach high-risk populations and support regions in updating of national integration plans, operational implementation guidance and monitoring tools.

2. Development of National plans on Integration of C-19 with PHC/RI

• Leverage and build on existing in-country structures and work with Country Teams in close collaboration with the MoH focal point and the in-country Focal Point(s), to support meeting scheduling, development of agenda / materials and alignment on next steps post meetings.​
• Provide specialized technical assistance to countries on the planning of immunization service delivery, supporting capacity building initiatives, developing strategies to identify and reach under-served and high-risk populations and optimizing local approaches to COVID-19 with an emphasis on integration of delivery
• Liaise with existing structures at UNICEF and WHO Regional Office level via regular meetings, status update sessions, joint missions, etc.
• Coordinate the monitoring and dissemination of the impact of COVID-19 related activities in aspects of immunization programs and address ways and means to mitigate the fallback in coverage where this has been evident.
• Work closely with the Country Teams and the Country Support Teams in identifying bottlenecks to achieve integration, to define solutions, and/or mitigations to overcome identified challenges and follow up on action points at the global and regional level that can address identified bottlenecks.

3. Use case studies on integration models of C-19/RI

• Develop on integration models of C-19/RI where this has been successful in COVDP supported countries. Use case studies to enhance uptake in similar settings
• Collaborate closely with multi-sectoral actors in optimizing integration vaccination strategies and platforms.

4. Lessons learned from countries

• Contribute technical expertise in execution of post-introduction evaluations. Coordinate information sharing and drive global synthesis on continuing COVID-19 vaccine introduction and needs including lessons learned.

Coordinate consolidation of country and regional lessons learned. Contribute to maintain of programmatic data on integrated delivery of vaccination through the use of available tools

Terms of Reference / Deliverables/Deadlines

Global tracking of global COVID-19 vaccine acceleration to reach high-risk populations in countries and regions.

• Series of 2 webinars, 3 meetings, and six reports

By 31 Dec 2023

Development of National plans on Integration of C-19 with PHC

• Six countries national plans developed.

By 31 Dec 2023

Use case studies on integration models of C-19/RI.

• Case studies from six countries developed.

By 31 Dec 2023

Lessons learned from countries

• Draft report on lessons learned

By 31 Dec 2023

Qualifications

(1) Education

• Advanced University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Medicine, Public Health, Pediatric Health, Global/International Health, Health Policy and Management, Family Health, Socio-medical Sciences, Health Education, Epidemiology, or other fields relevant to immunization

(2) Work experience

• At least 12 years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in development, planning, programming, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and managing of health/Immunization programs.
• Experience in managing integrated program delivery package to improve immunization service uptake
• Previous professional work experience in a managerial position in health and immunization related fields
• Familiarized with the COVID 19 context and other infectious disease outbreak management.
• Familiarized work experience in humanitarian and complex emergencies management

(3) Competencies

• Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset

Requirements****:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11)
• Upload copy of academic credentials

• Financial proposal that will include:

• All-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the deliverables noted above.

• Travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

• Indicate your availability

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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:

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.