Immunization Consultant

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 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, health

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) consists of 607 islands, of which 65 are inhabited. FSM has four states: Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap. The capital, Palikir, is located on the island of Pohnpei. According to the 2010 National Census of Population and Housing, the total population of FSM is 102,624. The total under one 2,121, one to four years 9,021, and under five 5yrs old children were 12,042. In FSM, Community Health Centers and Dispensaries are providing immunization services.

The objective of the immunization program is: • To increase immunization coverage and prevent vaccine-preventable diseases • To ensure the delivery of immunization services in remote area populations in the outer islands and the urban poor • To link other child survival interventions to immunization outreach services to reach SDG targets in reducing child mortality • To improve the quality of immunization services through improved cold chain and immunization supply chain management

The routine immunization system is the backbone of the public health preventive program. The immunization coverage had a challenge reaching immunization coverage of 95% in most of the antigens. DPT-3 and MCV vaccination has been below 85% for the last 10 years. The country had responded to different vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks including Measles. Currently, the COVID-19 outbreak is a major public health problem affecting largely to other health services especially general setback in routine immunization activities which largely impact the healthy state of children. The immunization program needs to reach the priority and other younger groups of the population and increase the 1st and 2nd dose including booster dose coverages to effectively control the pandemic. The National EPI Program is also planning to reinvigorate the population immunity and enhance routine immunization services by conducting catchup vaccination and integrating health services in routine outreaches reaching zero-dose children and missed children throughout the country.

In the current and the upcoming country program UNICEF will provide strategic and technical support to the National EPI program. UNICEF will be involved in developing strategic documents, immunization policies, providing support in integrated outreach services, capacity building of health care workers, technical support to leverage vaccine demand, social and behavioral change communication, and ensuring efficiency in immunization supply chain management.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of Work:

Under the close supervision of the Immunization Specialist, the Immunization Officer contributes to the planning, administration, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of EPI program activities, including teamwork and capacity building. During the duration of the consultancy, the consultant will conduct activities not limited to and may change as needs arise:

1. Provide awareness to Health care workers on the updated immunization and cold chain policies, guidelines, training materials and job aids; standard operating procedures that includes the new vaccines and meets international best practice.
2. Adapt training materials and training plan on routine immunization, and COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Conduct and facilitate required trainings -train health workers through training/ workshops and on-the-job training in vaccine administration, routine and adverse event reporting, inventory management, preventative maintenance, supportive supervision, and supply chain management.
4. Build the capacity of health workers on health facility level microplanning, procurement forecasting for all vaccines, buffer stock maintenance; and evidence-based planning for routine integrated outreach with an equity focus.
5. Provide training on the updated child health cards, record keeping forms, reporting templates and cold chain monitoring to new health care workers.
6. Provide technical guidance to the MOH to generate robust data through training on data quality self-assessment.
7. Facilitate and build the capacity of MOH in the preparation of funding requests (FACE and ICE)) for the implementation of workplan activities.
8. Provide monthly updates on workplan progress Embed reaching every child strategy in the FSM routine immunization programme.
9. Support program intensification of routine immunization in areas with low coverage (<80%) and ensure follow-up data.
10. In case of emergency collaborates in forming emergency preparedness plan relating to the areas of responsibility. Participates in monitoring and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency. Coordinates and provides technical assistance in emergency response and recovery plans.
11. Prepare regular/mandated project reports for MOH and UNICEF and keep them informed of project progress.
12. Coordinate with partners and stakeholders for the improvement of program performance. organize coordination meetings, document minutes of the meeting, and subsequently follow up on action points.
13. Identify, capture, synthesize data and share lessons learned for knowledge management and to build capacity of stakeholders.
14. Advise MoH as requested on development and printing of materials to address vaccine hesitancy and benefits of immunization including aids for community mobilization and engagement with gender considerations and school-based strategy.

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

• Education: An Advanced university degree or diploma in Public Health, Child Development, Child Health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Public Administration, or any other comparable and relevant discipline.
• Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in programme planning, management is required.
• Experience in coordination, intersectoral collaboration is required.
• Experience in dealing with policy level intervention, including policy dialogue, working with government and/or policy makers and multiple-country intervention.
• Familiarity of FSM education system and structure as well as previous work experience with UNICEF or UN is an asset
• Excellent soft skill, teamwork and flexibility are required.
• Full working knowledge of MS-Word, PowerPoint, Skype for Business, Zoom, and other presentation platforms.
• Experience delivering results independently and at distance in a timely fashion.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 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:

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 as “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.