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

UNICEF Ukraine

How can you make a difference?

Background:

The war in Ukraine continues to destroy infrastructure, livelihoods and increase vulnerabilities of affected populations. The situation remains volatile and unpredictable, requiring comprehensive emergency preparedness and planning to ensure the greatest needs can continue to be met. Communities continue to face limited access to basic and essential water, health and education services, with some services in parts of the country non-operational.

The situation of Ukraine’s healthcare system is critical, with numerous challenges affecting maternal and child care, including direct damaging of health care facilities, and migration of healthcare professionals.

The disruption caused by the war has impacted immunization services, hindering health service delivery nationwide. Insufficient immunization rates are being exacerbated by the limited access to health service provision in parts of the country, increasing the risk of preventable, infectious diseases being reported from across regions. In the first 8 months of 2023, MOH registered 43 measles cases (21 of them in children), in 11 regions of the country. Since July 2023, a nationwide measles catch-up vaccination campaign has been ongoing to protect children from the disease.

Among persisting bottlenecks in immunization, as identified by the National MOH-UNICEF Hotline “Jointly to health”, are false contraindications by medical professionals; reluctance of doctors/nurses responsible for vaccination to share information about vaccines with clients or proactively invite them for routine of COVID-19 vaccinations. Overall, vaccines forecast and distribution between the regions remains weak. Lack of certain vaccines is observed in some areas while excess of vaccines in others, with no proactive approach to re-distribute between regions or facilities.

In the scope of upcoming interventions within the WB funding, UNICEF will be working to support public health system strengthening by ensuring quality immunization at PHC level across Ukraine. This envisions light rehabilitation of PHC facilities that provide immunization services, equipping them with the WHO-prequalified equipment, furniture, and soft component – capacity building of staff on vaccine/cold chain management, demand generation, forecasting, and other elements of the immunization programme.

Work assignment overview:

Deliverable

Deadline

# of w/days

1. A written data analysis based on the insights from the national Hotline is provided.

28.10.2024

75

2. Up to 60 healthcare facilities to be selected for participation in the WB project are conducted.

28.10.2024

60

3. At least 8 capacity building interventions on evidence-based practices, including contra-indications, communication of vaccination for healthcare professionals are conducted.

28.10.2024

85

4.Progress monthly updates for donors, UNICEF CO management, inputs to donor reports on projects implementation are provided.

28.10.2024

30

Sub-total:

250

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal including travels to carry out the deliverables listed above.

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

Education: An advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in one of the following fields is required: Medicine, Public Health, Health Management, Epidemiology or higher education in other fields with previous professional experience in project management, implementation of initiatives in health.

Professional experience:

• A minimum of two years of professional experience implementing initiatives in the area of health.
• Experience working in a humanitarian emergency is an asset.
• Cooperation with/supporting a UN system agency or organization is considered an added advantage.

Languages:

• Ukrainian: Proficient/Native [C2];
• English: Upper-Intermediate [B2].

Skills and competencies:

• Knowledge of the Ukrainian healthcare system, related context and challenges
• Good organizational skills, ability to manage complexity
• Working with others, good communication skills
• Networking and partnership building
• Drive to achieve result for impact.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed 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.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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 “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.