Immunization National Consultant, Quinara

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.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

To mitigate risks of weakening the support that UNICEF has provided to the routine immunization due to various challenge that country is facing at same time, UNICEF Guinea-Bissau needs to urgently address overwhelming need for additional technical support that the E Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to meet the critical deadlines and further strengthen the immunization service. The consultant will work towards ensuring UNICEF provides supports to EPI campaign planning and implementation, monitoring of EPI programme/project activities, including capacity building.

Scope of Work:

Objective: Provide technical assistance to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to apply latest guidance, tools and methods to strengthen the country’s immunization system.

Activities and Tasks: The consultant will support the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and UNICEF to attain the deliverables under the following EPI components:

Evaluates and analyses the progress of immunization activities, including developing various technical reports and documentation

• Regular analysis of collected data and reports, identifying gaps, recommending corrective measures and providing feedback to the respective partners and sites. • Preparation of regular report to reflect activities conducted, progress made, constraints faced and recommendations for way forward. • Reviewing and updating of locality micro plans for improving the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) routine coverage in designated area.

Monitors and coordinates the implementation of planned activities, campaigns, and field action • Support the EPI team on vaccine coverage analyses and microplanning for the second round of Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization and Men-A campaign. • Liaise with UNICEF innovation focal point to improve the mechanisms for immunization data collection, entry and analysis. • Support operationalization of EPI Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). • Lead the implementation of the Reach Every Child approach to achieve the national targets of routine immunization coverage.

Manages training activities to strengthen capacity at various levels

• Tailor the EVM training materials and conduct the training of EPI staff at all levels
• Updating local guidelines and protocols on prevention and control of emerging and re-emerging vaccine preventable disease.
• Training EPI staff on the updated guidelines and protocols.

Methodology The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Health Specialist (Immunization), and will work in close collaboration with UNICEF colleagues involved in the overall immunization effort, and with health authorities and other partners.

Work Assignment Overview:

Tasks/Milestone Evaluates and analyses the progress of immunization activities, including developing various technical reports and documentation Deliverables/Output: • EPI service gaps identified, and corrective measures included in the microplanning + Monthly Report - Timeline: End of each month. • Updating local guidelines and protocols on prevention and control of emerging and re-emerging vaccine preventable diseases + Monthly Report - Timeline: End of each month

Tasks/Milestone Monitors and coordinates the implementation of planned activities, campaigns, and field action Deliverables/Output: • Innovative mechanisms for data collection and entry, and for regular analysis implemented. + Monthly Report - Timeline: January 2023. • One rounds of Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization implemented + Monthly Report - Timeline: February 2023 • Men-A campaign implemented + Monthly Report - Timeline: February 2023 • Implementation of activities as per agreed upon EPI Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) + Monthly Report - Timeline: June 2023 • Implementation of Reach Every Child approach to achieve the national targets of routine immunization coverage + Monthly Report - Timeline: June 2023

Tasks/Milestone Manages training activities to strengthen capacity at various levels

Deliverables/Output: • EVM training material tailored to the specific needs + Monthly Report - Timeline: August 2023 • EPI team (central and regional level) trained on Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) + Monthly Report - Timeline: September 2023 • Wrap-up reports + Monthly Report – Timeline: October 2023

Consultant needs to provide a financial offer including monthly remuneration and monthly travel fees. Estimated 20 days travel per month within Quinara or from Quinara to support other regions on development and implementation of annual regional plans.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Social Sciences, Medicine, Health, Public Health, Family Health, Child Development, Nursing, or a field relevant to international development assistance in Immunization and Child Survival & Health Care.
• Minimum 5 years progressively responsible experience in humanitarian/development contexts, emergency preparedness, complex emergency/multi-hazard disasters, community engagement and accountability to affected population work with UN, civil society and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required
• Training and experience Immunization/health care.
• Experience in knowledge management.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in Portuguese is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (English and/or French) is an asset.

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.

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.

TOR Immunization Consultant Adv.docx