Individual Contractor, Information Management (Immunization), LAC Regional Office, Panama City, Panama (full-time, 11.5 months)

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.

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged children at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children.

For information of the work of our organization in the LAC Region, please visit our website: UNICEF LAC Region

For every child, health

In 2020, UNICEF procured 1.9 billion doses of vaccines for 102 countries in the world, enough to reach 45 percent of the world's children under five years of age. This incredible milestone calls for equally effective stock management at all levels of supply chain and ideally at service delivery points to ensure children, especially those in under-served, urban poor, conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas, have access to life-saving vaccines, when needed.

A well-functioning supply chain is essential for the success of the immunization programmes with effective stock management at its heart. However, an analysis of global data indicated that most low and middle-income countries performed below the minimum standard for adequate vaccine stock management1. Recent data by WHO and UNICEF show that each year at least one-third of countries experience one or more vaccine stock-outs lasting for at least one month or more2.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent massive global vaccination drive bring stock management to a new level of urgency and offer a unique opportunity to ensure quality and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and strengthen and enhance the routine immunization (RI) stock management practices.

Against this backdrop, UNICEF, WHO and Gavi launched a joint initiative under Thrive360 to strengthen stock management capacities, encourage feedback loops, leverage existing systems, and integrate data sources in one platform. The aim is to enable National Logistics Working Groups (NLWGs) and other partners to have relevant, reliable, and updated information for data-driven planning and decision-making in one place.

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6323754/#CR6

2 Vaccine stockouts around the world: Are essential vaccines always available when needed?(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6323754/#CR7)

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Assignment

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Maternal and Child Health Specialist, the incumbent will support the collection, review, quality assurance, analysis and visualization of data related to COVID-19 vaccines and related data, including coverage rates, trends and stock data, from respective countries.

The individual contractor will strengthen data management systems across countries and at the regional level to ensure better oversight of immunization-related data and improve monitoring systems. This will help the Regional Office [RO], Country Offices [CO] and countries to better identify bottlenecks and develop tailored strategies to strengthen not only COVID-19 vaccine roll out but also routine immunization systems.

In addition, the individual contractor will support UNICEF’s RO and CO in their assistance to governments in strengthening cold chain systems in the context of COVID-19 vaccine roll out.

Specific Tasks

1. Map and establish dataflows in countries and improve overall immunization and data systems.

2. Support the updating and implementation of systems and protocols for tracking and monitoring the stock management and distribution of vaccines and key supplies through the Government's existing Vaccine Logistics Management and Information System (VLMIS), including operating procedures.

3. In selected countries, provide support to collect, validate, review and analyze available monthly stock data and upload it to global databases.

4. Support the potential integration of iDash and Thrive360 and its deployment in CO, based on country context and in consultation with CO.

5. Map or where the work is already ongoing, collaborate with T4D or relevant team on the status of current in-country digital solutions (eLMIS, HMIS, SBCC) including the availability of track & trace policies, verification solutions and provide technical support to selected CO to strengthen eLMIS/DHIS2/other tools deployment/expansion.

6. Organize capacity development workshops and provide remote on-the-job support to CO.

7. Support the development of a regional knowledge management platform on immunization for use by the RO and COs.

8. Conduct in-depth data analysis to identify areas with higher number of un/under immunized/zero-dose children for targeted technical assistance (conflict affected, hard-to-reach, urban poor etc).

9. Map or create monitoring mechanisms to highlight supply and cold chain bottlenecks, including potential stock management issues, at all supply chain levels and provide regular feedback to country focal points working with NLWGs/EOCs.

10. Produce infographics, presentations and other visual information products to strengthen data-driven planning and decision making at regional offices, across partners and CO.

11. Support selected countries in strengthening supply chain systems including supporting national/targeted effective vaccine management (EVM) and related assessments.

12. Provide guidance and technical support to countries to help them better plan for, select and formulate technical specifications for cold chain equipment and immunization supplies, as well as install and manage their cold chain equipment.

13. To provide guidance and technical assistance in deploying and strengthening solutions for vaccines requiring UCC. In this context, support COs in accumulating the relevant information on UCC readiness and liaise with RO and HQ on gaps and challenges regarding readiness.

14. Any other relevant activities in consultation and discussion with the supervisor(s).

Deliverables

• Dataflows and existing immunization data systems, including on stock management systems in priority countries mapped. [estimated working days: 20]

• Pilot country(ies) for deployment of vaccine inventory tools up to third level cold stores and select service delivery points identified. [estimated working days: 10]

• Vaccine stock and consumption data collected, compiled, analyzed and shared. [estimated working days: 30] - Data quantity and quality improvement plans with country offices developed and progress tracked, technical assistance to

governments provided. [estimated working days: 30]

• Support the development of a regional knowledge management platform on immunization for use by the RO and COs. [estimated working days: 10]

• Infographics, one pager(s), deep-dive analytics and other visual information products to inform planning and decision making

produced. [estimated working days: 10]

• Low-performing countries (reporting rates and quality) identified and targeted technical support recommended. [estimated working days: 15]

• Technical assistance provided to selected countries to strengthen immunization data information systems. [estimated working days: 25]

• Strategic plans on how to strengthen local cold chain systems developed with priority countries. [estimated working days: 25]

• Internal monitoring system of routine immunization coverage and zero dose children in priority countries created. [estimated working days: 20]

• Regular updates on status of cold chain and ultra-cold chain capacities in countries created. [estimated working days: 15]

• Other tasks implemented as needed.

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

Education: Master’s degree in one or more of the following areas: Data analytics, Statistics, M&E, Information Technologies, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Public Health or other relevant fields.

Work Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in information management, M&E, statistics and/or in immunization logistics and supply chain management, is required.

• Experience in working with the UN/UNICEF is an asset.

• Familiarity with emergency response is an asset.

Languages: Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be considered an asset.

Technical knowledge:

• Professional technical knowledge and expertise in immunization data management, in particular in Middle- and Low-Income countries. Knowledge in cold chain management is an asset.

• Good knowledge of UNICEF programme work in the LAC Region in the areas of health and data management.

Other skills and attributes:

• Demonstrated excellent skills in strategic thinking finding innovative ways to foster organizational change.

• Client oriented.

• Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines.

• Must be detail-oriented and present thoughts and ideas in a structured way.

• Ability to clearly define objectives and plan activities.

• Demonstrated experience with UNICEF will be an asset.

Supervision: The individual contractor will work under the direct supervision of the Maternal and Child Health Specialist and in close collaboration with the Individual Contractor working on immunization-related issues.

Workplace: This is a remote, home-based contract.

How to apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

Duration: This is a full-time individual contract expected to last 11.5 months, with an estimated start date of 3 January 2022.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and the following core competencies: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness, Works Collaboratively with others, Builds and Maintains Partnerships, Innovates and Embraces Change, Thinks and Acts Strategically, Drive to achieve impactful results, and Manages ambiguity and complexity.

To view our values and competency framework please visit the following links: Our Values and Our 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.

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.