International consultancy- Cold Chain and Vaccine Management Specialist, two (2) positions UNICEF South Sudan

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, Care

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: Every year, at least one-third of low and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience vaccine stockouts lasting for a month or more. By reviewing annual government reported supply chain indicators over the last ten years, LMICs have seen an increase in the number of stockouts of at least one routine antigen from 30 per cent in 2010 to 45 per cent in 2019.

Sub-optimal vaccine management not only increases the operational and opportunity costs of vaccination but can also play a significant role in broadening inequities and stagnating demand, predominantly affecting under-served, urban poor, insecure and hard-to-reach populations.

The COVID-19 vaccine deployment is ongoing since the second quarter of 2021 and continuous deployment of the COVID-19 is in place with pipelines expected. In such situation, several activities need to be accomplished within a record time, this includes but not limited to determination of the required logistics that will be informed by vaccination strategies.

To effectively manage the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccination campaign and integration of COVID-19 vaccine in Primary health Care (PHC) in South Sudan, UNICEF is deploying vaccine management specialists (VMS) into the field. The VMS will build capacity and support national authorities in planning, storage, distribution, temperature tracking, monitoring, accountability and waste management of COVID-19 vaccines and relevant commodities.

Through Stock Management Strengthening stream, UNICEF would fund the Focused technical assistance support the Ministry of Health to report monthly on stocks of routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccines and devices to sustain visibility already created at all levels of the immunization supply chain in the country

UNICEF South Sudan is seeking assistance in the form of international consultants to support effective planning, storage, distribution, monitoring and accountability of the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to the country, support strategy development and implementation for integration of COVID-19 vaccine into PHC and routine Immunization, Roll out of electronic stock management tool (eSMT) and installation of Remote temperature Monitoring devices (RTMDs) as well as comprehensive cold chain gap analysis and integration of CCE inventory into the DHIS2. This technical assistance would support to strengthen vaccine and cold chain management in the cold store at national, assigned states and county and strengthen vaccine and supplies visibility at the sub national levels.

Main Duties and Responsibilities: • In collaboration with partners, support the planning, implementation and monitoring of the third round of COVID-19 vaccination campaign • Support development of strategy and integration of COVID-19 vaccine into the Primary health Care and routine immunization system of South Sudan • Prepare vaccine status and accountability reports and share with supply and logistics working groups and key stakeholders. • Support NLWG/EOC (TOT, on the job training, adopt/deploy SOPs) to plan the timely and equitable distribution of vaccines with active temperature monitoring in transit and on arrival at receiving stores. • Support NLWGs to train the national and state vaccine management officers on electronic stock management tool (eSMT) and roll out of same in all states to expand/deploy data management systems/tools (OCK, SMT, eLMIS) that improve/automate vaccine inventories at national, second and third level stores. • Support training of national cold chain technician on installation of remote temperature monitoring devices (RTMDs) and the installation of the devices at national vaccine store • Support stock management best practices and systems within national supply and logistic systems through cascaded trainings and make it a mandatory part of supportive supervision visits. • Prepare regular vaccine monitoring reports and share them with key stakeholders for required actions. • Strengthen routine stock management practices (ToT, cross-learning, documenting best practices and lessons learnt) and track reporting rates at central, State and county level stores. • Collect, analyze and share COVID-19 and RI stock, consumption, and expiry data up to third level stores with regional office focal point. • Support comprehensive Cold Chain Capacity and Gap analysis including the procurement plan for cold chain equipment expansion/rehabilitation (CCE including Passive Containers) and possible integration of the inventory data into DHIS2.

Scope of Work: In collaboration with MOH/WHO/UNICEF/other extended partner teams for planning and deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine, the consultant will assess the supply chain gaps at all level in light of COVID-19 vaccine characteristics, prepare and implement the expansion/rehabilitation of the cold chain capacity, support capacity building activity of the vaccine handlers (SOP and trainings) and technician on eSMT and it roll out as well as installation of RTMDs at national vaccine store (NVS), The consultants would also support the integration of COVID-19 vaccine into the PHC and routine immunization in the country.

Task/Milestone Deliverables (Estimated # of Days) Duration Deadline 1. Conduct the Sub-National COVID-19 campaign Pre-Intra and Post campaign activities at the different supply chain levels a, Inception report and planned activities b, COVID-19 Sub-National Campaign logistic and supplies distribution micro plan for implementation available d, Immunization supply visibility report at national, state and county level 5 weeks Between 3 July 2023 and 11 August 2023.

2. Integration of COVID-19 vaccine into PHC and routine immunization and Installation of the remote temperature monitoring system at the National vaccine store (Beyond wireless) 5. Strategy for integration of COVID-19 vaccine into PHC developed. A, Report from the field for pre and intra COVID-19 campaign b, Report on field Monitoring and supervision of integration of C-19 in PHC c, Six (6) cold chain technicians trained on RTMD (Beyond wireless) installation and training report submitted. e, Installation of RTMDs (Beyond Wireless) at National vaccine store completed and commissioned 4 weeks 8 Sept 2023

5. Train and transfer skills to National levels technicians on installation of Remote Temperature monitoring devices (RTMDs) that will be installed in the States and Counties (Nexleaf) and vaccine visibility at national, state & county levels a, Ten (10) cold chain technicians trained and equipped with skills to carry out RTMD (Nexleaf) at County level and training report submitted. b, Installation of RTMDs at 10 state vaccine stores & Kapoeta Cold Chain Hub (Eastern Equatoria). C, Immunization supply visibility report at the national, state and county level 5 weeks 13 Oct. 2023

6. Roll out of electronic stock ,, 50management tool (eSMT) and vaccine visibility at National and State levels a, Training plan developed with relevant training materials b, Training report completed and shared 6 weeks 3 Nov. 2023

14. Report on the functionality of Roll out of eSMT at state cold store, 50% of states using eSMT 15. Immunization supply visibility report at the national, state and county level 30. Nov.2023

7. Conduct a comprehensive Cold Chain Capacity and Gap analysis including the procurement plan for cold chain equipment expansion/rehabilitation (CCE including Passive Containers) b, Comprehensive cold chain equipment inventory including National, State, County and HF levels (50%).

Minimum Qualifications required: Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

- A university degree is required in Pharmacy, Public Health, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement, Engineering, or other relevant disciplines. Language Requirements:

- Fluency in English; knowledge of another UN languages is an asset - A minimum of five years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health/immunization programmes, immunization/health supply, logistics and procurement. - Health logistics specialist with extensive knowledge and experiences of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, including aspects related to mass vaccination campaigns and covid-19 vaccination response activities. - Work experience managing large-scale projects, working with governments, working in resource-limited settings, monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management, mitigation will be an asset. - Experience of cold chain equipment inventory management, development, and validation of CCE operational deployment plans, development of preventive and curative maintenance plan is an asset. - Knowledge and experience with vaccine stock data collection, data management, analysis and reporting are essential. - Knowledge of procurement processes and good distribution practice could be beneficial. - Proficiency in computer tools, and the logistics tools of the EPI, SMT, ViVa, CCE inventory tool; - Previous experience in implementing projects in emergency context is an asset. - Have an organizational and managerial capacity. - Know how to maintain good relations with all partners. - Be a team player; - Ability to work in a multicultural environment. - Have the ability to communicate and train.

All applications MUST be accampanied with a detailed technical and financial proposal.

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.