International Consultancy - SBC Specialist, Immunization - Health- Individual Contractor

This opening expired 1 year ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF

Application deadline 1 year ago: Wednesday 15 Feb 2023 at 20:55 UTC

Open application form

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.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title of Assignment

SBC Specialist – Immunization / Health- Individual Contractor

Hiring Section

ESARO SBC

Location

Remote / home-based with travel to three selected countries

Duration

4 months

Start/End Date

From: 2/28/2023

To: 6/30/2023

Background and Justification

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted the Eastern and Southern Africa region, both directly by causing mortality and disease and indirectly by limiting availability and access to a wide-range of healthcare services, widening immunization gaps, exacerbating the learning crisis, temporarily diverting resources from the climate crisis and other disease outbreaks, impacting gender-violence prevention efforts and increasing poverty overall.

According to the last WUENIC worldwide estimates , 25 million children were un-or under-vaccinated in 2021, 2 million more than in 2020, and 6 million more than in 2019. Coverage of the third dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTP-3) dropped a further 2% compared 2020, to 81% in 2021, leaving 25 million children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. the Eastern and Southern Africa region Ethiopia, Angola, Madagascar, Tanzania and Mozambique are among the 20 countries with higher zero dose rates.

Gavi defines zero-dose children as those who don’t receive a single dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis containing vaccine (Gavi, 2022). Families of zero dose children may be less well linked to health services, encounter both access and demand challenges to seeking vaccinations and other routine healthcare. They may be living fragile contexts such as areas of humanitarian conflict, climate change-induced drought and famine, or in unstable countries also face unique challenges getting their children vaccinated—and children who are not receiving lifesaving vaccines are likely also deprived of other healthcare, which can further adversely impact their health .

The Immunization Agenda 2030 envisions a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines to improve health and well-being. It aims to maintain hard-won gains in immunization, recover from the disruptions caused by COVID-19, and achieve even more – by leaving no one behind, in any situation or at any stage of life.

To support the achievement of the Immunization Agenda 2030 agenda and ESARO Focus Area “Addressing maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality through primary health care”, UNICEF ESARO is looking for additional expertise to ensure UNICEF Country Offices receive adequate technical assistance to develop, implement and monitor evidence-based, gender responsive, pro-equity SBC strategies to increase uptake of immunization and MNCH services, in particular those targeting zero dose communities.

Scope of Work

1. Goal and objective:

Under the supervision of the ESARO SBC Specialist (Immunization/Health) and in close coordination with the health section, the contractor will provide technical assistance to ESAR countries on the development of systematic, planned and evidence-based and theory driven SBC strategies aiming at increasing sustainable demand and uptake of essential health services.

2. Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered: The contractor will focus on addressing drivers and barriers associated to demand for health and immunization services. This includes the promotion and use of SBC data for programming and advocacy purposes, and the technical support to CO to ensure tailored strategies and plans are in place to reach all.

3. Activities and Tasks:

Support countries in the development and appropriate use of qualitative and quantitative research on social and behavioral drivers to inform the development and monitoring of SBC health promotion interventions

  • In collaboration with the SBC data analysis consultant, support COs in data collection efforts, including selection of survey questions, sampling, selection of data collection methods, and data analysis to inform programming.
  • Ensure that a mapping of ongoing data collection initiatives, both from UNICEF and key partners and stakeholders, is available and updated.
  • Develop cross-country analysis to identify trends and suggest overarching key programmatic recommendations.

  • Support countries in the development of equitable and gender responsive routine immunization, new vaccine introduction and RMNCAH plans and related interventions for child survival, with emphasis on reaching zero-dose children.

  • Provide inputs to evidence-based demand promotion plans and strategies, ensuring that targeted, human-centered, pro-equity, gender-responsive interventions are included.

  • Support country effort to ensure adequate mainstreaming of Covid-19 vaccines into routine immunization systems.
  • Support the selection of indicators to effectively measure social and behavioural change interventions

  • Support the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group, placed under the Equity Technical Reference Group, to ensure UNCIEF technical leadership in the area of vaccine demand and uptake

  • Prepare and share the agenda for the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group calls

  • Share the minutes of the meetings and follow up on key action points
  • Report to and coordinate with the regional Equity Technical Reference Group
  • Ensure that monitoring and tracking forms are updated

  • Knowledge Management and Documentation

  • Liaise with ESAR SBC KM focal point to ensure that all available demand promotion data is uploaded into key online platforms and adequately disseminated, highlighting country office experiences that could be showcased in existing ESARO SBC KM products and platforms.

  • Support country offices in the development of abstracts to be submitted to scientific journals for publication.
  • Produce a final consultancy report and 15 slides max PPT on key achievement.

4. Work relationships: The consultant will be supporting the whole ESARO SBC team and will be in regular contact with ESAR COs SBC focal points. In addition, collaboration with ESARO Health section will be required in a regular basis.

5. Outputs/Deliverables:

The consultant will be required to produce the outputs as specified below.

Del. #

Output #

Deliverable

Timeframe

Payment

1

1, 2, 3, 4

  • Support at least 1 CO in SBC data collection and analysis efforts, including programmatic recommendation
  • Support at least 1 CO in the development and/or monitoring of evidence-based demand promotion plans and strategies targeting zero dose children
  • Support the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group (meeting agenda, minutes, reporting to the regional Equity TWG)
  • Collaborate with the ESAR SBC KM focal point to ensure adequate maintenance of online platforms
  • First monthly report timely submitted to the supervisor

By end of March

Payment n. 1: 25%

2

2, 3, 4

  • Support at least 1 CO in mainstreaming of Covid-19 vaccines into routine immunization systems.
  • Support at least 1 CO in the development and/or monitoring of evidence-based demand promotion plans and strategies targeting zero dose children
  • Support the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group (meeting agenda, minutes, reporting to the regional Equity TWG)
  • Collaborate with the ESAR SBC KM focal point to ensure adequate maintenance of online platforms
  • Second monthly report timely submitted to the supervisor

By end of April

Payment n. 2: 25%

3

1, 2, 3, 4

  • Support at least 1 CO in SBC data collection and analysis efforts, including programmatic recommendation
  • Support at least 1 CO in the development and/or monitoring of evidence-based demand promotion plans and strategies targeting zero dose children
  • Support the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group (meeting agenda, minutes, reporting to the regional Equity TWG)
  • Collaborate with the ESAR SBC KM focal point to identify country office experiences that could be showcased in existing ESARO SBC KM products and platforms.
  • Third monthly report timely submitted to the supervisor

By end of May 2023

Payment n. 3: 25%

4

1, 2, 3, 4

  • Support at least 1 CO in mainstreaming of Covid-19 vaccines into routine immunization systems.
  • Support at least 1 CO in the development and/or monitoring of evidence-based demand promotion plans and strategies targeting zero dose children
  • Support the regional Demand Promotion sub-working group (meeting agenda, minutes, reporting to the regional Equity TWG)
  • Delivery of final consultancy report and 15 slides max PPT on key achievements
  • Develop cross-country analysis to identify trends and suggest overarching key programmatic recommendations.
  • Final monthly report timely submitted to the supervisor

By the end of June 2023

Payment n. 4: 25%

Payment Schedule

Monthly payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of deliverables based on the submission of the monthly and/or final report to the supervisor.

Desired Competencies, technical background and experience

Education

Masters degree or its equivalent is required in any of the following areas:

Behavioral Health Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Health Education and Promotion, Social Sciences, Public Health or another related field.

Work experience:

  • A minimum of 8 years’ experience in SBC, demand for immunization, risk communication and community engagement
  • Solid experience in Results-Based Measurement and in social and behavior change monitoring and evaluation
  • Solid experience in multi-partner coordination

Technical knowledge:

  • Proven skills in communication, networking, and tools development.
  • Proven skills in monitoring and evaluation of social and behavior change interventions
  • Proven skills in social and behavioural data collection and analysis
  • Proven skill in stakeholders’ coordination
  • Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as ensure knowledge transfer.
  • Strong writing skills.

Must exhibit the UNICEF Core Values of:

  1. Care
  2. Respect
  3. Integrity
  4. Trust
  5. Accountability
  6. Sustainability

Competencies: list the competencies that the consultant should have for the assignment.

  1. Builds and maintains partnerships: Level 2
  2. Drive to achieve results for impact: Level 2
  3. Manages ambiguity and complexity: Level 2
  4. Works collaboratively with others: Level 2

Language: Oral and written fluency in English is required. French and Portuguese are considered an asset.

Administrative Issues

  • The Consultant will mostly be home-based with three travels to selected country offices (most probably Tanzania, Angola and Ethiopia). Travel will be in economy class. If the Consultant is required to quarantine due to COVID-19 restrictions while traveling, UNICEF will pay for the quarantine if not organized by the host country.
  • Regular remote meetings (at least on a weekly basis and frequency to be adjusted based on needs, at the request of the supervisor) will be organized to provide updates. The consultant will use his/her own office equipment. As most of the work will be done remotely, the consultant must have high internet connectivity and must be available/reachable online throughout the consultancy.
  • As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
  • The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Conditions

  • 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 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.

Risks

No specific risks are anticipated during this assignment except, in unlikely circumstances, delays in submission of deliverables. Effort will be undertaken to mitigate this by closely working with the consultant to ensure that each of the deliverables is submitted and available by the due date.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should apply online using the button below. As part of their application, candidates should provide:

1. A cover letter that specifies how you meet the desired competencies, technical background and experience (no more than 2 pages) 2. A short CV (no more than 4 pages) 3. A financial proposal that should include the monthly rate and total fees in USD for the assignment. (Any application without a financial proposal will not be considered) 4. 3 Referees.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org