International consultant to support Eswatini on Vaccine and cold chain management as part of the COVID 19 response, Mbabane, Eswatini, Home based

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, Vaccine

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF is supporting Eswatini in achieving their national immunization goals, including for COVID-19 (C19) vaccination. The achievement of these goals depends on having strong Immunization Supply Chains Management (ISCM) systems in place. The objectives for ISCM are to achieve adequate supply for every immunization session without temperature damage and at the lowest possible cost per fully immunized child. Therefore, an effective supply chain in general and in cold chain management remains vital for rapidly deploying vaccines in existing and new vaccination sites as well as vaccinating target group. Hence, the MOH through UNICEF Eswatini, is seeking assistance of an international consultant to strengthen the cold chain system and the capacity of the Expanded Immunization Programme (EPI) Unit in the Ministry of Health (MOH) in vaccine and cold chain management to successfully deploy, distribute and monitor vaccines (C19, routine immunization, polio and HPV) and ancillary items to improve vaccination coverage and equity.

Scope of Work:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to ensure that MOH EPI unit effectively manages the cold chain and vaccines, including the C19 vaccine and ancillary items received, in terms of storage, packing and safely shipping to specified distribution/usage points within the agreed timeline.

More specifically this review and engagement aims:

- Support the MOH in strengthening the Cold Chain Equipment Management (CCEM) through training of government staff including technicians on operation and maintenance of cold chain equipment for C19 vaccines and other vaccine, put in place a system for monitoring the dry storage and cold chain capacity at all levels with regards to the C19 vaccines characteristics and suggest recommendations on how to fill the identified supply and logistics gaps. - Improve the vaccine flow through training on vaccine management practices, update vaccine stock management tools, operating procedures, and any other tool related to COVID 19 vaccines to reflect the characteristics of C19 vaccines. - Support the regional microplanning (cold chain capacity, transport, supplies) planning, implementation and monitoring. - Conduct supervision at regional level to monitor post-training actions.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Estimate Budget (SZL)

Develop an inception report with the workplan to support the MOH EPI Unit in the below deliverables.

Inception report

2 days

Conduct an assessment of the vaccine and cold chain flow to identify operational weaknesses and suggest recommendations on how to fill the identified cold chain, supply and logistics gaps.

Report on the vaccine and CCE flow assessment with recommendation on how to improve vaccine stock and cold chain management

10 days

20%

Facilitate a validation workshop on the assessment findings and recommendations

Validation workshop report

5 days

Develop a system to track vaccine stock and Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) purchase and deployment and monitoring functionality

CCE and vaccine stock tracking tools developed

10 days

Update the CCE inventory

CCE inventory updated

5 days

Facilitate a training for health workers and technicians on Cold Chain Equipment Management (CCEM) including Covax and regular cold chain maintenance storage and transport of vaccines.

CCEM Training report

5 days

30%

Facilitate a training for health workers and central medical store staff on immunization Supply Chain (iSC) management for decision making.

iSC training report

5 days

Provide technical advice and guidance to the 4 regions on revision of the regional microplanning (cold chain capacity, transport, supplies) and put in place a monitoring implementation plan.

Regional microplanning revised and with a monitoring plan in place

15 days

20%

Conduct supervision at regional level to monitor post-training action

Reports on supervision visits in the 4 regions

10 days

Develop and submit the final report of the consultancy with recommendation on sustainability

Final report

5 days

30%

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

Advanced university degree from a recognized academic institution in one or more of the following areas is preferred: Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Project Management, Data Management and Analysis or related to supply and logistics operations in UNICEF program areas.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

 Minimum three years progressively responsible professional work experience at national and international levels in supply management, vaccines programming including cold chain and vaccine management.  Work experience in outbreak context is considered as an asset.  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.  Product knowledge on cold chain equipment, new cold chain technologies and understanding of the principles of vaccine management, knowledge and experience with data collection, data management analysis and reporting are essential. Knowledge of procurement processes and good distribution practice could be beneficial.  Fluency in English  Good computer and software skills including MS Office, TMS, Vision, Service Gateway

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.