International Consultant-Vaccine Management Specialist, Dhaka; Bangladesh (Not for Bangladeshi)

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Tuesday 30 Nov 2021 at 17:55 UTC

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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.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Timely and equitable immunization services are amongst the most cost-effective development interventions with sustained and long-term health and economic dividends for nations. And effective end-to-end vaccine stock management is at its core, ensuring life-saving vaccines are always available up to the last mile, coverage goals are met, and no child is left behind.

However, each year at least one-third of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience one or more vaccine stockouts lasting for one 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 stock outs of at least one routine antigen from 30% in 2010 to 45% in 2019.

Sub-optimal stock management not only increases the operational and opportunity costs of vaccination but can also play a significant role in broadening inequities and stagnating demand, specifically affecting under-served, urban poor, insecure and hard-to-reach populations. UNICEF and WHO Joint Reporting Form (JRF) analysis indicate 46% of developing countries has witnessed service interruptions due to stock outs in 2019, an increase from 30% in 2014.

To proactively address stock management (COVID-19 and RI) challenges and ensure relevant national and subnational authorities (NLWG/EOC/National EPI agency) have adequate capacity to received, store, distribute and monitor the upcoming major surge in COVID-19 vaccines, UNICEF would like to deploy vaccine management (VM) specialists at national and select field offices.

Potential technical experts are advised to indicate at least three countries of their preference to provide support on the following scope of work.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall supervision of chief of health, the VM specialist will be accountable for the following key deliverables.

  1. Ensure issues in vaccine management are identified and actively addressed at local level.
  2. Support revalidation of Supply Chain and Waste Management section of country National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19.
  3. Support NLWG/EOCs to effectively manage the arrivals, storage, temperature monitoring and control during storage and distribution and redistribution, vaccine accountability, disposal and waste management for COVID-19 and routine vaccines.
  4. Plan, receive, store, deploy and monitor COVID-19 related logistics (UCC equipment, shippers) including waste management as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
  5. Facilitate NLWG/EOC access to up-to-date stock management data including on forecast/actual quantities, stock-on-hand, consumption rates, expiry dates, open and closed vial wastage, critical operational challenges and data use for action.
  6. Lead the development of monthly vaccine accountability reports at national and subnational levels, including stock receipts, distribution, utilization, and wastage rates.
  7. Support the deployment or where exist the strengthening of vaccine inventory tools to automate data collection on vaccine arrivals, dispatch and closed vial wastage. Develop/adopt relevant SOPs and guidelines
  8. Support vaccine forecasting, data triangulation of stock, consumption, and coverage at all levels of the supply chain, considering data use barriers and mitigation strategies.
  9. Support countries with targeted assessment and monitoring of iSC performance, especially with stock management, per EVM2.0 guidelines and iterative development and implementation of improvement plans within a cycle of continuous improvement.
  10. Update CCE inventories on quarterly basis. Document and follow-up UCC maintenance and waste management plans.
  11. Support the integration and deployment of Thrive360 and iDash as well as vaccine verification systems.
  12. Organize capacity development events and devise on-the-job training plans for key partners.

These deliverables are interlinked and need to be carried out on an on-going basis until the consultancy concludes.

  • Monthly vaccine accountability reports, including stock receipts, distribution, utilization, and wastage rates, developed, and shared with NLWG and UNICEF country and regional offices.
  • Supply Chain and Waste Management section of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19 revalidated.
  • NLWG/EOCs supported to effectively plan the arrivals, storage, temperature monitoring and control during storage and distribution and redistribution of COVID-19 and routine vaccines.
  • Vaccine accountability, disposal and waste management activities at central and subnational levels supported. SOPs reviewed and implemented, and related data collected and shared on weekly basis.
  • Ensure NLWG/EOC has access to updated stock management data including on forecast/actual quantities, stock-on-hand, consumption rates, expiry dates, open and closed vial wastage, critical operational challenges. And make sure this data is used for data-driven planning and decision making.
  • NLWG/EOC or equivalent supported and dataflows, vaccine inventory tools and LMIS mapped. Vaccine management issues captured and rapidly shared with decision makers.
  • NLWG is supported to forecast vaccines. Data on vaccine stock, consumption, expiry, destruction and relocation are collected, analyzed, presented and shared. This also includes analysis of the barriers in data use and promotion of smart demand for it.
  • Targeted assessments of iSC performance conducted, especially stock management per EVM2.0 guidelines and iterative development and implementation of improvement plans.
  • CCE inventories conducted on quarterly basis and UCC maintenance and waste management planed developed and implemented.
  • Integration and implementation of Thrive360 and iDash supported.
  • Capacity development workshops and on-the-job training organized and implemented.

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

Qualifications/Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

  • University degree is required (Advanced degree an advantage), preferably in relevant field (e.g., business planning, supply chain management, economics, international development studies, medicine, procurement, logistics, or other quantitative degree). Applicable work experience can substitute in cases where university degree is not aligned to a relevant field.
  • At least (8) years of experience in international public health programme management including at least three (3) years in immunization, with experience in low- and middle-income countries, preferably in the areas of:
  • Logistics management systems
  • Supply chain bottleneck and root cause analysis
  • Familiarity with inventory policies, allocation, ordering and distribution strategies and other supply chain operations
  • Health systems strengthening
  • Assessing and measuring supply chain performance
  • Experience interfacing with national ministries of health an advantage.
  • Fluency in written and spoken in English and the official UN language of the duty stations is required. Knowledge of local languages is an added value.

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

  • Proven experience in strategic negotiations and planning in multi-stakeholder settings
  • Experience in writing complex strategic proposals, developing multi-year operational plans
  • Experience in training, planning and delivery of technical assistance
  • Effective presenter including ability to adapt the message and visual aids for multiple audiences to deliver concise, impactful presentations
  • Knowledge of supply chain management and operations
  • Excellent analysis skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
  • Proven track record in interfacing with national ministries of health a distinct advantage.
  • Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word
  • Familiarity with ODK, U-Report, RapidPro and field data collection is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and 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.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org