International SBC Immunization Consultant, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia - 100 days

Consultant Programme & Policy

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.

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For every child, a future

How can you make a difference?

Background and Rationale:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Childhood immunization against vaccine preventable diseases is a highly cost-effective intervention, delivering significant reductions in morbidity and mortality from inexpensive and standardized interventions. In line with international standards, the Expanded Programmes on Immunisation (EPI) in South Asia countries aim to vaccinate all children from birth to 23 months of age.

Evidence shows that unimmunized children are largely concentrated in the poorest wealth quintile despite increase in total income; therefore, urgent action is required to reach these children with essential immunisation. There has been a gradual improvement in the supply of and demand for routine immunisation services; however, there are children in high-risk and urban slum areas that are still not receiving their vaccinations. If this gap is not filled, the coverage rates will not increase beyond a specific point. There are multiple factors on the supply and demand side which make it difficult for EPI’s services to reach these children. Literacy level of caregivers, especially mothers; socioeconomic status; religious and socio-cultural beliefs; misinformation around immunisation and side-effects of certain vaccines; quality and availability of fixed site and outreach services; security threats to vaccinators and social mobilisers; non-availability of female vaccinators in conservative locations; and weak capacity of frontline workers are some of the contributing factors to low immunisation coverage in these locations.

The purpose of the consultancy is to design and facilitate the implementation of evidence based, people centred, and system-oriented demand generation interventions in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and support the RO to increase demand for immunization and improvement of services. The incumbent will work closely with COs, governments and stakeholders to develop and implement province specific evidence-based demand generation approaches aimed at improving uptake of routine immunization in low coverage locations.

This position is a dedicated SBC Consultant for Immunization, supporting the RO in SAR, but also the COs (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal). The selected person will work in close coordination with health and immunization focal points in the RO and the Cos.

Scope of work:

Under the general guidance of the SBC Regional Advisor, Chiefs of SBC Sections in country offices and Senior Immunization Managers, and in close collaboration with SBC Immunization Specialists, the incumbent will contribute to the design, management, monitoring and evaluation of evidence-based, inclusive, and innovative SBC demand generation strategies for routine immunization, HPV vaccination, including building capacities of health staff, vaccinators and MoH in Interpersonal Communication (IPC).

Work Assignment:

1. Support Pakistan and Nepal COs and the RO with the following:

• Provide technical guidance and support in respect to HPV allocation submitted to GAVI for Pakistan.
• Update the current draft of the social mobilization, Demand generation and Communication plan of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Implementation Plan in line with feedback from Gavi and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Building on the demand generation plan under HPV application, develop an overarching HPV SBC strategy for the country in line with the Human-centered design (HCD) findings, HPV qualitative research and stakeholder’s consultation.
• Coordinate with and support provincial offices in localization of the HPV SBC strategy based on province specific research findings and consultations.
• Provide technical supervision and support for the development of social and behavior change content related to HPV.

2. Support data generation and utilization to inform the design, measurement, and monitoring of EPI demand generation interventions and outcomes for routine immunization, vaccine introduction campaigns and outbreak response.

• Apply tools, methodologies, and frameworks for qualitative and quantitative research initiatives, including behavioural analysis, to inform targeted strategies for increasing demand for vaccines.
• Support the design of BeSD studies.
• Track and monitor EPI uptake data, synthesizing findings to inform evidence-based demand generation strategies.

3. Support capacity building.

• Provide technical assistance to EPI technical specialists and relevant stakeholders to design, develop and monitor evidence-based demand generation strategies and plans tailored to drive demand for routine immunization.
• Identify, design, and/or organize SBC training materials and opportunities for EPI staff and partners, including on new approaches such as behavioural analysis, behavioural insights, human-centered design, social listening, and social accountability mechanisms.
• Use and adapt existing UNICEF learning resources, guidelines, and training materials to build SBC capacity among staff, implementing partners and relevant government and non-government counterparts.
• Coordinate and provide inputs into SBC capacity assessments.
• Participate in all EPI meetings at RO and in selected COs.
• Facilitate the following three trainings on IPC skills for Sri Lanka CO: 1. National Level TOT on General IPC – Using the Integrated Interpersonal Communication Training Manual; 2. Separate one-day national level TOT on general IPC for the MOH – Using the Integrated Interpersonal Communication Training Manual and a brief emphasis on behavior change theories and 3. Immunization focused IPC skills training for public health staff from districts with a high number of vaccine hesitancy cases– Using the interpersonal communication for immunization package.

Main Deliverables:

1. Support RO, Pakistan and Nepal COs to develop SBC for immunization strategies, specifically for HPV.

2. Facilitate the following three trainings on IPC skills for Sri Lanka CO: 1. National Level TOT on General IPC – Using the Integrated Interpersonal Communication Training Manual; 2. Separate one-day national level TOT on general IPC for the MOH – Using the Integrated Interpersonal Communication Training Manual and a brief emphasis on behavior change theories and 3. Immunization focused IPC skills training for public health staff from districts with a high number of vaccine hesitancy cases– Using the interpersonal communication for immunization package.

3. Support the design of BeSD studies. Track and monitor EPI uptake data, synthesizing findings to inform evidence-based demand generation strategies.

4. Participation in EPI and HPV meetings, facilitation of SBC coordination meetings with COs.

Note: This is office-based consultancy and requires travel within the region.

Remarks: Please submit your application with a financial proposal. Application without the financial proposal will not be considered.

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

Education qualifications:

• Degree in one of the following fields: social and behavioural science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations, social sciences or another relevant technical field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Demonstrable technical experience (at least 8 years) in SBC, community engagement, behavioural science, RCCE, participation and accountability in epidemics.
• Demonstrable experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder working groups to achieve common goals in humanitarian settings, in developing and implementing SBC for immunization strategies.
• Experience facilitating trainings on SBC in immunization.
• Experience with the UN.
• A good understanding of information management (including data flows, data protection and analysis), as well as qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent communication skills. The individual will need experience demonstrating effective communication and facilitation in engaging and addressing large groups clearly and confidently.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another language of relevance to the region is an asset.

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.

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Added 17 hours ago - Updated 8 hours ago - Source: unicef.org