National consultant/ Communication for Development Specialist

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.

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For every child, Immunization....

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

With about 64 indigenous languages and one of the most ethnically diverse populations, widespread poverty, gender inequality, poor access to health services and poor road network make it hard for many children South Sudan to realize their rights. In close collaboration with government, UNICEF’s works effectively both ‘upstream’ (with governments) and ‘downstream’ (at the grassroots level) to carry out its mission in the country. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Since then, a few candidate vaccines have been developed and are already been deployed in several countries worldwide and in SS, COVAX was introduced on the 6th of April 2021. It is always challenging to introduce a new vaccine; the process can have a significant impact both positive and negative. The country’s health system, the public and the new target populations e.g. front-line service providers must be well prepared to ensure the desired acceptance and uptake of the vaccine. The introduction of the new COVID-19 vaccine came with similar challenges, but it is key to the successful reduction of transmission and containment of the pandemic. There is also the need to respond to the recurring challenge of rumors and misinformation about vaccines among the community and in this regard, the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, SS governmnet adopted integration of COVAX in the national routine immunization as a comprehensive approach for joint service delivery and achieve the set results for both vaccines while utilizing the limited available resources. Generating demand for immunization is a pillar of the UNICEF Immunizations Roadmap and an area of UNICEF’s comparative advantage and in South Sudan, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) coverage is still at low rates (below 60%) for all antigens. To reverse this trend, C4D section is supporting immunization program through social and community mobilization to increase up take of immunization services and vaccines. Communication for Development (C4D) section is at the forefront of all efforts aimed to promote EPI programme at community, given that now COVAX has been integrated in the routine immunization national plan. It is with this background that C4D section is seeking to extend the contract of a national EPI C4D consultant based in Juba to provide strategic support to Routine immunization, supplementary and COVID 19 vaccination.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Main duties include support includes planning and implementing measurable behavioral and social change interventions through communication, community engagement, empowerment and participation of stakeholders, partners, local influencers, communities and civil society to achieve successful and sustainable concrete Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) results for children in the country Under the overall supervision of the C4D Specialist, the consultant will support C4D response on SBCC including behavioral data review/ analyze and synthesize time series data related to EPI programme uptake and social measures, summarize information, prepare and share reports, and provide support to country needs

Scope of Work:

• Facilitate design and development of communication strategies on Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) including COVAX rollout to enhance public acceptability of the immunization programme and improve uptake in the country.
• Assist and liaise with government and development partners in capacity-building, advocacy, and other activities to strengthen communication towards changing behaviours and public perception on COVID 19 vaccines, outbreaks routine, and supplementary immunization programme.
• Support the conduct of reviews, assessments validations and other EPI-related activities, outbreak investigations for evidence-based development of communication strategies and policies
• Encourage and facilitate community and religious leaders’ participation in various coordination meetings for immunisation at all levels and support collection and collation of social data on demand creation for immunisation at all levels and support collection and collation of social data on demand creation for activities for immunisation programme
• Identify the best practices as well as bottlenecks, challenges and constraints of the program or health system of the country through various methods of documentation (e.g., testimonies, case studies, or compiled stories from the field to include photo, video, written or other forms of documentations).

Work Assignment Overview

Provide direct technical support to all the 10 state C4D officers in developing C4D related EPI annual work plan for 2022 and ensure implementation of all community engagement activities take place in field as planned

Actively participate in bi-weekly national EPI technical working group meeting and other forums such as COVAX, SIA, RCCE TWG meetings and ensure UNICEF C4D is fully represented in the forum

Closely work with all states C4D officers to plan and conduct evidence-based community engagement activities for COVAX/EPI

Support development/ adaption /revision training modules and job aids for health workers and vaccinators as both first adopters of vaccines and as advocates for vaccination acceptance and uptake in communities.

Produce and present community engagement strategic concept and guidelines including rumour tracking for review and provide comments

Support Outbreak response activities including for Polio, Measles etc and related campaigns as well as new vaccine introduction

Final costed demand generation plan, keeping in mind the phased approach with the targeted population groups over the designated time period including oversight to IEC materials and messages

Produce monthly consultancy reports of on-going implementation of C4D activities to promote behaviours to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Minimum Qualifications required:

• A Masters’ degree in Health Promotion or, Public Health or Health Communication or Community Health, Social and Behaviour Change Communication or another related field is an added advantage.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in C4D and emergencies, risk communication and community engagement

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Experience in working on immunization- preferably prior experience in new vaccine introduction
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Willingness to travel and work in field environments
• Excellent written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of local language (Arabic) of the country is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements:

• English

All applications must be submitted with detailed financial and technical proposal

Payment Schedule

Payment will be done monthly upon delivery of key task and submission of all necessary reports as stipulated in the detailed Terms of Reference.

https://www.unicef.org/southsudan/

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.