National Consultant: Immunization and Demand Generation, Accra, Ghana (open to Ghanaian Nationals Only)

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.

Ghana confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 on 12th March 2020. Currently, there have been 131,911 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 1,255 deaths, reported by MoH. As of December 2021, a total of 6,420,973 vaccine doses have been administered and December has been declared as a vaccination month.

Also, on 21 October 2021, an alert of a Yellow Fever Outbreak was announced in the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region by Ghana Health Service. As at 20th November 2021 a total of 50 cases were confirmed positive for Yellow Fever.

Furthermore, Ghana is taking steps to better address the evolving risk of Type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2). As Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners together with countries are deploying an innovative tool – novel oral polio vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) which will be a significant tool to help stop outbreaks more sustainably.

UNICEF in Ghana is seeking a consultant for 11.5 months to support the implementation of a Demand Generation and Communication Strategy to build vaccine confidence, establish misinformation and rumor management system, coordinate cooperation with partners, lead on capacity building, social mobilization, community engagement to generate confidence, acceptance and demand for COVID-19, polio and yellow fever vaccines uptake.

How can you make a difference?

The overall objective of this consultancy is to enable the increased public acceptance and uptake of COVID-19, yellow fever, polio vaccines in the country is adequate. The consultant will lead on SBCC strategies, coordination, capacity building, misinformation management, monitoring and evaluation of vaccine confidence efforts.

Tasks to be completed

Under the general guidance of the C4D Specialist, the consultant is responsible for the contribution to the work of RCCE subcommittees and working groups on COVID-19, yellow fever and polio to promote evidence-based Social and Behaviour Change interventions including social mobilization, advocacy, community engagement, community empowerment and monitoring and evaluation.

The consultant is expected to provide technical support to following activities:

Strategic Direction and Coordination

• Make viable recommendations and decisions on appropriate Communication for Development strategies to achieve the RCCE’s goals and objectives, and to support UNICEF's mission in Ghana by attending and coordinating task teams.
• Develop, maintain and update the RCCE strategies and materials with approaches, plans and activities geared towards generating demand for COVID-19 vaccine, yellow fever and polio as needed.

Misinformation Management and Social Listening

• Coordinate for the effective offline and on ground misinformation and rumor tracking regime to ensure the roll of vaccine programme overcome hesitancy among the general population through managing bi-weekly Misinformation Task Force and weekly rumours reports.

Capacity Building

• Develops training materials and activities to build demand generation, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation management skills for key stakeholders involved in immunization programmes.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Prepares monitoring and evaluation reports in accordance with the established guidelines, methods and procedures.

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

• Advanced university degree in Communication or in a related field (Social Sciences, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Development Studies).
• At least five (5) years of experience in a Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) including project design and implementation, research and evaluation, capacity building and knowledge management, social mobilization, community engagement, SBCC strategy development.
• Portfolio of developed SBCC strategies, campaigns and interventions around vaccine demand generation, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation management.
• Strong presentation and writing skills in English.

NOTE: Refer to the attached TOR for details of this assignment TOR-Immunization amd Demand Generation Consultant.pdf

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.