National Consultant: Vaccine Management (Polio Outbreak Response), Kenema, UNICEF Sierra Leone

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, Survival!

Please visit UNICEF Sierra Leone website here: www.unicef.org/sierraleone

How can you make a difference?

Sierra Leone has been Polio free since 2010 but had an outbreak of circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). As of 16 July 2021, cVDPV2 positive isolates from 14 cases, 10 contacts and 3 environmental samples have been confirmed in 7 out of 16 districts. No cases of wild polio have been discovered.

As an immediate response, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) conducted two rounds of mass polio vaccination campaigns using nOPV2 from 28th - 31st May and from 02nd to 05th July 2021 to stop the transmission of poliovirus. A total of 1,472,813 children under five years of age were targeted in each round.

Objectives

The objective of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to the planning, implementation and monitoring of effective vaccine and cold chain management in response at regional level to the cVDPV2 outbreak in Sierra Leone.

Description of the Assignment

Under the supervision of the Immunization Specialist, the national Vaccine Management consultants will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Provide implementation support and build capacity of health staff through training and supervision especially those at service delivery level and monitor the overall implementation of EPI services at district level with focus on Cold Chain, Logistics and Vaccine Management, including:

• Facilitating the distribution and optimal use of vaccines and consumables according to routine EPI plans and ensure that receipts comply with the distribution plan.
• Ensuring the proper storage of vaccines and consumables at each level of the supply chain.
• Collecting and analysing routine vaccine stock and utilization status at all levels of the supply chain periodically.
• Supporting EPI District Operations Officers to prepare vaccine stock reports when submitting requests for routine vaccines.
• Providing support for all immunization related trainings such as “Immunization In Practice (IIP)” at district and health facility levels.
• Undertaking field visits to DHMTs and health facilities to provide on-the-job coaching and mentoring support related to effective vaccine and cold chain management

2. Support the planning and implementation of both IPV2 and HPV introductions in all the districts/health facilities.
3. Support the use and reporting of monthly Stock Management Tool
4. Support conducting of monthly physical count of Immunization supplies (vaccines and syringes) and other health commodities at district stores and sharing such data with central level.
5. Support DHMTs in conducting self-effective vaccine management (EVM) assessment
6. Support the updating of district cold chain inventories and reporting to central level monthly
7. Support DHMTs and health facility staff in training and supervising CHWs on EPI defaulter tracing
8. Work closely with DHMTs and ensure complete and timely submission of weekly reports on Covid-19 vaccination and stock balance.
9. Support districts to plan and respond to emergencies, particularly those related to vaccine preventable diseases.
10. Work closely with DHMTs to ensure complete and timely submission of all monthly reports on immunization.

Expected Output/Deliverables/Tentative Timelines

Activity plan covering the contact period- first week of work

• Updates from coordination meetings held with partners at regional/district level and below- After every meeting.
• Detailed monthly updates on outbreak response activities- Throughout contract period.
• Training reports on vaccine and cold chain management- After every training session.
• Reports on gaps identified in the implementation of guidelines/SOPs and a plan to address them- Throughout contract period.
• Detailed report for every SIA implemented- Two weeks after completion of each SIAFinal technical report- End of assignment.

See attached a more detailed ToR ToR Vaccine Management Consultant (Polio Outbreak Response) Kenema.pdf

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

Qualification:

• University degree in supply chain management, logistics, business, operations management, public health or any other relevant field.

Experience:

• Experience in similar outbreak response activities/mass vaccination campaigns related to effective vaccine and cold chain management practices.
• Experience in training, planning and delivery of technical assistance in similar exercises.
• Two years progressively responsible field work experience in immunization and cold chain, supply chain management or other related field in primary health care.
• Proven track record in interfacing with national ministries of health is a distinct advantage
• Very good command of English language, both oral and written, including report-writing skills.
• Very good analytical capacities; excellent ability to synthesize information and relate action to results.
• Ability to work independently to meet deadlines.
• Previous experience in working within UN agencies or other Non-governmental organizations is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work and communicate in a multicultural environment.
• Completed training on BSAFE and PSEA

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:

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

Application to include financial proposal that will detail your daily/monthly rate (in Leones) to undertake the terms of reference.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables on monthly basis. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.