National Individual Consultant for Costing Lesotho’s National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19

Contract

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Background and purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The Lesotho National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP), developed in the last quarter of 2020, has guided the COVID19 vaccination roll out initiated in March 2021. The NDVP targeted about 1 415 115 of Basotho’s adult population. The plan has been rolled out in three phases. Currently, the third phase is targeting the population above 12 years old (approx. 300,000 people).

Despite the initial success, Lesotho has witnessed a slowdown in the COVID19 vaccination since November 2021 due to various reasons, such as fatigue or lack of human resources, operational challenges (logistics/lack of transportation for outreach campaigns) and hesitancy to be vaccinated, including among young and adolescent people. An Intra Action Review was conducted in December 2021 and NDVP revised in February, 2022.

UNICEF Lesotho is currently seeking the services of a suitable consultant to support costing and funding gap estimates the NDVP. Results of this analytic project are expected to:

• Influence key planning and policy decisions on COVID-19 vaccine scaleup in Lesotho

• Serve as inputs for resource mobilization and funding advocacy

• Provide evidence for high-level resource allocation and prioritization efforts

Specific objectives of consultancy include:

1. Facilitate consultations with country stakeholders to plan methodology and timelines of analytic project, collect operational/microplanning inputs required to cost Lesotho’s COVID-19 National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP), and validate key assumptions and final analytic outputs

2. Collect unit cost estimates from relevant sources, including official expenditure estimates, input parameters used in previous health sector costing exercises, and information from implementing partners. Update existing unit cost information as required.

3. Lead data collection efforts to understand past and current funding for COVID-19 vaccination roll-out and scale-up in Lesotho. Mapping high-level funding sources, funding channels and allocation to relevant vaccine delivery activity areas.

4. Act as liaison on matters related to the analytical project on costing and funding gap estimates of Lesotho’s COVID-19 National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) between UNICEF immunization financing team at HQ and Lesotho country stakeholders.

Scope of Work:

1. Facilitate consultations with country stakeholders to plan methodology and timelines of analytic project, collect operational/microplanning inputs required to cost Lesotho’s COVID-19 National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP), and validate key assumptions and final analytic outputs.

1.1. Support UNICEF Lesotho Country Office and UNICEF HQ immunization financing team by organizing and facilitating all in-country and virtual workshops required to plan the analytic project, collect information and inputs into the project and validate key assumptions and final analytic outputs

1.2. Lead individual stakeholder consultations to collect and collate information on operational inputs required for cost estimates, including information on delivery modalities and throughput by modality, numbers and types of vaccinators and support staff, deployment of health workforce and need for surge staff, use and deployment of ultra-cold chain storage, RCCE/social mobilization requirements, and other joint health systems inputs.

1.3. Collate all outputs from individual stakeholder consultations and share with UNICEF HQ immunization financing team

2. Collect unit cost estimates from relevant sources, including official expenditure estimates, input parameters from previous health sector costing exercises, and information from implementing partners. Update existing unit cost information as required.

2.1. Conduct a quick desk review and key stakeholder information to map prospective sources of existing unit cost estimates, including official government financial data, stakeholder implementation data, and past health sector costing analysis.

2.2. Using unit cost data collection template designed by UNICEF HQ immunization financing team, collect and compile unit costs estimates from relevant country sources clearly indicating data source and documenting source details on the project shared folder.

2.3. Follow up with country stakeholders and information sources where required to clarify information provided (where needed).

3. Lead data collection efforts to understand past and current funding for COVID-19 vaccination roll-out and scale-up in Lesotho. Mapping at a high-level funding sources, funding channels and allocation to relevant vaccine delivery activity areas.

3.1. Collaborate with UNICEF HQ Immunization Financing Team to design a simple template to map past and current COVID-19 vaccine delivery financing

3.2. Lead data collection from all relevant country stakeholders to complete the template.

3.3. In collaboration with UNICEF HQ Immunization Financing Team, complete data cleaning and analysis of financial mapping data.

4. Act as liaison on matters related to the analytical project on costing and funding gap estimates of Lesotho’s COVID-19 NDVP between UNICEF HQ Immunization Financing Team and Lesotho country stakeholders.

4.1. Continuously organize meetings, and facilitate information flow between UNICEF HQ Immunization Financing Team and country stakeholders

4.2. Attend weekly update meetings with UNICEF HQ Immunization Financing Team and share relevant updates

Work Assignment Overview:

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

Masters

Enter Disciplines: Economics, Finance, Public Health with a focus on Health Economics and Health Financing.

Work experience: Minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in financial modeling, cost analysis, value for money analysis or related areas applied to quantitative areas in health or social sectors

Language: Fluency in English; fluency in Sesotho is an advantage.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Minimum of 3 years’ relevant work experience in Lesotho

• Knowledge and good understanding of the health sector in Lesotho

• Proficiency in data processing and analytics including advanced use of MS excel

• Ability to deliver high quality results and function effectively independently and within a remote team.

• Excellent oral and communication skills

For every Child, you demonstrate care

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit an online application through the Talent Management System (TMS) that consists as a minimum of the following:

-TMS Profile/ Curriculum Vitae

-Financial proposal in local currency must be ‘all inclusive’ of all expenses related to the assignment.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.

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.

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. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).