Regional consultant on Cold Chain and Supply Logistics (8 posts)

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, every right

Vaccine logistics management together with the cold chain is the backbone of all immunization programmes. To achieve their immunization targets, countries are scaling up their vaccination programmes by ensuring that the cold chain is maintained. As additional funding is becoming available, countries are investing in cold chain system strengthening.

With the entry of the novel COVID-19 epidemic and subsequent planned introduction of the new vaccine, this largely going to exert more pressure in the vaccine cold chain thereby burdening the immunization programmes.

Therefore, towards achieving high immunization coverage while introducing new vaccines, including vaccine against COVID-19, through equity-focused vaccination programs, the need for effective immunization supply chain remains vital. Efficient supply chains equipped with reliable cold chain equipment are important in helping Ukraine primarily to reaching children with potent lifesaving vaccines to protect them against vaccine preventable diseases and subsequently increase immunization coverage.

Also, as Ukraine was on the path to improve its immunization coverage (before COVID-related slow-down) and expand the scope of EPI programme through initiatives such as introduction of new vaccines and Effective Vaccine Management, the need to more reliable cold chain equipment becomes even more important.

Supported by UNICEF, WHO, USAID and other international partners, Ukraine has developed “The Roadmap (NDVP) to the introduction of a vaccine against the acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and implementation of mass vaccination in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine for 2021-2022” (NDVP), which was approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine #3018 on 24.12.2020. Ukraine aims to vaccinate against COVID-19 at least 70% of Ukraine’s population.

How can you make a difference?

The consultants will be based in one of the following clusters per regions:

1. L’viv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattya
2. Volyn, Rivne, Ternopol
3. Khmelnitsky, Chernivtsi, Vinnytsya
4. Odessa, Mykolaiv, Kherson
5. Kyiv region and Kyiv city, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv
6. Cherkasy, Poltava, Kirovograd
7. Dnipro, Zaporizhya, Donetsk
8. Sumy, Kharkiv, Lugansk

Under the general guidance of the UNICEF Country Office, WHO and the PHC, the consultant will be engaged in:

• Regular monitoring and evaluation of cold chain facilities capacity, cold storage, dry stores, transport/logistics and staff responsible for storage and transportation of vaccines. Providing timely reports on gaps and bottlenecks to be addressed.
• Controlling the preparation and installation of cold chain equipment in assigned area/cluster in accordance with the requirements.
• Consulting and monitoring of uninterrupted sources of electricity in selected locations at Primary Health Care Facility level and CPMSD based on evidence.
• Consulting and controlling the quality delivery of cold chain equipment (CCE) and other related equipment verifying the compliance and provides recommendations.
• Consults and controls the installation, handover, and commissioning of the CCEs in accordance with requirements and procedures set by the organization.
• Consults and collaborates with local authorities, relevant health care facilities, design engineering companies to coordinate and control technical issues: consulting the placement of equipment installation, for the correct selection of power cables and equipment that the customer buys and installs, the selection and placement of ventilation, air conditioning, condensate drainage and drainage systems, connection of temperature monitoring systems and generation of electricity).
• Collects data on cold chain, passive cooling equipment and logistics available at oblast, rayon, and facility levels for proper analysis and consultations.
• Consults the local level cold stores by preparing recommendations based on the WHO Effective Vaccine Management format, as well as identifying gaps based on data and evidence for capacity building of staff on vaccine cold chain and waste management monitoring and maintenance.
• Consults (trains if necessary) the local staff responsible for storage and transport vaccines on Cold chain and Supply Logistics.
• Provides continuous technical consultancy to regional health care facilities.
• Consultancy missions to selected oblast warehouses, health care facilities, vaccination points, and prepares reports on operationality of the supplied equipment, practical knowledge, and skills of trained personnel.
• Regular reporting on the work done in accordance with the accepted and agreed work plan.

Deliverables and timeline:

By December 27, 2021 (30 working days)

Personnel in 3-assigned regions responsible for CCE, immunization supply chain and waste management at oblast, rayon, and facility levels are trained and their capacities built to smoothly operate the CCEs. The payment will be paid based on the followings: 1. At least 12-thematic trainings conducted per cluster (4-per region) with full report submitted per region including gaps and recommendations 2. Photos per each report from the trainings in different locations 3. Weekly updates provided during the meetings as requested by supervisor

By March 30, 2022 (30 working days)

Ensure updated recommendations, regulations, tools, and standard operating procedures (SOP) on CCE, immunization supply chain and waste management are implemented at oblast, rayon, and facility levels in all assigned regions. The payment will be paid based on the followings: 1. At least 10-short summary report about visits/sessions conducted to the beneficiaries 2. Photos per each report from the events in different locations 3. Weekly updates provided during the meetings as requested by supervisor

By June 27, 2022 (30 working days)

Conduct at least 15-regular supervision and inspection visits to vaccine storage facilities and other relevant institutions at oblast, rayon, and facility levels to assess their readiness and implementation of relevant recommendations, regulations, tools and standard operating procedure (SOP) on CCE, immunization. The payment will be paid based on the followings: 1. At least 5 inspection reports are submitted 2. Good quality photos from before and after per each site 3. Weekly updates provided during the meetings as requested by supervisor

By August 25, 2022 (15 working days)

Monthly overall progress report is expected by 25th of each month that includes challenges, recommendations and way forwards

By August 31, 2022 (10 working days)

1-final end of consultancy report is submitted with technical recommendations.

Total number of working days - 115. The assignment will require 10 one-day trips.

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

Education: Bachelor's degree in refrigeration engineering; and/or ventilation & air conditioning; and/or power supply of enterprises; and/or instrumentation and automation and/or medicine/public health (immunization supply chain management, cold chain supply logistics) is an advantage

Professional experience: Minimum 3-year work experience in relevant area. Work experience in managing cold chain equipment, vaccine management and supply management will be an asset. Knowledge of the rules and regulations of Ukraine on knowledge of WHO/UNICEF recommended vaccine management practices and vaccine management assessment tools will be an asset. Work experience in resource-limited settings, monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management and mitigation will be an asset. Experience in conducting trainings, seminars, good trainer skills is required.

Language requirements: Ukrainian/Russian - native/proficient, English - pre-intermediate (A2)

Skills and competencies: Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills, with ability to lead/train a group of individuals and impart knowledge. Product knowledge on cold chain equipment, new cold chain technologies and understanding of the principles of vaccine management, and reporting are essential. Knowledge of procurement processes and good distribution practice will be an asset. Skills in adult training methodology are strongly preferred.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.