National Contractor: COVID-19 Zonal Coordinator (covering Sumatera Province based in Medan,Indonesia)

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A steadily growing economy isn’t benefiting all. Half the population still lives in poverty and children’s changes can vary dramatically depending on their families’ wealth or where they live.

For more information, visit the UNICEF Indonesia Country Office website: https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/

Title: National Contractor: COVID-19 Zonal Coordinator
Duty Station: Medan (covering Sumatera Province)
Type of Contract: Individual Contractor
Duration: June – December 2021

BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic has eroded recent health and development gains in Indonesia as elsewhere. The introduction of a safe and effective vaccine is top-tier public health, political and economic priority.

The Government of Indonesia (GOI) kicked off the COVID -19 vaccination program on 13 January 2021 with the aim to vaccinate 181.5 million people with multiple vaccines. A network of public and private health facilities and vaccine storages will be used to store and deliver the vaccines. This will include the procurement, distribution and implementation of a safe and effective vaccine(s) to the adult population with the aim of achieving 80% coverage. Current estimates suggest the procurement of nearly 330 million doses will be required assuming a 2-dose vaccine regimen. Achieving these aims will likely involve procurement of more than one vaccine type, leveraging Indonesia’s membership in the global COVAX Facility alongside bilateral procurement arrangements with vaccine manufacturers. Initial priority will be given to ‘front-line workers’ in health, education, social services and the police/military, as well as those at highest risk of hospitalization and death – particularly the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.

The introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine at scale will pose enormous challenges to fragile health systems that have been further weakened by the pandemic. Concurrent vulnerabilities related to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, supply chain constrains, the need for sub-national capacity strengthening and vaccine hesitancy are likely to hinder implementation at-scale. Effective national and subnational planning and capacity development are essential.

The GOI has requested UNICEF’s support to COVID-19 vaccine introduction across a number of critical areas:
• Strategy Development and Advocacy: UNICEF is supporting strategy design through staff embedded within the National COVID-19 Recovery Task Force and sub-nationally through its network of seven regional offices.
• Procurement and Supply-side Readiness: UNICEF Supply Division (Copenhagen) will procure vaccine through the COVAX Facility while responding to regulatory bottlenecks. UNICEF Indonesia will be supporting cold-chain readiness for potential vaccine candidates. UNICEF Indonesia will also support other needed components for readiness such as micro planning and capacity development of health workers, particularly in remote areas
• Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE). UNICEF is supporting a national communication strategy and tailored, subnational strategies alongside the design and dissemination of communications materials, digital vaccine deployment plans, media monitoring and outreach, and community engagement
• Data & Monitoring. UNICEF is working to facilitate effective monitoring of populations eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine
• Health Sector and Immunization Program: UNICEF provides technical assistance to guidance development, budgeting, and implementation support for COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization services in the context of wider health system support

Responsibilities:
To facilitate subnational support at the provincial and district levels, UNICEF is recruiting Zonal Coordinators across the full range of UNICEF focus areas related to the COVID-19 vaccine readiness and deployment. The Zonal Coordinator provides management and technical leadership to project activities in his/her assigned zone, ensuring strong partnership with provincial government, health teams, and provincial coordinators in coordination and synergy with other partners operating in the assigned zone and ensuring programmatic excellence and innovative approaches to offer quality of covid-19 vaccination and routine immunization program. Main responsibilities will include technical support to program strategy development (planning, budgeting and implementation); decentralized advocacy and communication efforts as part of a wider RCCE agenda; and support respective local authorities to implement the vaccination plan with high quality and progress monitoring and feedback across all 34 provinces. These consultants are also expected to support the respective PHOs and DHOs in revitalizing the routine immunization program devastated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zonal Coordinators would be deployed for the period until 31 December 2021 with a possibility of extension at the government’s request and depend on the availability of funds. Consultants in coordination with the Provincial Coordinators will work alongside Provincial and District Health Authorities and teams at UNICEF Jakarta overseeing RCCE, immunization and monitoring. The management of consultants will take place through UNICEF’s network of sub-national field offices in Aceh, Surabaya, Kupang, Makassar, Ambon, Manokwari and Jayapura. Furthermore, these Zonal Coordinators will be supported by a team of Provincial Coordinators and UNVs to deliver the expected results.

Candidate orientation
The selected consultant will receive a 1-week orientation/training to review all aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine introduction plan. At the end of this training, each consultant will develop their work plan, including a start-off plan in consultation with MOH, UNICEF and WHO and be provided with an introduction letter to their assigned provinces.

WORK ASSIGNMENT
1. Strategic advised and technical support is effectively provided, work plan and objectives are strategically developed, and planned results are timely delivered through strong technical leadership. As technical experts representing UNICEF and coordinate with MOH, WHO, PHOs to:
a. review current COVID-19 deployment roadmap, vaccine deployment plan strategy and technical guidelines, tools, forms and secondary data to identify gaps; and provide technical advice and assistance to national and sub-national officials and implementing partners in the planning and implementing of the vaccine deployment plan to ensure high coverage;
b. facilitates and organize different training and orientation sessions, a workshop for the COVID-19 vaccine deployment plan at the sub-national level to upgrade the capacity of the local coordinators in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the vaccine deployment plan.
c. refines and update the provincial and district Vaccine Introduction Readiness Assessment tools (VIRAT) and support the local team in prioritizing the high-risk communities.
d. develops a plan for subnational support, organize independent assessment in the provinces with lower capacity; and
e. undertakes field visits as necessary to monitor the preparedness, implementation and assessment activities for the vaccine deployment plan and participate in periodic vaccine deployment plan reviews with government counterparts and other partners.
• Provide strategic advice and course corrective actions including development of tools/ simple guidelines to ensure the quality of vaccine deployment plan preparations checklists are met, ensure/influence MOH and PHO’s approval of these tools, strategies including micro-planning, the protocol for post-vaccine deployment plan; including related monitoring and coverage validation tools for and apply in some districts and health centers through intensive mentoring and coaching in coordination with UNICEF in Jakarta and field office, and local partners. Influence for nationwide adoption of successful strategic approaches and tools.
• Collaborates with other UNICEF sectors, particularly communication team, to ensure integration of the vaccine deployment plan with other sectors. Provide appropriate technical support on advocacy and socio mobilization coordination activities.
• Supervise and coordinate all Provincial Coordinators in the respective zone to ensure the quality of COVID-vaccination program and provide them with necessary technical guidance.
• Develop local action plans for strategic support to the routine immunization programs in target provinces
• Final Report (in ppt and narrative) with recommendations and lessons learned. Summarize the best practice, strategies and methods from the vaccine deployment plan to benefit a stronger routine immunization programme for post-vaccine deployment plan and push those practices, strategies adopted by national and subnational official to strengthening the routine immunization.

OUTPUT
a) Vaccine Introduction Readiness Assessment tools (VIRAT) introduced and updated by each DHO and PHO
b) Internal training/orientation, workshop implemented
c) Brief assessments of planning, trainings, corrective actions supported and recommended.
d) Monthly progress report on vaccine deployment plan readiness, implementation and evaluation developed and shared with MOH, UNICEF internally
e) Field visit report will be available and shared with UNICEF internally and MOH as necessary
• Report on corrective actions, tools/guidelines, readiness checklist, protocols for post-vaccine deployment plan vaccination program progress reports.
• Monthly report
• Monthly report: compiled the progress report from all provinces in the zone
• Routine immunization support plans and monthly progress report
• Final Report

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…
1. Public Health Expert, specific immunization, advocacy/communications and data/information management experience. High technical knowledge of immunization programs is preferred—good analytical, advocacy and conflict resolution skills.
2. Familiarity with country, government structures and public health system especially immunization stock management.
3. Able to work independently with minimal supervision
4. Self-motivated and results oriented.
5. Proven ability to deliver under tight deadlines.
6. Good report writing, fluency in Bahasa Indonesia (is a must), and English, with computer skills.

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies:
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

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.

Closing date: 10 June 2021

Disclaimer: The screening of your application will be conducted based on the information in your profile. Before applying, we strongly suggest that you review your profile to ensure accuracy and completeness. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. This vacancy is open for Indonesians only.