RE-ADVERTISEMENT: Immunization Specialist, (NO-3), Lilongwe, Malawi #117118 (open to Nationals of Malawi only)

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, health…

 

UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’.  The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication.  The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

 

Every year, children are born and require immunization. UNICEF Malawi Country Office, and Health Section in particular, plays a pivotal role in the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, procurement and administration of the Cold Chain, and overall Vaccine Management, to sustain routine immunization as well as to accommodate the introduction of new vaccines.

How can you make a difference?

The Malawi Country Office offers an exciting and rewarding career opportunity for you to join our dynamic team in the Health section where you will be responsible for the Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) Plan for Malawi, while ensuring the deployment and maintenance of the cold chain at central and peripheral level, including solar refrigerator, ensure forecasting of vaccines and injection devices for routine and Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA), train health staff on vaccine and cold chain management, support COVID–19 vaccine rollout, while also ensuring close mentoring of the implementation of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) interventions in the field. In your role as Immunization Specialist, you will be under the supervision and overall guidance of the Health Specialist (Community Health). 

 

This job therefore presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated and committed person to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to (you are however encouraged to read the attached and detailed job description  Generic JD (confirmed by classification unit) – MLW21003 Immunization Specialist NOC MLW21003 – establish (signed).pdf in order to  view the full role and its requirements).

1. Provide rapid and relevant assistance and support to evolving immunization cold chain and logistics supply needs and situations facing children and families, including emergency situations, with a priority on achieving value for money.
2. Provide technical support to Ministry of Health for the extension of cold chain through Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP).
3. Support training, coaching and mentoring of Service Providers and Cold Chain Technicians on Cold Chain and Vaccine Management.
4. Provide support for the development and implementation of corrective and preventative maintenance plans for Cold Chain Equipment at National, Regional and district level.
5. Assessments and other assessments, and the development and implementation of Improvement Plans.
6. Support the forecasting, quantification, procurement, distribution and stock management of bundled vaccines and cold chain equipment.
7. Support Government authorities at national and district levels to plan and organize COVID-19 response interventions.

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

Education:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Supply Chain Management, Cold Chain and Logistics, Engineering, or related areas is required.

Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience is required in supply management, vaccines programming including cold chain and vaccine management.

• Work experience managing large-scale projects related to immunization programme, working with governments, working in resource-limited settings, monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management and mitigation will be essential.

• Product knowledge on cold chain equipment, new cold chain technologies and understanding of the principles of vaccine management, knowledge and experience with data collection, data management analysis and reporting will be an asset.

• Knowledge of procurement processes and good distribution practice could be beneficial.

Language:

• Fluency in English and in one of the local languages, both written and verbal skills, are required.

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.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drives to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

Functional Competencies

• Persuading and Influencing
• Applying technical Knowledge
• Planning and organization

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

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 therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

The position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

The vacancy announcement is a re-advertisement and open to all candidates – both internal and external candidates. Previous applicants are not encouraged to reapply. However, applications from suitable female candidates as well as suitable persons living with disabilities are strongly encouraged.