Consultancy: Consultant, Accelerated Immunization Initiatives Expert (Measles and other Accelerated Disease Control Initiatives) – Health Section, PD, NYHQ/Home based – Req # 538411

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Consultancy Title: Accelerated Immunization Initiatives Expert (Measles and other Accelerated Disease Control Initiatives)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health Section/PD

 

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

This announcement seeks to establish a pre-screened pool of experts in the technical areas listed below. Experts screened from this solicitation process will be deployed as needed, including to UNICEF country and regional offices requesting support. These experts are expected to work in close collaboration with UNICEF Programme Division, Supply Division, WHO, Regional and Country Offices and other external partners (such as MSF, IFRC, CDC, JSI, etc.) in providing technical assistance and applying latest guidance, tools and methods at country level to strengthen immunization programme management and delivery particularly as related to filling immunity gaps for measles, rubella yellow fever, meningitis, cholera and potentially other VPDs such as maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) and COVID-19. Tasks include supporting the process of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating preventative and responsive supplemental immunization activities (SIAs); introducing measles, rubella, meningitis, cholera, COVID-19 and yellow fever vaccines into national EPI schedules; conducting programmatic evaluation and operational research related to barriers to optimal vaccination; implementing strategies to reach underserved communities currently missing out on the benefits of measles vaccination and other health interventions (“zero-dose strategy”); and strengthening the delivery of vaccines for outbreak-prone diseases through routine immunization centered within the PHC system including through a well-established second-year of life (2YL) platform. Qualified experts from this pool may be tasked to help national counterparts on any one or multiple of the following areas based on the country needs.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Areas of Expertise:

TECHNICAL ACTIVITY 1: VACCINE CAMPAIGN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis in the timely delivery of vaccines worldwide with a historic number of children and women missing out on opportunities for vaccination in 2020.  Over 150 million children were estimated to be at risk of missing out on scheduled measles vaccinations in 2020 due to the pandemic; in some countries coverage for measles and other vaccines dropped by greater than 50% during the height of the outbreak. This dramatic disruption comes on top of the over 14 million children each year who reach their first birthday without completing recommended vaccinations.  For outbreak-prone diseases such as measles, rubella, yellow fever, cholera and meningitis the presence of such large immunity gaps creates a major risk for large and devastating outbreaks in 2021 and beyond.

For many years, countries with poorly performing routine immunization systems have relied on conducting supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) to effectively reach previously unvaccinated children and adults before an outbreak can occur or in response to such outbreaks.  The need for high-quality efficient SIAs will be particularly important in the COVID recovery setting to reach tens of millions of children whose vaccinations have been delayed as countries sought to organize to safely deliver immunization services despite the pandemic.

 

TECHNICAL ACTIVITY 2: VACCINE INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

Effective introduction of new vaccines into a country’s Expanded Programme on Immunization schedule plays a key role in achieving equitable immunization outcomes and improving global coverage to reach vaccine-preventable disease elimination and control goals. Efficient supply chains equipped with sufficient reliable cold chain equipment are necessary for helping countries reach children and adults with potent and lifesaving vaccines but equally important are training for healthcare workers and adaption of the necessary materials and country policies for smooth rollout of a new vaccine.

To ensure improved global vaccination coverage and reduce disease burden and outbreak risk, it is critical that countries that have not yet introduced recommended doses of measles, rubella, yellow fever, meningitis and COVID-19 vaccines do so in a timely and efficient manner.

TECHNICAL ACTIVITY 3: INTEGRATING ACCELERATED DISEASE CONTROL ACTIVITIES INTO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

BACKGROUND

Long-term control of measles/rubella, COVID-19, tetanus, meningitis and yellow fever is dependent on maintaining high levels of vaccine coverage delivered through routine immunization services integrated with the delivery of other health interventions.  This reality is recognized as the first strategic priority of MRSF 2021-2030 with the objective of incorporating all measles and rubella activities as key components of effective PHC systems in support of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).  Similarly, recent increases in yellow fever outbreaks developing 10+ years after high-coverage large-scale SIAs demonstrate the limited effect of campaigns in the absence of continued strong delivery of services through PHC.  Vaccine introduction provide opportunities to strengthen health systems to deliver a comprehensive PHC package and build health care worker and programme manager capacities.

TECHNICAL AREA 4: IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO OPTIMAL IMMUNIZATION IN ACCELERATED DISEASE CONTROL INITIATIVES THROUGH OPERATIONAL RESEARCH AND PROGRAMME EVALUATION

BACKGROUND

A key component of healthy immunization programmes is the effective utilization of evidence-based practices.  However substantial evidence gaps currently exist related to optimal practices to improve vaccine coverage for measles, rubella and yellow fever and other VPDs.  Identifying the barriers that are limiting further increases in immunization coverage and reduction of disease susceptibility and generating effective and practical measures to overcome these barriers, will be needed to progress further towards disease control goals.  To do this will require a robust programme of operational research and programmatic evaluation which most immunization programmes are currently unable to conduct without external assistance

 

Qualifications

Competencies

•            Strong analytical, oral & written communication skills including scientific publications and presentations on vaccine-preventable diseases.

•            Proven track record in project management with the emphasis on planning and reporting

•            Effective presenter, including ability to adapt the message and visual aids for multiple audiences to deliver concise, impactful presentations

•            Effective facilitator with proven ability to engage and train a group of individuals (through an interpreter if necessary)

•            Demonstrated ability to work in a team with multi-cultural environment

 

Technical skills and knowledge on some, or all of the following

•            Proven experience working in multi-stakeholder and multi-cultural settings

•            Experience in developing and implementing effective vaccine strategies

•            Experience in writing complex funding proposals, developing multi-year budgets and operational plans for immunization programmes

•            Experience in training, planning and delivery of technical assistance

•            Proven track record in interfacing with national ministries of health 

•            Experience in outbreak investigation and response and campaign planning and implementation

•            Experience and knowledge on the Gavi MR, MenA and YF application documents and process

•            Proficiency in the development of technical guidance for immunization-related topics

•            Experience in conducting operational research or programmatic evaluations

•            Familiarity with immunization strategies to reach zero-dose and hard-to-reach children

•            Experience with monitoring and evaluation

•            Experience with conducting vaccine post-introduction evaluations and/or coverage surveys

 

Work experience on some or all of the following

•            Demonstrated solid experience in immunization program management and global immunization initiatives

•            At least 8 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national and international levels in management, monitoring and evaluation on Measles, Rubella, Meningitis, Yellow Fever, cholera, other vaccine preventable diseases, or routine immunization

•            Experience in humanitarian emergencies is an advantage

•            Experience of providing national-level technical assistance to immunization programs in at least one country outside his/her country of residence is an advantage

•            Experience in conducting EPI reviews is an advantage

•            Understanding of United Nations systems and international organizations in general

•            Experience working on health system strengthening or maternal, neonatal and child health is an advantage

•            An Advanced University Degree in public health, medicine or other health related area is desired.

 

Languages

•            Fluency in English and excellent writing skills; working knowledge of French, Arabic, Russian, Spanish or Portuguese an asset. Knowledge of local languages is an added value.

•            Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships with both headquarters and field staff

•            Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word

 

Requirements:

–             Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11)

–             Upload copy of academic credentials

–             Financial proposal that will include:

o            your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above

o            travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.

o            Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

o            Indicate your availability

–             Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

–             At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

–             Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4. 

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious and ethnic backgrounds 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.