Consultant – Assessing Immunisation Supply Chain and Optimisation, UNCEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), Bangkok, Thailand

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 fulfilling 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, a better future

UNICEF works to ensure the rights of all children in the East Asia and Pacific Region.  This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference? 

The Regional Health Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking an individual consultant to provide project management for the Regional Office coordination of immunization portfolio including COVID-19 vaccine deployment, across the teams in the regional office as well as with the Country Offices.

The consultant and under the overall guidance of Regional Health/HIV advisor and day to day supervision of the Regional Health Specialist will provide project managerial support to the Regional Office Health team to coordinate between the teams in the Regional Office, Headquarters and with the Country Offices, particularly for those involved in immunization and COVID-19 vaccine deployment and health systems strengthening.

The overall purpose of assignment:

The introduction of the COVID19 vaccine increased the burden on the immunisation supply chain in all countries in the region. This high pressure required the government to increase their cold chain capacity from national to service delivery level. The storage capacity has to be increased to be able to store this new vaccine.  A new distribution system is introduced to distribute the vaccine from national to service delivery level, including the engaging private sector to manage the load for the COVID19 vaccine. Those changes have affected the routine immunisation supply chain, which resulted in various issues affecting the immunisation programs’ performance.

UNICEF RO plan to assess the impact of the covid19 vaccine on the overall immunisation supply chain especially the routine immunisation supply chain and provide optimisation recommendation to selected COs.
 

Work Assignment: 

The consultant will assist UNICEF EAPRO in one or more of the following manners:

Under the general guidance of the Health Specialist immunisation in the Health section at the EAP Regional office

1. Assess the Immunisation Supply Chain Situation in selected COs which received a most significant impact from the introduction of the COVID19 vaccine.
2. Working with CCL Specialist at the RO and COs and Information Specialist at the RO to map and visualise the Immunisation Supply Chain situations at the COs from National to Service Delivery levels, including storage capacity at different levels, the distribution system and means of transports from National to Service Delivery level.
3. Assess the availability and feasibility of track and trace system available at the COs for COVID19 and routine vaccine.
4. Using the EVM Indicators, assess or analyse the capacity on temperature monitoring performance at various levels of storage.
5. Estimate wastage rate for COVID19 vaccine utilisation based on available data at COs if available.
6. Asses the last mile delivery system used, including the means of transport, and propose recommendations to improve the supply chain by redesigning the supply chain, including the option to use new emerging transportation i.e. Drone.

Deliverables:

• Work plan outlining specific activities to be conducted for country office support with objectives and timelines.
• Section Report on Immunisation Supply chain situation at selected Cos.
• Section Report and available track and trace system for COVID19 and Routine Immunisation Vaccine.
• Section Report on ISCL Temperature Monitoring performance at Selected Cos.
• Section Report on COVID19 vaccine wastage and its cause.
• Section Report on the last mile delivery system used by the COs, including the means of transport.
• Section report Recommendations based on the finding to optimise the supply chain in storage capacity, track and trace, temperature monitoring, wastage and last-mile delivery innovation.
• Final Report on Country Immunisation Supply Chain and Optimisation.

Work Schedule:  

Deliverable	Estimated timeline
Draft section Report on Immunisation Supply chain situation at selected COs including availability of Track and Trace System, Performance of Temperature Monitoring and analysis of wastage for COVID19 – Country 1	Dec-21
Draft Section Report on the distribution system, last mile delivery system used by the COs, including the means of transport and Recommendation for supply chain optimisation – Country 1	Jan-22
Draft – Section Report on Immunisation Supply chain situation at selected COs including availability of Track and Trace System, Performance of Temperature Monitoring and analysis of wastage for COVID19 – Country 2	Feb-22
Draft – Section Report on the distribution system, last mile delivery system used by the COs, including the means of transport and Recommendation for supply chain optimisation – Country 2	Mar-22
Draft Final Report of Country 1 and 2	May-22
Final Country reports	Jun-22

 

End Product(s): 

The consultant is required to

1. Develop a planner and update it regularly, and submit it by the end of each month / by the end of the contract.
2. Submit a monthly one-page summary report (with daily activity record attached).
3. Provide online debriefing to RO by the end of each country consultation.
4. Report on Immunisation Supply Chain Optimisation in Selected Country.

Duration of Contract:  1 December 2021 – 30 June 2022; 80 working days

Official Travel:  To countries as noted above, with domestic trips potentially in all the concerned countries except Thailand.

Working Location and Official Travel:  

Consultant will work remotely and schedule visits to selected COs (2 countries) and RO during the contract period as per schedule and arrangement with RO.

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

1. Postgraduate degree in logistics, transportation engineering or related sciences;
2. At least eight-year experience in logistic management, preferably public health logistic with some experience with immunisation programmes, and demonstrated expertise in resource-limited environments;
3. Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in assessing the country logistic or supply chain, preferably immunisation supply chain (particularly iSC system assessment and improvement, writing iSCM SOPs, experience in conducting training and workshops);
4. Detailed knowledge of WHO/UNICEF recommended vaccine management practices and vaccine management assessment tools;
5. Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills, leading/training a group of individuals and impart knowledge. Skills in adult training methodology are strongly preferred.
6. Experience in the EAP region and familiarity with East Asia and Pacific countries context is an asset.

 

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV or P-11, full contact information of minimum 3 references, availability, and proposed daily professional fee in USD by 3 November 2021.

 FORM P11.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

————–

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.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.