National Consultancy: Support the elaboration of COVID-19 vaccine delivery strategy to best reach target groups.

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

BACKGROUND

GAVI currently estimates that billions of doses of vaccines will be needed to establish herd immunity to COVID-19. Ensuring that high-quality vaccine doses can be efficiently transported to priority populations will require responsive systems keeping pace with changes in transmission.

Guinea-Bissau had recently installed the new cold chains in the framework of CCEOP and switch from vaccines distribution system, (from PULL to PUSH system), that improve a little bit, the vaccines distribution. However, the supply-chain challenges facing the COVID-19 vaccine are hardly new.  Hence, UNICEF Guinea-Bissau Office is seeking national assistance in the form of a consultancy with a duration of 3 months to support in the elaboration and implementation of COVID-19 vaccine delivery strategy to best reach target groups.

How can you make a difference?

TASKS:

 The consultant is expected to provide technical support to the following activities:

1. Desk review of EPI plans and reports on immunization activities, vaccines distribution EPI reviews etc.
2. Development of a strategic document outlining the main strategic shifts on EPI vaccine distribution needs to build more resilient and equitable vaccine distribution system.
3. Development of costed vaccines distribution plan that include COVID-19 upcoming vaccine.
4. Support national logistics team on implementation of the plan.

 DELIVERABLES:

1. Situation analysis for EPI logistics done and report available.
2. Main strategic shifts on EPI vaccine distribution needs to build more resilient and equitable vaccine distribution system include COVID-19 vaccine, put in place.
3. Review the costed vaccines distribution plan that include COVID-19 upcoming vaccine.
4. Follow up the implementation national logistics plan.

METHODOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION OF WORK

Duration: The contract will be for a total of 3 month. 

Management and implementation arrangement: The overall management of this contract will be done by UNICEF. Within UNICEF, Child and Maternal health, & Nutrition Section will supervise the contract. The consultant is expected to work closely with UNICEF and Ministry of Health.

REMUNERATION: The payment will be done at monthly basis. Professional fees will be paid on the successful completion of specific tasks and the satisfactory submission of deliverables. All payments, without exception, will be made upon certification from the supervisor of the contract, of the satisfactory and quality completion of deliverables and upon receipt of the respective and approved invoice.

IMPORTANT: As a general rule, the fees payable to a consultant must follow the principle of best value (obtain the desired result at the lowest possible cost). Therefore, the candidates are required to indicate their fees for the services to be provided. To be considered, candidates MUST submit their financial proposals when apply.

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

Academic qualification:

• Advanced University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Social Sciences, Medicine, Health, Public Health, Family Health, Child Development, Nursing, or a field relevant to international development assistance in Immunization and Child Survival & Health Care. Background/familiarity with Emergency.

Work experience:

• Minimum two years progressively responsible experience in humanitarian/development contexts, emergency preparedness, complex emergency/multi-hazard disasters, community engagement and accountability to affected population work with UN, civil society and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required
• Training and experience Immunization/health care.
• Experience in knowledge management.

Languages:

•  Fluency in Portuguese and English or French is required. Knowledge of Creole is considered as an asset.

Professionalism:

• Knowledge of a range of humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and related humanitarian issues, including approaches and techniques to address difficult problems. Analytical capacity and in particular the ability to analyses and articulate the humanitarian dimension of issues which require a coordinated UN response.
• Effective communication and analytical and writing skills. Developing country work experience is considered an asset. 

CONDITIONS OF WORK:

• The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant.
• The consultant will be based in Bissau and working from UNICEF Guinea-Bissau Office premises or from home as per office footprint until such a time when COVID travel restrictions are relaxed to allow in-country/field travel.
• In Bissau, the consultant will work with his/her own means, using his/her computer but will be given means for internet.

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

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

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.