National Consultancy: Zonal Polio Outbreak Response Consultant (Open to Malawian Nationals 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…

The current cholera outbreak, the largest ever reported in the country over the past 20 years, started in March 2022 and has affected all 29 health districts of Malawi. This outbreak demonstrates a different pattern as it started during the dry season, out of the historical seasonality of cholera in the country, on the heels of Tropical storm Ana (January 2022) and Cyclone Gombe (March 2022) with floods leading to population displacement and further disruption in access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.

The unprecedented scale of the outbreak triggered the declaration of a Public Health Emergency by the President of Malawi in December 2022, leading to the activation of national coordination mechanisms and a scale-up of the response. As of 25 January 2023, more than 30,000 cases and more than 1,000 deaths have been reported. 

Given the current polio and cholera outbreaks, the Government of Malawi immediately launched outbreak responses with support from WHO and UNICEF. A total of 4 rounds of polio campaigns were conducted across the country in 2022, reaching 3.6 million children under five and achieving 99% polio immunization coverage. Meanwhile, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners (Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF) have prepared a phase-2 plan for responding to the ongoing outbreak that will cover the period of May-December 2023.

This phase will consist of 4 polio National Immunization Days (NIDs) targeting 8.8 million 0 – 15-year children in each round. Like in the phase-1 response, these multiple rounds of the campaign will require significant technical assistance inputs to the Department of Health and the district health authorities.

How can you make a difference? 

The Zonal Polio Outbreak Response consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH), District Health Offices (DHO), WHO and other partners, to implement high quality integrated polio immunization campaigns in selected districts. Following are the specific tasks:

• Review of the technical capacities of the DHO and assist in preparing SIA micro-plans and detailed operational plans.
• Assist the national and district managers in association with WHO to organize training of the district and health facility in-charges on polio SIA
• Prepare/identify training materials for the health managers, vaccinators, social mobilizers, and other team members and ensure the quality of such training.
• Conduct supportive supervision, monitoring and mentoring visit.
• Day-to-day monitoring and spot checks of the campaign activities, cold chain, and vaccine management and SBCC activities
• Monitoring progress of the campaign and organize intra-campaign reviews with the government and partners.
• Assist the districts in the analysis of coverage data and support in planning and conducting mop-up activities as necessary.
• Regular coverage and data management and visualize them in key performance indicators.
• Collect and compile data from districts and prepare implementation and coverage reports by each district and conduct de-briefing on the lessons learnt and recommendations.
• Prepare and submit final report of the activity, analysis of the responses, including the lessons learnt and recommendations at the end of the assignment.
• Document country good practices throughout the process including related to challenges, lessons learned and critical success factors.
• Supporting government in planning and conducting training and capacity building plan to enhance the skills of health workers on cholera and polio outbreak containment.
• Helping zonal coordinators to prepare for district task force meetings and keeping an update of same
• Utilizing the monitoring feedback to uplift the ongoing polio SIAs and cholera outbreak response.
• Tracking the supply status of polio SIA vaccines as well cholera essentials

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

Academic qualification:

• A university degree from a recognized academic institution in one or more of the following areas is preferred: Public Health/ Environmental Health, Nursing, Medical doctor.

Work experience:

Minimum two years progressively responsible professional work experience at the district or national level in below mentioned areas:

• Extensive experience in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) at district or national levels.
• Proven track record in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC).
• Demonstrated experience in vaccine management, cold chain equipment, and new cold chain technologies.
• Strong background in data collection, management, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience in disease surveillance and environmental assessment is advantageous.

Technical skills, knowledge and strength areas:

• Advanced skills in project management, especially in health-related initiatives.
• Proficiency in utilizing technology for data collection and reporting.
• Ability to implement effective SBCC strategies tailored to diverse communities.
• Comprehensive understanding of global and local polio eradication initiatives and strategies.
• In-depth knowledge of public health principles, particularly in immunization programs.
• Familiarity with regional healthcare systems, policies, and challenges.
• Comprehensive understanding of global and local polio eradication initiatives and strategies.
• In-depth knowledge of public health principles, particularly in immunization programs.

Languages:  

Fluency in Chichewa and English is required.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference  Terms of Reference Zonal Polio Consultant.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).   

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.   

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

HOW TO APPLY…

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic certificates
3. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the Individual Consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
4. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, stationery, communication, and other miscellaneous costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
5. References details from three most recent supervisors.

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.