National Vaccine Management Consultant, NO-B, Liberia UN jobs – Career

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, immunization is a must!

How can you make a difference?

Background:

Liberia has recorded two positive environmental samples of polio (CVDPV2) as at March 1, 2024, indicating the risk of further positives (either environmental or human).  There are ongoing polio transmissions in Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea which are all bordering Liberia.  These bordering countries had earlier planned Sub-national Immunization Days (SNIDs) and National Immunization Days (NIDs) respectively which have been postponed on several occasions.

This situation coupled with the sub-optimal routine immunization data places Liberia as a high-risk country and an outbreak response including a nationwide immunization campaign needs to be conducted as soon as possible. Two rounds of nationwide polio campaign have already been conducted in May and June respectively with remaining two rounds to be conducted in September and October 2024.

There is a global shortage of nOPV2, the vaccine needed for outbreak response, but many countries that needed to conduct outbreak response activities have been postponing their campaigns thereby creating the need to prioritize countries that are ready to respond immediately. Liberia has been prioritized for vaccines based on her high-risk profile.  HR surge and financial support has been made available to Liberia.

II. Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Effective management of nOPV2 vaccines in an outbreak situation is critical to ensure that vaccines are deployed timely, sufficient quantities of vaccines are issued and all vaccines issued are retrieved and accounted for. The Ministry of Health does not have enough technical capacity to manage nOPV2 vaccines effectively. UNICEF is a key partner and accountable for vaccine management during Polio outbreak response hence the justification to engage a national consultant to be deployed specifically in Gbarpolu County to fill in a gap created due to non-extension of the contract of the assigned consultant. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the County Health Team, the SBC consultant and UNV in the assigned county to mount an effective response to the polio emergency.

III:  Scope of Work:

Support the County Health Team, the County Child Survival Focal Person and County Cold Chain Officer to develop the distribution plan, distribute vaccines and other related logistics to the various levels of the health system in efficient and timely manner.  Support the Vaccine Accountability Coordinators and the Vaccine Accountability Monitors to ensure that all vials are retrieved, and unused vials properly destroyed after the polio vaccination campaigns. Contribute to the strengthening of Routine Immunization services in the assigned county. To identify gaps and put in place strategies and detailed plans on vaccine and cold chain management aspects of the polio emergency response based on field monitoring visits and report.

V. Qualification/Experience/Competencies/Skills Required:

Education:

• Degree in health related discipline, logistics management, supply chain, health logistics, business management).

Work Experience:

• Professional/Technical Experience: At least, 2 years of professional experience at related to Cold Chain, Vaccine Management, Waste Management, vaccination campaign logistics management, field experience of OPV management will be an asset.
• Relevant work experience in emergency response especially epidemics; Experience with public health supply chain and cold chain management issues.
• Leadership skills, teamwork and ability to conduct training.
• Masters EPI logistics tools (SMT, Cold Chain Inventory tools).
• Additional training in immunization and cold chain is an asset.

Other skills and competencies required:

• Results-driven and good writing skills.

Language Proficiency:

• Fluency in English and a local dialect is essential.

VI. Working Conditions:

• Field Based
  • The consultant is expected to use his/her own ICT equipment.
  • The consultant will be based in a specific county to be identified by UNICEF.

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.

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.