tendersglobal.net
The Immunization Specialist (Coverage, Equity & Zero dose Catch-up) will support priority countries in West and Central African Region to implement and monitor the Big catch-up interventions, while primarily leading the closing equity gaps in immunization through Essential Routine immunization recovery process with focus on the 3-prong approach: Catch-up on past cohorts of zero-doze children that accumulated during the C-19 pandemic, Restore immunization programmes returning to the trajectory towards reaching IA2030 goals, Strengthen immunization programmes to sustainably reach zero-dose children through PHC and community systems.
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, Hope
Job organizational context and purpose for the job
West and Central African region Immunization coverage is low and stagnant below 70% over years with a decline from 72% to 69% between 2019 and 2022 mainly due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. As a result, 6.3 out of 20.7 million surviving infants in the region did not receive the 3 recommended doses of DPT vaccine including 4.4 million zero-dose (24% of global burden) in 2022. The high number of zero dose children in WCAR represent 69.8% burden of un and under vaccinated children. The top 5 countries with the most zero-dose (DPT1) and under vaccinated (DPT3) children in 2021 include Nigeria (2,877 K), DRC (1,388K), Chad (291K), Cameroon(295K), Guinea (235K).
In 2022, the regional coverage of MCV1 was 64% compared to the target of 95% needed to prevent outbreak. Therefore, WCAR countries are confronted with recurrent vaccine preventable diseases outbreaks often occurring simultaneously and including resurgence of new outbreaks such as diphtheria which are disrupting existing health care delivery services and diverting scarce human and financial resources.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) and the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022-2025), the UNICEF Regional Office in West and Central Africa (WCARO) is implementing its 2022-2025 Regional Office Management Plan (ROMP) aims to deliver tangible results for children in the West and Central Africa Region (WCAR). It outlines the programming, strategic and management interventions, and strategic shifts where UNICEF needs to make greater investments over this four-year period.
The organizational focus that contributes to advancing the health agenda in the Region is Key Result #1 – Closing equity gaps in immunization through accelerated routine immunization. This is in line with the IA 2030 aiming 50% reduction in the number of zero dose children at country, regional, and global levels and 90% global coverage for DTP3, MCV2, HPVc, and PCV3 and the Gavi’s 2021-25 (Gavi 5.0) strategy which aims to leave no one behind with immunization. With the backsliding of immunization performance due to the C-19 pandemic, WCAR is embarked with the Global community in the Essential Routine immunization recovery process with the 3-prong approach: catch up past cohorts of zero-doze children, restoring & Strengthening immunization programmes.
To accelerate efforts and catch up missed children, restore, and strengthen immunization services, UNICEF along with global level partners have launched in 2023 the Big Catch-up initiative prioritizing in West and Central African region eight priority countries (Nigeria, DRC, Chad, Cameroon, CAR, Guinea, Mali, Niger) contributing to 89% of Zero dose children in the region. Several priority countries in WCAR have already finalized their big catch-up plan and are in the implementation planning phase, while other countries are finalizing the development of their big catch-up plan with the WCA Regional Working Group support.
In this regard, UNICEF WCARO, through its transformative agenda, is prioritizing seven change strategies with the aim of accelerating progress related to the KRCs with a particular attention given to leveraging the capacities and comparative advantages of key partners.
While moving this agenda forward, special attention is paid to building internal and local capacity on evidence generation, and use this evidence to influence policies, plans, strategies, and priorities at national and at district level to achieve equitable health in immunization with focus on zero -dose children and missed communities.
Why should we invest in reaching zero-dose children and missed communities?
Job organizational context:
This temporary position will be located in the UNICEF West and Central Africa Office, Dakar in Senegal. Under the supervision of the Health Specialist (Immunization), P4 #72465, the Immunization Specialist (Coverage, Equity & Zero dose Catch-up) will be part of the Immunization Unit in the Regional Health and HIV Section, and work in close collaboration with colleagues working on maternal, newborn and child health, health emergencies, nutrition, SBC, ICT, Supply. The position will also closely interact with WHO, GAVI SCM, and Country teams (government and partners) involved in Big Catch-up implementation.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of the Job
The Immunization Specialist (Coverage, Equity & Zero dose Catch-up) will support priority countries in West and Central African Region to implement and monitor the Big catch-up interventions, while primarily leading the closing equity gaps in immunization through Essential Routine immunization recovery process with focus on the 3-prong approach: Catch-up on past cohorts of zero-doze children that accumulated during the C-19 pandemic, Restore immunization programmes returning to the trajectory towards reaching IA2030 goals, Strengthen immunization programmes to sustainably reach zero-dose children through PHC and community systems.
Accountable for ensuring the UNICEF Immunization programme promotes gender equality, with an emphasis on gender disaggregation, gender disparity identification and gender mainstreaming.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the Immunization Specialist (Coverage, Equity & Zero dose Catch-up) is accountable the following areas of major duties:
Impact of Results
Action | Impact |
Decisions: Makes decisions on coordination, technical assistance, consortium building and partnerships | Decisions will affect the overall efficiency and effectiveness of UNICEF’s programme results at regional levels. |
Recommendations: Makes technical recommendations contributing to UNICEF’s policy development, programme design and other technical and organisational guidance in relation to immunization. | hese recommendations impact directly on the UNICEF’s positioning within the broader health community, with Govenrment and national partners, and the effectiveness of UNICEF’s programmes. |
Quality Assurance: Provides technical guidance to field programme/project activities, alignment with government health programmes, and partnerships. | Given the danger of poor immunization programme performance to UNICEF’s larger health activities and national systems, quality technical assistance will reduce both programme and reputational risk to UNICEF and partners. |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework 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.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.
Remarks:
UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.
Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Special Notice on UNICEF WCARO office relocation:
UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.
Apply
To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover/motivation letter where (tendersglobal.net) you saw this job posting.
Job title: Senior Training Consultant Company Smiths Detection Job description and provides Quality Assurance on…
Job title: Call Center Agent (m/w/d) im Bereich Digital- und Printmedien Company DIS AG Job…
Job title: Estimator / Senior Estimator Company Advance TRS Job description Job Title: Estimator Salary:…
Job title: Junior-IT Sales Consultant (m/w/d) Company Step Computer- und Datentechnik GmbH Job description Entwicklung…
Job title: Quality Technician Company Jonathan Lee Recruitment Job description and manufacture of complex machined…
tendersglobal.net Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to…
This website uses cookies.