ABOUT THE COMPANY:

UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future

JOB SUMMARY

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

Consultancy Title: Routine Immunization Coverage & Equity Roster Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health – Immunization Section, New York HQ

Duration: September 2022 to August 2025 (3 years)

French speaking experts are highly encouraged to apply. Previous experts who applied will remain in the roster, hence no need to reapply.

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: 

The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), which aims to halve the number of unvaccinated zero-dose children by 2030, and the Gavi 5.0 strategy for 2021-25, which aims to reduce the number of zero-dose children in Gavi eligible countries by 25% by 2025, both recognize the critical importance of addressing inequities across and within countries for the global immunization goals to be achieved. The equity reference group (ERG) which is a group of immunization experts has identified four priority areas which contains the bulk of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children including the remote rural, urban poor, conflict settings and addressing gender dimension so as to make significant strides in reaching every child with vaccinations.

Interventions will include addressing the peculiarities seen in remote rural, urban and conflict populations, as well as mainstreaming gender dimensions into immunization programming including the gender analysis.  In addition, several countries mostly Gavi eligible countries are required to undergo a full portfolio planning (FPP) incorporating findings from the CEAs and enhanced gender analysis as part of situational analysis and prioritization of interventions.

Scope of Work (Activity/Assignment)

Countries and regions will need timely synchronized technical assistance (TA) in facilitating to conduct CEAs incorporating gender dimensions, identifying the key interventions to reduce the number of zero dose children in urban and peri- urban settlements, remote rural and conflict settings. These supports will include assistance in developing and implementing zero dose reduction strategies in these contexts, developing, and implementing strategies to reach children with the FPP process incorporating gender interventions.

Areas of Expertise:

The consultant will be required to provide TA on the tasks listed on the following three technical areas.

1. Technical Area 1: Technical assistance to target countries on Coverage and Equity Assessments (CEAs)

i.      Engagement with countries identified for CEAs and compiling reports, recommendation, develop a costed country action plan with timelines to finalize the CEA keeping in mind the need for it to be used for action as part of the FPP.

ii.     Facilitate an orientation session with the country team and stakeholders at the national and subnational levels on the updated CEA guidelines

iii.    Assist countries to review existing data including administrative and survey data to analyze their coverage and equity situation and determine why coverage is lower in specific population groups, geographical areas or pockets of under-immunized children.

iv.    Assist with the design and collection of additional qualitative or quantitative data to supplement available existing data as part of the CEA plan of a country or district

v.     Based on the findings, assist countries to identify and develop the requisite strategies and interventions that address the root causes of the inequity as identified in the bottleneck and integrate these into the district or sub-district plans.

vi.    Provide support to countries to prioritize a string component of gender analysis is incorporated in the CEAs and its recommendations, and opportunities to prioritize gender transformative interventions to reach ZD and missed communities.

viii.  Work with the HQ and RO teams to assist with other relevant activities to help countries plan, implement and finalize strategies to improve coverage and reduce inequities through CEAs, FPPs and other planning or assessment activities.

2. Technical Area 2: Developing and implementing Zero-Dose Reduction Strategies (Urban/Peri-Urban, Remote Rural, Conflict, Gender and other Special Populations)

i.    Based on data trends in the country, design strategies which aim to overcome immunization and access challenges encountered in these settings to reach the urban poor and peri-urban settlements, refugees and displaced persons, persons affected by conflict, remote rural and other special populations.

ii.   Assist countries to design and rollout monitoring and learning plans including adapting SMART indicators to monitor and evaluate progress.

iii.  Support the documentation of lessons learnt, case studies and best practices as it relates to strategies and interventions designed and rolled out in these specific contexts.

iv.  Assist with the dissemination of captured lessons learnt through webinars, case study reports, and drafting manuscripts as may be applicable.

v.   Provide support with other related interventions and strategies as may be required.

3. Technical Area 3: TA to emerging need of catch-up on children missed over the past two years due to pandemic

i.    TA to countries to assess their ZD status (projected targets and achievement) by geographical areas, gender and ethnicity for developing mop-up campaigns.

ii.   Provide TA in developing operational plans for catch-up in targeted areas and restoring of routine immunization services.

iii.  Develop advocacy and communication plan for catch-up campaigns and design multi-sectoral approaches for an integrated delivery of essential services (nutrition, birth registration, other sectors etc.) to missed communities.

iv.  Support country office in analyzing the missed children and facilitate the discussion to execute catch up campaigns.

v.   TA in developing real-time monitoring framework for campaigns using smart platforms (e- micro plans) in remote and emergency context.

Travel, if applicable: (include estimated duration and potential locations).

The consultant may be deployed to support countries undergoing the CEA, Full portfolio planning (FPP), or countries developing and or rolling out strategies to reach zero dose children in urban/peri- urban, remote rural, conflict or other contexts including gender mainstreaming.

Expected Results (Based on Country Needs):

The pre-screened pool of experts or roster established through this solicitation process is expected to expedite the contracting and fast-track the deployment of targeted TA to countries aligned to their programme needs without delays.

Experts Pool will be managed by UNICEF Programme Group Health – Immunization section. Technical supervision for the tasks to be performed by the HQ Coverage and equity team focal point, Regional and Country focal points in the country of deployment. This roster will be managed by Routine Immunization Coverage and Equity Unit, with guidance and advice by Strategy and Management Unit. This expert pool will be accessible to all UNICEF offices. Products to be delivered by the consultant will be aligned to the country need but could include and not limited to:

• Coverage and equity assessment (CEA) reports of acceptable standards with gender clearly highlighted,
• Specific strategies to reach zero dose children in urban, remote rural, conflict and other settings,
• Operationalized catch-up campaigns which include situation analysis, SIA microplanning, advocacy for campaign and monitoring plan etc.
• Integration and updating ZD information system including in country capacity building
• Tools and draft guidelines to reach zero dose children in specific contexts
• Documentation of case studies, lessons learnt,
• Draft manuscripts for publication
• Other relevant products as defined by HQ, RO, CO needs.

 Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Milestones and deliverables indicated above based on the need of the hiring offices.

Qualifications

(1) Education

• Advanced university degree in Medicine, Public Health, Health Policy and Management, Social or Behavioural Science, other related fields.
• Additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written, is required. Knowledge of French or other Un languages an asset.

2) Work experience

• Minimum of 5 years relevant professional experience in planning, management and implementation of immunization or health programs.
• Very good understanding of national immunization programs, Primary health care and health systems.
• Experience in supporting countries to design and implement coverage and equity assessments, equity analysis, strategies to reach zero dose and under- vaccinated children etc.
• Knowledge and experience with reaching every district or community (RED/REC) approach.
• Immunization programming field experience in contexts such as urban, remote rural, conflict, gender, and related areas an advantage.
• Proficiency in use of statistical software an advantage.
• Strong analytical skills and experience synthesizing information from multiple sources.

3) Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Requirements: 

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

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Good luck!