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!
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Timely and equitable immunization services are amongst the most cost-effective development interventions with sustained and long-term health and economic dividends for nations. An effective end-to-end vaccine stock management is at its core, ensuring life-saving vaccines are always available up to the last mile, coverage goals are met, and no child is left behind. However, at least one-third of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) each year experience one or more vaccine stockouts lasting for one month or more, including Uzbekistan. By reviewing annual government-reported supply chain indicators over the last ten years, LMICs have seen an increase in stockouts of at least one routine antigen from 30% in 2010 to 45% in 2019.
Sub-optimal stock management not only increases the operational and opportunity costs of vaccination but can also significantly broaden inequities and stagnating demand, specifically affecting underserved, urban poor, insecure and hard-to-reach populations. In 2022-2023, UNICEF provided targeted assistance to improve management practices, conduct effective vaccine management assessment, introduce and roll out new COVID-19 vaccines, update training materials, carry out temperature mapping, installation of the remote temperature monitoring system (RTMS) at 21 cold stores.
Notwithstanding the concentrated effort to strengthen vaccine management in 2022-2023, there are still some areas for improvement and innovations that need to be fostered in 2025: introduction of the Visibility for Vaccine (ViVa) and Traceability and Verification System (TRVST); capacity building of EPI staff; updating SOPs and training materials, etc.
To strengthen the stock management and vaccine forecasting capacity of MOH, UNICEF developed the Visibility for Vaccines (ViVa) tool, which is a stock monitoring dashboard that visualize the pipeline of vaccine orders and forecasts, enabling country governments to identify risks of stock-out or overstocking and take corrective action before they occur.
In 2025, UNICEF plans to strengthen its support to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and relevant national authorities by engaging in various initiatives aligned with Vision 2030. These efforts will encompass key areas such as the supply of cancer drugs, procurement of nutritional supplements, and broader health system strengthening. To proactively address stock management challenges and enhance supply chain efficiency, UNICEF aims to operationalize electronic supply chain management platforms. Additionally, it will work to ensure that national and subnational authorities—including the MOH, the National Logistics Working Group (NLWG), and the National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) office—have the necessary capacity to effectively receive, store, distribute, and monitor vaccines and other critical health commodities. To support these efforts, UNICEF requires an international vaccine and supply chain management specialist who will provide technical assistance to the Government, reinforcing capacity-building efforts and ensuring the sustainability of supply chain operations.
Scope of Work:
Under the supervision of the Immunization Officer, the consultant will proactively address stock management challenges and ensure relevant national and subnational authorities (MOH/NLWG/EOC/National EPI office) have adequate capacity to receive, store, distribute and monitor vaccines and other health commodities.
Within the technical area of Vaccine Management, the consultant will support MOH to:
Tasks under the technical area COLD CHAIN EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT:
Key Tasks under HEALTH SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT:
Work Assignments Overview – Deliverables/Outputs – Timeline
Total 190 days
Travel International: Round trip from home to duty station
Travel Local: The consultant will be required to travel once a month (10 in total) to the fields to monitor vaccine management, and provide training/supportive supervision
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Technical Knowledge and Skills:
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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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.
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