National Expert on Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) Evaluation, Bissau, 4 months [Open to Nationals of Guinea-Bissau only]

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the Guinea Bissau Ministry of Public Health to conduct comprehensive EVMA 2.0 and develop and disseminate the EVM-based cIP.

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, Vaccine quality

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The Guinea Bissau Ministry of Public Health is committed to achieving and maintaining high immunization coverage by reaching all children with potent vaccines and reducing the number of zero dose and under-vaccinated children, including by: ensuring the availability of required vaccines at the right time, right quality, and right quantities in all health facilities as per the recommended vaccination schedule, introducing new vaccines as they are needed, and improving data management at all levels. This is all with the aim of achieving the Immunization Agenda 2030 targets.

Effective supply chain in general and cold chain management remains vital for rapidly deploying vaccination and reaching target groups. The Effective Vaccine Management Assessment (EVMA) is an important mechanism for strengthening the effectiveness and impact of the EPI program, and should be conducted regularly every 4-5 years, with corresponding recommendations called comprehensive improvement plan (cIP) used for 5-year strategic planning for the immunization program. Guinea Bissau Conducted her last EVM Assessment in 2019 with overall composite score of 67% which is below the minimum standard of 80% and developed corresponding cIP. After nearly five years, the country is embarking on another national EVM assessment using the new globally recognized EVM2.0 tool. It will review the current Immunization Supply Chain Management (ISCM) systems in place and temperature monitoring to detect gaps in the supply chain and provide recommendations to improve the system. Hence, UNICEF is hiring an international consultant to provide technical support in coordination of UNICEF Bissau team to complete the EVMA and develop the EVM-based cIP.

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the UNICEF Cold Chain Specialist, with overall support and leadership from the UNICEF Health Manager in charge of immunization program, in close collaboration with ISCM unit, UNICEF Regional Office (RO), and other immunization partners.

The consultant will use the UNICEF/ WHO EVM 2.0 tool (the latest version of the tool and guidance documents from the EVM website) to evaluate the current performance of vaccine management practices against a benchmark of performance standards in nine areas of vaccine management using well-established principles and standards for quality management and use the cIP tool to be downloaded from the EVM website.

Scope of Work:
The Consultant will be responsible for the specific tasks as follows:
Conduct EVMA and the development of the cIP:
• Support the engagement and coordination with respective Program Unit and key stakeholders to finalize the list of participants for training and assessment.
• Support development and/or update material for training EVM assessors considering cold chain and vaccine management practices.
• Co-facilitate training sessions in EVM for managers and assessors and prepare field assessment team composition and plans.
• Support data collection and validation of each facility after data collection and analysis.
• Present the findings in the Immunization Technical Working Group, facilitate Improvement plan development workshop, and draft EVM-based cIP.
• Support development of EVM report and coordinate review by government and partners.
• Support the workshop on the development of the cIP with all immunization stakeholders.
• Co-facilitate the validation of the cIP.
• Integrate the cIP into the Supply chain Continuous Improvement Plans (SCIP) Implementation Tool.

How can you make a difference? 

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

• A university degree in Public Health, Health supply chain management, monitoring and evaluation, Health,
  engineering, or any other related field. Masters degree will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of experience, in supply chain management, cold chain management, logistics or operations management
  • At least 5 years of experience in immunization/public health programs.
  • Previous experience in EVM assessment, an added advantage.
  • Skills in adult training methodology are strongly preferred.
  • Fluency in both spoken and written English/French and Portuguese.
  • Computer skills, including quantitative analysis and reporting tools.
  • Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills, with the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and have the initiative to work independently to meet deadlines.
  • Proven expertise in providing training, implementing, and monitoring immunization
  and/or health programs.
  • At least three years of Experience in Immunization data handling and support analysis of monitoring and supportive
  supervision data.

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.