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Consultancy: Evidence generation and adolescent immunization - Health Section, PD - NYHQ, Requisition# 506772

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location:
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Closing Date: Closed

At the end of this consultancy the two key results will be: (i) UNICEF will have generated new evidence aligned with its workplan and has published the latest EVM global analysis. This evidence is used in improving the programming of technical assistance and will also be used to influence global priorities and resourcing. (ii) UNICEF’s commitments under the GAVI HPV strategy are being implemented in close coordination with global and national partners within the context of the global HPV vaccine shortage. Both of these results are priorities in the UNCIEF workplan and require temporary support through a consultancy with specific skills in performing advanced statistical analysis, writing high quality peer reviewed articles, understanding HPV and GAVI processes and require in-depth knowledge of immunization supply chains.

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. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, 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.

Background & Rationale

The primary objective of the WHO and UNICEF Immunization Supply Chain Hub initiative is to ensure the availability of potent vaccines and the efficient use of resources. A joint strategy has been developed by UNICEF and WHO that focuses on rolling out the comprehensive Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) process as outlined in the joint statement http://www.who.int/entity/immunization/programmes_systems/supply_chain/EVM-JS_final.pdf.

Over the last years UNICEF has made investments to roll-out innovative approaches related to the comprehensive EVM process. These investments were prioritized together with external stakeholders (e.g. WHO, GAVI and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) as well as Supply Division and our regional and country offices. With these investments UNICEF was able to support interventions and technical assistance to improve the effective management of vaccines at national and sub-national level of country programmes.

With this consultancy UNICEF is looking for support to document the lessons learned from having implemented these interventions across several countries and to help strengthening a growing evidence base that is used to prioritize programming at country level and to improve policies and guidelines at global level. This work builds on ongoing initiatives such as the Evidence Briefs series of the Hub (e.g. www.who.int/immunization/documents/9789241509862) and the recently published special vaccines supplement on next generation supply chains http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0264410X/35/17?sdc=1. Further support is needed to perform advanced statistical analysis of the global EVM database and publish the 2016 results on the EVM webpage http://www.who.int/immunization/programmes_systems/supply_chain/evm/en/index4.html. The consultant will contribute and support the UNICEF staff to closely collaborate with external stakeholders and regional and country offices to gather feedback and ensure collaboration. The work is fully aligned with the UNICEF and Hub workplan priorities. 

Similar support in documenting lessons learned of UNICEF’s supporting rolling-out the newly established GAVI HPV strategy: http://www.gavi.org/about/governance/gavi-board/minutes/2016/7-dec/minutes/12---review-of-gavi-support-for-hpv-vaccine/ is required. Within the context of the strategy UNICEF engages with global partners (especially GAVI and WHO) as well as our regional and country offices to ensure a coordinated roll-out of the strategy and to monitor progress thereof. Special support is required in the current circumstances given that the HPV vaccine is in short supply requiring a more intense coordination amongst global partners and also with UNICEF regional and country offices. This task requires close collaboration with Maternal Newborn and Adolescent Health (MNAH) and will be carried forward by MNAH as soon as an additional support in the team is recruited in 2018.  This work requires a good understanding of vaccine management and supply chain issues to deal with the issue of vaccine shortage, as well as in-depth knowledge of HPV programmes and GAVI processes, this consultancy is being engaged and aligned with the immunization supply chain management tasks.  

Purpose

At the end of this consultancy the two key results will be: (i) UNICEF will have generated new evidence aligned with its workplan and has published the latest EVM global analysis. This evidence is used in improving the programming of technical assistance and will also be used to influence global priorities and resourcing. (ii) UNICEF’s commitments under the GAVI HPV strategy are being implemented in close coordination with global and national partners within the context of the global HPV vaccine shortage. Both of these results are priorities in the UNCIEF workplan and require temporary support through a consultancy with specific skills in performing advanced statistical analysis, writing high quality peer reviewed articles, understanding HPV and GAVI processes and require in-depth knowledge of immunization supply chains.

To perform this work the consultant is expected to participate in select global and regional meetings and to also travel to countries: 

  1. Participate in the upcoming Hub meeting to review priorities for documenting best practices with UNICEF Supply Division and regional offices and to support the preparation of presentation of evidence at the Technet21 conference;
  2. Participate in global HPV coordination forums in Geneva;
  3. Travel to WCARO and ROSA regional network meetings and to work with participants on the documentation of lessons learned of implementing the comprehensive EVM process;  
  4. Travel to one country office that is implementing technical assistance to implement the HPV strategy.  

Expected results: (measurable results)

Under the supervision of the Senior Health Advisor (Management & Strategy) the consultant is expected to analyse data, document lessons learned and author evidence briefs and peer reviewed articles that are shared amongst Hub partners and with external stakeholders in the following areas:

  • Global EVM Data analysis  2016 is published on the WHO website by end of November 2017;
  • UNICEF presents latest evidence during Technet 21 meeting by the end of October 2017; 
  • UNICEF publishes 2 evidence briefs and write a peer reviewed articles on immunization supply chain strengthening aligned with priorities of workplan of the Hub initiative (e.g. equity and immunization supply chains, comprehensive EVM and EVM 2.0, capacity building) by May 2018;
  • Lessons learned from rolling out the comprehensive EVM process are documented and discussed during the Hub and regional immunization supply chain network meetings (e.g. ROSA, WCARO) meeting and are used to improve programmatic guidance by the end of May 2018;
  • UNICEF’s documents lessons learned from countries that are rolling out the HPV strategy. UNICEF’s work is closely coordinated with global partners, regional and country offices by end of 30th July 2018.

 Duty Station

New York

Timeframe

Start date:   25 September 2017                        

End date: 31 July 2017     

Deliverables

(See the last page for guidance on formulating deliverables)

Duration

(Estimated # of Days)

Deadline

Prepare high quality presentations and posters to present evidence on supply chain management at Hub meeting and Technet 21 conference

20

30th October

Perform and publish the global 2016 EVM data analysis

15

30th November

Publish at least 2 Hub evidence briefs and write a peer reviewed articles on immunization supply chain management and document lessons learned from the roll-out of the comprehensive EVM process. 

 

- Lessons learned of the roll out of the comprehensive EVM process

- Two evidence briefs on supply chain management

- Peer reviewed article on supply chain management

 

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

15

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

30th December

 

30th January

30th February

Prepare and support global HPV meetings (e.g. by coordinating input from UNICEF regional and country offices, documenting bottlenecks and success factors).

- Q3 HPV meetings / coordination documented 

- Q4 HPV meetings / coordination documented

- Q1 HPV meetings / coordination documented

- Q2 HPV meetings / coordination documented

- TCA reporting 2017 – half year – submitted

- TCA reporting 2017 – full year – submitted

 

 

 

 

 

5

5

5

5

5

5

 

 

 

30th September

30th December

30th March

5th May

30th Nov

30th March

 

Monitor the roll-out of UNICEF’s commitment under the GAVI HPV strategy and document lessons learned in collaboration with regional and country offices.

- Outline of lessons learned approved

- Concept note submitted for review

- Final report

 

 

 

 

5

10

20

 

 

 

30th January

30th March

5th May

 

total

150

 

 

Payment will be based on receipt of deliverables. Travel costs need to be included in the cost of the contract and shall not exceed USD 11 000.

Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline

  • Advanced university degree in Public Health. PhD in relevant subject will be an added value.
  • Knowledge of immunization supply management at global and in-country level
  • Demonstrated knowledge about Effective Vaccine Management
  • Proven track record of publishing manuscripts on immunization supply chain management in top academic journals, such as Vaccines or Lancet
  • Demonstrated knowledge of managing HPV programmes
  • Demonstrated experience in applying statistical methods
  • At least 10 years of global health and/or healthcare experience
  • Proven track record in management
  • Track record of academic presentations in the field of vaccinology 

To view our competency framework, please click here

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

Remarks

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.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.

This vacancy is now closed.
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