Consultancy: Leadership, Management, Coordination and Strategic Planning (Experts Pool/ Roster) - Req. #557399

The purpose of this announcement is to establish a pre-screened experts pool on leadership, management, coordination and strategic planning for immunization. The experts are expected to work in close collaboration with UNICEF Program Group, Regional and Country Offices and external partners in providing technical assistance for strengthening countries’ ability to ensure strong leadership, management, coordination and strategic planning, including HRH enhancements.

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: Leadership, Management, Coordination and Strategic Planning (Experts Pool/ Roster)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health Programme Team - Programme Group NYHQ

Duration: Three (3) years - 250 days in total (maximum) for the first contract.         

Home/ office Based: Home Based / Office Based - With possibility of multiple duty stations for deployment as required, with remote or office based as per the need. 

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. 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. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Consultancy:

UNICEF supports countries in achieving their national immunization goals and works with Gavi Alliance partners in strengthening immunization system components. Leadership, management, coordination (LMC) and strategic planning for immunization is an important component of this work, with gaps in this area constituting a significant risk to achievement of Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) goals.

The importance of LMC has been reaffirmed in recent year in the strategies of UNICEF and Gavi Alliance partners. Leadership and effective management are explicitly referred to in the equity and the financial sustainability goals.

Human resources for health (HRH) applied to immunization is a major challenge for implementation due to limited staff availability and needs for staff capacity building. The HRH component must be included as an integral part of LMC support and considered when developing National Immunization Strategies (NIS).

The purpose of this announcement is to establish a pre-screened experts pool on leadership, management, coordination and strategic planning for immunization. The experts are expected to work in close collaboration with UNICEF Program Group, Regional and Country Offices and external partners in providing technical assistance for strengthening countries’ ability to ensure strong leadership, management, coordination and strategic planning, including HRH enhancements.

Scope of Work:

The Technical Expert/Consultant will provide technical assistance and guidance on:

1. Leadership, management, and coordination (LMC) for respective programme results as requested by country programmes.
2. National Immunization Strategies (NIS) and Annual Operational Plans (AOP) for immunization, including COVID-19 vaccination integration and new vaccine introduction.
3. Developing national policy and legislation on immunization.
4. Conducting immunization program reviews (EPI reviews).
5. Assessing human resources for health (HRH) requirements in terms of availability and capacity building.
6. Preparing Gavi eligible countries that are in the accelerated transition phase for transitioning out of Gavi support.

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

Deployments of the consultants will be in response to country requests. The duration of deployment will vary according to the type of assignment. Prior to each deployment, a clear deployment plan will be made in consultation with UNICEF HQ, RO, and CO teams. Such plans will be incorporated into the contract by the hiring offices.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Provide technical assistance and guidance on leadership, management and coordination (LMC)   

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools in the field of LMC are developed, finalized and disseminated.

2. Provide technical assistance and guidance on strategic (NIS) and operational (AOP) planning for immunization

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools in the field of NIS are developed.

3. Provide technical assistance and guidance in developing national policy and legislation on immunization           

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools in the field of legislation for immunization are developed, finalized and disseminated.

4. Provide technical assistance and guidance in conducting immunization program review (EPI review)

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools in the field of EPI review are developed, finalized and disseminated.

5. Provide technical assistance and guidance in assessing human resources for health requirements  

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools in the field of HRH are developed, finalized and disseminated.

6. Provide technical assistance and Gavi eligible countries during their transition process

• Protocols, materials and capacity-building tools at country-level as needed are identified, developed, finalized and disseminated

Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree in relevant field: Public Health, Management, Health Systems, Public Administration, Health Policy, Social or Behavioural Science, and other related fields.
• Additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of a university degree.

Work experience:

 At least 5-8 years of relevant experience in global health management, health system, public administration, public health with experience in resource-limited environments. For senior level leadership role, the consultant must have at least 8 years of solid experience on the related fields.

1. Experience in all or some of the following:
   1. Leadership, management, and coordination within the health sector
   2. Strategic planning within the health sector
   3. Reviewing and analysing health program(s)
   4. Interfacing with national Ministry of Health and other stakeholders in multi-cultural setting
   5. Development and implementation of research in health management, health system
2. Good understanding of national immunization programs, primary health care and health systems.
3. Experience in supporting countries to design and implement national immunization strategies.

Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills and experience synthesizing information from multiple sources.
• 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.
  • 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, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, 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.

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.