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JOB SUMMARY

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Qualifications

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical support to high-risk countries to adopt yellow fever immunization tool.

Background

The global health community is facing an increased risk of urban yellow fever outbreaks as a re-emerging threat to global health security.

Some of the evolving epidemiology is related to issues with sub-optimal routine immunization coverages in high-risk countries, which have completed nationwide preventive campaigns, resulting in growing accumulation of susceptible populations. Obtaining more accurate and timely data regarding yellow fever disease cases and vaccination coverage is imperative to enhance targeting of vaccination activities and potentially prevent of international spread.

To respond to the increased risk of large urban yellow fever outbreaks with international spread that could threaten global health security, the comprehensive, multicomponent Global Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) strategy was developed by EYE partners.

The EYE Strategy endorses a continuum of preventive activities, ranging from preventive vaccination activities with implementation tiered according to risk, to rapid detection and response to outbreaks.

The EYE vaccine delivery working group (VDWG) is one of the four technical working groups of the EYE Strategy that provides technical guidance on vaccination.

Since 2020, a resurgence of yellow fever (YF) outbreaks in Africa has caused concerns about the sustainable elimination of these epidemics. Since late 2020, 15 countries have reported confirmed and probable YF cases, with 30 outbreaks recorded, of which 12 were disruptive.

A large-scale investment has been made under the EYE Strategy.

Since the Strategy’s inception, mass vaccination campaigns have protected around 264 million African people against yellow fever. This investment risks being jeopardized in 10-15 years unless a targeted policy is operationalized

This consultancy aims to address the YF immunization gaps and help country-level uptake of targeted vaccination guideline by offering technical guidance to high-risk countries to adapt and conduct immunity gap analyses and develop national implementation plans for targeted yellow fever YF vaccination.

The consultant will also support the VDWG and enhance collaboration with other vaccine-preventable disease programs.

This will ensure progress on closing immunity gaps to prevent YF outbreaks and improving YF RI coverage while reducing the gap between YFV1 and MCV1.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Provide technical expertise to selected high-risk countries to adopt the Yellow Fever immunization gap tool.
  • (a) Develop a user’s manual for implementing immunity gap analysis and a plan to disseminate the immunity gap analysis tool to 11 high-risk countries, taking cognizance of the language peculiarities of the countries.
  • (b) Implement the manual in 3 select countries and remotely coordinate the implementation of immunity gap analyses in the other 8 high-risk countries and compile outputs.

• Output 1: An activity plan with timelines and budgets.

• Output 2: Travel and activity report from Angola, Gambia, and Senegal immunity gap analysis exercises.
• Output 3: Compiled summary reports of Immunity gap analyses from all 11 high-risk countries.
• Deliverable 2: Provide technical expertise to high-risk countries’ stakeholders to adapt the targeted YF vaccination guideline to the national scenario and develop a national targeted YF vaccination plan based on the WHO (World Health Organization) guideline.

• • Output 1: Meeting agenda and notes from meeting(s) with key stakeholders in high-risk countries.
• Deliverable 3: Support the VDWG in attaining its annual workplan objectives by providing technical input, coordinating a desk review of documents and data, and reviewing reports.
  • • Output 1: Participation in all VDWG working sessions and related tasks requested by VDWG and produce meeting reports.
• Deliverable 4: Conduct desk review and in-depth interview and curate evidence on countries’ YF RI practices.i.e., age of immunization according to national schedule and knowledge of key stakeholders reading offering vaccination outside the window of the scheduled RI program, documenting opportunities that could be leveraged.
  • • Output 1: Report of YF RI practices clearly identifying gaps in knowledge and practices that could be leveraged to improve YF coverage, strengthen RI and close the gap between YFV1 and MCV1.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in public health, epidemiology, vaccinology, or other relevant disciplines.

Desirable:

• A PhD in epidemiology, public health, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience:

Essential:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience combined at the national and international levels, in planning, programming, and implementation of health/Immunization programmes. 
• Field experience in Africa, Latin America, or the Caribbean.

Desirable:

• Experience in research (operational or implementation research) or data analysis.
• Experience with WHO, UN (United Nations) agencies, US CDC (Centers for Disease Control), MSF or a health cluster member organization.

Skills:

Essential:

• Proven ability in managing and analyzing public health data sets related to immunization activities.
• Ability to work with governments to implement immunization initiatives.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work as a team with a variety of stakeholders and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft office suite of applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) and remote working technologies.

Desirable:

• Expertise in vaccination coverage surveys. 
• Background/familiarity with emergency settings.
• Sound knowledge of vaccine preventable diseases.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.
• Expert Knowledge of French.

Desirable:

• Basic knowledge of Portuguese.

Location

Off site: Home-based

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B – USD 7,000 – 9,980 per month.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

6 Months.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

  The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment).All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct.

  To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant.The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html

REQUIRED EDUCATION: Bachelor Degree

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 60