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

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to design an implementation framework for medical oxygen demand forecasting, develop a logistics management information system, and establish a hub-and-spoke supply model for health facilities. This initiative is intended to ensure the adequate availability and efficient delivery of oxygen to all targeted facilities providing oxygen therapy nationwide, in alignment with the oxygen strategy.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

1. Situational Analysis: Assess the current oxygen supply chain landscape, including existing forecasting methods, projected production capacity and demand, logistical arrangements, and infrastructure.
2. Development of Medical Oxygen Demand Forecasting Framework

• Identify key indicators and data sources for accurate demand forecasting.
• Develop or adapt locally or internationally available methodologies and tools for forecasting oxygen demand at various levels (Hospitals and PHU) in the country.
• Develop oxygen supply chain reporting tools and provide a blueprint/guideline for integration with existing Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and/or Health Management Information System (HMIS)

3. Design of Hub-and-Spoke Model

• Identify potential hub locations based on criteria such as location of the PSA plants and oxygen production capacity, population density/catchment areas, oxygen demand, healthcare needs and logistical considerations.
• Develop the operational structure for the hub-and-spoke model including distribution network, transportation logistics, storage, and distribution schedules.
• Create guidelines for the management and operation of the bub-and-spoke system including inventory management.

4. Capacity building: Provide training and capacity-building support to MOH, DHMT, Hospital and other health facility staff on the new forecasting framework and hub-and-spoke model.
5. Pilot Testing and Refinement: pilot the implementation of the forecasting framework in selected hospitals and PHUs and refine the approach and tools based on feedback and lessons learnt.

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

• A first-level university degree in one of the following fields is required: Health Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences Public Health or any Field of Health or another relevant technical field.
• Expertise in Public Health, Healthcare Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Biomedical Sciences particularly in the context of medical oxygen.
• Proven experience in demand forecasting and development of supply chain models, especially in the health sector
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

If you would like to know more about this position, you are strongly encouraged to review the complete Job Description here:  VA TOR – Medical Oxygen Forecasting Consultant.pdf

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 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.