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, a future

How can you make a difference?

Background:

UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) supports the 8 countries in the region and plays a pivotal role in accelerating immunization and integration efforts across the region, working towards the goals outlined in the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).  ROSA collaborates extensively with country immunization teams, regional office sections, the WHO Regional Working Groups for Immunization in Southeast Asia (SEAR) and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), and Gavi to advance these objectives.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and 2021 led to the most significant decline in global immunization coverage in three decades, resulting in a nearly 40% increase in the number of unvaccinated children worldwide, from 13.3 million in 2019 to 18.2 million in 2021. Despite ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic, routine immunization programs began a gradual recovery in 2022. However, the combined effects of the pandemic-related decline and delayed catch-up efforts created a substantial immunity gap, with 33 countries reporting major measles outbreaks in 2022, up from 22 in 2021. Historically, immunization programs focus on children up to 2 years old, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

South Asia experienced the second-largest rise in zero-dose children globally due to pandemic-related disruptions. Thanks to the relentless efforts of national governments and immunization partners, the region was the first to recover and exceed pre-pandemic immunization coverage levels by 2022. This exceptional accelerated vaccination recovery has now entered a next phase to trace and vaccinate older age children up to 5 years of age that missed vaccination between 2019-2022.  In 2023, the global immunization partners (WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance) launched “The Big Catch-Up (BCU), An Essential Immunization Recovery Plan for 2023 and Beyond”.  This plan, in conjunction with IA2030, aims to restore immunization coverage with three core objectives: a) Catch-Up by providing missing vaccinations to children who missed doses during 2019-2022, b) Restore current vaccination coverage to at least 2019 levels through intensified zero-dose recovery efforts, and c) Strengthen immunization systems within primary health care approaches to improve resilience and target zero-dose children in alignment with IA2030 and Gavi’s goals. Afghanistan, Nepal, and Pakistan are actively implementing the BCU in South Asia.

ROSA also supports UNICEF’s broader immunization agenda for adolescent health, fostering collaborations with gender, education, and social and behavioral change sectors. Through the HPV-Plus initiative, four[1] countries have secured catalytic funding from UNICEF to accelerate HPV vaccine roll-out and enhance adolescent health services, with the HPV vaccination serving as a crucial entry point for these efforts.

Gavi remains a key immunization partner providing financial support for vaccination programs in low and lower-middle-income countries and recently extending funding opportunities to three middle-income countries in South Asia. ROSA assists these countries to benefit from these opportunities and countries in South Asia are at various stages of accessing and implementing these funds varying from decision making to project evaluations.

ROSA closely monitors ongoing vaccination recovery and maintains oversight of the status of countries’ immunization programmes through frequent interaction with country teams and quarterly immunization country profiles.

Scope of work:

ROSA is committed to providing specialized technical support and assistance to immunization programs across South Asia, with a focus on Zero-Dose recovery, National Immunization Strategy (NIS) development, scaling up HPV vaccine introduction and roll out, implementing and evaluating the BCU, supporting new vaccine introductions, and coordinating with Gavi and UNICEF Supply Division for resource allocation. This role requires a strategic approach to manage and coordinate multiple aspects of immunization programs, ensuring effective implementation and monitoring across the region. The consultant will have the following responsibilities:

1. Zero-Dose Recovery Tracking: Monitor and track the progress of Zero-Dose recovery efforts in all five[1] Gavi-eligible countries in South Asia, with particular attention to the three high-burden countries: Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan.
2. Grant Reporting and Review: Oversee the reporting and review process for all grants, with a particular focus on Gavi-related grants in the Gavi portal. This includes: i) Foundational Support to ROSA; 2) Targeted Country Assistance under the Partner Engagement Framework (PEF TCA), 3) Small-scale funding under Strategic Focus Areas (SFA)
3. eJRF Data Management: Ensure the timely submission and review of data for the electronic Joint Reporting Format (eJRF) in the WHO/UNICEF portal, and actively participate in eJRF-related meetings and ensure follow up of agreed actions relevant to South Asia
4. Country Calls: Facilitate monthly immunization RO-CO coordination calls with country offices and participate in Gavi-organized country calls ensuring that agreed actions are followed up effectively.
5. HQ Collaboration: Participate in and contribute to monthly immunization coordination calls organized by HQ, ensuring that actions relevant to South Asia are addressed and followed up.
6. Regional Immunization Collaboration: Serve as a coordinator, working closely with the UNICEF-WHO Regional Working Groups for Immunization for both the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) and Southeast Asia Region (SEAR). Facilitate and participate in and contribute to (bi)weekly meetings, ensuring that actions relevant to South Asia are implemented.
7. Quarterly Reporting and Dashboard Development: Oversee the development of quarterly immunization country profiles and the regional immunization dashboard, including updates on HPV and BCU initiatives.
8. Support other intra and cross-sectoral ROSA Immunization-related activities, including Community Health and Nutrition (CHN), Public Health Emergencies (PHE) and Knowledge Management and learning.

Key Deliverable: (on a monthly basis)

1. Zero-Dose Recovery Tracking
2. Grant Reporting and Review
3. eJRF Data Management
4. Country Calls
5. Coordination of the regional Immunization Collaboration
6. Quarterly Reporting and Dashboard Development

NOTE: A financial proposal indicating all-inclusive amounts must be provided.  Incomplete applications will not be considered further.

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

Education:

Masters in Public Health or related fields.

Additional knowledge/extertise/skills required:

• At least eight (8) years of public health experience
• Expertise in vaccine roll-out in South Asia
• Familiarity with EPI programs in the countries in South Asia and Gavi support
• Expertise in donor reporting for immunization programs
• Demonstrated experience in partner coordination for immunization programs, particularly with WHO, Gavi, and other major players in immunization programming, at the regional and/or global level
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English

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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements