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Qualifications

Purpose of Consultancy

Working closely with the Team Lead of IVD Program, the Consultant will align and collate the implementation of routine immunization and Big Catch-up activities, and liaise with the global BCU Task Team and regional and/or Inter-Country Support Team focal points to provide technical guidance.

Background

In April 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) targeted a global effort to facilitate recovery of immunization systems and close immunization gaps among children following declines driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, called the “Big Catch-up” (BCU).
The BCU has three objectives: (1) restoring routine immunization coverage to at least 2019 levels; (2) catching-up missed children; and (3) strengthening health systems to sustainably reach zero-dose children and communities.
Given the urgency to catch-up missed children and control growing outbreaks, the IA2030 Partnership has encouraged Heads of State and ministers of health to prioritize implementation of the BCU from 2023-2025. In December 2023, the Gavi Board approved to exceptionally offer fully financed doses for the BCU; all antigens already in a country’s routine programme in the period 2019-2022 can be supported, and children up to 5 years of age are eligible.
WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), through the Regional Working Group (RWG) mechanism, have been providing support to countries to develop catch-up plans, and 35 countries, including Cameroon, are now set to receive Gavi-supported BCU vaccine doses in 2024 and 2025. With the implementation phase of the BCU now fully underway and expected to continue into 2025, WHO is playing a key role in supporting its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Contribute to the BCU project across the three levels of the Organization:
Facilitate timely reporting of BCU activities by liaising closely with global, regional and country-level stakeholders.
Facilitate the provision of global guidance and provide technical contributions to the  country.
Maintain linkages with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Measles and Rubella Partnership and other disease-specific initiatives to ensure opportunities for integration are leveraged where possible.

Expected by the end of the contract:

Deliverable 2: Review and validate the quarterly BCU monitoring reports as they become available and assist with data collation at the national level, identify challenges and opportunities for targeted technical guidance and early course correction.

Expected by the end of the contract:

Deliverable 3: Contribute to the overall technical aspects of the BCU project including technical/financial/donor reporting quarterly.

Expected by the end of the contract:

Deliverable4: Provide technical assistance for the introduction of new vaccines: meningitis vaccine, birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, cholera vaccine and the mpox vaccine

Expected by the end of the contract:

Deliverable 5: Reinforce delivery and uptake of under-used/consumed vaccines, particularly the vaccine against Covid 19, the malaria vaccine and the vaccine against HPV

Expected by the end of the contract:

Deliverable 6: Provide technical assistance in strengthening routine immunization in line with the national/regional/global policies and strategies of the IA30 and more specifically: strengthening and maintaining optimal vaccination performances, particularly in areas with a high number of zero doses and known under-immunized areas.

Qualifications, Experience, Skills, and Languages

Qualifications

Essential: Advanced University Degree in Public Health, Health Management, Epidemiology or Infectious or Communicable Diseases.

Experience

Essential:
Between 5 to 10 years of practical national and international experience in managing and coordinating large-scale programs and initiatives, preferably related to immunization.
Strong background in project management, particularly in the field of global public health and with experience managing projects across multiple locations.
Experience working in multi-cultural settings, working with a large number of diverse stakeholders.
Experience in preparing technical presentations and materials.
Familiarity with monitoring and learning in global health settings.

Desirable:

Experience working with Gavi operations and processes.
Experience working with Cameroon or other countries with similar settings

Skills / Knowledge

Essential:

Strong analytical skills.
Strong project management skills.
Excellent written communication and presentation skills.
Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative and flexibility.
Familiar with commonly used computer programs, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Desirable:

Knowledge of vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization information systems would be an asset.
Knowledge of specialized computer programs, for example, statistical software such as XLStat may be an advantage.

Languages and Levels Require

Essential: Expert knowledge of French

Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of English

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

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 in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.