National Consultant Communication for Immunization

UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

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, support

UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is seeking an Individual National Consultant Communication for Immunization. This assignment will last for 13 months, starting as soon as possible. The consultant will be based at the UNICEF office in Vientiane.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Under the overall guidance of Health Specialist, Immunization in UNICEF Lao PDR, the consultant will work closely with the CHSI and UNICEF Lao PDR to strengthen RCCE. In particular, the consultant will:

• Ensure timely coordination with representatives from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and mass organizations at central, provincial, and district levels for effective implementation of RCCE activities.
• Organize and conduct monitoring field visits in close coordination with the CHSI and the National Immunization Program (NIP) to assess the progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Review reports from provincial and district representatives to identify challenges and barriers in conducting RCCE activities on the ground and provide recommendations for addressing them.
• Participate in field visits along with UNICEF and MOH representatives to ensure effective implementation of RCCE activities. Facilitate translations for non-Lao speakers to ensure that information is accessible to all.
• Support the NIP Immunization Unit at provincial and district levels in organizing district-level workshops, briefings, and trainings on the importance of strengthening risk communication and community engagement (RCCE). This will involve engaging local government health officials, health workers, members of Village Development Committees, mass organizations, and local media.
• Support health centre staff in conducting social mobilization and RCCE activities with village chiefs, community leaders, and Village Health Volunteers to promote the benefits of COVID vaccination and reaching zero-dose children for vaccination.
• Support district and health centre-level staff in implementing targeted messages in local languages using appropriate means of communication to reach underserved, hard-to-reach, and remote communities.
• Perform generic tasks related to coordination for dissemination of communication materials to ensure that they are effectively distributed.
• Assess gender-based barriers to health literacy, vaccine literacy, and vaccination uptake and provide recommendations to address them.
• Collaborate with the gender specialist for intervention planning and implementation, to ensure that gender considerations are integrated into all aspects of the RCCE activities.
• Build the capacity of Provincial and District National Immunization Program (NIP) and health officials to implement Social and Behaviour Change Communication SBCC) activities.
• Focus on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) to drive behaviour change targeting zero-dose children and their families.
• Organize training sessions for the Lao Front for National Development (LFND), Lao Women’s Union (LWU), Lao National Radio (LNR), and Lao Youth Union (LYU).
• Enhance community engagement and social mobilization efforts to increase demand for routine vaccinations in hard-to-reach and zero-dose localities.

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

Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in communication, social work, community engagement or any other relevant qualifications.
• Excellent communication skills in Lao and English
• Internet research skills, ability to handle and interpret data
• Good writing skills
• Be creative and proactive
• Ability to conceptualize, plan and execute innovative ideas
• Displays open, co-operative behavior with other team members
• Remains calm and in control, and good humored even under pressure
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs
• Flexibility to attend events during weekends, if needed
• Desire to work with and gain the confidence and respect of people with different language, national, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Respect for the principles of the Government of Lao PDR and United Nations
• Ability to multitask, respect timeframes and meet deadlines

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents to: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost (Consultation fee, Local travel cost “if applicable”, DSA and health insurance )
• The deadline for applications is 11^th December 2024

Assessment Criteria:  

A) Technical Evaluation: Technical Evaluation (minimum 50 and maximum 70 Points)       

• Degree in Communication, HR or similar (10 points)
• Knowledge of team building and event management (10 points)
• Experience in staff engagement, development of organizational culture (10 points)
• Quality of past work (e.g. understanding, methodology) (40 points)

B) Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal (30points)

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened /evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

Please find the TOR here:  Terms of Reference-National Consultant Communication for Immunization.pdf

Financial proposal template to be fill by candidate:   Financial Proposal Template-updated Oct 2024.doc 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) 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, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, 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 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.