UNICEF Pacific Consultancy: Individual Consultant for Strengthening of Immunization System for Ministry of Health, Apia, Samoa, 120 working days over 6 Months

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, the right to protection.

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

Ministry of Health in Samoa, has been implementing a Health System Strengthening project for roll out of newer vaccines since 2019. Under this project, UNICEF supports cold chain strengthening and provides technical assistance for vaccine introduction, including policy and planning, procurement, effective vaccine management, service delivery, and demand creation through social behavior change communication and community engagement. Between 2021 and 2022, three new vaccines – rotavirus, PCV, and HPV – were introduced with UNICEF’s support. The country also completed its first-ever Effective Vaccine Management Assessment (EVMA) in 2023, followed by an improvement plan endorsed by the Ministry of Health. Several activities identified in this plan require specialized external technical assistance to ensure timely and high-quality implementation.

How can you make a difference? 

The objectives of this assignment are to provide technical assistance in:

• Developing a costed National Immunization Strategy and National Immunisation Policy, alongside the updated SOP for iSC, for the Ministry of Health in Samoa.
• Compiling the Vaccinator Course content ready for Samoa Qualification Authority (SQA) accreditation.
• Carrying out the Immunization Data Quality Assessment

The selected consultant will work closely with MOH Samoa, with overall guidance and technical support from the UNICEF Samoa Field Office. More specifically, the assignment includes:

Develop / update national Immunization strategy, policy and procedures (SOP):

• Conduct a desk review of the existing National Immunization Policy, EVMA report, and SOPs to identify gaps, areas requiring consultation, and opportunities for further improvement.
• Carry out stakeholder consultations to inform the update of National Immunization Policy and the development of the costed National Immunization Strategy.
• Based on the above review, assessment and consultation, prepare a draft country-specific costed National Immunization Strategy and revised draft of the National Immunization Policy. Ensure that iSC component is fully integrated, including mechanisms for monitoring iSC performance through KPI.
• Review and update existing SOPs, customizing them to meet the current requirements of the iSC system in Samoa.

Capacity building on immunization:

• Review the existing training material and training reports used by the Ministry of Health for the EPI Programme to assess current content, delivery approaches, and identify gaps.
• Clarify the accreditation requirements of the Samoa Qualification Authority (SQA) for the Vaccinator Course, including curriculum structure, competencies, assessment methods, and documentation standards.
• Align and revise the course content and supporting materials to meet SQA accreditation requirements, and facilitate the accreditation process of the Vaccinator Course in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and SQA.
• Review the pre-service curriculum for nursing cadres in Samoa and identify opportunities to strengthen practical immunization skills, ensuring alignment with the country’s scope of services and health workforce development priorities. Provide recommendations to enhance both pre-service and in-service vaccination competencies.
• Integrate policy considerations related to institutionalizing immunization workforce development into the updated National Immunization Policy and Strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability of training, accreditation, and capacity-building systems.

Immunization Data Quality Assessment:

• Gather and review various types / sources of immunization data, data management platforms / systems being used by the EPI programme in Samoa, including data registers, reporting tools, electronic platforms, and any parallel data systems, to understand current data flows and documentation practices.
• Develop a standardized data collection tool for the assessment and train assessors on its use, ensuring consistent understanding of definitions, procedures, and validation methods.
• Facilitate the data collection process and monitor the quality of the data collection process.
• Compile and analyze the collected data, and draft a comprehensive assessment report, including a practical and time-bound data-quality improvement plan for submission to the Ministry of Health.

Please refer to the ToR ( TOR Immunization Samoa Consultancy.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:

Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables with a breakdown for the following:

• Monthly/ Daily fees – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference (120 days)
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment as well as any in country travel)
• Living allowance for international consultants
• Miscellaneous – to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs.

 

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Masters in preferably Public Health, Epidemiology, Management, Supply chain, Public Health Policy, Global/International Health/ or other related fields

Work Experience:

• At least seven years of experience, at the national and international levels, in Immunization Program / Supply Chain Management, cold chain management, logistics, equipment maintenance and management, or operations management, and experience in immunization/public health programmes.
• Experience working in UNICEF, providing technical assistance in National Immunization strategy / Immunization policy development, capacity building, training, data management is preferrable.
• Proven expertise in providing training, implementing, and monitoring immunization assessments and/or health programs.

 Skills:

• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and have the initiative to work independently to meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills, with the ability to lead/train a group of individuals and impart knowledge.
• Skills in adult training methodology are strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in English, verbal and in writing
• Computer skills, including quantitative analysis and reporting tools.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible for ensuring 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. UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. 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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.