ROSTER: Routine Immunization Coverage & Equity, Immunization Section, Global Programme Division, Remote with Possibility of Multiple Duty Stations for Deployment as Required at UNICEF

Scope of Work:

• Countries and regions will need timely synchronized technical assistance in facilitating to conduct CEAs, multideprivation analyses, identifying the key interventions to reduce the number of zero dose children and to address multiple deprivations through integrated service delivery, along the life course.
• These supports will include technical assistance in developing and implementing zero-dose reduction strategies in these contexts, establishing and/or strengthening zero-dose implementation monitoring, and ensuring the systematic follow-up and routinization of catch-up activities within routine immunization programming.

Areas of Expertise:

• The consultant will be required to provide technical assistance with the tasks listed on the following three technical areas or some of the relevant tasks from these areas, in a certain country or multiple countries, and depending on the specific programme needs.

Technical Area 1: Technical assistance to target countries on Coverage and Equity Assessments (CEAs) and multideprivation analysis

• Countries are periodically required to conduct CEAs as part of equity analysis to identify missed children and make recommendations on how to reach them. Often these CEAs should align with national or subnational programme planning cycles or events such the holistic planning and development of immunization or health strategic plans such as National Immunization Strategy (NIS).
• The CEAs has a defined toolkit developed by UNICEF and WHO with findings meant to assist countries in strengthening their strategies in reaching un/under-vaccinated, investment cases and funding proposals for immunization through better evidence generation on the bottlenecks and root causes of under-performance as such factors must be addressed before any tangible progress towards improved coverage can be realistically made. In addition, the CEA could also provide directions for the technical support requirements to countries by immunization partners within Gavi’s Country Assistance.

The consultant will work on all or a selection from the following activities:

• Engagement with countries identified for CEAs and develop a costed country action plan with timelines on when to finalize the CEA keeping in mind the need for it to be used for action as part of the country holistic application or other national plan or proposal development
• Conduct a multideprivation analysis on services such as immunization, MNCH, nutrition, education, WASH, social policy and protection for zero dose children and communities for appropriate integrated service delivery and integration/convergence of services.
• Facilitate an orientation session with the country team and stakeholders at the national and subnational levels on the updated coverage and equity assessment (CEA) guidelines 
• Assist countries to review existing national and or subnational data including administrative and survey data, including data beyond immunization, to analyze their coverage and equity situation and determine why coverage is lower in specific population groups, geographical areas or pockets of under-immunized children.
• Assist with the design and collection of additional qualitative or quantitative data to supplement available existing data as part of the CEA plan or multideprivation analysis of a country or district
• Provide support to countries to ensure gender analysis is incorporated in the CEAs and other relevant analyses, and liaise with gender expert support to the country
• Compile final coverage and equity assessment (CEA) or multideprivation or other relevant reports including recommendations
• Work with the Centres of Excellence teams to assist with other relevant activities to help countries plan, implement and finalize strategies to improve coverage and reduce inequities through CEAs, Gavi holistic planning, NIS and other planning or assessment activities.

Technical Area 2: Developing and Implementing Zero-Dose Reduction Strategies (Urban/Peri-Urban, Remote Rural, Conflict, Gender and other Special Populations) and integrated service delivery and integration, along the life-course, such as 2YL, adolescents

• Through routine monitoring of the immunization programme, periodic surveys and CEAs or equity analyses, multideprivation analyses, countries identify and monitor coverage and equity trends at the national and subnational levels including in specific contexts such as urban and peri-urban settings, remote rural, conflict and other populations such as ethnic minorities, nomadic and pastoralists or persons affected by disasters.
• Countries often require targeted technical assistance in implementing the recommendations of these assessments or survey findings meant in improving coverage and reducing inequities and deprivations, through designing and rolling out specific strategies to reach zero-dose and under-vaccinated children and missed communities, and establishing or strengthening zero-dose implementation monitoring (ZDIM) systems to track progress over time, or establishing/strengthening integrated services and integration along the lifecourse.

The consultant will be required, in line with these efforts, to provide the following support as per country request:

• Based on data trends in the country, use findings from equity assessments and other analyses to help countries prioritize and design strategies which aim to overcome immunization and access challenges encountered in zero dose and missed communities, including the settings to reach the urban poor and peri-urban settlements, refugees and displaced persons, persons affected by conflict, remote rural and other special populations in the country with vaccines and integrated services. This may include looking at this from the angle of health systems strengthening pillars for a systematic integration and service delivery, along the life course, and looking at different stages of life such as 2YL, adolescents.
• Assist countries to design and roll out monitoring and learning plans including adapting SMART indicators to monitor and evaluate progress.
• Provide technical support to strengthen zero-dose implementation monitoring frameworks and indicators, and to use the data for adaptive management, course correction and continuous improvement of strategies targeting missed communities.
• Provide technical support to regional and country coordination mechanisms, including the Regional Working Group, to advance the zero-dose agenda, promote cross-country learning and strengthen implementation of equitable immunization strategies.
• Support the documentation of lessons learnt, case studies and best practices as it relates to strategies and interventions designed and rolled out in these specific contexts.
• Assist with the dissemination of captured lessons learnt through webinars, case study reports, and drafting manuscripts as may be applicable.
• Provide support with other related assessments, interventions and strategies as may be required.

Technical Area 3: Technical Assistance for Zero-Dose Reduction and catch-up on missed children in Fragile and Humanitarian Settings

• Emergencies, conflict and humanitarian situations may disrupt routine immunization services and countries with Fragile and Conflict settings are facing challenge to catch up the left-out children. 40% of the ZD children reside in fragile and conflict settings. In addition to supporting time-bound catch-up activities, there is a growing need to sustain the gains of the Big Catch-Up and progressively routinize catch-up approaches within routine immunization systems. In addition there is need for country support to operationalize the Fragility and Humanitarian (F&H) Approach, including strengthening equitable immunization, zero-dose reduction, immunization recovery and health system resilience.

The consultant will provide technical assistance in the following areas:  

• Provide technical assistance to countries to identify, characterize and analyse zero-dose and under-vaccinated children (projected targets and achievement), by geography, gender, ethnicity and other equity dimensions, to inform targeted immunization strategies.
• Support the development and implementation of context-specific zero-dose reduction strategies, catch-up vaccination plans and routine immunization recovery interventions.
• Provide technical assistance in developing operational plans for catch-up in targeted areas and restoring of routine immunization services. 
• Provide technical support to sustain gains achieved by embedding periodic and opportunistic catch-up strategies within routine immunization, outreach and integrated primary health care services.
• Provide technical assistance to country offices in analysing immunization gaps, identifying missed children, including potentially through multideprivation lens, prioritizing underserved populations and facilitating planning and implementation of targeted interventions.
• Provide technical support to regional and country coordination mechanisms, including the Regional Working Group, to advance the zero-dose agenda, promote cross-country learning and strengthen implementation of equitable immunization strategies.
• Support the documentation and dissemination of best practices, operational lessons and country experiences in implementing zero-dose reduction and catch-up interventions

Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Medicine, Public Health, Health Policy and Management, Social or Behavioural Science, other related fields. 
• Additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.

Work experience

• Minimum of 5 years relevant professional experience in planning, management and implementation of immunization or health programs. 
• Very good understanding of national immunization programs, Primary health care and health systems.
• Experience in supporting countries to design and implement coverage and equity assessments, equity analysis, strategies to reach zero dose and under vaccinated children etc.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Knowledge and experience with reaching every district or community (RED/REC) approach. 
• Immunization programming field experience in contexts such as urban, remote rural, conflict, gender, and related areas an advantage.
• Proficiency in use of statistical software an advantage.
• Strong analytical skills and experience synthesizing information from multiple sources.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent writing/documentation skills

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, and/or French both spoken and written, is required.
• Knowledge of French or other UN languages an asset.

Desirables:

• Experience with manuscripts for publication

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

• With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

Deadline: 11 Aug 2026 E. Africa Standard Time