Health Specialist - Malaria Vaccine Scaleup (P-4), PG Health (Immunization) at UNICEF

How can you make a difference?

Provide guidance, tools technical assistance and capacity building to regional offices and priority countries in planning and implementing malaria vaccine introduction as part of the other malaria control interventions.

• Support regions to ensure countries develop high quality Gavi applications, and revise National Immunization Strategies (NIS) and National Malaria Control Strategies (NMCP) to introduce malaria vaccines.
• Provide targeted technical assistance to integrate existing immunization equity data and assessments in vaccine introduction plans to ensure countries reach zero-dose and high-risk communities with high coverage.
• Support regions to mobilize multi-sectoral capacity to facilitate countries utilize the opportunity of malaria vaccine introduction to integrate other PHC interventions.

Develop and disseminate programmatic guidance for UNICEF regional and country offices to mobilize multi-sectoral approaches to provide integrated programme support to roll-out malaria vaccine as part of other child health and malaria control interventions, and leverage the opportunity to identify and reach zero-dose communities with multiple PHC interventions and to address immunity gaps due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Develop internal programmatic guidance on multi-sectoral approaches under the guidance of Coverage & Equity team with inputs from the ROs, other teams, sections and programmes (Nutrition, WASH, etc).
• Develop a dissemination plan to introduce the multi-sectoral guidance to the UNICEF regions, countries and external partners.
• Assist with the dissemination of the guidance through regional coordination platforms and other mechanisms.

Support regional and country coordination and decision making for malaria vaccine introduction through regional coordination mechanisms (Regional Working Groups (RWG), Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (RITAG), national immunization programme managers meetings, and similar events).

• Participate in regional coordination mechanisms and provide guidance and technical assistance to facilitate country decision making.
• Facilitate the organization of dedicated sessions to discuss malaria vaccine, malaria control and available UNICEF support.
• Identify remaining data and evidence gaps and needs on vaccine introduction, reaching high coverage and integration with other interventions.

 Support establishing consultant rosters and similar tools as needed to assist regions and countries in timely identifying and deploying the suitable capacity to meet the technical assistance needs for malaria vaccine introduction.

• Identify technical assistance needs of regional and country offices regarding malaria vaccine introduction as part of malaria control.
• Support HQ in advertising and establishing a consultant roster as needed for the utilization of regions and countries.

Document regional and country experiences in introducing and scaling up malaria vaccine as part of the other malaria interventions, and disseminate good practices and lessons learned in appropriate global and regional fora (Malaria Vaccine Coordination Team (MVCT), Regional Working Groups, Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Groups, EPI managers meetings, webinars, etc.)

• Support countries to document lessons learned and good practices to roll-out the malaria vaccine.
• Facilitate knowledge management across countries including the documentation and dissemination of promising practices including building on global and regional fora.
• Assist with planning and implementation of knowledge sharing events to share lessons and good practices to facilitate south-south cooperation and cross-country learning

Conduct periodic monitoring of country progress and report UNICEF data to joint monitoring databases and tools of Gavi partners

• Collect monthly updates from Country Offices regarding progress against activities planned in their TCA proposals, progress of country programmes towards malaria vaccine introduction, challenges faced and needs for support.
• Regularly provide UNICEF updates to the joint monitoring tools of Gavi Alliance partners.
• Participate in the periodic calls of the Malaria Vaccine Coordination Team and its sub-teams and provide UNICEF perspective and inputs.

 Any other cross-cutting tasks to support the routine immunization coverage and equity team on new vaccine introduction.

• This includes contributing to milestone and grant reporting, maintaining a repository of knowledge materials and periodic reports and presentations as needed.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health, pediatric health, family health, global/international health, health policy and/or management, health education, epidemiology or other health related sciences is required.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional work experience, especially in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating immunization programmes is required.
• Knowledge and experience in supporting new vaccine introduction preferably in low-and middle-income country context, and familiarity with Gavi Alliance and its country support mechanisms is required.
• Knowledge and experience with malaria control programmes and strategies preferably in a malaria-endemic country context is an asset.
• Relevant working experience in a UN organization and familiarity with global immunization partners is considered as an asset.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
• Ability to travel for regional/country support and to attend meetings and events.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, French or Spanish) is an asset.

Deadline: 02 May 2023