Apply for Health Specialist- Immunization/COVID-19, Kathmandu, Nepal Job Vacancy | Position

Readvertised: Health Specialist- Immunization/COVID-19, P-4, UNICEF ROSA, Kathmandu, Nepal, (Temporary Appointment-364 days) #00127923

Job no: 570520

Position kind: Temporary Appointment

Location: Nepal

Division/Equivalent: Kathmandu(ROSA)

School/Unit: Regional Services Div (SAR), Kathmandu

Department/Office: Reg Serv – Prog Section, Kathmandu

Categories: Health

UNICEF works in among the world’s hardest locations, to succeed in the world’s most deprived youngsters. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To assist them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 international locations and territories, we work for each youngster, in all places, on daily basis, to construct a greater world for everybody.

And we by no means quit.

For each youngster, hope

Background

The elementary mission of UNICEF is to advertise the rights of each youngster, in all places, in all the things the group does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The fairness technique, emphasizing probably the most deprived and excluded youngsters and households, interprets this dedication to youngsters’s rights into motion. For UNICEF, fairness implies that all youngsters have a possibility to outlive, develop and attain their full potential, with out discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the diploma that any youngster has an unequal likelihood in life — in its social, political, financial, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is rising proof that investing within the well being, schooling and safety of a society’s most deprived residents — addressing inequity — not solely will give all youngsters the chance to meet their potential but additionally will result in sustained development and stability of nations. This is why the concentrate on fairness is so important. It accelerates progress in the direction of realizing the human rights of all youngsters, which is the common mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, whereas additionally supporting the equitable growth of countries.

The world has been dealing with an unprecedented well being, humanitarian, socio-economic and human rights disaster triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. UNICEF’s South-Asia area is catering the wants of greater than 1 .87 billion folks in eight international locations. Since the onset of the pandemic, UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) ensued the COVID-19 response, coordination, and collaboration internally and externally to extend vaccine demand, develop chilly chain capacities, and coordinate donor helps. ROSA supported the deployment of three.1 billion doses within the 8 international locations to cut back the affect of the pandemic and speed up international efforts to interrupt COVID-19 transmission. This translated into 84% of the goal inhabitants (or 68% of the entire inhabitants) being absolutely vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19. The velocity and scope of COVID-19 vaccine rollout had been unprecedented and over 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been delivered by COVAX.

While the long-term fallout of the pandemic is but to be decided, one factor is thought: the affect of the pandemic on the lives of a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of kids and ladies has been extreme. The fast affect of the COVID-19 pandemic on well being providers was mirrored in a world discount of immunization protection and a large enhance within the variety of zero dose youngsters. Immunization protection in South Asia, as a area, recovered in 2022, but some international locations are nonetheless to get well and the variety of zero-dose youngsters within the area stays excessive.

For international locations to have the ability to catch-up youngsters misplaced in the course of the pandemic, to get well their immunization providers and return to pre-pandemic protection ranges, to speed up the discount of zero-dose youngsters in keeping with the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) targets, to introduce new vaccines equivalent to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and to combine COVID-19 vaccines in routine major well being care providers all through the life course, coordinated assist to the principle stakeholders UNICEF, WHO, Gavi and companions is required.

Integrating COVID-19 vaccination into routine major well being care aligns seamlessly with the synergetic strategy of the Polio Eradication Programme (PEI) and routine immunization efforts, exemplifying Integrated Service Delivery. This synergy serves as a basis for additional enlargement and refinement. By leveraging the complementary strengths of each initiatives, underserved populations are extra successfully reached, and the long-term sustainability of immunization applications is ensured.

Since the launch of the Gavi Alliance initiative in 2000, Regional Working Groups (RWG) for immunization had been arrange with the goal to harmonize companions’ interventions in all areas of routine Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) strengthening, new vaccine introductions (NVI), and the management of vaccine-preventable ailments (VPD). A subgroup devoted to COVID-19 was arrange in 2020.

UNICEF ROSA because of its geographical location has a twin job of coordinating and collaborating with two WHO Regional Offices, for the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) and for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), and due to this fact additionally must liaise intently with two different UNICEF areas, i.e., Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and East Asia and Pacific (EAPR). In each WHO SEAR and EMR RWGs are at the moment cochaired by WHO (Coordinator — COVID-19 Program, Immunization and Vaccine Development, Department of Communicable Diseases) and UNICEF (Regional Adviser, Health).

Gavi’s Strategic Plan 5.0 (specializing in Immunization and HSS) advanced to Gavi 5.1 (together with pandemic preparedness and response) for the interval 2022-2025. To align with international modifications, priorities of the RWGs have additionally been reviewed, and embrace new duties and rules of technical and monetary help to mirror emergency preparedness and response.

Following the session of regional companions in the course of the December 2022 SEA RWG assembly held in Kathmandu, companions reiterated the significance of:

• Leveraging Gavi investments extra strategically to strengthen well being and group methods within the context of Primary Health care (PHC) for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• Conferring immunization-related actions with all Gavi and non-Gavi supported international locations within the area. The COVID-19 pandemic has modified operational dynamics, challenges, and programmatic priorities with a concentrate on restoration of immunization and built-in service supply, catch-up of kids misplaced in the course of the pandemic, acceleration of the zero-dose agenda, whereas augmenting COVID-19 protection together with youngsters. With rising financial crises, conflicts and political unrests, there’s an rising concentrate on the Gavi transition international locations, in addition to Middle Income Countries.
• Improving coordination and harmonization of companions’ assist to governments.
• Providing concerted management in advancing the Zero-dose and missed communities agenda to speed up Immunization methods strengthening and the broader PHC agenda.

For the RWGs to play a extra central position in coordination, oversight and troubleshooting of nation immunization points, they must be revitalized, strengthened, and correctly resourced. In addition, UNICEF ROSA wants to offer sturdy technical management in offering technical assist to international locations, together with focused assist in respect to Gavi in-country processes, the zero-dose and missed communities agenda, and the introduction/roll out of HPV vaccine within the area.

How are you able to make a distinction?

The function of this place is fourfold:

• To improve coordination and technical help for South Asian international locations, specializing in sustaining momentum for COVID-19 vaccination amongst high-priority people and bolstering the Routine Immunization (RI) / PHC system. This includes integrating COVID-19 measures into nationwide immunization applications, and different pertinent PHC providers. Additionally, the aim is to enhance collaboration and coordination each inside UNICEF and amongst UNICEF, WHO, Gavi, and different companions to fortify nationwide capabilities in reaching excessive precedence populations.
• To facilitate oversee and harmonization of regional partnerships specializing in routine immunization, in collaboration with the Immunization and HSS groups of UNICEF and WHO Regional Offices. This contains supporting the planning, execution, and monitoring of technical help to international locations, in addition to aiding within the growth of National Immunization Strategies (NIS).
• To drive the life course strategy to vaccination and Integrated Service Delivery inside PHC throughout all eight international locations within the area, providing coordination and technical assist to South Asian international locations. This contains facilitating the preparation, introduction, and rollout of the HPV vaccine in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Pakistan.
• To assist all immunization associated initiatives and actions, together with adolescent well being, public well being emergencies and group well being and diet within the context of PHC

Key operate, accountabilities, and associated duties/duties

The Health Specialist — Immunization/COVID-19 will work underneath the direct supervision of the Senior Health Specialist – Immunization/HSS or her/his designate, and in shut collaboration with the Immunization Specialist.

I. To keep momentum for COVID-19 vaccination of high-priority populations, workers member will:

• Support the mixing of COVID-19 in RI / PHC methods by advocacy work with international locations to succeed in high-priority populations and implement life course strategy along with immunization provide chain, Social and Behavior Change (SBC), gender, and general well being groups.
• Support the identification of bottlenecks and devise options selling fairness, demand, gender, integration and synergy alternatives.
• Collaborate and coordinate successfully with companions to assist COVID-19 grant administration together with well timed and correct utilization of funds (CDS, ACT-A, and others) as per pointers and agreements and reprogramming of funds for wider assist to public well being emergencies and PHC system strengthening, and to facilitate international locations in COVID-19 vaccine demand forecasting.
• Represent ROSA in key regional and international COVID-19 fora and platforms and help the senior well being specialist in conferences and calls with companions and donors, as applicable.
• Support international locations in well timed figuring out and deploying appropriate capability to fulfill the technical help wants for COVID-19 vaccine integration and enchancment of revaccination protection.
• Support the Knowledge Management operate:
• Maintain the monitoring mechanism/framework for COVID-19 integration implementation and for COVID-19 vaccination of excessive precedence populations and revaccination, and well timed share updates with companions and stakeholders,
• Support documentation of nation experiences with the mixing of COVID-19 vaccination with PHC and disseminate good practices and classes discovered by regional and international mechanisms,
• Organize occasions to share data and experiences on COVID-19 integration to facilitate south south cooperation and cross-country studying.

II. To present general coordination and comply with up of the RWGs for immunization, workers member will:

• Facilitate efficient collaboration and coordination between RWG companions in the direction of reaching IA2030 targets, notably pertaining to the Big Catch Up, Zero Dose agenda, COVID-19 integration, new vaccine introductions (HPV), and NIS:
• Foster joint strategic and technical management and take part actively in RWG occasions,
• Liaise between ROSA and the WHO & UNICEF regional technical hubs and chairs of the RWGs,
• Liaise between the RWG and Gavi and coordinate frequent month-to-month follow-up conferences between RWGs and Gavi,
• Support coordinated advocacy carried out by the RWG with governments to allocate applicable funding for immunization and HSS, together with the follow-up of suggestions from the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (RITAG) and Technical Working Groups,

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• Support the event of nations’ National Immunization Strategies.
• Take on features of the RWG secretariat:
• Organize, facilitate, and chair weekly coordination calls amongst key companions,
• Organize, put together, and facilitate conferences / convention calls of the RWG,
• Provide technical assist for the dissemination and implementation of RWG suggestions,
• Monitor the implementation of assembly/convention name RWG suggestions with report again,
• Maintain oversight and observe progress of RWG actions together with the event of an motion plan with RWG key deliverables / milestones, monitoring the implementation of actions, and crafting quarterly standing updates.

3. Support the Knowledge Management operate of the well being part:

• Coordinate monitoring and documentation of frequent successes, challenges, constraints, and alternatives in strengthening nationwide immunization programmes, together with the implementation of Gavi processes, and writing experiences and scientific articles as applicable,
• Maintain the data trade operate of the RWG by common updates utilizing obtainable trade platforms on the web site and amongst companions,
• Position UNICEF ROSA as a platform for the trade of knowledge, classes discovered and experiences between international locations and the area and the worldwide degree to construct capability and allow the development of Gavi’s and companions’ nationwide applications and processes / insurance policies,
• Support the evaluation of information, experiences, and strategic publications associated to immunization to information future course relating to coverage, technique, and operational frameworks.

III. To drive the life course strategy to vaccination and Integrated Service Delivery inside PHC, the workers member will:

• Coordinate and take part in technical assist to South Asian international locations for the implementation of the life course strategy in shut collaboration with SBC and gender sections.
• Support planning and implementation of Gavi’s Vaccine Investment Strategy (VIS) together with Cholera, Dengue, Hepatitis A, Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Malaria, Rabies in shut collaboration with RWGs.
• Support international locations for the preparation (assist functions), introduction, and rollout of latest vaccines together with HPV in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Pakistan, in shut collaboration with SBC and gender sections.
• Support the Knowledge Management operate of the well being part:
• Support documenting nation experiences with life course strategy to vaccination, the introduction of HPV, and Integrated Service Delivery and disseminate good practices and classes discovered by regional and international mechanisms,
• Organize occasions to share data and experiences on life course strategy, HPV introduction and Integrated Service Delivery to facilitate south-south cooperation and cross-country studying.

IV. Other duties workers member will likely be anticipated to carry out embrace, however are usually not restricted to:

• Contribute to the event of the ROSA annual work plan, monitor its implementation, and supply assist to make sure anticipated outcomes are obtained.
• Participate within the preparation of all experiences associated primarily to immunization required by administration and donors.
• Participate in finances evaluations, programme evaluation and annual experiences.

Impact of outcomes

The effectivity and efficacy of assist offered by the Health Specialist — Immunization/COVID-19 to programme preparation, planning and implementation facilitates the supply of concrete and sustainable outcomes that immediately affect the development of the well being of probably the most marginalized and susceptible ladies and kids in South Asia. This in flip contributes to sustaining and enhancing the credibility and talent of UNICEF to proceed to offer programme providers to guard the rights of kids, and to advertise better social equality to allow them to outlive, develop and attain their full potential in society.

Expected Results:

Improved effectivity, effectiveness, and coordination of help to international locations offered by RWG companions accelerating COVID-19 vaccination of high-priority populations and revaccination, strengthening COVID-19 integration into immunization and wider PHC providers, advancing the zero dose and missed communities’ agenda, introducing new vaccines (HPV), and revitalizing immunization prorammes with a specific concentrate on Gavi processes and NIS.

Technical assist offered for the event of methods and plans for integrating COVID-19 vaccination, introducing new vaccines, and reaching zero dose youngsters and missed communities.

Technical assist offered for the dissemination and implementation of RWG suggestions and steerage addressing points associated to protection, entry, fairness, and progress monitoring.

Improved documentation and dissemination of frequent successes, challenges, constraints, and alternatives in strengthening nationwide immunization programme within the context of HSS.

To qualify as an advocate for each youngster you should have…

Education:

An superior college diploma in one of many following fields is required: public well being/diet, pediatric well being, household well being, well being analysis, international/worldwide well being, well being coverage and/or administration, environmental well being sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, well being schooling, epidemiology , or one other related technical area.

Experience:

• A minimal of eight years {of professional} expertise in a number of of the next areas is required: public well being/diet planning and administration, maternal and neonatal well being care, or well being emergency/humanitarian preparedness.
• Experience working in a growing nation is taken into account as an asset.
• Relevant expertise in a UN system company or group is taken into account as an asset.
• Experience of working with COVID-19 PROGRAM and associated companions is strongly most well-liked.
• Experience of working within the area is an asset.

Language:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of one other official UN language Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish is an asset.

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

UNICEF competencies required for this publish are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and moral consciousness (3) Drive to realize outcomes for affect (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, Leads and Manages People

During the recruitment course of, we take a look at candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize your self with our competency framework and its completely different ranges: competency framework right here.

Note:

The publish has been re-advertised, candidates who’ve already utilized don’t must reapply.

Nationals of the nation could also be eligible for IP positions in a Regional Office (RO) in the event that they possess at the very least two (2) years of worldwide work expertise as detailed above.

UNICEF is right here to serve the world’s most deprived youngsters and our international workforce should mirror the range of these youngsters. The UNICEF household is dedicated to incorporate everybody, regardless of their race/ethnicity, age, incapacity, gender id, sexual orientation, faith, nationality, socio-economic background, or some other private attribute.

We supply a variety of advantages to our workers, together with paid parental depart, breastfeeding breaks, and affordable lodging for individuals with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the usage of versatile working preparations.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance coverage on conduct that’s incompatible with the goals and aims of the United Nations and UNICEF, together with sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is dedicated to selling the safety and safeguarding of all youngsters.

Remarks

UNICEF’s energetic dedication to variety and inclusion is essential to ship the most effective outcomes for youngsters. For this place, eligible and appropriate candidates are inspired to apply.

UNICEF appointments are topic to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host nation of the obligation station, which will likely be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are additionally topic to inoculation (vaccination) necessities, together with in opposition to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be chosen for a place with UNICEF, you both should be inoculated as required or obtain a medical exemption from the related division of the UN. Otherwise, the choice will likely be canceled.

All chosen candidates will bear rigorous reference and background checks and will likely be anticipated to stick to those requirements and rules. Background checks will embrace the verification of educational credential(s) and employment historical past. Selected candidates could also be required to offer further data to conduct a background test.

Government workers who’re thought of for employment with UNICEF are usually required to resign from their authorities earlier than taking over an project with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the suitable to withdraw a suggestion of appointment, with out compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is just not obtained, or essential inoculation necessities are usually not met, inside an affordable interval for any purpose.

To be eligible for the place, nationals ought to possess two (2) years of worldwide work expertise gained outdoors of the nation of nationality.

Only shortlisted candidates will likely be contacted and advance to the subsequent stage of the choice course of.

Advertised: Nov 29 2024 Nepal Standard Time

Application shut: Dec 20 2024 Nepal Standard Time