International Consultant Global Polio Eradication Initiative Vacancy-Job Ref: JKNEUNICEF/1904/202651

International Consultant Global Polio Eradication Initiative Vacancy-Job Ref: JKNEUNICEF/1904/202651
Niamey (Niger)
Job Description
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights and help them reach their potential, from early childhood to adolescence.

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

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff a variety of professional and personal development opportunities that will help them strengthen their sense of duty while serving children and communities around the world. We welcome all those who wish to integrate and thrive in a diverse and passionate culture, while enjoying attractive pay and benefits.

Every child has the right to information!

In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution for the global eradication of polio, marking the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). This initiative was spearheaded by national governments, the WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and UNICEF, later joined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Since then, the incidence of polio worldwide has declined by 99%, and a human disease is on the verge of being eradicated globally for only the second time in history, after smallpox in 1980. Niger has not been left behind in this global movement. Indeed, thanks to the implementation of the Expanded Program on Immunization starting in 1987, the organization of several dozen supplementary polio vaccination campaigns, and the strengthening of surveillance for cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) and other notifiable diseases, no cases of wild poliovirus have been reported since 2016.

Notwithstanding this major achievement, in recent years the epidemiological situation in Niger has been marked by the resurgence of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDVP2) cases in several localities across the country’s eight regions. Thus, the 38thThe IHR Emergency Committee meeting on polio classified Niger in Group 2 of countries infected with cVDPV2, with or without evidence of local transmission, and which present a risk of international spread.

This risk is all the greater given that the country shares more than 1,400 km of porous border with northern Nigeria, which has several active outbreaks in Niger, and the border with Burkina Faso and Mali (the so-called “three borders” area). In addition to the resurgence of polio, Niger also continues to face other outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles (4,560 cases and 20 deaths in week 43/2024), meningitis (3,415 cases and 255 deaths in week 43/2024), COVID-19 (4,560 cases and 20 deaths in week 43/2024), yellow fever (263 cases and 2 deaths in week 43/2024), diphtheria (3,330 cases and 173 deaths in week 43/2024) and malaria (4,518,586 cases and 3,660 deaths).

The majority of these epidemics often affect high-risk groups that are underserved or not served by vaccination services, namely populations living in insecure areas, mobile populations (nomads and transhumant groups), urban populations, populations living in slums, migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, people living in isolation, etc. In addition to the communication approaches implemented so far to reach the populations mentioned above, there are other non-communication factors that are not or insufficiently taken into account in the planning and implementation of approaches aimed at engaging high-risk populations for the benefit of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

To meet this challenge, in accordance with its mandate, UNICEF provides technical assistance to the State of Niger in formative research on barriers to vaccination among high-risk populations, and in the identification, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of innovative approaches focused on both promoting pro-immunization behaviors through communication strategies and improving the environment for delivering vaccination services.

As part of operationalizing this technical support, UNICEF is recruiting an international consultant in Social and Behavior Change (SBC) to assist the Immunization Directorate in the preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the polio response with regard to social and behavioral change. This is with a view to strengthening community engagement in support of immunizations in general and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in particular. This consultation will last three (3) months and will concern the national level with a focus on DI.

Goals

To assist the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in identifying, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating community-based vaccination (CSC) interventions to promote community engagement for the benefit of immunization in general and the GPEI in particular. In this capacity, the consultant will work closely with the Immunization Directorate and contribute to strengthening the national social mobilization subcommittee.

Specifically, this consultation aims to:

Supporting health teams in the identification, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of CSC interventions in order to generate demand for vaccination with a focus on high-risk populations;
Maintain or increase to at least 90% the level of parents informed before the arrival of vaccination teams during supplementary polio vaccination activities;
Assist health teams to maintain the proportion of unvaccinated children below 5% during supplementary polio vaccination activities;

Supporting initiatives to revitalize interdisciplinary and multisectoral partnerships to encourage collective change that promotes immunizations;
Support the revision and development of training modules for communication professionals as well as communication materials;
Supporting the implementation of innovative strategies to engage communities in vaccinating their children against Polio;

Support the development or updating of operational plans for regions and DS;
Support the integration of routine immunization activities into polio eradication strategies;
Supporting the national level in the development and implementation of innovative communication strategies for the search for zero-dose and under-vaccinated children;
Contribute to the design of strategies for managing rumors and misinformation about vaccination;

Supporting the production and distribution of digital communication content on digital platforms;
Support the analysis of the impact of communication actions on the demand for vaccination;
Document all CSC Immunisation interventions.
Axis/Activities:

The main areas that will be covered are described below:

Technical and operational support to achieve results in line with the resources mobilized by the office
Advocacy, networking and building partnerships to support and strengthen behavioral and social change
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building, particularly in relation to the resources mobilized by the office;
Communication with UNICEF sections and regional office to ensure alignment and consistency with organizational priorities.

Methodology

– Participation in the generation of evidence, strategic and operational planning, implementation and monitoring of activities with the Immunisation Directorate;

– Contribution to the preparation of campaign budgets;

– Monitoring the implementation of CSC interventions;

– Analysis of administrative CSC data and independent monitoring data

– Participation in national coordination meetings;

– Contribution to the animation of the National Social Mobilization subcommittee;

– Participation in the design of key messages and communication materials;

– Participation in the preparation of technical reports for the Immunisation Directorate, bulletins, articles, etc.;

– Documentation of activities.

Note : The consultant will not work from the office; they are not entitled to a workspace, internet connection, or computer.

Consultation supervision:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the SBC Section Chief. They will collaborate closely with the SBC Section staff and the Health team at the Niamey office and field offices, including those of other sections. They will report regularly to the Supervisor and the SBC Section Chief.

Cover letter : Candidates must indicate in their cover letter their ability and availability to carry out the terms of reference remotely and in person.

The technical proposal : this will outline how the consultant has understood the terms of reference and intends to conduct the consultancy, as well as a detailed methodological plan. Technical proposals will highlight the proposed approaches and methods, along with an indicative schedule of deliverables.

The financial offer : A proposal for remuneration in US dollars must include all-inclusive fees (lump sum) for the services to be provided, including travel expenses and any other costs necessary for the execution of the assignment, if applicable.

Incomplete applications will not be considered; only candidates who have submitted their technical and financial offers as described above will be considered during the selection process.

The total points allocated to the technical component are 70 (passing threshold of 50). The lowest financial proposal receives the maximum financial score (30). Other bids that meet the required technical threshold will receive scores inversely proportional to the lowest bid.

To be considered an advocate for every child, you must…

Minimum requirements
Academic qualification:

• Hold a higher university degree (Master’s) in Communication for Social and Behavioral Change, social sciences, or a similar degree.
Professional experience:

– Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in conducting project and program evaluations, and in policy and program writing
– Extensive experience in communication for social and behavioral change regarding immunizations
– Knowledge of new developments in the field of social and behavioral change and in the use of new approaches in the equitable provision of vaccination services
Skills and abilities:

– Solid experience working in emergency situations

– Excellent ability to synthesize and write strategic documents

– Professional experience in data or information management would be an asset

– Possess good communication and teamwork skills

– Proficiency in spoken and written French is required.

Please click on the button below to Apply.