Individual Consultant – Training on Cold Chain Equipment Preventive Maintenance – Lesotho Consultancy

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of CSD section, and in close collaboration with the UNICEF Cold Chain Officer and MoH/EPI technical working team and Immunization Logistics Working Group, the consultant will provide technical support in developing training materials and conducting cold chain equipment preventive maintenance for optimized cold chain equipment and solar direct drive refrigerators.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, A Champion

The Ministry of Health conducted Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) assessment in 2014 and 2018. The objective of the assessment was to assess performance of the Immunization Supply Chain over a period of four years. The EVM assessment composite score shows an improvement from 40% to 71% at nationals level in 2014 and 2018 respectively. For each of the nine criterion, the recommended score is 80% at each level of the supply chain; service level, district and national.

In order to achieve the 80% score for each criterion, the Ministry of health developed the EVM comprehensive Improvement Plan 2018/2022. One of the activities in the plan is to implement training on cold chain preventive maintenance for national, district and service level personnel. Moreover, in preparation for implementation of the Cold Chain Expansion and Optimization Platform (CCE OP) in 2020, there is need for training of cold chain technicians and EPI child health officers on new technologies.

It is against the above premise, that UNICEF Lesotho is recruiting a consultant to facilitate the Cold chain equipment preventive maintenance training in June 2019.

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of CSD section, and in close collaboration with the UNICEF Cold Chain Officer and MoH/EPI technical working team and Immunization Logistics Working Group, the consultant will provide technical support in developing training materials and conducting cold chain equipment preventive maintenance for optimized cold chain equipment and solar direct drive refrigerators.

The activity came as a recommendation from the Effective Vaccine Management assessment which was conducted in 2018 and with approval of the Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform application, it has become mandatory. With introduction of new technologies, there is need to strengthen capacity of cold chain technicians and EPI child health officers at district level.

The tasks outlined in this Terms of Reference, will contribute to achieving the commitments from the Effective Vaccine Management comprehensive improvement plan for 2018/2022. We invite suitable Cold Chain/Vaccine Management consultants at P-3 level.

Activities and Tasks:

• • Support the national EPI technical working group and Immunization Logistics Working group in developing cold chain equipment preventive maintenance training materials.
  • Conduct training for national cold chain technicians, assistants, EPI child health officer, Primary Health care coordinators and district public health nurses
  • Make recommendations on regular training of cold chain technicians, full status assessment of existing cold rooms including task list for preventive maintenance
  • Prepare reports and provide information on the progress made, constraints encountered and the solutions in the operational aspects of immunization logistics in the country

Work relationships: In the execution of this assignment the consultant will be working closely with the Immunization Logistics Working Group and other stakeholders involved in the EPI programme.

• Outputs/ Deliverables:Deliverables

  Duration

  (Estimated # of days or months)

  Timeline/Deadline

  Schedule of payment

  Inception report

  5 days

  21 June 2019

  30 percent

  Training, practical at National vaccine store and Final report

  10 days

  12 July 2019

  70 percent

  Administrative issues

  • • UNICEF Lesotho will provide working space, the consultant will be expected to provide his/her computer.
    • All travel required for this TOR should be quoted for in the financial proposal based on economy class fares.
    • Entitlements and conditions of service will be governed by UNICEF policies.
    • As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

  How To Apply

  Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application including profile to the respective advertisement on https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.

  Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fee, travel/flights, field trips, living allowance).

  Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.

  If you have not been contacted within 1 months of the closing date please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.

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

  Desired profile

  • • University (preferably advanced) degree is required in supply chain management, industrial engineering, economics, logistics, business, operations management, public health or any other relevant field.
    • Ability to work quickly and effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
    • Familiarity and/or experience with UNICEF and the UN system is desired.

  Experience
  

  • • At least 5 years of experience, at the national and international levels, on supply chain management, cold chain management, logistics or operations management and at least 3 years of experience on immunization/public health programmes.
    • Familiarity with cold chain systems, effective vaccine management, inventory policies, logistics, outsourcing, segmentation strategies, integration of health products, and other system design strategies

  Specific Technical Knowledge Required
  

  • • Knowledge and familiarity with UNICEF work.
    • Ability to research, analyze and synthesize information is an asset
    • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
    • Excellent planning and organizational skills.
    • Ability to provide quality products, with minimum supervision and to meet tight deadlines.
    • Ability to work with government counterpart at national and county level

  Language

  Fluency in English and knowledge of the local working language of the duty station.

  For every Child, you demonstrate…

  UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

  The competencies required for this post are….

  • • Applying Technical Expertise [Level II]
    • Relating and Networking [ II ]
    • Formulating Strategies and Concepts [ I ]
    • Planning and Organizing [Level II]
    • Persuading and Influencing [ I ]
    • Learning and Researching [ II ]

  View our competency framework at

  Click to access UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

  UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

  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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

  Remarks

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

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

Tagged as: Cold chain, Lesotho