UNICEF recrute un consultant international pour le soutien à la génération de la demande pour que RCCE introduise le vaccin COVID-19 en Guinée-Bissau

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For every child, health

BACKGROUND :

Globally, immunization is the most widely accessed and successful child health intervention in use today. However, On 31 December 2019, WHO was alerted to a cluster of pneumonia patients in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. One week later, on 7 January 2020, Chinese authorities confirmed that they had identified a novel (new) coronavirus as the cause of pneumonia. To date, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread worldwide. The Communication for Development program is at the forefront of UNICEF’s emergency response.

The COVAX Facility, one of three key pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is a global collaboration co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and WHO to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access globally. With over 300 COVID-19 vaccine candidates being monitored in varying stages of development and 25 vaccines in clinical evaluation, it is possible that a many vaccine candidate may achieve emergency use approval in 2021. In preparation for this, effective assessment of communities’ and Health workers’ knowledge, behavior, attitude, and practice for this new vaccine and the development of evidence-based demand generation strategies is capital.

Hence, UNICEF Guinea-Bissau Office is seeking assistance in the form of a consultancy with a duration of 6 months to support in developing an evidence-based Demand Generation and Communication Plan. The plan should include advocacy, communications, social mobilization, risk and safety communications, community engagement, and training to generate confidence, acceptance, and demand for COVID-19 vaccines uptake by the priority target population (Front Line Workers, elderly/adults with comorbidities and/or other locally relevant risk factors). The plan should also include crisis communications preparedness planning.

OBJECTIVE :

The overall objective of this consultancy is to ensure that public acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in the country is adequate. In this regard the consultant is expected to understand key drivers of immunization demand among both Front-Line Workers and the general population, to successfully promote and sustain the desired behaviour based on evidence. This should be done through an initial assessment and analysis for key demand-related drivers including risk perception and vaccine hesitancy, documentation of demand generation interventions and the establishment of a social listening and rumour management platform to inform crisis communication activities.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant is expected to provide technical support to the following activities :

Strategic Direction and Coordination :

• Support RCCE to determine strategic directions for Communication for Development (advocacy, social mobilization, communication, community engagement, and behaviour change) Technical Working Groups and ensure the strategies are in line with Country plans to achieve COVID-19 vaccine coverage targets ;
• Make viable recommendations and decisions on appropriate Communication for Development strategies to achieve the RCCE’s goals and objectives, and to support UNICEF’s mission in the country ;
• Coordinate different for a mainly GAVI subgroups for demand generation, and the country’s community engagement working groups under RCCE mechanisms ;
• To provide expert advice and assistance to the RCCE teams by attending task teams including RCCE core groups – Health Promotion Technical Working and which promote culturally sensitive ;
• and tailored Social and Behaviour Change interventions contributing to ensuring sustainable demand and uptake of immunization services.

Demand Generation :

• Ensure that RCCE groups are supported to develop plans and activities to promote acceptance among the general population of the initial ACT/COVAX prioritization guidance, increase trust in health and immunization services, and generate demand and uptake for COVID-19 vaccine among the target population (Front-Line workers in a first phase, then at-risk population, and finally general population over time) ;
• Develop, maintain, and update the RCCE strategy with approaches, plans, and activities geared towards generating demand for COVID-19 vaccine and other primary health care (PHC) services, as needed. The strategy should be founded on sound evidence-based studies with clear objectives, approaches, plans, activities, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms ;
• Provide support for social listening and rumor management through the establishment of crisis communication ;
• Provide support for capacity building of Health Workers, CSOs, Front-Line workers on-demand generation-linking it with the gains made in RCCE ;
• Ensure the approaches used are inclusive, consultative, and participatory to carry along all stakeholders.

Promotion of C4D/RCCE principles :

• Provide advice on the appropriate use of Social and Behavioural Change interventions ;
• Provide expert advice, coordination, and technical support to government counterparts and other partners in the development and strategic use of Communication for Development to ensure optimum leverage and impact of communication activities on program, policy, and advocacy activities ;
• Collaborate with the national and subnational Government officials, community/traditional leaders, other UN bodies, and bilateral agencies and NGOs in the organization of activities, operational research, advocacy, and exchange of information and ideas supportive of RCCE’s goals and strategies ;
• Monitor and evaluate activities based on applied targeted communication research and visits to field/project sites, when needed ;
• Disseminate communication research findings, ensuring exchanges of experience and new methods to government officials, program staff, and other UNICEF partners.

Capacity Building for Sustainability : Oversee and advise on the development of goals, strategy, approaches, plans as well as training materials and activities to build up capacity in participatory and behavior change communication for personnel involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Communication for Development intervention within RCCE strategies for generating demand for COVID-19 vaccine uptake by communities.

ACTIVITIES AND INDICATIVE TIMEFRAME :

However, as the actual starting date may impact the dates estimated in the TOR, the exact timeframes and actual delivery dates will be jointly agreed upon between the contractor and the supervisor upon contract signature.

IMPORTANT : As a general rule, the fees payable to a consultant must follow the principle of best value (obtain the desired result at the lowest possible cost). Therefore, the candidates are required to indicate their fees for the services to be provided. To be considered, candidates MUST submit their financial proposals when apply.

TIMEFRAME, REMUNERATION AND SUPERVISION :

 Estimated days of work: Approximately 165 days out of which 10 could be remote. The total period of the consultancy is foreseen from 1^st of March to 31^st of August 2021 (approx. 180 days)

Duration : The contract will be for a total of six month. The table above is an indicative timetable for the contract.  The consultant is free to propose a different timetable, if the proposal clearly explains the sequence of activities, the resources deployed at each stage and the feasibility of the duration of each stage.

Management and implementation arrangement : The overall management of this contract will be done by UNICEF. Within UNICEF, Child and Maternal health, & Nutrition Section will supervise the contract. The consultant is expected to work closely with UNICEF and Ministry of Health.

Professional fees will be paid on the successful completion of specific tasks and the satisfactory submission of deliverables. All payments, without exception, will be made upon certification from the supervisor of the contract, of the satisfactory and quality completion of deliverables and upon receipt of the respective and approved invoice as per table above indicating estimated deliverables timelines. Payments are linked directly to the deliverables and the days indicated are only for planning purposes. No payment will be made without submission of the specified deliverables.

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

Academic qualification :

• Advanced university degree from a recognized academic institution in one or more of the following areas is preferred in social science, communication, international studies or a related technical field in UNICEF C4D areas ;
• First university degree combined with relevant professional work experience and understanding of relevant functions may be considered in lieu of advanced university degree.

Work experience :

• Minimum three years progressively responsible experience in humanitarian/development contexts, emergency preparedness, complex emergency/multi-hazard disasters, community engagement and accountability to affected population work with UN, civil society and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required ;
• Work experience managing large-scale projects, working with governments, working in resource-limited settings, monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management, mitigation will be an asset.

Technical skills and knowledge : Product knowledge on social behaviour change, social mobilization, community engagement and understanding of the principles of communication for development, knowledge and experience with collecting data and designing evidence-based C4D strategies, as well as risk communication and communication engagement are essential.

Languages : Fluency in Portuguese and English or French is required. Knowledge of Creole is considered as an asset.

CONDITIONS OF WORK :

• The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts ;
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant ;
• The consultant will be based in Bissau and working from UNICEF Guinea-Bissau Office premises or from home as per office footprint until such a time when COVID travel restrictions are relaxed to allow in-country/field travel ;
• In Bissau, the consultant will work with his/her won means, using his/her computer and internet ;
• The consultant will be paid an all-inclusive fee (stationary, communication and other miscellaneous ;
• expenses) as per the stipulated deliverable and payment schedule ;
• The consultant is not entitled to payment for overtime, weekends or public holidays, and any form of leave ;
• Travel expenses for official in-country trips, including living costs, will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs, by the consultant and reimbursed against actuals, unless otherwise agreed ;
• Transport will be provided to the consultant during in-country/field travel, if planned and approved ;
• No travel should take place without a travel authorization from section prior to the commencement of the journey from the duty station ;
• Standard UNICEF procedures will apply for invoicing and all other financial management requirements set out in the contract ;
• Standard penalty clauses will also apply for late and poor-quality deliverables. The supervisor of the contract will provide the consultant with the criteria for the evaluation of the quality of each deliverable ;
• Additional details of UNICEF rules, regulations and conditions will be attached to the contract ;
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget ;
• The assignment is an on-site/off-site support ;
• All the products developed will be the property of UNICEF.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at : UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.