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Following the 2020 forecasting assessment and the Strategy document on Strengthening Country Vaccine Forecasting Capacity that was released in May 2021, UNICEF worked on developing different country guidance materials on forecasting and supply planning for vaccines and other immunization supplies. The guidance materials cover all activities around the forecasting and supply planning cycle and are grouped into a comprehensive Forecasting and Supply planning Guidance Manual. The Guidance Manual and accompanying operational forecasting tools are published in a Toolbox for Immunization Forecasting and Supply Planning (IFSP) that is available on TechNet and accessible to users in countries.
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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The purpose of the assignment is to support Lesotho to pilot the forecasting guidance manual and toolbox and strengthen the forecasting and supply planning processes for vaccines and other immunisation supplies. Forecasting and supply planning are essential supply chain processes for estimating future programme demand, the associated commodity requirements, and costs as well as when supplies should be delivered to ensure uninterrupted service delivery. The successful implementation of these supply chain functions is dependent on the availability of skilled and motivated staff, well defined and standardized processes, high quality data, and informed assumptions among other considerations.
Scope of Work:
Under the supervision of the Cold Chain Officer, UNICEF Lesotho Country Office, the consultant’s duties, and responsibilities will include the following. The level of effort estimated for each activity is included in brackets.
Assessment of the immunization forecasting and supply planning situation in Lesotho and development of improvement plans (4 weeks)
The consultant will use the UNICEF Forecasting and Supply Planning Assessment Tool to assess the current situation and identify recommendations to strengthen the processes for immunization forecast and supply planning. The tool includes areas such as team structures, forecasting and supply planning capacity, availability and quality of supply and programmatic data, forecast methodology and assumptions, and monitoring of the forecast. The assessment will be implemented through meetings with the national level Ministry of Health staff as well as travel to selected facilities to assess the data quality. Based on the findings, the consultant will develop a draft assessment report and presentation, which will be shared and presented to relevant stakeholders (individually or in a workshop) for collection of inputs to the report. Based on the final report, the consultant will develop a short-term improvement plan and long-term improvement roadmap for forecast Strengthening in collaboration with relevant MOH and other partners and have them endorsed by the EPI team.
Establish and/or strengthen forecasting and supply planning team (3 weeks)
Based on experience from other countries and the current situation in Lesotho and focusing on the 2023 immunization forecast to be developed, the consultant will lead the country to establish and/or strengthen a team to oversee and guide the 2023 immunization forecasting and supply planning process. Through relevant consultations and meetings, the consultant will develop terms of reference for the team, prepare for meetings as well as participate in meetings to move the forecast process forward. The consultant will also ensure capacity building to the team through a series of training sessions in Forecasting and Supply planning using the materials from the immunization forecasting and supply planning Toolbox (IFSP Toolbox).
Facilitate development of 2023 immunization forecast and supply plan (3 weeks)
The consultant will facilitate the 2023 immunization forecast exercise and use the experience to inform guidance on assumption development and forecast methodology. The consultant will participate in relevant meetings with stakeholders to collect inputs to the best process for forecasting in Lesotho. Based on this, he/she will work with the UNICEF CO, NLWG and MOH/EPI team to arrange one or more targeted consultations and/or workshops with relevant stakeholders and Subject Matter Experts to agree on assumptions and methodologies for the immunization forecast and to validate the final forecast. The consultant will be responsible for preparing the materials for the workshop and/or targeted consultation meetings and facilitate technical discussions during the meetings. Based on inputs from these meetings, the 2023 immunization forecast and supply plan will be created.
Develop forecasting and supply planning SOPs (3 weeks)
Based on the experience with the immunization forecast development and work with the forecasting team, under the technical oversight of UNICEF SD, and using the tools provided in the IFSP Toolbox, the consultant will develop/adapt agreed guidance materials to guide future forecasting and supply planning processes in Lesotho, including process SOPs and other necessary documents. These will be practical in nature.
Develop key performance indicators to monitor forecasting and supply planning performance (1 week)
Continued follow up on the forecast and supply plan is important and is best done by monitoring forecast performance and accuracy using standardized key performance indicators (KPIs). Using the tools provided in the IFSP Toolbox including the guidance on IFSP performance monitoring, the consultant will develop practical reference sheets for the KPIs based on inputs from relevant stakeholder including NLWG, the EPI team and warehouse staff. The consultant will also support the advocacy for integrating selected IFSP KPIs into the overall MOH/EPI monitoring framework.
Work Assignment Overview:
Tasks/Milestones: Use the UNICEF Forecasting and Supply Planning Assessment Tool to assess the current situation and identify recommendations to strengthen the processes for immunization forecast and supply planning
Deliverable: Assessment report of the current situation with recommendations
Timeline: 4 Weeks
Payment Structure: 25%
Tasks/Milestones: Based on other countries experience, the current situation in Lesotho and focusing on the 2023 immunization forecast to be developed, lead the establishment or strengthening of a team to oversee and guide the 2023 immunization forecasting and supply planning process
Deliverable:
Consultations and minutes of meetings, Terms of reference, Operational plan with schedule of meetings as well as participation in the meetings, Capacity building through a series of training sessions in Forecasting and Supply planning using the immunization forecasting and supply planning Toolbox (IFSP Toolbox).
Timeline: 4 weeks
Payment Structure: 25%
Tasks/Milestones: Facilitate the 2023 immunization forecast exercise and use the experience to inform guidance on assumption development and forecast methodology
Deliverable: 2023 immunization forecast and supply plan
Timeline: 4 weeks (15th September)
Payment Structure: 20%
Tasks/Milestones: Develop/adapt guidance materials to guide future forecasting and supply planning processes including process SOPs and other necessary documents.
Deliverables:
Forecasting and Supply planning SOPs, Guidance materials to guide future forecasting and supply planning processes
Timeline: 2 weeks
Payment Structure: 15%
Tasks/Milestones:
Develop practical reference sheets for the KPIs based on inputs from relevant stakeholder including NLWG, the EPI team and warehouse staff, Support the advocacy for integrating selected IFSP KPIs into the overall MOH/EPI monitoring framework
Deliverables:
KPIs for monitoring forecasting and Supply planning Performance, Advocacy pack for integrating selected IFSP KPIs into the overall MOH/EPI monitoring framework
Timeline: 2 weeks
Payment Structure: 15%
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Public Health (Postgraduate qualification will be an added advantage), Statistics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics Management, Pharmacy, Procurement, or another relevant discipline for health supply chain data use or first university degree with relevant experience in supply chain, data for management or visualization.
Work experience:
Minimum five years relevant and progressive professional work experience including work experience in the field of immunization, immunization supply chain, forecasting and supply planning. Experience in country-level forecasting and supply planning for health commodities.
Other required skills:
Works independently and is problem-solving oriented. Works in a multi-cultural environment and establishes harmonious and effective working relationships. Demonstrates communication and relationship-building skills. Proven capacity to work across different locations utilizing technical skills within supply chain management, data visualization, management and/or monitoring.
Language:
Fluency in English; fluency in Sesotho is an advantage.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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:
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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.