Job no: 589305
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Maseru
Level: Consultancy
Location: Lesotho
Categories: Health
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, the right to Health
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide continuity of high-level technical assistance and structured
capacity building support to the national EPI team from 22 January to 21 June 2026. The consultancy will focus
on mentorship, coordination support, and institutional strengthening to enable the EPI Manager and team to
consolidate systems, improve internal processes, and enhance leadership and management capacity across
core immunisation functions.
Outcomes:
- Improved national EPI governance and coordination National EPI coordination mechanisms, including the Technical Working Group and Inter-agency Coordinating Committee, function more effectively with regular meetings, documented decisions, and followup actions, enabling improved alignment and accountability among stakeholders.
- Strengthened national ownership of EPI policy and strategic directionThe EPI Policy is finalised and positioned for endorsement, with the national EPI team demonstratingincreased capacity to lead policy processes, manage stakeholder inputs, and translate strategic priorities intooperational actions aligned with the National Immunisation Strategy 2024–2028.
- Improved leadership and management capacity of the national EPI team The National EPI Manager and core EPI staff demonstrate strengthened skills in planning, coordination, partner engagement, and programme oversight through structured mentorship and on-the-job support.
- Sustained use of data for immunisation programme decision-making National-level programme data, including zero-dose and under-immunised analysis, are more effectively reviewed and applied to identify gaps, prioritise actions, and inform national and district-level planning.
- Strengthened alignment between national strategy and district implementationDistrict routine immunisation micro plans are better aligned with national priorities, equity considerations, and 2024–2028 objectives, supporting more coherent and targeted implementation across districts.
- Improved quality and timeliness of partner and donor engagement Donor reports, technical briefs, and partner updates related to immunisation are produced in a timely and coherent manner, strengthening transparency, coordination, and confidence in the national immunisation programme.
- Sustained institutional capacity within the EPI programme Systems, processes, and coordination practices established or strengthened during the consultancy are institutionalised within the Ministry of Health, reducing reliance on external support and enabling continued progress beyond the consultancy period.
Scope of Work:
Under the supervision Chief of Child Survival and Development, UNICEF Lesotho CO and in close
collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the consultant will:
- Strengthen national EPI leadership, governance, and coordination mechanisms
- Support EPI policy finalisation and strategic processes aligned with the NIS 2024–2028
- Provide structured mentorship and on-the-job capacity building to the national EPI team
- Support district-level routine immunisation planning and alignment with national priorities
- Strengthen data use for programme improvement, including zero-dose analysis
- Contribute to documentation, reporting, and partner coordination
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: [ International Immunization Consultant TOR.pdf]
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements: Masters
Education:
- University degree in Medicine, Public Health, Social Sciences, Communications, InternationalDevelopment, or related field
Work Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in programme implementation, coordination, advocacy,and immunization or similar roles.
- Proven experience working with UN agencies, international experience in developing nations
Skills:
- Excellent communication and working with people.
- Previous working experience with UNICEF is as asset.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another UN language is an asset
Desirables:
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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 promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
Deadline: 20 Jan 2026 South Africa Standard Time