Senegal: Individual Consultancy: Health Supply Chain Strengthening Specialist, UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office, Dakar, Senegal

Consultancy Title: **Health Supply Chain Strengthening Specialist**

LOCATION/DURATION:

Duration: ~ 8 months / ~150 working days of work full-time, duration driven by deliverables

Location:

On-site working days: UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office, Dakar, Senegal, includes 15 days of paid Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA)

Field Missions/Travel: Travel costs and DSA (per diem) for travel to regional country offices will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations.

Start Date: 1 August 2016

Reporting to: Regional Supply Chief, Regional Office Supply Section, UNICEF

BACKGROUND:

Approved by the GAVI Board in June 2014, the immunization supply chain strategy leverages the GAVI Alliance's global capabilities – advocacy, policy-making, standard-setting, influence, and funding – and in-country resources to establish a powerful enabling environment for end-to-end supply chain improvement. The strategy promotes five fundamental building blocks: planning and management, system design, human resources, logistics data, and cold chain systems. As part of re-examining systems holistically, the system design initiative encourages country programmes to analyze their supply chain system (inventory, distribution, storage, policies, presentation, etc.) to identify elements that could be modified to improve supply chain performance in terms of availability, potency, and efficiency.

OBJECTIVE:

For countries that operate in high-risk environments, an evidence-based approach to supply chain design builds resiliency to better mitigate, identify, and respond to disruptive events, especially when applied on an on-going and continuous basis. The system design approach seeks to work with countries in various stages of a supply chain system redesign, as described below.

1. Assessment – to identify challenges, bottlenecks, and links to the supply chain
2. Introduction – to introduce key concepts, build alignment, and define a path forward
3. Modeling – to gather data, build a model, and simulate performance impact
4. Examination and Validation – to optimize policies, align management, and prepare an implementation plan
5. Phased Implementation – to manage pilot projects and collect performance data
6. Evaluation – to evaluate pilot projects against baselines and objectives to direct future implementation
7. Expansion – to expand pilot projects based on knowledge gathered through the step-wise approach

It is not expected that a country will navigate through all phases of a project within the duration of this contract. Nor will this position be responsible for managing each phase. Instead, this position will work with partners and country programmes to create demand for new projects and move them forward in the process using a methodical, hands-on approach, acting as the Regional Focal Point on system design projects in WCARO, such as managing the coordination of in-country activities, leading workshops with country programmes, and maintaining communication with UNICEF SD.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

This consultancy will work closely in collaboration with Regional Office colleagues working within the Child Survival and Development Section, including immunization, nutrition, and other health commodities, in order to coordinate and provide technical support in the area of system design for health system strengthening. The consultant will:

1. Act as the Regional Lead for system design projects working with the Regional Office, Country Offices and Ministries of Health to initiate engagements based on Targeted Country Assistance requests, Partner engagement, or other funding mechanisms.
2. Support UNICEF Supply Division and Programme Division, Ministry of Health stakeholders, and external Technical Assistance, in workshop preparation, scheduling, facilitating, reporting, and in-country follow-up of action items.
3. Act as the central focal point for communication between Ministry of Health, Country Office, and UNICEF teams and as an advocate and champion to build momentum and ensure progress between workshops.
4. Work in close collaboration with the Regional Office colleagues to ensure cohesion with processes, communications, and country missions for other health supply chain activities directed by WCARO.
5. Produce Country Status Report for each country in WCAR where system design activities have taken place.
6. Contribute to Lessons Learned document to inform future system design activities.
7. Participate in regional meetings and other system design gatherings to report on WCARO status updates.
8. Support WCAR Country Offices to strengthen and optimize key Health supply chains with Governments to reduce costs, stock-outs, wastage and improve performance & help achieve results
9. Ensure the professional development of Health supply chain staff.
10. Support the capacity development of national supply chain systems via a strategy that acknowledges quality (reduce cost), flexibility (speed up response), and availability.
11. Any other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

EXPECTED RESULTS (MEASURABLE RESULTS):

• Immunization system design projects initiated in at least 3 countries (such as Chad, Niger, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Niger), workshops organized and completed, project plans maintained

• Country status report matrix of opportunities and activities

• Country Status Report and Lessons Learned documents

KEY DELIVERABLES:

#

Deliverable

Expected Time (tentative)

1

• Inception Report (8-Month Project Plan)

• Establishment of an efficient Supply Chain committee at Regional Office

30 days after contract signing

2

• Consolidated Performance Report

Monthly

3

• Report on implementation of the SCS activities in targeted countries

Mid-term

4

• Strategy paper on Supply chain development initiatives supported by WCARO including an outline of future required initiatives, including country status reports and lessons learned

End of Contract

The activity deadlines and further specification on individual activities will be specified and agreed after contracted.

Payments will follow the approval of key deliverables itemized above and according to the following estimation of work days.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

University degree is required, preferably in relevant field (e.g., business planning, supply chain management, economics, international development studies, procurement, logistics, or other quantitative degree). Applicable work experience can substitute in cases where university degree is not aligned to a relevant field.

Work Experience:

At least 8 years of experience in international public health programme management including 3 years in immunization, with experience in resource-limited environments, preferably in the areas of:

• Supply chain network analysis
• Network optimization
• Familiarity with inventory policies, distribution outsourcing, segmentation strategies, integration of health products, and other system design strategies
• Supply chain operations
• Assessing and measuring supply chain performance

Experience interfacing with national ministries of health, an advantage.

Language:

Written and spoken fluency in French and English

Technical Knowledge:

• Proven experience in strategic negotiations and planning in multi-stakeholder settings

• Experience in writing complex strategic proposals, developing multi-year budgets and operational plans

• Experience in training, planning and delivery of technical assistance

• Knowledge of supply chain management, network design optimization, and operations

• Excellent analysis skills

• Proven track record in interfacing with national ministries of health a distinct advantage

Competencies:

1. Core Values
   • Commitment
   • Diversity and Inclusion
   • Integrity
2. Strong analytical, oral & written communication skills
3. Proven track record in project management with the emphasis on strategic planning, communication, and evaluation
4. Effective presenter including ability to adapt the message and visual aids for multiple audiences to deliver concise, impactful presentations
5. Effective facilitator with proven ability to engage and train a group of individuals
6. Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment

EVALUATION PROCESS:

Desk Review of qualified candidates, based on:

1. Financial quote at a daily rate in US Dollars excluding all taxes
2. CV/Resume
3. Two References
4. P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/supply/files/UN_Personal_History_Form.doc).

UNICEF considers best value for money as a criteria for evaluating potential candidates. As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor follow the "best value for money" principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.

Successful applicants were evaluated by the following criteria:

PAYMENT TERMS:

Payment will be aligned to deliverables as agreed when contracted. All deliverables to be approved prior to payment.

RENUMERATION:

Payment commensurate with experience. No other remunerations apply.

General Conditionsof Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

1. Legal Status

The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractor (the "Contractor") is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representative of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946 ("the Convention"). The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Expert on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and if the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

1. Obligations

The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract shall neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

3. Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

4. Travel

If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor's travel costs shall be set out in the contract. In cases where travel costs have not been set in the contract, travel may either be organized by UNICEF or reimbursed upon submission of receipts within ten (10) days of completion of a specific travel on the following basis:

1. UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route, provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
2. UNICEF will pay for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel, up to an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

5. Statement of good health

Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings "H" and "A", a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor's medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be incurred in relation to the statement of good health.

6. Insurance

The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.

7. Service incurred death, injury or illness

If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF's prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF's approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF's prior approval and at UNICEF's expenses in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF's approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Consultants and Individual Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).

8. Arbitration

1. Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.
2. If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.

9. Penalties for Underperformance

Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contract, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor's full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF's satisfaction, and UNICEF's certification to that effect.

10. Termination of Contract

This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF's satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph.

11. Taxation

UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor.

I accept the General Conditions outlined above:

_________ ______________________ ______________________________

Signature Date, Place

Vacancy number: 496294. Link to advertisement: https://lnkd.in/eic3VEQ. Deadline for applications is 20 June, 2016.