Senior Technical Specialist-Immunization at Save the Children

Save the Children

Position: Senior Technical Specialist-Immunization

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 week ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

Activity Overview

Immunization is one of the key life-saving interventions the government of Ethiopia has scaled up to address under-five mortality. There are noteworthy successes through EPI. Ethiopia has been certified as polio-free since 2017 and maternal and neonatal tetanus are eliminated. Coverage from successive Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey revealed a positive rise in the coverage of vaccine antigens. The magnitude and trends of vaccination inequalities in Ethiopia persist by equity markers despite steady improvement in overall coverage. The major variation in coverage is geographic where there is high variation in coverage among different regions in the country. According to the Ethiopian mini DHS 2019, there are over 1.2 million zero-dose and under-immunized children in Ethiopia.

For over two decades, Save the Children has been supporting immunization programs in Ethiopia to contribute to the reduction of child mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. Through the different projects that has been implemented over the years, Save the Children supported the expansion of access to immunization services, supported demand raising for immunization in the community, and has supported an enabling environment for equitable service delivery and improved financing for immunization. Currently, Save the Children is implementing GSK funded Immunization Program in Ethiopia that supports equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare by focusing on zero-dose and under immunized children for a new phase of the partnership with GSK during the period of 2023-2027. Save the Children partnered with GSK to create an innovative partnership to help reduce preventable deaths and illness in children under the age of five, from vaccine preventable diseases by combining Save the Children’s vast experience in supporting children and mothers’ health in communities around the world with GSK’s research and expertise in partnership with Ministries of Health, local and academic partners. The program is expected to ensure equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare, working together with local communities and partners and leveraging on Save the Children’s and GSK’s joint expertise to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children. The GSK funded immunization program is multi country and will be implemented in Ethiopia and Nigeria. This post is for the Program in Ethiopia to lead, guide, support and oversee immunization technical interventions of the project.

Position Overview

Save the Children is looking for highly qualified and motivated Sr. Technical Specialist with high caliber to support the immunization program that is implemented in three regional states, seven zones and 16 woredas in Ethiopia. The Sr. Technical Specialist for immunization is responsible for leading, guiding, supporting and overseeing immunization technical interventions of the project. S/he is responsible to provide technical assistance to project staff, national and regional government offices and partners. S/he will be accountable for the quality of interventions of the project. The Sr. Technical Specialist for immunization is responsible for the overall immunization activities and represent the project in immunization related technical platforms in collaboration with the Immunization Program Director. S/he will provide a comprehensive technical assistance on routine immunization program: support the implementation of RED approach through facilitating bottom-up microplanning, assessing health system constraints, evidence generation, extensive capacity building, to improve provision and uptake of immunization services among zero dose and under vaccinated children in the selected project woredas and zones. S/he will be responsible to support the project team and provide strategic leadership to ensure effective planning and implementation of priority immunization activities. S/he will build and maintain strong working relationships with government and partner agencies, operating in the country on immunization and child health through active engagement in the TWG and different taskforces and related platforms. In collaboration with project field staff, s/he will monitor immunization performance and improve quality of routine immunization data at regional, ZHD, Woreda Health Office and PHCU levels and support use of quality data for decision making. The Sr. Technical Specialist for immunization must have extensive breadth of technical expertise in immunization, child health and health system strengthening. Should have breadth of experience in the development of immunization related strategic plans, guidelines and manuals and technical guidance for project implementation.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Immunization Program Director

Dimensions: Addis Ababa based with significant field visit (60%)

Staff directly reporting to this post: none

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Technical Leadership and Assistance

• Coordinate and support field team in operationalizing RED activities at woreda and PHCU level, micro plans for the routine immunization (RED micro planning) special focus on identification of high-risk areas and unimmunized children, vaccine and supplies planning, outreach vaccination, social mobilization, supportive supervision, review meeting, and reporting.
• Support and guide field team to follow and support woredas to conduct bottom up microplanning as planned and implementation as per the micro plan
• Develop manuals, guidelines, standard operating procedures, protocols and other documents related to immunization
• In collaboration with field level project staff, assess EPI related training needs for regional, zonal, woreda, and HF EPI managers/focal/ service providers and facilitate training and orientation on immunization MLM, IIP, EVM, Cold chain Users training and recent directions and new vaccines at all level
• Conduct and coordinate regular field visits to provide post training follow up and integrated/joint supportive supervision using standardized checklist to woreda health offices, HCs and HPs. S/he will document findings and recommendations of field visits for follow-up on action points
• Ensure regular monitoring (accuracy, completeness, and timelines) of administrative EPI data and provide feedback to project staff, Woreda Health Office, and HFs
• Provide technical assistance and guidance during the development and implementation of regional and woreda plans, which will include capacity strengthening activities
• Provide weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual updates and progress updates and reports
• Contribute to the development of project deliverables, including workplans, bi annual and annual reports, and success stories
• Support on budget development for immunization service delivery and weekly forecasting and tracking of spending of the budget
• in close collaboration with the Immunization Program Director, and other program staff, to meet key milestones and deliverables, monitor, analyse, and troubleshoot any challenges to the program implementation
• Develop/ Produce documents like technical briefs, lessons learned, best practices in collaboration with evidence and knowledge management team and share with project team and stakeholders on different fora in consultation with the Immunization Program Director
• Participate in the Program meetings as required and provide updates on progress, and innovative/strategic approaches.
• Provide technical expertise for country office immunization program design and quality implementation

Evidence and Learning

• Promote and support evidence generation, documenting lessons and sharing learning across the project in collaboration with Evidence and Learning Team
• Monitor new developments in Immunization technical areas and facilitate transfer and application of knowledge to project team and CO
• Collaborate with MEAL team to establish a monitoring system (e.g., indicators and data collection methodologies) to track quality and reach of activities; ensure that lessons learned from project implementation inform programmatic decisions at all levels
• Participate and provide technical support during national and regional EPI review meetings and share key program success, challenges, and solutions.
• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure immunization program monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities are of high quality and appropriately reflect standard measures and indicators
• Provide technical leadership and closely work with MEAL and other sectors in strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation and use of data across all levels to improve program performance

Capacity Building

• In collaboration with the Global program team, Addis Ababa and field-based SCI staff, makes assessment and analysis of the capacity of key staff and implementing field teams.
• Assess the capacity of field team and organize on the job capacity strengthening interventions
• Identify and recommend possible supports to staff and field teams to build their capacity and to facilitate project implementation.
• Co-facilitate in capacity building trainings of field staff.
• Facilitate Immunization and child health related updates and training and related sessions targeting relevant project partners.
• Respond to requests for technical expertise from field offices through on-site and virtual platform

Networking and Representation

• Provide technical leadership on immunization policy dialogues and immunization strategy development at national and regional level
• Closely work with and contribute on the national technical platforms, taskforces, and working groups
• Participate in regular immunization technical working groups, review meetings, joint supervision and other national level MOH led activities relevant to immunization program
• Participate/lead CSO immunization working group under CCRDA Health Forum

General

Any other tasks assigned by the Immunization Program Director

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds him/herself accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity and sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

KEY COMPETENCIES (Indicative / Key Competencies)

Technical competencies:

• Drives Quality Immunization Programming: Trains and mentors’ others on the application of relevant health sector and Immunization sub-theme standards
• Understanding of the Impact of emergencies on immunization and health outcomes: Engages in the humanitarian aid architecture to minimize the effect of the emergency on the immunization performance
• Builds the capacity of others to implement integrated CH and Immunization programming and advocacy
• Able to link local to national and global level evidence supporting localization of change and influencing policy development

Generic Competencies

• Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities
• Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalized children
• Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery
• Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peers

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in public health or other related field.

Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in technically leading, managing and implementing Immunization and child health projects
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations
• Experiences in providing technical support on immunization TWGs at national and regional levels for Federal Ministry of health or Regional health bureaus
• Experience in organizing and facilitating trainings and other capacity strengthening activities for national, regional and woreda level government and project staff/ participants. Trainings including MLM, IIP, Cold chain Users Training, and EVM
• Good knowledge of the Ethiopian health systems and health policy
• Experience in developing good relationship working with national level technical working groups, working with government partners, with partner agencies
• Experience in health system strengthening
• Knowledge and experience of the Ethiopian health system
• Experience in policy analysis and policy engagement experience
• Strong result orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind sets
• Good skill in communicating, organizing group discussion, and presentation
• Good computer skill (MS word, MS excel, and other data generating tools)
• Commitment to Save the Children values
• Commitment to the values, missions, aims and policies of Save the Children.
• Excellent command of communicating and writing in English.

Attitudes:

• Works well with teams.
• Conscious of child protection issues
• Non-discriminatory and gender sensitive
• Willingness to work in remote, rural locations.