For every child, the best start to life.
Immunization remains a key public health priority in Montenegro; however, coverage rates have declined in recent years, particularly for the first dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR1). A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) conducted in 2020 identified systemic bottlenecks, including service delivery gaps and vaccine hesitancy. Following the analysis, a number of initiatives were implemented to address these challenges and strengthen the immunization system. These efforts have been consolidated and further advanced through the Programme of Measures for Immunization 2026–2028, which aims to improve coverage, equity, and public confidence in vaccination.
How can you make a difference?
This consultancy will help to update the 2020 RCA by reviewing critical bottlenecks and root causes of low routine immunization coverage at subnational level in Montenegro and developing updated targeted action plans (including system-specific fixes), to increase and maintain high immunization coverage to protect children from vaccine preventable diseases. The plans should also feed into the implementation of the National Programme of Measures for Immunization 2026-2028. The assignment will include a combination of desk review, interviews and focus group discussions at local and national level, as well as workshops at subnational and national level to identify and discuss main bottlenecks/root cause analysis of low immunization coverage at subnational level from both supply and demand and consolidate at national level. To implement this task, UNICEF Montenegro seeks to identify an international consultant that should work under the supervision of the Early Childhood Development Officer and to carry out the specific tasks described in detail in the Work Assignment Overview section below. All deliverables should be produced in either local or English language and UNICEF will ensure translation when and where required.
| Work Assignments Overview | ||
| Tasks/Milestone | Deliverables/Outputs | Timeline |
| Inception report with desk review of relevant immunization related documents and timeline of field mission | 8 May 2026 |
| Reports on Root cause analysis in 3 selected low-performing municipalities or Montenegro | 29 May 2026 |
| Costed action plans to improve routine immunization coverage in three selected municipalities | 5 June 2026 |
| Two day workshop for remaining municipalities to develop costed plans | 19 June 2026 |
| Final report with recommendations for both local and national level to improve routine immunization coverage | 23 June 2026 |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
Master's degree in Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology or Health Management and Administration. Also, Economics, Legal studies, Social sciences, or related relevant sciences.
Experience:
Language:
Other:
The payments will be made upon successful completion of the deliverables and submission of invoices, as follows:
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.
Upon conducting the recruitment process and prior to the signing of the contract, the consultant will be required to complete the following online UNICEF courses. All certificates should be presented as part of the contract.
Before commencement of any travel on behalf of UNICEF, the Consultants and Individual Contractors must complete course on General Information Security Awareness Course. In addition to above, any consultant or individual contractor who is issued a UNICEF email address must complete the following courses no later than 30 days after signature of contract:
The above courses can be found on Agora through the following link: AGORA: Log in to the site (unicef.org).Course completion certificates should be shared and retained with the human resources unit of the hiring office.
Selection method:
All applicants will be screened against qualifications and requirements set above. Candidates fully meeting all the requirements will be further evaluated based on the criteria below. The proposal will be evaluated against the following criteria:
A) Technical criteria – Technical evaluation process / Maximum points:70
1.Interview-70 % of total evaluation
Only candidates who obtained at least 70% of points from the technical part (e.g. who will score at least 49 points) will be qualified for considering for financial proposal evaluation
B) Financial criteria – evaluation of financial proposal - Maximum points:30
The applicants are requested to submit their financial proposal consisting of a professional fee for the services to be provided. The applicants are requested to submit their lump sum financial proposal consisting of a daily professional fee, proposed travel costs for north, central and south area of the country and daily subsistence allowance (DSA) when applicable which will be paid up to a maximum of the official UN rate. Reimbursement of travel costs / accommodation expenses will be based on actual expenses. Travel costs and Financial scores will be calculated using the formula [lowest offer / financial offer of the candidate x 30].
Remarks:
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 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. 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.
