Senior International Consultant, Vaccination-Related Activities – Measles & Rubella Country Platform

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

Due to the recent global financial cutbacks in public health and immunization activities, technical support to many country Ministries of Health in the African region has been withdrawn thereby seriously threatening the planning and implementation of vaccination campaigns in 2025 and 2026. Consequently, a partnership between the IFRC and the global Measles and Rubella Partnership (M&RP) seeks to establish a Measles & Rubella Country Platform (M&R Country Platform) to overcome this gap in technical support to the Ministries of Health. The M&R Country Platform serves to advance the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030 and is committed to reducing measles and rubella morbidity and mortality by supporting countries to implement the Measles and Rubella Strategic Framework 2021- 2030.

The main project objective is to respond to Ministry of Health requests for high-quality technical assistance in planning and implementing measles or measles/rubella vaccination-related activities including vaccination campaigns, outbreak response, routine immunization strengthening, surveillance, and introduction of rubella-containing vaccine, as appropriate. To meet these Ministry of Health needs, IFRC is recruiting senior technical consultants to support multiple countries in planning, coordinating and conducting measles or measles/rubella vaccination-related activities. The IFRC consultant will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, Red Cross/Red Crescent National Society and other relevant partners to ensure the planning and implementation of high-quality measles/rubella prevention and control activities.

Desired outcomes

Measles and rubella vaccination activities including donor applications, planning and implementation will engage appropriate partners at all levels and will be timely, high-quality, and well monitored.

Working with the Ministry of Health, relevant partners and under the overall guidance and supervision of the IFRC project lead, the consultant for the M&R Country Platform will be engaged to provide technical assistance in the planning and implementation of the tasks which can include the following, based on the specific activity:

1. Application preparation

• Assist with the drafting of applications for funding to support measles or measles/rubella prevention and control activities including MR/MCV2 Introduction, M/MR Follow Up SIAs, 5-dose switch, surveillance, and Outbreak Response activities.

2. Planning

• Assist in the development of a timeline and milestones structure for the upcoming vaccination-related activities utilizing recognized global and regional tools such as the SIA readiness assessment tool based on the activity.
• Assist with the analysis of all provided data to enhance and support the planning and implementation of the measles/rubella-related activity.
• Ensure that the best practices for preparations, and the lessons from previous relevant activities are reflected and addressed in the planned activities.
• Ensure focus on hard-to-reach geographic areas and resistant populations to ensure high vaccination coverage particularly among previously missed children.
• At national and/or subnational level, ensure microplans are fully developed, updated and submitted in a timely manner.

3. Coordination

• Take part in and provide technical guidance and inputs into the regular coordination meetings at global, regional, country and/or subnational levels as appropriate.
• Support the integration of the Red Cross/Red Crescent national society into the planning and coordination of vaccination activities to build capacity for future support. Specifically, facilitate Red Cross/Red Crescent participation in Ministry of Health social mobilization related committees to share Red Cross/Red Crescent knowledge of local community barriers, and if requested, support Red Cross/Red Crescent resource mobilization activities.
• Develop good working relationships with all relevant parties and provide the appropriate support.
• With the guidance of the IFRC supervisor and where countries have more one consultant supporting the vaccination campaign, ensure strong coordination to avoid duplication of efforts.

4. Development of monitoring tools and supporting training

• If supporting a vaccination campaign activity, support finalization of tally sheets and summary sheets for different interventions, Intra and post SIA/ORI monitoring methodology, and ensure tools and timeline for the activities are agreed upon.
• If supporting a vaccination campaign activity, support the preparations for the conduct of intra SIA monitoring and a post SIA rapid convenience monitoring.
• Support the development of updated training materials for different cadres of health workers who are engaged in measles and rubella prevention and control activities.
• Support the coordination and implementation of the training of supervisors and health workers/vaccinators at national and subnational levels.

5. Vaccination campaign monitoring and supervision

• Ensure implementation status is monitored at global/national/subnational levels as relevant (for SIAs, using the pre-SIAs assessment checklist for provinces, districts and health facilities, etc.)

• Support the monitoring of the readiness of the measles and rubella prevention and control preparations at global, regional, national and subnational levels – as appropriate and agreed – using the relevant global tools, and if a vaccination campaign, ensure that the readiness scores are used for management discussions and decisions within the national and/or subnational coordination committee meetings.

6. Reporting

• Prepare regular (at least twice-monthly) summary updates on the status of preparations for the measles or measles/rubella activity and share with the Ministry of Health, IFRC (including the M&R Country Platform Officer in Geneva), as well as other partners including Red Cross/Red Crescent National Society, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO country office team, as appropriate.
• Participate in a virtual mid-term meeting with IFRC Geneva and relevant Measles & Rubella Partners.
• At the measles and rubella prevention and control activity’s conclusion, support the aggregation of campaign reports into a national report for onward submission to the Ministry of Health, IFRC, WHO, Red Cross Red Crescent National Society and other partners.

Required

• Strong knowledge with at least 15 years of experience in immunization programs, especially in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of vaccine preventable disease control activities.
• Proven experience working in diverse, low-resource settings.
• Proven experience conducting technical support to international public health programs.
• Experience working with international, national, and local partners.

Required

• Ability to lead and supervise project staff at country level.
• Strong diplomatic and interpersonal skills with experience working effectively as a team member in diverse, multidisciplinary environments.
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities that are subject to change.
• Ability to foster collaboration among diverse external and internal stakeholders and partners to achieve program goals.
• Excellent time and project management skills.

LANGUAGES

Required

• Excellent English written and oral communication skills. Ability to communicate and conduct work in English is required.

Preferred

• Additional French language skills.

Application Instructions

• Please submit your application in English only.
• Please include the below in your application:
• Curriculum Vitae
• A cover letter summarizing your experience and suggested approach to the consultancy

Notes

• The consultant will be contracted by the IFRC and the standard contractual terms will apply.
• Agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed at cost in accordance with in the IFRC’s relevant regulations.

The closing date and time for this vacancy are based on Geneva time. Applications must be submitted by 23:59 (11:59 PM) Geneva time on the advertised closing date.