041-2022-GAVI-RFQ-COVAX Cold and Supply Chain Support

Job Description

1. Background of the team and purpose of the role

Gavi is committed to securing a global response to COVID-19 that is effective and fair, using its unique expertise to help identify and rapidly accelerate development, production and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines under the principle that no one is safe unless everyone is safe.

As part of broader efforts to secure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, Gavi has launched the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility. All countries are invited to participate in this Facility, which will pool demand and resources and secure supply of COVID-19 vaccines through entering advance purchase commitments with manufacturers. The Gavi Secretariat is currently coordinating efforts together with global health partners to secure and deliver billions pf doses to vaccinate the highest priority populations globally.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership was launched in January 2022 to support countries quickly with access to the funding, assistance, and advocacy they need to plan, implement and scale COVID-19 vaccination delivery, and monitor their progress towards national and global goals, focusing on the countries with least coverage. This inter-agency partnership has identified a set of key functions to support countries in unlocking bottlenecks including political engagement; coordinated country support; data, metrics, and monitoring; delivery funding; demand planning; specialized TA and surge support; toolbox/guidance; partnership engagement and communications.
In line with these efforts, Gavi is working with partners to support the strengthening of country supply chains to achieve readiness for COVID-19 vaccines. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring (i) sufficient and functional cold chain capacity is in place, (ii) countries have systems to manage vaccine and ancillary supplies, and (iii) that vaccines reach recipients quickly and safely. Achieving this goal requires the contributions of many stakeholders at global, regional and national levels, with Gavi serving as a key contributor and enabler.

2. Description of Services:

This role reports to the Head, Effective Vaccine Management (HSIS) and works closely with COVAX and vaccine delivery officers within the Gavi Secretariat. The consultancy is expected to run for 12 months, with a preference for working from the Gavi offices in Geneva, Switzerland. Given the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the consultant may be permitted to work from either (i) home, while residing in Geneva, or (ii) an alternative country of residence, where appropriate work authorization can be secured. In the latter case, there is a strong preference for candidates able to work on a similar time-zone.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

In close coordination with the Gavi Secretariat Effective Vaccine Management team, other teams working on COVID vaccine delivery and colleagues in the COVAX Facility, candidate will be responsible for providing operational and technical support across several areas:

• Support delivery facility partners and stakeholders to ensure that Covid and RI vaccine and supply chain management risks are identified, prioritised, and addressed through country and global efforts (as needed);
• Develop and implement strategy ensuring countries and partners are able to maintain visibility on COVID-19 vaccines stock, consumption, expiry and wastage from COVAX and non-COVAX sources, across the AMC-92 countries leveraging existing global stock reporting platforms e.g., Thrive360, eJRF and other reporting platforms. Alert Country Teams for their follow-up and action;
• Working with partners, develop and support in implementation of strategies for vaccine distribution, stock management, minimising vaccine wastage and waste management in combined COVID-19 / RI supply chains;

• Engage with partners at regional and country level to ensure technical support for Covax SC is strategic, aligned and well-performing;
• Support the alignment of Gavi and other donors investments in supply chains related to COVID-19 immunisation in AMC countries;
• Through Senior Country Managers (SCMs), gather country-specific insights on COVID-19 vaccine stock management and immunisation supply chain performance and work with secretariat teams and partners to mitigate the risk;
• Establish relationships and actively liaise with Unicef Vaccine Management Specialists across 40 countries to gather country intelligence on supply chain risk and proactively work with relevant stakeholders to mitigate the risk;
• Work with the EVM team to identify and promote areas of integration for Covid and RI supply chain;
• Develop and share lessons learnt and other reports with COVAX OCT on vaccine management and supply chain;
• Support the review/process country CDS applications;
• Other tasks as required.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

3. Location: Gavi Alliance HQ, Geneva, Switzerland or remote (subject to discussion)

4. Qualifications and work experience required:

Academic

Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Public Health, logistics and supply chain management, Development, Business Administration, or a related field Work Experience.

Work experience:

· Minimum 8 years of relevant experience;

• Experience of working with with/in lower middle-income country settings;
• Experience with strengthening immunisation or health systems in lower middle-income country settings, with a strong preference for work related to vaccine and/or pharmaceutical supply chain(s);
• Experience working with/across governments and non-governmental organizations in development settings; advantageous to have experience collaborating with/within traditional partners such as UNICEF and WHO;
• Significant experience in project management, including examples of operating independently to drive results in diverse, multi-partner environments – preferably in a development setting.

Skills/Competencies required:

• Excellent analytic skills, structured strategic thinking;
• Results oriented, with the ability to work independently, under pressure, demonstrating initiative and flexibility;
• Ability to operate effectively in a remote environment to deliver high-quality work products;
• Ability to coordinate, collaborate and align inputs across diverse stakeholders, and ability to influence stakeholders, all while managing relationships in a high-urgency operational context;
• Project management skills, understanding of the public health landscape, and global health context.

Advantageous skills / experience:

· Experience working with vaccine management, cold chain products and equipment, particularly in resource-constrained settings;

· Experience working with GS1, barcoding, electronic logistics management information systems (eLMIS) and/or other supply chain data standards.

Travel requirements:

Travel is expected to be limited (<4 events / year), and focused in Europe (likely, Copenhagen). All travel will be subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Languages:

Excellent writing and communication skills in English; knowledge of French, Spanish or Russian is an added advantage.

Note: short-listed candidates may be asked to complete a timed test to demonstrate their data management, analysis and communication skills.

5. Duration of Assignment: 12 months (with possibility of extension).

6. Selection Process and expected timelines

· Interested parties should respond by completing Annex One and returning their application before midnight on the Closing Date;

· Gavi will shortlist and invite for written tests and/or interviews (1-2 weeks);

· Contract negotiation and signature (1-2 weeks).

We are committed to fostering a just, equitable and diverse culture free from racism and discrimination in which all staff, partners and stakeholders feel empowered, safe and heard.

Please note that as a vaccine organisation and in order to provide duty of care towards its employees, consultants, and individual contractors working on site, Gavi is requiring all of them to confirm that they are fully vaccinated[1] against Covid-19 as a condition for engagement with us.

If you wish to apply, please visit our Careers webpage and apply by sending your application to procurement@gavi.org with the title “041-2022-GAVI-RFQ ” before the closing date of 17 March 2022.

[1] Fully vaccinated means one of the following categories:

· You have received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccination listed in WHO’s Emergency Use Listing, and you are scheduled to receive a second dose in the near future or you have previously had Covid-19 thereby exempting you from a second dose.

· You have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccination.

· You have received one dose of the J&J Covid-19 vaccine.

About the Organization

1. Background and Introduction

Gavi Alliance’s (“Gavi”) mission is to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.

Gavi is a unique organisation that aligns public and private resources in a global effort to create greater access to the benefits of immunisation. It does this with precision and in creative, innovative ways to ensure that donor contributions efficiently save lives and help build self-sufficiency in the world’s poorest communities and regions.

For more information, please visit the Gavi website: http://www.gavi.org/about/mission

More information