[Hiring] Polio international consultant for the formative evaluation of Polio Programme @AGORA

Role Description

UNICEF Afghanistan is commissioning the evaluation of the Polio Programme in Afghanistan. The evaluation will serve as a critical tool for incorporating best practices, fostering continuous learning, and ensuring polio interventions better serve beneficiaries.

• Purpose: Assess UNICEF Afghanistan’s Polio Programme, particularly from October 2024 onwards when the site-to-site campaign modality was implemented nationwide.
• Examine strategies to address immunity gaps in Afghanistan, particularly in overcoming refusals and reaching hard-to-access populations.
• Generate actionable insights to inform strategic and operational decision-making.
• Guide the refinement of Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategies to address vaccine refusals, misinformation, and behavioural barriers.
• Contribute to strengthening gender-sensitive programming by identifying and addressing gender-specific barriers to vaccination.
• Provide recommendations to optimize community engagement approaches, ensuring equitable access to immunization services.
• Comprehensively examine the programme’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, coherence, coordination, and impact.

Qualifications

• Master’s in public health (PhD Preferred), epidemiology, infectious disease control, immunization, global health security, health economics, biostatistics, or another relevant health or social science field.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in public health, with a strong focus on immunization and polio eradication programmes.
• High level knowledge and expertise in public health, particularly in immunization and polio eradication programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and/or evaluating polio programmes, particularly in endemic or high-risk countries.
• Strong familiarity with Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) strategies, surveillance systems, supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), and outbreak response.
• Demonstrated capacity to provide high-quality technical inputs, synthesize evidence, and generate actionable recommendations.
• Experience working with UN agencies, governments, and partners in polio and broader immunization efforts.
• Language Requirements: English.

Requirements

• This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes.
• UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child.
• UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities.
• UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18).
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF.
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Benefits

• Diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.
• Attractive compensation and benefits package.

Company Description

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.