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 is certified for 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 persists 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.

For over two decades, Save the Children has been supporting immunization program in Ethiopia to contribute for the reduction of child mortality from vaccine preventable diseases. Through the different projects that have been implemented over the years, Save the Children supported expansion of access for immunization services, supported demand generation 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 immunization projects in different parts of Ethiopia that supports equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare by focusing on zero-dose and under immunized children. These projects are funded by different donors and implemented in different geographic areas. Through its pneumonia centenary commitment (PCC), Save the Children supports the Government effort to address Pneumonia, one of the leading cause of child mortality. These Projects are expected to ensure equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare, working together with local communities and partners.

Position Overview

Save the Children is looking for highly qualified and motivated Immunization Specialist with high caliber to support the immunization projects that are implemented in five regional states, in Ethiopia. The Specialist is responsible for providing technical support for all 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. 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 to ensure effective planning and implementation of priority immunization activities. The Specialist support Child Health interventions with a focus on addressing the burden of pneumonia, through building the capacity of HWs/HEWs eg. Through facilitating ICMNCI and IMNCI trainings, supporting the system to have uninterrupted supply and improvement of case seeking behavior of the community. S/he will build and maintain strong working relationships with government and partner agencies, operating in the implementation areas supporting 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 Immunization Specialist 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 manuals and technical guidance for project implementation.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Sr. Immunization Technical Specialist

Dimensions: Addis Ababa-based with significant field visit (70%)

Staff directly reporting to this post: none

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

A. Technical 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, planning and ensuring quality immunization service through static, outreach and mobile 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
• Effectively design and develop implementation strategies and micro-plans to ensure successful implementation of the intervention (IMNCI and ICMNCI) packages across Health Facilities
• Develop training plan for Woreda Health Office and PHC on IMNCI/ICMNCI for and support/facilitate trainings, coordinate in-service trainings for HEWs/HWs to scale up child health implementations
• Closely work with SBC team to improve child health and immunization case seeking behaviour of the community and timely identification and referral of cases
• In collaboration with field level project staff, assess EPI related training needs for regional, zonal, woreda, and HF EPI managers/focals/ 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
• Develop/ Produce documents like technical briefs, lessons learned, best practices in collaboration with Sr. Immunization Technical Specialist and Evidence and Knowledge Management Team and share with project team

  B. Evidence and Learning

• In collaboration with Sr. Immunization Specialist and MEAL team, prepare, support, facilitate documentation of case stories, promising practices, lessons learned to support learning and program improvement.
• 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

  C. Capacity Building

• 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.
• Support capacity strengthening interventions for woreda health office staff, HWs and HEWs including through training (IIP, Vaccine and Cold Chain Training, MLM, IMNCI, ICMNCI)
• Co-facilitate in capacity building trainings of field staff.
• Facilitate Immunization and child health related updates and training and related sessions targeting relevant project staff and partners.
• Respond to requests for technical expertise from field offices through on-site and virtual platforms

  D. Networking and Representation

• Participate in regular immunization technical working groups, review meetings, joint supervision and other immunization and child health platforms in collaboration with Sr. Immunization Specialist
• Participate in regular child survival and newborn health technical working groups, joint supervision and other national/regional led activities relevant to Immunization and child health in collaboration with Sr Technical Specialist, Immunization

  E. General

• Any other tasks assigned by Sr Immunization Specialist

  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 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

• BSc Degree in public health or other related field.

  Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in technically leading, 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, Vaccine and Cold chain, IMNCI and ICMNCI Training
• 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
• 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.