Technical Assistant for Immunization- Sub national

LonAdd HR Consultancy Plc (www.lonadd.com) is a Recruitment & Outsourcing Company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with branch offices in Dukem, Hawassa and Bahir Dar. We are looking to recruit a qualified candidate on behalf of our client. Location    Sidama and Southwest Ethiopia  No. Required

• 4 (Four) Start date
• as soon as possible  BACKGROUND      Ethiopia’s Expanded Programme on Immunization has achieved significant progress in improving national immunization coverage in recent years. However, substantial sub‑national inequities remain, with a high concentration of zero‑dose and under‑immunized children in specific regions, zones, and woredas. These gaps are driven by multiple factors, including weak microplanning, hard‑to‑reach and mobile populations, service interruptions, data quality limitations, and insufficient implementation of equity‑focused strategies. In response, the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners, is prioritizing equity‑based immunization approaches. These include strengthening routine immunization, accelerating catch‑up vaccination, implementing Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI), and implementing targeted strategies to reach missed communities. Strengthening technical capacity at sub‑national levels particularly in high zero‑dose burden area is essential to advancing national immunization targets and reducing missed communities. Justification Under the GAVI Partners Engagement Framework, the Ministry of Health (MoH) received approval from GAVI to recruit  86 technical assistants across national and sub‑national levels. Of these,  eight positions were allocated to Client, and Client has received  TCA funding from GAVI to support their recruitment. Among the eight positions,  four Technical Assistants will be deployed at sub‑national level in Sidama and Southwest Ethiopia through a third‑party arrangement. Timely deployment of these TAs is critical to strengthen planning, implementation, monitoring, and quality improvement of immunization services at the sub‑national level. It also ensures fulfillment of agreed commitments with MoH and upholds Client’s credibility and leadership in supporting equitable immunization services. Objective To strengthen the planning, implementation, monitoring, and quality improvement of routine immunization and catch‑up vaccination services, with a focus on identifying and reaching zero‑dose, under‑immunized children and missed communities in high‑burden woredas of Sidama and the Southwest Ethiopia Region, in alignment with national immunization priorities. Specific Objectives Provide technical assistance to identify low‑performing areas and missed communities with zero‑dose children, and to analyse underlying health system constraints and root causes. Build the capacity of immunization managers and service providers on equity analysis, bottleneck assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring. Support the development and implementation of tailored strategies to reach zero‑dose children by addressing context‑specific barriers. Generate evidence, strengthen advocacy and accountability, and document best practices to inform continuous improvement of immunization services. Scope of Work    The regional and Zonal Technical Assistants will provide targeted technical support to zones and woredas to address equity gaps, strengthen routine immunization systems. Their support will focus on reaching zero dose and under immunized children, enhancing planning and implementation capacity, improving data quality and advancing the overall performance of the immunization programme.  Key Roles and Responsibilities of the Technical Assistants. Strengthen RED/REC Microplanning Support development, updating, and quality improvement of RED/REC micro plans, with emphasis on zero-dose and missed communities. Work closely with health care delivery systems in the region, zone, woreda and health facilities to improve capacity for equity-focused EPI planning and preparation of bottom-up community-based micro-plans and resource allocation.  Provide technical and operational assistance to ensure that kebele-level equity-focused EPI micro-plans are prepared (using a community participatory approach at the local level), regularly updated, and implemented.  Ensure that issues identified in high-risk communities are well addressed in the micro plan to ensure no children in those areas are left behind.  Capacity Building and Training : Train health workers and relevant stakeholders on immunization in Practice (IIP), MLM, Zero-dose identification and reduction strategies, Catch-up vaccination guidelines, New Vaccine introductions (NVI) Support technical support implementation of priority strategies RI, PIRI, catch-up and hit and run activities Technical Coordination and Engagement Participate in regional and sub-national immunization Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings. Support regional, zonal, and woreda-level immunization planning and implementation based on identified gaps and performance reviews. Advocacy and High-Level Communication. Assist the Zonal EPI Manager in preparing high-level advocacy and briefing materials on: Routine immunization performance, Zero-dose reduction and Catch-up vaccination initiatives Prepare periodic advocacy factsheet based on local evidence for local government and stakeholders to enhance program support, resource mobilization, and system strengthening.  Mentorship and Supportive Supervision Provide ongoing mentorship and coaching to Woreda and health facilities Support routine immunization and catch-up service delivery through regular supportive supervision visits. Provide field-level support to Woreda, Kebele level implementation and monitor the quality of bottom micro-planning to identify and map zero-dose children and missed communities in selected high-priority zero-dose child    Documentation of Best Practices Capture, document, and disseminate best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to strengthen immunization programming at national and global levels. Immunization Quality Improvement Support implementation of immunization quality improvement initiatives, including standardization of service delivery practices. Ensure timely and adequate vaccine supply, proper cold chain, and temperature monitoring  Facilitate timely distribution of vaccines and supplies to service delivery points  Identify gaps in the system for CCE handling, maintenance, and operations; facilitate timely resolution.  Facilitate regular EVM self-assessments, development of an improvement plan and support its implementations  Build the capacity of cold chain focal persons at every level to monitor and analyze records from temperature monitoring devices and take actions based on findings.  Monitor EPI performance and improve the quality of data  Provide technical support for ZHD to have good documentation {list of missed communities with details and means of access, equity-focused micro plans, Document findings and lessons learned from monitoring.  Monitor and report results on change (removal of bottlenecks and change in vaccination status in high-risk groups) attributed to equity-focused immunization program support using the agreed reporting template.  Provide technical assistance to ZHDs on EPI data collection, analysis and management to help data utilization for evidence-informed decision-making and planning for improvement in vaccine and cold chain management and coverage improvement.  Identify, with ZHD, poor performing woredas for focused monitoring and to plan regular supportive supervision visits.  Provide technical support for: New vaccine introductions and HPV vaccination planning, and implementation optimization of available vaccines Expected Deliverables  Updated RED/REC micro plans Training reports and participant lists Supportive supervision reports Documented best practices and success stories Monthly and quarterly activity reports  Reporting  Zonal Technical Assistant will work under the direct supervision of the Client FO Health Team and overall guidance of the immunization team at the Client country office.  They will work closely with the respective RHB/ZHD and provide direct support and progress reports to the EPI focal person of ZHD The TAs will prepare and compile a monthly travel plan and get approval from the supervisor (Client FO Health Team). Using an agreed format, the TAs will submit a monthly progress and travel report to the respective RHB/ Client FO Health Team and Client country office immunization Team.  Policy both parties should be aware of: HR firm will manage all the administrative issues and aspects based on HR’ policies and procedures. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement through the HR firm No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both HR firm and TA. Travel will be facilitated and managed by the HR firm in agreement with Client. Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on Client budget.   DELIVERABLES / REPORTING REQUIREMENTS  Major Tasks  Updated RED/REC micro plans Training reports and participant lists Supportive supervision reports Documented best practices and success stories Monthly and quarterly activity reports Deliverable Update RED/REC micro plan by PHCU Submission of Number of HWs trained  Submission of report on number of Woredas and Health facilities received Supportive Supervision  Submission of performance report Reports shall be submitted electronically in PDF format and shared with Client country office EPI team, respective Client Field office team and respective RHBs.  PROJECT MANAGEMENT  The consultants will be recruited by third-party staff) in collaboration with Client and MoH/RHBs and managed by third-party technical assistants will be seating at the Government office regional health bureau and zonal health office. The technical assistants will use own computer. Payment will be made by on monthly bases based on the submission of performance report. No contract may commence unless signed by both Client and the third-party staff and third-party company. Travel and DSA will be as per Government scale.  In exceptional cases, third-party personnel may be authorized to buy their travel tickets based on agreement with MoH and /RHBs.