Consultant - Support to the Development of Polio and Routine Immunization

Job Posting Organization:
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian network, comprising 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Established to provide humanitarian assistance and support during crises, IFRC operates globally with a mission to respond to disasters, promote community resilience, and uphold fundamental humanitarian principles. The organization is guided by its Strategy 2030, which emphasizes response, resilience, and respect. IFRC has its headquarters in Geneva and regional offices in Nairobi, Panama, Kuala Lumpur, Budapest, and Beirut, along with various representation offices and delegations worldwide. The organization is committed to maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and adheres to strict child safeguarding principles, ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of its humanitarian efforts.

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to develop a comprehensive, donor-ready business case for scaling up Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization efforts in Afghanistan. The consultant will conduct a situational analysis of the immunization landscape, identifying coverage trends, zero-dose populations, and barriers to access. The role will also involve analyzing the value proposition of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in community-based service delivery, defining intervention packages, and developing scalable delivery models. The business case will include a financial and investment framework to support resource mobilization and strategic partnerships, ultimately contributing to improved immunization outcomes in Afghanistan.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will undertake several key components as part of the consultancy:

• Conduct a situational analysis of Afghanistan's immunization landscape, focusing on polio and routine immunization (RI), analyzing coverage trends, identifying zero-dose populations, and mapping key actors.
• Analyze the value proposition of IFRC and ARCS, defining ARCS's comparative advantage in community-based service delivery and demonstrating its complementarity with national Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and other partners.
• Design a scale-up model by identifying priority geographies and populations, defining intervention packages such as outreach and community engagement, and developing delivery models for effective implementation.
• Conduct a financial and economic analysis, developing costing scenarios, assessing cost-effectiveness, and outlining funding requirements and resource gaps.
• Project the impact of the proposed interventions, aiming for increased coverage rates, a reduction in zero-dose children, and contributions to polio eradication goals. The consultancy will produce an inception report, a draft business case, a validation workshop, and a final business case with a financial model.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess strong analytical skills, experience in public health, particularly in immunization programs, and familiarity with the humanitarian context in Afghanistan. The consultant should demonstrate expertise in developing business cases and financial models, as well as experience in stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization. Strong communication skills in English are essential, and knowledge of local languages would be an advantage.

Educational Background:
A master's degree in public health, international development, or a related field is required. Additional qualifications in project management or business administration would be beneficial.

Experience:
The consultant should have at least 5 years of relevant experience in public health, with a focus on immunization programs and humanitarian response. Experience working in Afghanistan or similar contexts is highly desirable, along with a proven track record of developing strategic documents and engaging with donors and stakeholders.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, and knowledge of local languages such as Dari or Pashto would be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to span 60 billable working days, concluding by 28 February 202

• The position is fully remote, allowing the consultant to work from their home location. The consultancy will involve collaboration with the Afghanistan country team and support from the Health and Care and Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization teams in the Asia Pacific Regional Office and Geneva office.