UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

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

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, care

Are you passionate about strengthening health systems and making a tangible difference in children’s lives?

UNICEF Pacific is seeking a dedicated International Consultant to support immunization system strengthening in Kiribati, a unique island nation in the heart of the Pacific.

Why Kiribati?
Kiribati is made up of 33 atolls and reef islands, rich in culture and biodiversity. While its remote location presents logistical challenges, it also offers a rare opportunity to work closely with communities and contribute to meaningful, lasting change in public health.

How can you make a difference? 
UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and partners, has made significant strides in improving immunization coverage. However, challenges remain—particularly in reaching every child with life-saving vaccines and preventing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

We are looking for a consultant to be based full-time in Tarawa, Kiribati (with field missions to outer islands) for 86 days over 4 months. You will provide technical assistance, support capacity building, and help implement key strategies to improve routine immunization and integrate new vaccines like HPV into national programs.

Key Areas of Support:

• Strengthen national capacity in immunization service delivery and supply chain management
• Support implementation of the Effective Vaccine Management Assessment (EVMA) improvement plan
• Advance HPV vaccine integration through school and outreach programs
• Finalize reporting for recent MR Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA)

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• A degree in Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Immunology, or related fields
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in immunization programs, SIAs, and supply chain management
• Experience in the Pacific Islands, especially Kiribati, is highly desirable
• Strong communication, coordination, and data management skills
• Fluency in English (local language skills are an asset)

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Applicants are requested to submit a separate financial proposal along with their application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount covering all deliverables outlined in the Terms of Reference, with a detailed breakdown of the following components:

• Monthly/Daily Fees – Based on the expected deliverables and duration of the assignment
• Travel Costs – Including economy class airfare (if applicable) for travel to take up the assignment and any in-country travel required
• Living Allowance – Applicable for international consultants based in-country
• Miscellaneous Costs – Including visa fees, health insurance (with medical evacuation coverage for international consultants), communication expenses, and any other relevant costs

Please ensure that all costs are clearly itemized and justified in your proposal.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most
This is more than a consultancy—it’s a chance to contribute to the health and future of children in one of the world’s most remote and resilient nations.

📄 Click here to view the full Terms of Reference

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.