Consultant - Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Cambodia

Purpose of the consultancy

The WHO Country Office Cambodia is recruiting an experienced international immunization professional as a Short-Term Consultant to support the coordination of the National Immunization Program Review 2025 and the development of the updated National Immunization Strategy 2026-2030 including its Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

Background

The National Immunization Program (NIP) in Cambodia is a national program including 25 Provincial Health Departments, 103 Operational Districts and over 1,300 Health Centers. In order to identify the progress/achievement and gap in the program, a periodic comprehensive program review has been conducted jointly by external partners and national counterparts every five to six years. The most recent NIP program review in Cambodia was in 2017.

Cambodia NIP has National Immunization Strategy 2021-2025 and beyond up to 2030 (NIS), in accordance with Immunization Agenda 2030 and WHO Western Pacific Regional Framework on vaccine preventable diseases and immunization. As five years past, it is the time for mid-term review and do any necessary update of NIS towards NIS target goals in 2030.  Gavi, the vaccine alliance, also renewed its supporting policy and strategy for 2026-2030 (Gavi 6.0) that would affect to Cambodia’s NIP. Therefore, NIP discussed and agreed to conduct NIP review in 2025 and to update NIS with M&E framework, and to set up next five-year strategic plan 2026-2030 to be aligned with Gavi 6.0.  

NIP program review is to find the immunization program strengths, and to identify gaps and challenges in changing health system, finance and management system changes, and global situation. The specific objective of the 2025 NIP review is to assess the performance of immunization management by five thematic areas; 1) immunization program management, planning and financing, 2) human resource management and capacity building, 3) vaccine supplies cold chain, 4) immunization service, 5) VPD surveillance and AEFI and vaccine safety monitoring. Review sites include National level (National Technical Working Group for Health, NIP, and Central Medicine Store), Provincial/Municipal Health Department, Operational District Office, Health Centers, and Hospital in the randomly selected provinces. NIP and NIP partners will split to the review sites and provinces to conduct in-depth interview and secondary data collection using standardized questionnaires and check list.   

The country NIP review working group (NIP, NIP partners including WHO, UNICEF, CHAI), with two independent consultants (one national and one international) will play a role of hosting body of the review and update NIS for the period of 2026-2030 including monitoring and evaluation framework and develop the NIP plan 2026-2030 according to the review results. 

WHO Cambodia commissions a contract in supporting WHO CO and NIP for 1) NIP program review preparation, implementation, making preliminary draft conclusions and recommendations, finalizing the review report together with the country NIP review working group, and 2) updating NIS including its monitoring and evaluation framework.

Deliverables

A consultant will be working in country based in Phnom Penh and work under WHO CO VDI unit, for National Immunization Program of Ministry of Health. The consultancy will include the domestic travel to the provinces as required to accomplish the task. Below timeframe and the date of deliverables are tentative and subject to confirmation. The consultancy will perform the work to support NIP and WHO CO as following:

Output 1: NIP program review 

Deliverable 1.1: Provide technical support for developing

• Program review workplan and protocols
• Questionnaires and data entry tool as per review objectives for each of immunization services (quantitative and qualitative)
• Support orientation to the reviewers

  Deliverable 1.2: Support the country team in conducting NIP program review
  Deliverable 1.3: Support the country team on compilation, analysis and harmonization of all review findings and data
  Deliverable 1.4: Support the country team in developing preliminary review conclusions and recommendations
  Deliverable 1.5: Debrief to the NITAG and MOH on the results of NIP program review including conclusions and recommendations
  Deliverable 1.6: Draft NIP review report to be finalized with the country team and for MOH approval

  Output 2. The update of NIS and M&E framework 2026-2030

  📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

  ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

  Deliverable 2.1: Update NIS 2026-2030 and M&E framework based on the NIP review report, coverage survey, EVM assessment, and through interview and meetings with relevant departments and stakeholders at all levels 
  Deliverable 2.2: Hold the discussion with NIP, WHO, and NIP partners on draft NIS 2026-2030 and M&E framework 
  Deliverable 2.3: Finalize the NIS and M&E framework 2026-2030 

  Expected outcomes: following to this consultancy, Cambodia NIP is expected to have

  1. NIP program review report Full picture of NIP performance and situation in Cambodia
  2. Comprehensive and robust National Immunization Strategy 2026-2030 that provides clear visions and roadmap towards immunization goals 2030
  3. M&E mechanism that is fit to Cambodia context and aligned with global and regional strategic goals and priorities

     Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

     Qualification of Education:

     Essential: Advanced university degree in public health.
     Desirable: Medical Doctor

     Experience

     Essential: At least ten-year experience of public health, especially in the immunization program. Participation or coordination of NIP review in Asian countries. Independent program review, monitoring and evaluation related to immunization.
     Desirable: Participation or coordination of NIP review in Cambodia

     Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

     Essential: Excellent comprehensive knowledge on immunization program management and service implementation for all seven thematic review areas  
     Excellent field knowledge and practical skill on immunization activities within health system
     Coordination skill to consult with multiple partners and Cambodia counterpart and seek consensus between opposing points of view

     Desirable: Critical thinking and excellent skills on National Immunization Strategy development

     Language requirements:

     Expert knowledge of English (Read/Write/Speak)
     Desirable: Basic in Khmer in hearing and speaking

     Location

     On site: Cambodia 

     Travel

     The consultant is expected to travel to the assigned provinces in Cambodia.  All travel arrangements for the selected consultant will be made by WHO upon receiving the confirmed schedule of the NIP review.

     Remuneration and budget 

     Remuneration: Payband level C 
     Duration: 3 months, September to December 2025

     Additional Information:

     •    This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
     •    Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
     •    A written test may be used as a form of screening.
     •    If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
     •    For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
     •    The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics. 
     The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs. 
     Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int 
     •    An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.
     •    WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.
     •    WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
     •    Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. 
     •    WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
     •    Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
     •    In case the recruitment website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click the link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates.