Consultant - Immunisation Specialist

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a private, non-denominational, international development agency established in 1967. It seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy & ill health with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous &other resource-poor regions, primarily in Asia, Africa &the Middle East. Its main areas of focus are education, health, rural development, environment &strengthening civil society.

Background

The SNIP( Strengthening Integrated Package of Nutrition and Immunisation in Pakistan) project is an innovative partnership between Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, The Power of Nutrition, and Aga Khan Development Network that will help to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals by delivering an integrated service package, generate demand, and promote health behaviors for immunization, health, and nutrition services, as well as deliver tangible benefits for communities in Gilgit Baltistan, Baluchistan, and Sindh provinces, this project will generate data, evidence and learning to fill gaps and discover what works in this under-resourced area

Duration: 6 months

Duty Station: Islamabad, with frequent travel to project sites

Scope of Work:

The Immunization Specialist will provide technical and operational support to enhance immunization service delivery across targeted project sites. The consultant will work closely with implementing partners, government counterparts, and AKF Pakistan (AKFP) to ensure effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of immunization activities while meeting the requirements of Gavi and other stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Support to Microplanning and Target Setting

• Collaborate with AKFP partners and provincial and district-level EPI offices to develop detailed immunization micro-plans for targeted districts, ensuring alignment with zero-dose strategies.
• Provide effective technical support for accurate target setting, focusing on underserved populations in Union Councils with low immunization coverage.
• Assist AKF’s implementing partners and government in strengthening fixed, outreach, and mobile immunization services to increase coverage and accessibility in project areas.
• Work closely with partners and government counterparts to address operational bottlenecks and ensure alignment with national and provincial immunization strategies.
• Improve the capacity of district teams and partners to collect and report accurate immunization data through data management and other relevant platforms including government-supported applications and data systems.
• Support quarterly data analyses and present with partners and AKU to identify service delivery gaps, monitor immunization coverage, and inform decision-making. Based on the field monitoring report, provide variance explanations and report issues and challenges
• Prepare synthesis reports of immunization performance and share actionable insights with AKFP.

Field Monitoring and Evaluation

• Conduct regular field visits to monitor immunization activities and provide technical guidance to partners and government teams.
• Support corrective actions based on performance monitoring frameworks and field observations.
• Assist in documenting best practices and lessons learned for program improvement.
• Provide recommendations for performance

Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide training and on-the-job training to health workers and partner staff on microplanning, services, and data reporting.
• Actively participate in district and local-level immunization coordination meetings, advocating for improved service delivery and equity-focused approaches.
• Work with government counterparts to ensure that immunization activities align with Gavi’s Health System Strengthening (HSS) framework.

Support to AKFP and Partners

• Act as a technical resource for AKFP and implementing partners, guiding immunization-related challenges.
• Regularly update AKFPs on progress, challenges, and recommendations for program enhancement and participate in program coordination and progress review meetings

Reporting:

The consultant will report directly to the Head of Program at Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKFP). Relevant field teams and project partners will also receive regular progress updates.

Duty Station:

The consultant will be based in Islamabad but will be required to travel frequently to project sites in:

• Diamer (Gilgit-Baltistan)
• Thatta and Sujawal (Sindh)
• Hub and Ustamohammad (Balochistan)

Field visits will constitute a significant portion of the consultant’s work, ensuring consistent on-ground technical support and monitoring.

Deliverables:

• Immunization micro plans for targeted districts.
• Assist in preparing quality monthly and quarterly reports highlighting immunization performance and challenges as per donor requirement
• Recommendations for improving immunization coverage and addressing service delivery gaps.
• Capacity-building and training sessions conducted for Government and implementing partners.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Advanced degree in public health, epidemiology, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in immunization programming, including work with the Government EPI program and Gavi-supported initiatives.
• Expertise in microplanning, vaccine management, and addressing zero-dose and under-immunized populations.
• Familiarity with immunization frameworks such as Gavi’s Health System Strengthening (HSS)
• Strong Expertise in working with multiple stakeholders, government health systems, and building the capacity of health teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use immunization data for decision-making.
• Experience working in remote and underserved communities.
• Familiarity with Pakistan’s immunization program and local health systems.
• Proficiency in tools such as DHIS2 and other immunization data platforms.