National Vaccine Management and Cold Chain Emergency Consultant, Ukraine

Consultant – Immunization Systems Strengthening / Vaccine Cold Chain

WHO Country Office, Ukraine | External Consultancy | 2 Months (September – October 2026)

About the Role

The WHO Country Office in Ukraine is seeking a qualified external consultant to provide dedicated technical support to the Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization (VPI) unit. This engagement focuses on strengthening the national immunization system with a specific emphasis on vaccine cold chain resilience, emergency preparedness, and temperature monitoring in the context of the ongoing humanitarian emergency in Ukraine.

The Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine has created significant and sustained challenges to the functioning of the national health system, including the integrity of the vaccine cold chain. In response, WHO has identified a set of high-priority interventions aimed at safeguarding vaccine stocks, improving cold chain infrastructure reliability, and building the capacity of health workers at all levels of the immunization delivery system.

The consultant will work across two national vaccine logistics operators — SE Ukrvaktsyna and SE Medical Procurement of Ukraine — as well as with regional Centre for Disease Controls (rCDCs), Primary Health Care Centres (PHCCs), and health care facilities (HCFs). The role requires both technical expertise and practical field engagement, including travel within Kyiv and the Kyiv region.

This is a full-time, onsite consultancy for insurance and operational purposes, running from 1 September to 31 October 2026.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

The consultant will be accountable for delivering three defined work packages within the contract period:

Deliverable 1 — Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and Cold Chain Staff Training for PHCCs (Due: 31 October 2026)

• Prepare training agendas, presentation content, and practical materials for online Trainer of Trainers (ToT) sessions and cold chain staff training targeted at PHCCs, their ambulatories, and other vaccination service points
• Ensure training content addresses the practical use of procured temperature loggers and cold boxes, with particular attention to freeze-risk management and threats specific to frontline and conflict-affected regions
• Personally participate in no fewer than five online ToT and cold chain staff training sessions
• Adapt materials to reflect findings from the Temperature Monitoring Study (TMS) conducted across nine pilot regions, addressing identified temperature excursions outside recommended operating ranges

Deliverable 2 — Performance Qualification of Remote Temperature Monitoring Systems (RTMS) (Due: 30 September 2026)

• Conduct field work to assess the correct and reliable functioning of RTMS installed at the national operator warehouse of SE Ukrvaktsyna
• Apply the prepared Post-Installation Validation Protocol for WHO PQS E006 Compliant Remote Temperature Monitoring Systems
• Contribute technical findings to inform corrective actions and recommendations for the operator
• Support assessment coverage across more than 16 cold and freezer rooms used for vaccine storage by the two national operators, ensuring performance qualifications are completed where not previously undertaken

Deliverable 3 — Simulation Exercises (SimEx) on Cold Chain Emergency Response (Due: 31 October 2026)

• Design and conduct Simulation Exercises (SimEx) on emergency scenarios in the vaccine cold chain at the warehouses of both national logistics operators — SE Medical Procurement of Ukraine and SE Ukrvaktsyna — in accordance with the approved concept note and schedule
• Test and evaluate contingency plans for vaccine relocation to back-up cold storage facilities and for the prevention of vaccine losses during transportation in emergency conditions
• Actively participate in all SimEx follow-up meetings
• Prepare detailed reports for each national operator documenting key findings, identified gaps, and actionable recommendations
• Compile a consolidated brief summary SimEx report for submission to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Public Health Centre of Ukraine (UPHC)

Additional Responsibilities

Beyond the defined deliverables, the consultant is expected to:

• Engage constructively with WHO CO VPI unit staff, government counterparts, and partner organisations throughout the contract period
• Contribute to the development and potential revision of Ukrainian legislation related to vaccine cold chain management, as applicable
• Provide input into WHO's broader immunization system strengthening agenda in Ukraine
• Submit Monthly Progress Reports as a condition of payment, subject to review and approval by the Responsible