Immunization Officer (Vaccine Management & Cold Chain), NO-1, Yaounde, Cameroun, #136668 and [Temp Appointment]

Apply now Job no: 592033 Contract type: Temporary Appointment Duty Station: Yaounde Level: NO-1 Location: Cameroon Categories: Health and Nutrition UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF. For every child, the right to Health, I - Context In Cameroon, UNICEF plays a pivotal role as a strategic partner of the Ministry of Health and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Through its Supply Division and Procurement Services (PS), UNICEF supports the government in sourcing quality-assured vaccines, immunization devices, cold chain equipment, and transport materials. As a core Gavi partner, UNICEF contributes to every stage of the immunization supply chain, from global procurement to last-mile delivery, ensuring that vaccines reach health facilities safely and efficiently. Beyond vaccines, partners such as WHO, CHAI, Africa CDC, the UPS Foundation complement, UNICEF’s work by strengthening distribution systems and logistics capacity. By the 2025 last quarter, the country’s cold chain system includes 3,304 pieces of equipment, notably 42 cold rooms, 4 UCC freezers, 3,066 vaccine refrigerators, and 182 freezers for ice‑pack recycling. A total of 3,117 PQS‑approved refrigerators are deployed across regions, districts, and health facilities. Currently, 51% of FOSA have PQS refrigerators, a proportion expected to rise to 80% with the addition of the newly acquired 1,800 CCEOP units. UNICEF support the management of procurement and delivery of vaccines to points of entry, after which distribution operates through a PUSH system to regions and districts, while health facilities obtain vaccines through PULL mechanisms. Waste management capacity includes 35 functional incinerators, with additional units under installation. Since 2024, all regions are equipped with refrigerated pickup trucks to strengthen vaccine distribution. Despite significant investments, several challenges persist: inadequate temperature monitoring in cold rooms, weak stock management at intermediate and operational levels, discrepancies between SMT data and physical inventories, poor quantification practices, lack of a system for monitoring vaccine losses, and insufficient maintenance of cold chain equipment. The 2025 EVM assessment reported a 75% composite score (under the objective of 80%), lower than the 2019 performance, with district and facility levels performing below expectations. A 2020–2025 improvement plan focuses on supply chain redesign, cold chain equipment, temperature monitoring, distribution systems, human resources, data management, and waste management. Immunization coverage is in progress with DPT3 coverage at 89% at the end of 2025. This remains fragile. In 2022, an estimated 166,118 children in Cameroon received no vaccine doses, and 253,220 were under-immunized, and increase compared to COVID-19 pre-pandemic levels. To support recovery, Gavi allocated over 4 million doses of key antigens (IPV, MR, PCV-13, Rota, Yellow Fever, Pentavalent, and bOPV) for 2024. UNICEF’s role includes not only procurement support but also ensuring these vaccines are properly managed, stored, and distributed through a functioning cold chain. Accurately tracking vaccine doses during catch‑up efforts is difficult because multiple age groups (for routine and catch-up) use the same open vials. Despite updated reporting tools, clearer guidance is needed. Cameroon conducted PIRI rounds in 2024–2025, with UNICEF ensuring proper vaccine supply planning, cold chain readiness, and logistics for each planned vaccination round. Within this context, the Immunization Supply Chain Officer plays a critical leadership role. The officer ensures timely mobilization of immunization commodities through UNICEF Procurement Services, strengthens cold chain systems, supports vaccine forecasting and stock management, and contributes to monitoring and evaluation of the supply chain. These functions are essential for achieving national immunization goals and ensuring that every child in Cameroon, especially the most vulnerable, receives lifesaving vaccines. How can you make a difference? II - Purpose Of Assignment & Justification The overall objective is to ensure the timely availability of vaccines and immunization s