National Consultant: For SRHR Policy and Planning, Dhaka, UNFPA Bangladesh

The Position:

Working under the direct supervision of Chief of Health, the National Consultant: For SRHR Policy and Planning
 will be responsible for working with Senior / Secretary/Addl./Jt. Secretary of MoHFW and other decision-making officials in other ministries, offices and parliamentary committees viz., PM’s Office, Planning Commission, Finance Ministry, CHT Ministry, MOLGRD, MOSW, MOWCA, MOCHTA, etc. for strengthening critical areas of health systems for delivering equitable, quality and comprehensive SRHR and HGBV services across different tiers of health systems: community, primary, secondary and tertiary.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

You would be responsible for:

The Consultant will be responsible for:
 

• As per relevant OPs of the 5th sector plan, policy formulation and/or updating on revitalizing UH&FWCs and urban health facilities as 24x7 primary health care facilities, offering maternity, basic SRHR, EmONC and HGBV services by the deployment of adequate number of midwives and facility readiness.
• Support MoHFW and its directorates including the DGNM and DGFP and advocacy with the Ministry of Finance for the creation of proposed 2,000 midwifery positions for the UH&FWCs, develop recruitment rules, deployment and transfer guidance to make it sustainable for all future such post-creation and deployment initiatives.
• Support MoHFW and its different directorates for mainstreaming SRHR, HGBV and ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) in the implementation and monitoring of the 5th Health Sector Programme and ensuring adequate resource allocation for comprehensive SRH services in the relevant operational plans.
• Advocacy with the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA) and the MOHFW to create provision for scholarships to support ethnic girls to study midwifery education.
• Liaison and advocacy with the MoCHTA and the MoHFW for the deployment of midwives from ethnic background within their own community to serve on SRH issues.
• Support to develop project proposals (DPP) and operationalize them for both the DRP and host communities for the WB-supported project entitled “Inclusive Services and Opportunities for Host Communities and Displaced Rohingya Community Project” (known as ISO project).
• Support and provide guidance to the Project Implementation Unit of the MoHFW for the effective administration, management, monitoring and coordination of the WB-supported ISO project especially on the areas of refurbishment and renovation of selected health facilities, HR deployment.
• Review periodically SRHR related different operational plans and HR structure and the available staff thereof, both at the managerial and service delivery levels and the budgetary provision and availability of the hardware and software to run these structures, especially in the context of populations and geographies they serve and are accountable for-
  • Translation of the recommendations into MoHFW and other ministries’
  (e.g., MOCHTA) Policies
  • Implementation of the policies
• Planning, organizing and facilitating high level consultations between MoHFW and Ministry of Local Government to remove bottleneck for the implementation of urban health strategy and supporting coordination among the DGHS, DGFP, and DGNM for the smooth implementation of urban SRHR activities.
• Provide any other assistance to the Chief of Health in planning, organizing, facilitating meetings and dialogue with high level government officials on strategic and sensitive policy matters on UNFPA mandated areas on Health.
   

Key Deliverables:
 

• Detailed Plan of Action with timelines as per the tasks identified above
• Policy, guidelines, ToRs, SoPs, Readouts, brief reports as relevant to the activities above, especially on issues like midwife recruitment at the UH&FWCs, stipend for the aspiring midwives from ethnic CHT girls, DPP for the ISO project and financing for the SRHR related OPs.
• Monthly reports in a standard format of tasks accomplished in the month.
   

Qualifications and Experience: 

• At least 15 years of work experience at a high level in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
•  Postgraduate university degree in development studies/health economics/ public health / Programme and Business management or any other relevant field.
• Knowledge of health systems and structures of MoH&FW and its Directorates and understanding of interlinkages of health with other development and social sector areas.
• Demonstrated experience of national health programme development, planning, oversight and implementation, with hands on experience with national Health Sector Programme.
• Strong advocacy and coordination skills and public health management.
• Fluent in English with excellent writing proficiency. Familiarity with UNFPA’s mandate and work.
   

Grade: NOB

Duration: 11 Months 

Place where services are to be delivered: UNFPA Bangladesh Country Office.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):The consultant will provide technical assistance on daily basis as per UN working day/hours and will be paid on monthly basis. The work will be submitted as deliverables identified above under scope of work. These would be electronic and where needed hard copies.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The consultant will be expected to work remotely with regular in-person meetings to be held at UNFPA country office, project offices and in other partners’ office. The Chief of Health, UNFPA will provide day-to-day monitoring and supervision.

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of Health, UNFPA and will collaborate with programme managers for day-to-day activities.

Expected travel: The Consultant will have to make her/his own arrangements and bear cost to attend meetings and consultations while in Dhaka. UNFPA will pay for any work-related travel outside Dhaka.
 

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:
The consultant will have to use his/her own laptop.

Payment Instruction: Upon submission of monthly timesheet.

Other relevant information or special conditions: 

The tools, reports or documents or any part, cannot be sold, used, or reproduced in any manner without the prior written approval of UNFPA.
 

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.