National Consultant (NOD) - UN Agency

E-Zone HRM Limited is a management consulting group providing one-stop solutions to clients who seek improved and sustainable profitability through the effective use of their people and resources. We specialize in delivering innovative and value added services that promote revenue growth and cost containment.

E-Zone HRM Limited has a formal agreement with one of the United Nations Agency to provide outsourcing services under a third party contract.

E-Zone HRM Limited is now accepting applications from Bangladeshi Nationals for the following vacancies under third party outsourcing contract modality:

National Consultant (NOD)

Duty Station: Dhaka

Contract Duration: 50 days working days within 31 December 2022

Number of Vacancies: 1(One)

Contract Type: Contract with E-Zone

Contract Start Date: 01 May 2022

Reporting to: Chief - Nutrition Section/ Nutrition Specialist

A. Objectives:

The overall objective of the assignment is to facilitate the process towards successful recruitment of a dedicated nutrition cadre at district level in the public workforce in Bangladesh, through identification of the current status of 'District Nutrition Officer (DNO)/District Nutritionist' recruitment and successive advocacy for expediting the recruitment process.

B. Background:

Despite   many   challenges,   Bangladesh   has   made   and   sustained   progress   in   reducing undernutrition during the last two decades  through  scaling up nutrition-specific and nutrition- sensitive interventions including provision of diversified foods, access to healthcare, access to education, improved sanitation, women's empowerment, reducing poverty, etc. There has been a steady decline in stunting among children in Bangladesh under five at the rate of 1.4 percentage points per years; and yet, 28 percent  (5.5 million) of all under-5  children remain stunted. Ten percent of children suffer from wasting (MICS 2019). Childhood and maternal overweight are also emerging but significant issues in Bangladesh.

The government is committed to improving maternal and child nutrition and has rolled out the Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN2) 2016-2025, coordinated by the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC). The plan is based on a multi-sectoral strategy including health, education, agriculture, fisheries and livestock, environment, social protection, women empowerment, and disaster management to combat all forms of malnutrition. It aims to ensure universal access to nutrition services, and strengthened human resource capacity, focusing on children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The country has focused on nutrition-specific interventions that address the immediate causes of undernutrition; and since 2011, the nutrition services have been mainstreamed into the health sector through the Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program to be implemented through the National Nutrition Service (NNS). As per NNS implementation scheme, service providers of health and family planning departments of the MoHFW are responsible for providing nutrition services at facility and community level. However, there is a lack of dedicated staff to deliver nutrition services.  

One of the biggest barriers to the sustainability of nutrition programmes in Bangladesh is the lack of a dedicated  nutrition  cadre  in its  public  workforce.  Under  the  health  sector,  the  health workforce – mainly the doctors, nurses, and midwives as well as the frontline  Health Workers (HA, FWA,  CHCP etc)  make  up the  great  majority of workers  currently  entrusted to deliver nutrition  services.   Outside  of the  health  sector  there  is as of yet  no other  "workforce" for nutrition. To support Government informed policy decision, UN Agency provided technical support  to MOHFW to implement "District Nutrition Officer (DNSO)" approach at district level from 2014- 2019 which generated adequate evidence to strengthen capacity of sub-national level health managers to identify gaps, plan & monitor for corrective measures,  accelerating quality nutrition services with increased coverage.

Following the evidences from "DNSO" approach and to bridge the gap, the government of Bangladesh has initiated the process of recruiting dedicated nutrition cadre under Directorate General Of Health Services (DGHS) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). This process has been instigated as the Honorable Prime minister Sheikh Hasina had spoken about the need of nutritionists at hospitals when she launched the World Breastfeeding Week in August 2010. 

The National Nutrition Policy (NNP) 2015 has also incorporated the 'appointment of nutritionists in hospital and in public health nutrition program' as one of the strategic goal (6.3.20) to foster strengthening of nutrition-specific interventions in Bangladesh. Later on, the second National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NAPN2) 2016-25, emphasized 'recruitment of 64 District Nutritionists with adequate capacity development support and creation of position for 'Upazila Nutritionist' (6.3.20.1 and 6.3.20.2)' as short/mid-term strategic actions to achieve NNP 2015 goal.

Furthermore, the Honorable Prime Minister pledged to expedite the recruitment of 64 District Nutrition Officers by 2025, which is one of the twelve (12) commitments made by Bangladesh in the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2021 held in Tokyo, Japan.  

Following PM's announcement, MoHFW has taken lead in initiating the standard process of approval and recruitment of the post for District Nutrition Officer/Nutritionist (9 Grade) under the organogram of Civil Surgeon Office. In the meantime, there has been some progress:

• With approval/vetting from Ministry of Public Administration (MoPA) and Ministry of Finance  (MoFin), Ministry  of Health  and  Family  Welfare  (MoHFW) has  created  64 Nutritionist position for 64 districts under Civil Surgeon's Office.
• Ministry of Health  and  Family Welfare  (MoHFW) incorporated/drafted  "Recruitment Rules" and shared with the Public Service Commission (PSC) for review and suggestions
• Public Service Commission (PSC) returned the draft 'Recruitment Rules' to MoHFW with some queries and additional information
• MoHFW resubmitted the draft 'Recruitment Rules' to PSC with required information in September 2021

There is no further information on what happened with the 'Recruitment Rules' or at which stage exactly the nutritionist recruitment process stands  now. It can presumably be stated  that the process will have to pass through several crucial approval/vetting processes  before the final job announcement by the PSC:

• MoHFW to send the finalized 'Recruitment Rule' to the Ministry of Law (MoLaw) for vetting
• MoLaw approves & share the "Recruitment rules" back with MoHFW
• MoHFW shares the rules with the Prime Minister/President's Office for approval
• MoHFW to send final approved rules to MoLaw for Gazette Notification
• After the Gazette Notification, MoHFW to send letter to PSC for recruitment.
• PSC to publish circular for the position

UN Agency has put concerted efforts towards advocacy for a dedicated nutrition cadre, at all levels from service  provision  to  governance,  for improving  the  accountability  and  sustainability  of nutrition programs in Bangladesh. In the current  scenario, UN Agency is bringing forward the issue and imparting a consolidated advocacy element for speeding up the DNO recruitment process.

C. Scope of work:

The consultant will lead the facilitation of the process towards successful recruitment of a dedicated nutrition cadre in the public workforce in Bangladesh; including, but not limited to the following tasks:

• Identification, collection and review of all communications/policy directions/planning indications/commitments/pledge within/by government departments, ministries, authority, institutions regarding recruitment of DNO.
• Prepare a plan of action for lobbying and advocacy with government authority/ministry/agency/departments including PMO and PSC for taking forward the DNO recruitment process.
• Conduct one-on-one/group lobby and advocacy meetings with policy makers and authorities within Government to ensure expedition of the DNO recruitment process.
• Advocacy/facilitation for timely publication of Gazette Notification and circular for the position
• provide necessary technical assistance to relevant government entities to finalize the district nutrition officer recruitment process.

D. Deliverables and Schedules:

The assignment is designed for the duration 44 days working days within 31 December 2022

Deliverables/Output	Timeline	Payment schedule	Amount
Inception report with a detailed methodology and timeline of the assignment, report on the current status of recruitment process; including identification of advocacy points and next course of action	Within May 2022	8 days (16%)	BDT 161,617.77
Report on one-on- one/group lobby and advocacy meeting with Government counterparts, with follow-up actions	Within October 2022	30 days (60%)	BDT 606066.66
Report on the Gazette Notification and circular for the DNO position	Within December 2022	12 days (24%)	BDT 242426.66
Total		50 days (100%)	BDT 1010111.11

 

E. Reporting Requirements:

Consultant to report to the Chief, Nutrition Section/ Nutrition Specialist, , UN Agency Bangladesh and will provide –

• Inception report after signing the contract.
• Report/progress/update on the lobby and advocacy meetings
• Final report of the assignment including the final position of highest authority on the recruitment of DNO

F. Consultancy Cost:

• Consultant will get BDT 18,182/day consolidated; BDT 1,010,111.11 for 50 days including travel and DSA; other cost communication equipment, PC etc. are bear by the consultant
• Consultant will be located in Dhaka with limited travel to Dhaka Division and report to  Chief of Nutrition section// Nutrition Specialist,UN Agency Bangladesh, BCO- Dhaka 
• Office place, working station will be in UN Agency BCO as per requirement but not regular basis.
• Travel cost and travel arrangement in the field, UN Agency will bear the cost as per official policy.
• Consultant will be responsible to pay all taxes as per government rules and regulations. E-Zone will make statutory deductions towards income tax as per government rules and regulations.

G. Profile Requirements & Qualification Skills

Education: University graduation/post-graduation

Work Experience:

• Minimum 20 years professional work experience within/with government, especially in the planning, administrations, recruitment, law, finance etc. 
• Good understanding on the dynamics, structure, and management of health/public administration/etc.  
• Sound understanding on 'recruitment rules, regulations, and practices' in public sectors in Bangladesh. 
• Strong communication, lobby, and advocacy skills 

This position is open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies.

The UN Agency prides itself as fostering a multicultural and harmonious work environment, guaranteed by a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected consultants will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Candidates with the required profile and proven experience, who meet these qualifications, are invited to submit their application in English clearly mentioning the Job Title along with a meaningful cover letter, updated CV, recent PP size photographby email to: [email protected]

Last Date of Application: 27th April , 2022

Please mention the Applied Position Name on the subject line of your email

No phone calls please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All applications will be treated according to the merit and with strict confidentiality.