RAI Regional Steering Committee (RSC) - Team Leader / Chair

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the RAI Regional Steering Committee (RSC) in its oversight mandate by providing an independent assessment of the Global Fund-financed RAI2E program.

The selected consultant will act as Team Leader / Chair to a group of three independent experts (‘Independent Monitoring Panel for RAI2E’).

Background

The Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI) was launched in 2013 in response to the emergence of artemisinin resistant malaria in the Greater Mekong region. Funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the first RAI round (2014-2017) was a USD 100m grant covering the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The RAI Regional Steering Committee (RSC), a multi-stakeholder governance body, provides strategic guidance, selects recipient implementers, and oversees grant implementation track progress against program objectives and ensures funding is used in accordance with agreed strategic priorities. A follow-on investment was recently signed for 2018-2020 as an expansion of the RAI, renamed the RAI2-Elimination (RAI2E) grant, with a total of USD 242m over three years.

The RAI2E focus on elimination requires a united effort with shared visibility over quality of implementation. The RSC has also acknowledged that the increased volume of funds, together with the exceptionalism of elimination requires more granular data and attention to sub-national implementation challenges, course correction and resolution. Routine program implementation/ grant data (e.g. collected through semi-annual PUDRs) are vital, but insufficient; they measure outcomes and/or coverage of services, without the supporting contextual link to implementation quality on the ground. Field level intelligence is required, and this becomes critically important as micro-planning increasingly tailors local implementation to local context.

For the reasons above, the Regional Steering Committee, with the support of the Global Fund, is establishing an Independent Monitoring Panel for the RAI2E program (‘IMP’), to be recruited/contracted through the RSC Secretariat (hosted at WHO Cambodia).

The IMP will inform the RSC whether the RAI2E implementers are on track to achieve the program’s goals and objectives, as well as identify implementation bottlenecks/critical issues and propose remedial actions to ensure that the RAI grant objectives and targets are achieved and impact is maximized.

Main objectives:

• Provide evidence-based, qualitative, and independent feedback, both to country leadership and to the RSC as the accountable body regionally, on the quality and effectiveness of RAI2E program implementation;
• Identify critical bottleneck issues affecting the achievement of programmatic (semi-annual/annual) goals;
• Support the RSC governance role by providing strategic analysis and recommendations for remedial actions.

IMP consultants will work under the overall guidance and direction of the RSC, to which they report. The IMP is an advisory group, and has no decision-making authority. IMP members are selected by the RSC but are expected to be completely independent in the conduct of their duties, and have no conflict of interest (or will clearly state any conflict in order for the RSC or their delegate to make a determination of their ability to serve). They serve in an individual/personal capacity.

Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date:  01/07/2018, or as soon as the consultancy contract is signed

End date: 30/06/2019

Work to be performed

Method(s) to carry out the activity

The assignment is based on a combination of desk reviews, interviews/consultations (in-person/remotely) and field visits to RAI2E implementation areas. The level of effort for the assignment period will be determined in collaboration with the successful applicant, and is estimated to be between 75 and 90 days. Consultancy fees will be paid on the basis of actual days worked.

Output 1: Conduct preliminary situation analysis to take stock of the situation and prepare for in-country activities (desk-based)

Tentative timeframe: Q3 2018 (desk-based)

Deliverable 1.1: Collect and analyse available RAI2E programmatic reports and other relevant program information as available (e.g. program reviews, survey data, LFA reviews, CCM oversight reports, other);

Deliverable 1.2: Formulate a preliminary analysis report covering the overall status of RAI2E program implementation and identifying the most important challenges / issues requiring further attention, including possible suggestions for in-field scope of work.

Output 2: Conduct two in-country missions to assess RAI2E implementation progress

Tentative timeframe: Q3 2018 and Q1 2019. Locations to be determined among five RAI2E countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam).

Deliverable 2.1: Conduct in-country interviews with RAI2E implementers (PR, co-PRs, SRs / NMCPs) and other stakeholders, including field level visits / interviews to assess implementation progress;

Deliverable 2.2: Provide operational, problem-solving support and advice to implementers, including identifying concrete solutions for resolution of critical bottlenecks (wherever possible during missions, in situ);

Deliverable 2.3: As part of a detailed mission report, formulate recommendations for remedial action for RAI implementers, RSC, CCMs, and other stakeholders as relevant, on how to improve program quality and effectiveness, and if needed, alert the RSC of critical problems that are impeding progress.

Output 3: Provide two interim programmatic analyses of RAI2E implementation progress

Tentative timeframe: Q4 2018 and Q2 2019. Deliverables to be completed remotely (desk-based).

Deliverable 2.1: Collect and analyse RAI2E programmatic reports (including Progress Updates of regional PR, and quarterly updates) and other relevant program information as available;

Deliverable 2.2: As part of a detailed analytical report, formulate recommendations for remedial action for RAI implementers, RSC, CCMs, and other stakeholders as relevant, on how to improve program quality and effectiveness.

Output 4 (Expert 1 / Chair only): Act as Chair / Team Leader for the IMP

Tentative timeframe: Ongoing throughout contract period and subject to calendar of RSC activities. Deliverables to be provided through a combination of remote communications (Email, Skype/phone) and in-person visits in-country – specific locations to be determined on a needs basis (among RAI2E countries).

Deliverable 3.1: Provide leadership for the team of IMP experts and take overall responsibility to ensure high quality and timely delivery of the IMP activity plans, reviews/analyses and reports, under the guidance of the RSC and with the administrative/logistical support of the RSC Secretariat (WHO Cambodia);

Deliverable 3.2: Engage and build partnerships with other country level and regional level oversight bodies and coordinate calendar of IMP activities as necessary;
Deliverable 3.3: Support the RSC to track bottleneck resolution and other IMP recommendations, in collaboration with partners at country level;
Deliverable 3.4: Attend RSC meetings, and other national or regional convenings as necessary, to present findings and recommendations on behalf of the IMP team.

Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the RAI Regional Steering Committee and its appointed delegates (e.g. Executive Committee).

Oversight from the RSC will be coordinated through the RSC Secretariat, who will also provide administrative and contractual supervision as below:

Responsible Officer:  Amelie Joubert, RSC Technical Officer, RSC/MVP
Email:   jouberta@who.int

Specific requirements

We seek a senior-level public health expert with the following profile:

- Qualifications required:

An advanced degree in medicine, public health, epidemiology or a related field. For internal WHO and UN system candidates with a first university degree, 4 years of work experience relevant to the vacancy may be substituted for Master’s level degree.

- Experience required:

• At least fifteen (15) years’ international experience in health policy, global health governance or in the design/implementation/evaluation of health programs, preferably in an advisory capacity at senior levels
• Experience in high level advocacy and/or leadership of health initiatives or programs
• Experience leading or chairing technical or policy-related governance bodies (e.g. committees, Board…)
• Experience working in the Greater Mekong Subregion (desirable)
• Experience working with the Global Fund (desirable)

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Strong leadership and managerial qualities, ability to manage staff and coordinate a team of independent experts;      
• Strong diplomatic, negotiation, advocacy and interpersonal skills;
• Proven ability to engage with, and build partnerships, across a broad range of stakeholders at senior level (governments, donors, WHO, APLMA, etc.)
• Significant malaria control and elimination knowledge and experience

- Language requirements:

Excellent English written and oral communication skills

Competencies  -   See above.

Place of assignment

The assignment will be based on a combination of desk-based work and in-country meetings and field visits, to be conducted in up to five different countries where the RAI2E program is being implemented (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam).

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel according to the itinerary and estimated schedule below:

Travel dates    /       Location

Sept 2018 (TBC – up to 15 days)   /     TBD among RAI2E countries

Purpose:  Lead first in-country mission to assess RAI2E implementation progress

Travel dates       /       Location

Late October 2018 (TBC – up to 5 days)   /    TBD among RAI2E countries

Purpose: Attend 12th RSC meeting to present findings & recommendations from first in-country mission

Travel dates      /        Location

Feb 2019 (TBC – up to 15 days)    /       TBD among RAI2E countries

Purpose:  Lead second in-country mission to assess RAI2E implementation progress

Travel dates      /        Location

April 2019 (TBC- up to 5 days)       /     TBD among RAI2E countries

Purpose: Attend 13th RSC meeting to present findings & recommendations from first in-country mission

Additional travel for the IMP Chair may be required on an ad hoc basis in support of the aforementioned responsibilities, up to an additional 15 days for the assignment period.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Interested should submit the following documents to wpkhmprocurement@who.int by 25 March 2018. Please use Tender Notice No. 68924 as subject to all submissions.

• Expression of Interest
• WHO personal history form or CV

Please note that the application may be closed before the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. Only the successful candidates will be contacted