Consultancy- RAI Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Independent Monitoring Panel expert (multiple vacancies)
1. 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 the local context.
For the reasons above, the Regional Steering Committee, with the support of the Global Fund, has established an Independent Monitoring Panel for the RAI2E program (‘IMP’) which is now entering its second year of activities. The recruitment of members for the second phase of work of the IMP will be managed by the RSC Secretariat (hosted at WHO Cambodia).
The IMP informs the RSC whether the RAI2E implementers are on track to achieve the program’s goals and objectives, as well as identifying implementation bottlenecks/critical issues and proposing 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.
Start date: 1 Oct 2019
End date: 31 Dec 2020
2. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT
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.
A total of three candidates will be selected. The selected consultants will act as Independent Monitoring Panel Member, part of a group of three independent experts (‘Independent Monitoring Panel for RAI2E’). One of the selected candidates will be appointed as Chair of the IMP.
3. METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY AND LIST OF OUTPUTS
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 applicants. Consultancy fees will be paid on the basis of actual days worked. A table with the number of days worked and record of work should be kept and shared with the supervising officer periodically.
Output/s
Output 1: Conduct situation analysis to take stock of the situation and prepare for in-country activities (desk-based)
Tentative timeframe: Q4 2019 (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) for the country and regional components;
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 in-country missions to assess RAI2E implementation progress
Tentative timeframe: Q4 2019 to Q4 2020. 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, both for the country and regional components;
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 three interim programmatic analyses of RAI2E implementation progress
Tentative timeframe: Q4 2019, Q2 2020, Q4 2020. 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: Identification of relevant topics for future operational research in the GMS (desk-based)
Tentative timeframe: Q4 2019 (desk-based)
Deliverable 4.1: Formulate a report discussing the existing needs for evidence generation in the GMS. This should be able to inform the tendering of future Operational Research.
Output 5 (Chair only): Act as Chair / Team Leader for the IMP
Tentative timeframe: Ongoing throughout the contract period and subject to a 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 5.1: Act as a Chair and 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 5.2: Engage and build partnerships with other country-level and regional level oversight bodies and coordinate calendar of IMP activities as necessary;
Deliverable 5.3: Support the RSC to track bottleneck resolution and other IMP recommendations, in collaboration with partners at the country level;
Deliverable 5.4: Attend RSC meetings, and other national or regional convenings as necessary, to present findings and recommendations on behalf of the IMP team.
4. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
We seek senior-level public health experts with the following profile:
- Qualifications required:
An advanced degree in medicine, public health, epidemiology or a related field. For former 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)
- Experience required for Chair include managerial position(s) for over 10 years
- 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 in written and oral communication skills
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)
Start date: 01/10/2019, or as soon as the consultancy contract is signed
End date: 31/12/2020
It is estimated that each one of the selected consultants will be working an average of 7 working days per month.
Payments will be made based on the actual number of days worked. Some moths will require additional working days for in-country missions, according to the details below.
Place of assignment
The work will be performed remotely, except for the travel time specified below. 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.
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:
Nov 2019 (TBC-up to 10 days) TBD among RAI2E countries
Feb 2020 (TBC-up to 10 days)
June 2020 (TBC-up to 10 days)
Sept 2020 (TBC-up to 10 days)
Nov 2020 (TBC-up to 10 days)
Purpose: Conduct in-country mission to assess RAI2E implementation progress
Travel dates: Location:
Oct 2019 (TBC-up to 5 days) TBD among RAI2E countries
Apr 2020 (TBC-up to 5 days)
Oct 2020 (TBC-up to 5 days)
Purpose: Attend RSC meetings to present findings & recommendations from first in-country mission.
Additional travel 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 a 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 a visa support letter(s) if needed.
APPLICATIONS
Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 12 September 2019.
The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily fee and availability.
Please use Tender Notice No. WPRO/2019-08/KHM_RSC/TN95380/bab as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.