VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

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:

Consultant (Team Leader) – NPAN2 MTR

Contract Duration: 33 days spread over 2.5 months

Number of Vacancies: 1(One)

Contract Type: Contract with E-Zone

Contract Start Date: 15th May 2022

Reporting to: MTR Core Group

A. Objectives:

The overall objective of the assignment is to review the progress of National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN2) based on its agreed principles, objectives, indicators, and targets aligned with various thematic areas for its operationalization for the period of 2016 to 2021. This review exercise will also find the challenges faced and lesson learned during this period and suggest corrective measures to accelerate implementation for remaining period and direction for post-2025 period considering the development priorities and projections of Bangladesh.

B. Background:

The second NPAN2 is a costed action plan to operationalize the National Nutrition Policy (NNP) 2015 over the period of 10 years during 2016-2025. Concomitantly, revitalization of the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) was done by the honorable Prime Minister as the Chair in 2015 and approved NPAN2 in 2017. The NPAN2 encompasses apposite articulation and prioritization for nutrition strategies and actions with concrete steps to ensure multisectoral governance, coordination and central and local level planning, implementation, and monitoring.  The core principle of implementation of the NPAN2 is to “plan collectively, implement sectorally and evaluate collectively” involving 22 ministries.   The milestones for implementation of NPAN2 is divided into three periods - (i) short-term: accelerated implementation over the 3 years (2016 –
2018); (ii) mid-term: implementation over the 5 years (2016 – 2020); and (iii) long-term: implementation over the 10 years (2016 – 2025). The estimated cost is approximately Taka 12,459 crore (USD 1.6 billion) to carry out the priority nutrition specific and sensitive activities, institutional development, and capacity-building, as well as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) over the ten years period.

In consideration of the implementation milestones, the NPAN2 has already passed its halfway and meets eligibility for a mid-term review of its implementation progress. Even the NPAN2 has included the provisions for its mid-term evaluation; and suggested that MTR should be initiated by the government with development partners’ engagement and to be conducted by an independent review team (NPAN2, Chapter 8, Monitoring and evaluation).

The mid-term review is also crucial in this particular period considering the concurrent and evolving situations, challenges and development in socio-economic, food security and nutrition sectors worldwide, e.g., the advent of global COVID-19 pandemic and its subversive impacts on the whole sphere of life and livelihoods. There have also been several global development initiatives in the food security and nutrition sectors, for example, Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021, UN Food Systems Summit 2021 along with national plans e.g. 8th 5 year Plan.

The main purpose of the mid-term review of NPAN2 will be to assess the progress of its implementations, finding the challenges, suggest corrective measures, way forward to accelerate implementation progress and adjustment required for remaining implementation period.Furthermore, the findings will also suggest for direction for post-2025 period considering the development priorities and projections in making Bangladesh a developed country by 2041. 

The specific objectives of the mid-term review of NPAN2 will be

1. To review the progress of strategic actions implementation and M&E Matrix of NPAN2 from 2016-2021 [(i) progress of targets & indicators; (ii) identify the gaps/challenges should there be any].
2. To review the functions of BNNC for operationalization of NPAN2 including an evaluation of the relevance of these functions, assess to what extent has BNNC been able to fulfil its functions as defined in NPAN2, identify progress, challenges, mitigation strategies, lessons learned and short, medium, and long-term recommendations. 
3. To review the status of national and sub-national level (vertical and horizontal) multisectoral nutrition governance, coordination, planning, implementation, and monitoring; challenges encountered, measures taken to overcome those challenges, and lessons learned; review to what extent BNNC's coordination structures were able to support coordination, planning, implementation, and monitoring of multi-sectoral nutrition interventions identified in NPAN2,including frequency of meetings conducted in comparison to their ToRs, and to what extent their functions under their ToRs have been fulfilled. Existing coordination structures/platforms at national level are BNNC Council, ExecutiveCommittee (EC), Standing Technical Committee (STC), 5 thematic platforms (capacity development, communication, nutrition-specific, nutrition-sensitive, M&E and research) and at sub-national level are District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNCC), Upazila Nutrition Coordination Committee (UNCC).
4. To identify the total sector’s budget (GoB, DPs), the NPAN2 required budget, status of budget allocation/nutrition investment; assess the actual spending and relevant factors for implementation of NPAN2 within the period of 2016-2021; challenges, measures taken to overcome those challenges, and lessons learned. 
5. To review the focus in response to emerging issues (e.g., COVID-19, urban nutrition, climate change and resilience, etc.) under NPAN2 and how did NPAN2 activities change in response to these emerging issues; identify issues that were not taken into account during the development of NPAN2 that altered its implementation; challenges, opportunities, lessons learned and recommendations for the short, medium and long-term. 
6. To identify at what extent does NPAN2’s targets, recommendations are aligned with existing and new commitments in various national policy documents (8th FYP, NFNSP) and global commitments (WHA, SDGs, SUN Movement, UNFSS, GAP, and N4G); recommend actions that need to be taken into account during the revision of NPAN2 in line with national and global commitments.

The above MTR objectives are clustered into three task areas viz: 

a) Operational (objectives II and III);
b) Technical (objectives I, V, & VI); and
c) Financial (objective IV).   
 
In its 6th meeting of the Standing Technical Committee (STC) of BNNC held on March 6, 2022, discussed and agreed to undertake the MTR and provided instruction to Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) to proceed without further delay. It was also discussed and agreed toconduct the MTR by an Independent Review Team (IRT). 

The IRT will consist of a Team Leader and three thematic area-wise consultants. The Team Leader(TL) will lead the MTR process as a whole and coordinate actions in producing and submission of the deliverables including Final NPAN2 MTR Report on time. The TL will be supported by three consultants, each one responsible for one of the three task areas defined above. The Team Leader will work closely with DG, BNNC for day to day guidance related to MTR and will also coordinate with Standing Technical Committee (STC) and MTR Core group. H/she will supervise and coordinate among the consultants in delivering their respective deliverables, as well as, common IRT deliverables. DG-BNNC, or a designated officer from BNNC will provide necessary support to the TL.

UN Agency and BNNC will jointly do the shortlisting, identifying through desk review and recruiting the consultant. The disbursing the remunerations of the consultant will be done by UN Agency upon ensuring on-time deliverables at an acceptable quality.

C. Scope of work:

The scope of work includes, but not limited to the following tasks:

• Lead and facilitate MTR planning, inception and execution: Develop a detailed work plan in coordination with MTR consultants, BNNC and UN Agency, to ensure streamlined planning of field observation visits and stakeholder consultation.
• Facilitate workshops/meetings/consultations/dialogues 
• Coordinate the tasks/responsibilities/roles of thematic area-wise consultants
• Prepare and submit draft MTR report by consolidating the task area reports submitted by thematic area-wise consultants.
• Prepare and submit Final MTR Report incorporating feedback/opinions/suggestions, as applicable, from different/multiple consultation meetings/workshops/dialogues .
• Facilitate the final wrap-up meeting, dissemination workshop etc.

The Final MTR report should be of 45-50 pages maximum with standard font and line/paragraph spacing; and must contain an executive summary, progress against indicators; constraints in implementation, lesson learned and ways to overcome those constraints; and recommendations for - (i) priorities, strategies for NPAN2 implementation for remaining period and (ii) direction for post-2025 period considering the development priorities and projections in making Bangladesh a developed country by 2041.

D. Deliverables and Schedules:

The assignment is designed for the duration of 33 working days between 15 May – 31 July 2022.

E. Consultancy Cost:

1. Consultant will get consolidated BDT 6,00,006 for 33 days; other cost communication equipment, PC, laptops etc. are borne by the consultant .
2. Consultant will be located in Dhaka; with limited travel to field visit.
3. Office place will be at BNNC (the Secretariat for the NAPN2 MTR).
4. 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.

F. Profile Requirements Qualification Skill:

Education: 

• Excellent academic background in Nutrition, Public Health, Global Health, Agricultural Science, Economics, Finance, International Relation, Development Studies or any other relevant areas. Post graduate degree in above-mentioned subjects is preferred.

Work Experience and skills:

• Minimum 20 years of working experience in the Health/Nutrition/Food/ Agriculture sectors
• The consultant must have comprehensive understanding of the nutrition relevant policies, strategies, plans and programmes of Bangladesh
• Thorough understanding of public health, nutrition, food system, national and sub-national level planning, implementation and governance systems of Bangladesh
• Experience in leading, reviewing/evaluating multisector approach development process
• Understanding about evaluation tools, designs, and methods; and leading/participating in HPNSP MTR or similar process will be an added advantage.
• Strong documentation and presentation skill .
• Programme and humanitarian response experience will be an added advantage.
• Language Skill:  Strong (written and oral) command of English and Bangla.
• Computer Skill: Excellent computer skills in Microsoft office application (MS Word, Power Point)

Functional Competencies:

• Collaborating and cooperating effectively with others in a team
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse people
• Openness to change, flexibility, and ability to manage complexities
• Result oriented

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 photograph by email to:
jobs.un@e-zonebd.com

Last Date of Application: 7th May, 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.