PN 36 - Ongoing Recruitment: STTA - Junior Level National - Research Associate

Job details

TA Title: E4H Punjab TA: Technical Assistance to Support Development of a Governance Framework for the Punjab Nursing Centres of Excellence (COEs) Programme Evidence for Health (E4H) is a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)-funded programme aimed at strengthening Pakistan's healthcare system, thereby decreasing the burden of illness and saving lives. E4H (2023-2027) provides technical assistance (TA) to Punjab and also to the Federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments. The Punjab component is being implemented by Palladium along with Oxford Policy Management (OPM). Through its flexible, embedded, and demand-driven model, E4H Punjab will support the government to achieve a resilient health system that is prepared for health emergencies, responsive to the latest evidence, and delivers equitable, quality, and efficient healthcare services. Specifically, E4H will deliver TA across three outputs: Output 1: Strengthened integrated health security, with a focus on preparing and responding to health emergencies, including pandemics. Output 2: Strengthened evidence-based decision-making to drive health sector performance and accountability. Output 3: Improved implementation of Universal Health Coverage, with a focus on ending preventable deaths. E4H-Punjab works in partnership with the Punjab Department of Health (DOH). Terms of reference Background The quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of health workforce education institutions depend fundamentally on the governance systems within which they operate. In Punjab, nursing workforce development is delivered through a combination of public sector nursing colleges and a growing private training sector. Governance arrangements are currently fragmented across Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED), affiliated institutions (medical universities), and regulatory bodies such as the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), with limited standardisation of decision-making, accountability, and institutional autonomy. International experience indicates that high-performing health professional education institutions require clear governance arrangements, defined accountability structures, transparent decision-making, effective leadership, and appropriate institutional autonomy supported by robust oversight. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021–2025 emphasises leadership, governance, and institutional capacity as key enablers of nursing workforce development. Similarly, the WHO State of the World's Nursing Report 2020 highlights the importance of strengthening governance and leadership within nursing education institutions to support workforce quality and sustainability. Experience from comparable countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, demonstrates that Nursing Centres of Excellence achieve improved educational, research, and workforce outcomes when underpinned by well-defined governance frameworks. In Malaysia, for example, governance frameworks for nursing education institutions have been embedded within national accreditation systems, providing a practical and transferable model. ADB has been a development partner to SHC&MED over several years. In December 2020, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Punjab signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly promote public-private partnership (PPP) projects in Punjab's hospital sector, with SHC&MED and the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) as primary counterparts. This was complemented by ADB's broader Human and Social Development Technical Assistance from around 2022, which provided needs and systems assessments and project preparation support to Punjab's health sector. Presently the Government of Punjab, through the SHC&MED, is implementing a broader Health Workforce Reform Agenda, including the Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Program. The Program emphasises strengthening governance, institutional capacity, and quality of nursing education, including the establishment of Nursing Centres of Excellence (COEs) in Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi. This initiative is supported through the ADB Results-Based Lending (RBL) Program (2026–2030), which includes Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 8 requiring the development, formal approval, and notification of a comprehensive governance framework for the COEs by an independent Board of Governors, including gender-responsive provisions. According to the ADB Programme Implementation document DLI 8 will be achieved through three milestones: 1. Board of Governors notified in 2025; 2. Draft Governance Framework developed by 2026 3. Formal Governance Framework notified in 2027. The assignment should ensure that all governance outputs are prepared with clear documentary evidence required for DLI verification, including approval records, notification drafts, BoG endorsement minutes, and implementation roadmap. Currently, governance arrangements for the COEs remain interim and undefined, with no formally approved institutional framework guiding their operations. The Program Implementation Unit (PIU) is responsible for coordination, implementation, and monitoring of program-supported interventions, including professional development, faculty development, and clinical training for the nursing workforce in Punjab. Within this context, the establishment and operationalisation of Nursing Centres of Excellence represents an important opportunity to strengthen nursing education, leadership development, faculty capacity, and professional advancement within the province. Without such arrangements, there is a risk that institutional effectiveness and sustainability may not be fully realised. Building on E4H’s experience in governance reform and institutional strengthening, this Technical Assistance (TA) will support development of a context-appropriate governance framework for the Punjab Nursing Centres of Excellence. The assignment will contribute to relevant governance strengthening actions under the Program, with deliverables designed to support institutional adoption, formal approval processes where applicable, and independent verification requirements consistent with the RBL modality. Problem Statement While significant investments are being made to establish and operationalise Nursing Centres of Excellence (COEs) in Punjab, the required governance arrangements are not yet in place. Critical system-level governance gaps remain, including: • Absence of formally approved governance framework • Unclear institutional roles and reporting lines • Lack of standardised governance instruments; • Rules of Business • SOPs • Delegation frameworks • Weak accountability and performance management systems • Unclear legal basis for BoG decision-making; • Limited clarity on financial, HR and administrative delegation; • Weak linkage between academic governance, regulatory standards and institutional autonomy; and • Absence of a clear approval and notification pathway In the absence of structured and approved governance arrangements, there is a risk of unclear decision-making, overlapping responsibilities, weak accountability, and inconsistent management practices, which may affect institutional performance, sustainability and limit the ability to demonstrate formalised governance systems consistent with program requirements. A practical and implementable governance framework is therefore required to support operationalisation of these COEs, clarify institutional roles, and establish accountable and transparent governance practices. Goal and Objectives To support the establishment and operationalisation of the Punjab Nursing Centres of Excellence through the development of a comprehensive governance framework that strengthens institutional effectiveness, accountability, leadership, gender-responsive governance, and sustainability. Objectives • Review current governance, management, and operational requirements for COEs • Develop a governance framework defining oversight, decision-making, accountability, and institutional responsibilities. • Prepare core governance instruments, including BoG TORs, committee structures, rules of business, delegation of authority frameworks, SOPs and governance procedures, in formats suitable for government review and approval. • Establish performance management and accountability systems and outline a practical roadmap for operationalisation and institutionalisation of the COEs. Map and define the formal approval, endorsement and notification pathway for adoption of the governance framework, including institutional responsibilities of SHC&MED, PIU, BoG, DG Nursing, affiliated universities and relevant regulatory bodies. Strategic Approach The TA will support institutional foundations for nursing workforce development by strengthening governance, accountability, and organisational performance. The approach will adopt a system