PN 36 - Ongoing Recruitment: STTA - Mid Level National - Financial Specialist

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 Government of Punjab, through the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED), is implementing the Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Program 2026–2030, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through a Results-Based Lending arrangement. The programme includes the establishment of Nursing Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi to strengthen nursing education, faculty development, continuing professional development, curriculum innovation, research, digital learning and quality improvement across Punjab. The CoEs are envisaged as provincial resource institutions linked to SHC&MED, the Directorate General of Nursing Services, the Program Implementation Unit (PIU), the Human Resources for Health Management Unit, affiliated universities, the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), and the wider nursing education system. Their precise functions, service model and institutional relationships will need to be validated to ensure that the governance arrangements are designed around an agreed mandate. The Board of Governors has been notified in 2025, the draft framework to be developed in 2026, and the final framework formally notified in 2027. Under ADB Disbursement-Linked Indicator 8, the programme requires the development, formal approval and notification of a gender-responsive governance framework for the CoEs. The programme milestones include notification of the Boards of Governors, development of the draft framework and formal notification of the final framework. The PIU is responsible for coordinating and monitoring programme implementation. Building on E4H’s experience in governance reform and institutional strengthening, this Technical Assistance will support SHC&MED and the PIU to validate the CoEs’ functional mandate and develop an approval-ready governance and institutional framework, together with the instruments, implementation arrangements and evidence required for institutional adoption and ADB results verification. Problem Statement Although substantial investment is being made in the three Nursing CoEs, the institutional arrangements required for their effective operation and sustainability are not yet in place. Specifically: • The CoEs’ functions, service model and respective mandates have not been formally agreed. • Governance structures, institutional roles, reporting lines, decision rights and accountability arrangements remain unclear. • Core governance and operational instruments (including Board and committee TORs, Rules of Business, delegation frameworks, SOPs and an operational manual) have not been developed. • Academic governance, accreditation, quality-assurance and institutional-partnership arrangements require definition. • Financial, human-resource and administrative responsibilities, including recurrent financing and long-term sustainability arrangements, are unclear. • Performance-management, data-reporting and accountability systems, including HRMIS/LMS and ADB verification linkages, are not established. • The pathway for validation, formal approval, notification, leadership orientation and initial operationalisation has not been agreed. Without these arrangements, the CoEs risk fragmented decision-making, overlapping responsibilities, weak accountability and delayed operationalisation. The TA will address these gaps by defining the CoEs’ functions and developing a practical, approval-ready governance, operational and institutionalisation framework aligned with Government of Punjab and ADB programme requirements. Goal and Objectives To support the establishment and operationalisation of the Punjab Nursing Centres of Excellence, aligned with the Punjab Nursing Education Reform and Capacity Building Policy 2026–2030, by defining their functional mandate and developing an approval-ready governance and institutional framework that strengthens accountability, academic quality, gender-responsive leadership, operational effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Objectives • Define and validate the functional mandates and operating model of the three CoEs, including their services, institutional relationships and any other responsibilities. • Assess existing governance, legal, regulatory and institutional arrangements and develop a comprehensive governance framework with clear structures, roles, reporting lines, decision rights and accountability mechanisms. • Develop the governance and operational instruments required for effective and sustainable functioning, including BoG and committee TORs, Rules of Business, delegation frameworks, SOPs, academic quality and accreditation arrangements, performance systems, partnership models and financial sustainability framework. • Support institutional adoption and initial operationalisation of the framework through stakeholder validation, an agreed approval and notification pathway, leadership orientation, implementation planning and handover to the responsible government and CoE institutions. Strategic Approach The TA will use a function-led and system-strengthening approach. It will first validate the mandates, services and operating model of the three CoEs, and then design governance, accountability, academic, administrative and financial arrangements around those agreed functions. The framework will build on existing Government of Punjab systems rather than create parallel structures. It will define the roles and relationships of SHC&MED, the PIU, Boards of Governors, Directorate General of Nursing Services, HRH Management Unit, PNMC, affiliated universities and the wider nursing-college network. All governance instruments will be aligned with applicable legal, regulatory and administrative requirements and prepared in formats suitable for government review, approval and notification. The framework will align with the Punjab Nursing Education Reform and Capacity Building Policy 2026–2030, particularly its priorities on institutional strengthening, leadership, education quality, research, digital transformation, inclusion and professional development. It will complement related nursing workforce, faculty-development and institutional-strengthening initiatives under the wider reform programme. The assignment will draw on international best practice in CoE governance, management, accreditation, academic administration, partnership models and financial sustainability, adapting relevant approaches to Punjab’s legal, regulatory and institutional context. Outputs will be designed to meet ADB Disbursement-Linked Indicator requirements and support independent verification. The TA contributes to FCDO’s Health Big Changes by: • Strengthening health systems: improving governance, accountability and institutional performance across nursing education. • Supporting population and family planning: strengthening institutions that develop the predominantly female nursing, midwifery and LHV workforce supporting RMNCH and family-planning services. • Improving health financing: protecting Government of Punjab and ADB investment through clear ownership, financial accountability, resource responsibilities and sustainability arrangements. Gender-responsive governance will be integrated across the framework, including clear responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding, grievance redress, prevention and response to harassment, safe clinical placements, student and faculty support, equitable participation in decision-making and leadership opportunities for women. The framework will specify how concerns are reported, escalated and monitored. Scope of Work and Met