National Consultant for RH Commodities Quantification Capacity Assessment (QCA) of Bangladesh, UNFPA Bangladesh

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

The Asia and Pacific Region, with its vast geographical diversity, varying levels of economic development, and diverse healthcare needs, faces unique challenges and opportunities in supply chain management (SCM). While some countries have well-established SCM systems, others grapple with inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of trained healthcare professionals, and limited access to reproductive health commodities and supplies. Strengthening the health supply chain is critical to addressing these gaps and improving the delivery of RH commodities to those who need them most. In this context, the Asia and Pacific Regional Office (APRO) plays a key role in enhancing supply chain management systems across the region. APRO's technical assistance is focused on improving the availability, accessibility, and quality of reproductive health commodities and services for the most vulnerable communities, a crucial step toward achieving UNFPA's three transformative results.
Over the past years, the Regional Office has coordinated numerous capacity-building training sessions on how to enhance health Supply Chain Management Systems. These trainings have aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge of Country Offices and Partners in managing and optimising health supply chains, ensuring the efficient delivery of essential medical supplies to the last mile, and conducting need-based quantification of RH commodities.
In light of this, APRO is now looking for new and different ways to build the capacity in the region. APRO, in collaboration with the SCMU Demand and Supply Planning team and three selected country offices (Bangladesh, Nepal and Laos), is planning to assess the current state of countries when it comes to their capacity to carry out Quantification practices and managing their overall SCM systems for Reproductive Health/New and Lesser Used (NLU)/Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) commodities. The aim is to assess the quantification capabilities for RH/NLU/CAC supplies of the three selected countries in the Asia Pacific region to identify best practices and gaps in knowledge and skills. This identification will further inform the development of a general framework and roadmap of how quantification practices can be improved for all countries supported by UNFPA.
The insights from this assessment will be invaluable for enhancing UNFPA's capacity building and guiding future strategies to strengthen health supply chain management capabilities across the region and globally. Furthermore, this assignment will support evidence-based decisions for institutional strengthening, such as systems redesign and digital readiness, moving beyond traditional training interventions. 
 

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Working under the direct supervision of the Chief of Health, Bangladesh and Regional Supply Chain Management Specialist, APRO.

An individual supply chain management consultant is required to conduct the Quantification Capacity Assessment in Bangladesh's Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. 
Key national stakeholders, including government counterparts (MoHFW), UN agencies, implementing partners, and development partners will be engaged in the process. 
A.  Develop a comprehensive methodology and framework to assess and document the current state of Bangladesh's capacity when it comes to quantification and SCM of RH/CAC/NLU commodities.
B.  Review existing quantification tools, LMIS data systems, procurement plans, and forecasting models used in Bangladesh.
C. Conduct in-country assessment by using the methodology/framework. This includes convening and interviewing and assessing data and documents, provided by key informants at country level. 
A validation workshop will also be held to review and validate the findings and recommendations before the report is finalized.
 

Outcome:
A.  Documentation and clear understanding of current quantification practices in Bangladesh focusing on two selected divisions (Dhaka and Chattogram).
B.  Documentation and clear understanding of various gaps when it comes to quantification practices at different levels.
C.  Based on insight, a framework developed to assess various intervention areas (e.g. HR, knowledge, systems etc.) that can be improved/capacitated to ensure a robust quantification process.
D.  Establish a roadmap for SCMU/RO's to enhance the various intervention areas over time.
E. Utilize both qualitative and quantitative methods, including In-depth Interviews with different relevant stakeholders to gather comprehensive data on current contraceptive quantification practices and identify areas for improvement.
F.  Identify major gaps in terms of HR, policy and regulations, and recommend viable and doable capacity-building initiatives utilizing available resources and local capabilities in contraceptive quantification and supply chain management.
G.  Provide a comprehensive assessment report detailing findings, gaps, and challenges, along with actionable short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations. 

 

•    Desk review – Review of RH commodities quantification and forecasting report of National and divisional level of the last 5 years.
•    Interview the key stakeholders from both government and non-government sectors involved in quantification and forecasting.
•    Visit two selected divisions and health and family planning departments and interview the key stakeholders involved in quantification and forecasting.
•    Visit to 2 districts and 8–10 health facilities/service delivery points at different levels (from high volume facilities to union level facilities).

The consultant will work on a daily basis as per UN working day/hours and will be paid on a fixed agreed amount. The work will be submitted as deliverables identified above under scope of work. These would be electronic and where needed hard copies. 

• An advanced degree in either Supply Chain Management, Public Health disciplines, Procurement or Logistics, Business Administration, International Management, International Law or other related fields is an added advantage. Additional qualification in regulatory sciences, health policy and administration or health systems management will be an asset.
• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience in supply chain management is required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in the below key areas, with the understanding that these experiences may overlap:
• Professional written and spoken presentation skills, including for the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to develop and maintain broad diversified partnerships is required.
• Basic knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of integrated reproductive health care in the global development and humanitarian community is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNFPA mandates, policies, and guidelines is an asset.
• Languages: Fluency in English and Bengali is required. 
  
   

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.