KP TA: Governance & Institutional Integration Expert – Population and Reproductive Health Systems

This role seeks a Senior National Short-Term Technical Advisor (STTA) specializing in Governance and Institutional Integration within Population and Reproductive Health Systems. The expert will support the integration of family planning (FP) services into routine primary health care and district health systems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Working under the Evidence for Health (E4H) programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the advisor will strengthen coordination between the Population Welfare Department (PWD) and the Department of Health (DoH). The position involves assessing current integration practices, developing a scalable operational model, and providing targeted implementation support across selected districts to embed FP services within existing health system platforms, ensuring sustainability and institutionalization of governance and accountability mechanisms.

Key Responsibilities

- Conduct a rapid assessment of current functional integration between PWD and DoH at facility, district, and provincial levels, identifying bottlenecks, good practices, and opportunities for improvement.
- Develop a practical, government-led model for functional integration that embeds FP within routine PHC service delivery, district planning, performance monitoring, and accountability frameworks.
- Facilitate a co-design process with government stakeholders to ensure the integration model aligns with existing systems and reform priorities, without creating parallel structures.
- Provide targeted implementation support in four districts where E4H has introduced District Action Plans (DAP) and Facility Level Budgeting (FLB), focusing on strengthening FP service delivery through existing health system platforms.
- Support coordination between DHOs, DPWOs, DHPMTs, and facility teams to address priority FP service gaps and incorporate actions into routine planning and review processes.
- Strengthen referral systems, commodity management, and linkages between FP and maternal, postnatal, immunization, and community health services.
- Embed capacity-building initiatives within existing government structures, facilitating the transition of facilitation, monitoring, and accountability functions to provincial and district authorities.
- Collaborate with Regional Training Institutes (RTIs) and the Provincial Health Services Academy (PHSA) to enhance coordinated pre- and in-service training for FP and reproductive health professionals.
- Ensure sustainability by progressively institutionalizing governance, coordination, and monitoring functions within government systems, supporting a structured transition of responsibilities.

Required Qualifications

- Master’s degree or higher in public policy, public administration, governance, health policy/management, institutional development, or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 15 years’ experience in public-sector governance and institutional reform, preferably within health or population welfare sectors.
- Proven expertise in conducting institutional and functional reviews, analyzing organizational mandates, and facilitating interdepartmental coordination.
- Strong knowledge of decentralized governance and accountability arrangements, with experience in multi-stakeholder coordination.
- Demonstrated ability to perform institutional and political-economy analysis, map mandates and decision rights, and design governance arrangements that enhance existing systems.
- Practical understanding of government rules, structures, and processes related to health and population welfare services.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

- Senior public-sector administrative experience, especially within provincial and district government systems related to health or population welfare, is highly desirable.
- Experience working within reform-oriented environments and familiarity with health system strengthening initiatives in Pakistan or comparable contexts.
- Opportunity to contribute to a high-impact programme aimed at improving health outcomes through sustainable governance and institutional integration.
- Engagement with a respected international development programme implemented by leading organizations, offering exposure to policy-level health system reforms.

The assignment is expected to span approximately 50 days between October 2026 and March 2027, subject to final confirmation. The role emphasizes collaborative government engagement, capacity building, and sustainable integration of family planning services within existing health systems.