National Consultant-Maternal Nutrition & MMS

Duty Station:  Office base (Bangladesh country office)

Contract Duration:  12 Months

Number of Vacancies: 02

Contract Type: Contract with E-zone              

Contract Start Date:  Immediate

Reporting to: Nutrition Specialist (Maternal, School and Adolescent Nutrition), Dhaka

A.   Purpose

The main objective of hiring National Consultant (QA+QC-tools) and National Consultant (Private Hospital Engagement and Urban) is to provide support to the government (IPHN, DGHS, DGFP, BNNC etc.) to finalize the Maternal Nutrition, CBE, MMS, LBW and ECD learning tools under the GOB-WB-CNF match financing for rolling out quality maternal nutrition services including MMS, support multi-sectoral and multi-ministerial coordination, training and support monitoring priority nutrition interventions- MMS, CBE, LBW and ECD at national levels under the GoB-UN AGENCIES RWP 2025-2026.

B.   Background

While Bangladesh has achieved significant reductions in child Stunting (low height for age) in the past two decades, women and child malnutrition continue to be a critical public health problem in Bangladesh, with nearly half of pregnant women suffering from anaemia, and 13% by wasting. Persistent maternal anaemia, poor-quality diets, and low coverage of essential nutrition services including micronutrient supplementation are contributing to high maternal mortality, morbidity, and adverse birth outcomes such as the high prevalence of low birth weight (23%). To address this issue, the Government of Bangladesh will gradually scale up quality maternal nutrition services including Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) through CBE approach countrywide to accelerate the reduction of anaemia and the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) towards achieving nutrition related WHA and SDG targets. This nationwide scale-up is supported through matching financing from the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), the World Bank (WB), and UN AGENCIES’s Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), as outlined in the multi-year Health and Nutrition Services Improvement and System Strengthening Project (2025-2029) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.  

 In 2026 (Y-1), under UN AGENCIES’s Child Nutrition Fund, quality maternal nutrition services including Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) through CBE approach will be rolled out in sixteen districts across 120 subdistricts. This initiative is also part of the key activities in the 2025-2026 Joint Rolling Workplan (RWP) between UN AGENCIES and the Government of Bangladesh (Lead by Institute of Public Health and Nutrition under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare).  

Furthermore, UN AGENCIES Bangladesh’s prioritized actions on nutrition have been aligned with government priorities for nutrition as reflected in its 8th Five Year Plan, UN AGENCIES’s Nutrition Strategy 2020-2030, and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). In supporting the Government’s priorities, the UN AGENCIES Nutrition programme aims to support scale up of quality maternal nutrition services including MMS, through increased community-based engagement using existing platforms, including the integration of Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) into EPI sessions, the use of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) for pregnant and lactating women, innovation to care for pregnant women and prevent low birth weight (LBW), as well as integration of early childhood care and development (ECD) for 0-3yr through Primary Health Care (PHC). 

National Consultants will be based at national level to finalize the technical CBE, MMS, LBW And ECD learning tools for various levels of service provides across five ministries, capacity building support for multi-sectoral and multi-ministerial national trainings and develop a comprehensive training material (MMS, LBW care, complementary feeding, MCBP linkage) for private sector providers and NGOs.

C.    Purpose and Expected Results: 

The main objective of hiring National Consultant (QA+QC-tools) and National Consultant (Private Hospital Engagement and Urban) is to provide support to the government (IPHN, DGHS, DGFP, BNNC etc.) to finalize the CBE, MMS, LBW and ECD learning tools under GoB-WB-CNF project, support multi-sectoral and multi-ministerial coordination, private hospital engagement, training and monitoring at national on priority nutrition interventions- Maternal Nutrition, MMS, CBE, LBW and ECD under the GoB-UN AGENCIES RWP 2025-2026. The National Consultant will work under supervision and guidance of Nutrition Specialist (Maternal, School and Adolescent Nutrition) and will support quality and coverage of nutrition interventions through system approach. 

D.   Key Tasks and Responsibilities 

The assignment is designed for 12 months with the key tasks and responsibilities- 

1.     Governance  

·        Support organization and functioning of District/Upazila/Union Nutrition Coordination Committee meetings collaboration with other relevant stakeholders and develop action plans to support multisectoral nutrition governance through systems approach.   

·        Support the district health and family planning authority to use Nutrition Information System and build capacity for evidence-based planning and actions for responsive services.  

·        Coordinate with respective district authorities from MoLGRD&C, MoWCA, MoSW to mobilize resources and create necessary linkages with social safety net schemes and nutrition programme.  

·        Support to maintain strong coordination with the government counterpart IPHN, DGHS, DGFP, BNNC, Islamic Foundation, DSHE for smooth implementation of the programme and make sure the programme is well presented and reflected in SCNI meetings 

·        Support IPHN and UN AGENCIES to organize quarterly meetings and performance review workshops at national level including preparation of action plans based on the discussions from the meeting/workshops, subsequent follow up to track progress and facilitate to prepare government orders based on the decisions of the meetings/workshops 

·        Facilitate IPHN to maintain strong coordination with the health/family planning managers at national level. 

2.     Strengthening CBE, MMS, ECD, LBW programmes 

·        Support IPHN, DGHS, DGFP technical CBE, MMS, ECD, LBW learning tools, recording, reporting tools for service provides across five ministries. 

·        Support IPHN and ZNOs assess the training needs and complete all the necessary CBE, MMS, ECD, and LBW training in the intervention districts. 

·        Facilitate the procurement of supply items and prepare the distribution list, timely distribution and continuous tracking both at national and district level to prevent stock out in the intervention districts 

·        Support finalizing the performance review templates, and capacity building on public dashboard, driven decision making etc. 

·        Attend the national coordination/performance review meeting, review the meeting minutes to prepare district specific quarterly action plans for the intervention districts 

·        Document the good practices from the intervention districts and share other districts for cross-learning on quarterly basis 

·        Work closely with IPHN and UN AGENCIES to review and finalize the national level DCTs 

3.     Strengthen supervsion and monitoring: 

·        Facilitate IPHN, DGHS, DGFP for supervision visits to intervention districts to monitor the progress of the project implementation 

·        Undertake periodic supervision visit to the intervention districts (at least 6 UZs in 3 

districts/month) for ensuring quality implementation of the programme, identify gaps and 

prepare corrective measures 

·        Monitor the performance of key nutrition indicators and facilitate sharing the findings with relevant stakeholders 

4.     Donor Mission/visit  

 Assist Field Office in preparation of donor mission and important GOB/UN AGENCIES visits. 

E.   Deliverables

F.   Payment

G.   Administrative issues

·       National Consultant will be located at Dhaka, Bangladesh (at least 1 day at UNICEF BCO and two days at IPHN, DGHS, DGFP, MIS on a weekly basis and monthly field trips to visit at least three districts, will work closely with Nutrition Specialist 

·       National Consultant will get 225,000 BDT per month (consolidated).

·       National Consultant will receive TA cost at actual in addition to the above remuneration for field visits as per third party consultancy policy

·       National officer will be entitled to 1.5 days of leave per month and total of 10 days of emergency leave

·       Computer and communication will be bear by the Consultant.

·       Stationary and other office equipment will bear by the Consultant.

·       Travel cost and travel arrangement in the field, will be bear by the consultant. 

H.   Qualification requirement

·       University degree in Nutrition, Public Health, or any relevant field

·       At least 3-4 years’ work experience in community nutrition/ public health in UN organizations/reputed INGOs/NGOs is essential.

·       Excellent writing and data analytics skills including sound knowledge of DHIS2, e-MIS, PNRI are essential. 

·       Demonstrated competency with working with people.

·       Strong computer skills

·       Experience of planning and coordination

·       Knowledge of primary health care systems is important

·       Efficient in communication-Bangla and English (oral and written)

·       Willingness to locate to district of assignment and field travel frequently, including hard to reach and remote areas.  

I.     Desirable:

·       Experience working in maternal health/nutrition/immunization programme

·       Experience working in multisectoral coordination for nutrition/local government institutes etc. 

J.   Language Requirements

·       Fluency in Bangla and good English communication skills are required. 

This position is open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies. 

The UN Agencies 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.

Last Date of Application: May 14, 2026

No phone calls please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All applications will be treated according to the merit and with strict confidentiality.