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 provides technical assistance (TA) to the Federal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab governments, and is being implemented by Palladium along with Oxford Policy Management (OPM).
Through its flexible, embedded, and demand-driven model, E4H supports 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 delivers 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.
Position Summary
The overall objective is to organise HR management by utilising available evidence to enhance access to and coverage of health services. The specific objectives of this TA project are:

• Conduct a thorough review and analysis of the existing draft HRH Strategy previously developed by Who to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
• Formulate a comprehensive enhancement plan for the HRH Strategy that effectively addresses both current and anticipated health workforce needs, including surge capacity for emergencies.
• Encourage inter-sectoral collaboration and partnerships to optimise the utilisation and impact of the health workforce.
• Ensure equitable access to healthcare services through strategic HRH planning and management, facilitating better health outcomes for all populations.
• To assess the availability, quantity, and distribution of human resources in both the public and private healthcare sectors
• Foster continuous professional development and training for health professionals to keep pace with evolving healthcare demands and maintain a skilled workforce.
• The team will undertake a comprehensive review of the existing HRH Strategy by analysing workforce distribution, demographics, skill gaps, and current HRH policies. Following this analysis, they will assess the available training and development programmes for health professionals.
• To gather diverse perspectives, the team will organise consultations with key stakeholders, including health service providers, DOH units, professional associations, and community representatives. Additionally, they will facilitate workshops and focus group discussions to collect valuable insights and recommendations.
• Based on their findings, the team will propose actionable strategies to enhance HRH, focusing on recruitment, retention, training, performance management systems, and professional development. They will also integrate mechanisms for surge capacity into the HRH Strategy to ensure preparedness for public health emergencies.
• They will also review HR functions from the district to provincial levels and suggest reorganisation for improved efficiency and effectiveness in HR management
• Furthermore, the team will recommend policies that address workforce regulation, governance, and accountability within HRH management. They will explore innovative financing mechanisms to support HRH initiatives and assess the capacity and production levels of both public and private medical colleges, nursing colleges, and paramedical institutes.
• Finally, the team will develop a roadmap outlining prioritised strategic actions for the next five years, including cost estimates, timelines, responsibilities, and monitoring mechanisms.

Responsibilities
The Research Associate will work to achieve the following:
Timeline and DaysThe level of effort for the role is 40 working days, from October – December 2024.
Requirement
Technical Expertise

• Proficiency in gathering, organizing, and analysing quantitative and qualitative data related to health workforce and systems.
• Expertise in conducting thorough literature reviews to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in HRH strategies.
• Experience in coordinating consultations, focus groups, and interviews with key stakeholders for input on HRH enhancements.
• Skilled in drafting comprehensive reports, including summaries of key findings and recommendations.
• Ability to analyse and interpret policies related to health workforce management and recommend evidence-based improvements.

Competencies

• Proficiency in conducting qualitative and quantitative research, literature reviews, and data analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for drafting reports and presenting findings to stakeholders.
• Skilled in engaging with diverse stakeholders to gather insights and incorporate their feedback into research outcomes.
• Proficient in evaluating research findings to provide actionable recommendations for policy and strategy development.