JOB DESCRIPTION

General Information

Publication for

Partner

Partner Name

WHO World Health Organization

Position Title

Policy & Legislation Advisor

Job Category

Legal

Duty Station(s)

Dhaka

Seniority Level

Mid Level

ICS Level

ICS 10

Contract Type

ICA – LICA – Specialist – Retainer

Contract Level

LICA 10

Posting Start Date

25-Nov-2025

Posting End Date

03-Dec-2025

Duration

3 months

Job Highlight

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to significant health sector reform in Bangladesh, working closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and international organizations. The position offers an opportunity to apply legal expertise to enhance health governance and improve access to healthcare for underserved populations.

About the Region

Since 1972 WHO has been a key partner of the Government of Bangladesh and has provided technical advice and support for the development and improvement of the health of the country’s population.

The organization has been supporting the Government and working in collaboration with other partners for the attainment of the highest possible level of health for all. It has been providing support for the development and strengthening of the country’s public health systems. Currently, WHO support is guided by a broad framework known as the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for 2014-2017.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

The South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) supports UNOPS operations across six countries: Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAMCO delivers a broad range of services and technical expertise in climate change, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), infrastructure, procurement, human resource management, and fund management. Each country office is staffed with local technical experts and maintains strong partnerships with national governments, ensuring context-specific solutions and effective project implementation.

About the Project Office

Since 2003, UNOPS has partnered with the Government of Bangladesh and key development partners to advance national development priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOPS supports a range of projects focused on capacity development and infrastructure, leveraging its expertise in procurement, human resource management, finance, and project management to deliver efficient, sustainable solutions.

Job Specific Context

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is implementing a range of reform measures to strengthen the resilience, efficiency, and equity of the health system in line with the recommendations of the Health Reform Commission (2025). These reforms aim to align Bangladesh”s health system with the principles of equity, participation, and accountability, ensuring that health is realized as both a constitutional right and a public good. In this regard, the Ministry has prepared a comprehensive proposal titled “Health Sector Transformation in Bangladesh”, outlining the strategic priorities, implementation modalities, and expected outcomes of the reform agenda. The proposal emphasizes eight key strategic areas, including governance and institutional reform, primary healthcare restructuring, workforce planning, financial sustainability, digital transformation, medicine regulation, documentation of transition strategies, and stakeholder communication. The Ministry seeks the technical and strategic partnership of the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the implementation of these reform initiatives.

A well-structured and transparent career pathway is critical for improving motivation, retention, and performance of the health workforce. In Bangladesh, the health workforce comprises various cadres, including doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, technologists, and public health professionals who play vital roles in service delivery. However, limited opportunities for career advancement, unclear promotion criteria, and a lack of standardized progression frameworks have been identified as major factors contributing to job dissatisfaction and attrition, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

To address these challenges, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), intends to develop career pathways for key health worker cadres. These pathways will outline structured progression routes, competency requirements, promotion criteria, and professional development options aligned with national HRH policies and global best practices.

Role Purpose

Support the drafting and finalization of six priority health sector Acts aimed at strengthening governance, accountability, transparency, and rights-based protection within Bangladesh’s health system as part of the ongoing health sector reform initiative. The consultant will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the Lead Legal Expert (Health Law and Policy) and in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s (MoHFW) legal and policy teams to ensure the Acts are contextually relevant, technically sound, and implementable within the national legal framework.

The six Acts to be developed are:

1. Patient Protection Act

2. Provider Protection Act

3. Primary Health Care (PHC) Act

4. Essential Medicines Access and Pricing Act

5. Facility Accreditation Act

6. Gift Ban Act

Objectives of the Assignment

• To draft and finalize six key Acts in line with Bangladesh’s constitutional, legal, and administrative framework.
• To ensure the Acts reflect global best practices and WHO/UN policy standards while remaining compatible with national laws.
• To provide legally sound, implementable draft Acts for official government adoption.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the guidance of the Lead Legal Expert (Health Law and Policy), the consultant will:

• Review existing laws, regulations, and policies relevant to each Act.
• Prepare draft versions of the six Acts using standard legislative structure and terminology.
• Conduct iterative revisions based on feedback from MoHFW, WHO, and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Special Assistant and his team from the Health Services Division for policy and administrative alignment.
• Support the organization of stakeholder consultations to review draft Acts.
• Finalize the vetted versions of all six Acts with explanatory notes.
• Assist MoHFW in submitting the Acts for inter-ministerial and legal review processes.

Expected Deliverables:

S.No.

Activities

Deliverables

Timeline

1

Review and Situation Analysis of Existing Health-Related Acts and Legal Frameworks – Conduct a desk review of existing legislation, identify overlaps, inconsistencies, and reform needs aligned with the national health reform agenda.

Draft Versions of Six Acts –

Initial drafts of six revised health-related Acts were prepared based on comparative analysis, stakeholder priorities, and global best practices.

Day 1–20

2

Stakeholder Consultation and Technical Review – Organize and facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations, technical working sessions, and legal review meetings to refine the draft Acts.

Consultation and Revision Report –

Consolidated summary of stakeholder feedback, proposed amendments, and revision justifications.

Day 21–35

3

Finalization of Legislative Drafts – Integrate validated inputs and legal vetting outcomes to prepare final legislative versions of all six Acts.

Final Legislative Drafts of Six Acts with Explanatory Notes –

Legally vetted, formatted versions with explanatory notes outlining objectives, key provisions, and compliance alignment.

Day 36–50

4

Compilation, Formatting, and Submission – Prepare and compile all Acts in an accessible and official digital format for submission to MoHFW and relevant authorities.

Compilation of Acts in Digital Form for Official Submission –

Complete package of all Acts (final drafts, explanatory notes, annexes) ready for submission and archiving.

Day 51–60

Skills

Legal Writing, Legislative Affairs, Policy Analysis, Problem Solving, Stakeholder Engagement

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

• LL.M. or equivalent advanced degree in Law with 5 years of experience

Experience Requirements

Required

• Minimum 5 years of experience in legislative drafting or policy reform.
• Demonstrated experience with public sector or ministry-level lawmaking.
• Excellent legal writing and analysis skills in English and Bangla

Desired

• Experience in health law, governance, or administrative law.
• Familiarity with the WHO and UN legislative frameworks.
• Experience working with MoHFW or other government bodies.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirementEnglishFluentRequiredBengaliFluentRequired

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.