Position:Ongoing Recruitment-STTA Junior National: Research Manager

Palladium Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited

Job Location: Lahore

Country: Pakistan

Positions: 

Job Type: Consultancy

Department / Job Category: STTA Junior National

Last Date: 30th July 20225

TA Title: [PFM Support H&PD to strengthen Financial Planning and Internal Audit Protocols at District Level (NHSP DLR 8-2)]

Programme

Evidence for Health (E4H) is a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)-funded programme aimed atstrengthening Pakistan's healthcare system, thereby decreasing the burden of illness and saving lives. E4H providestechnical assistance (TA) to the Federal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab governments, and is beingimplemented by Palladium along with Oxford Policy Management (OPM).

Through its flexible, embedded, and demand-driven model, E4H supports the government to achieve a resilient healthsystem that is prepared for health emergencies, responsive to the latest evidence, and delivers equitable, quality, andefficient 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.

Background and Problem Statement

In recent years, Pakistan’s health sector has faced increasing pressure to deliver equitable, efficient, and transparent services amidst fiscal constraints and evolving population needs. Within this context, the Government of Punjab has taken progressive steps to strengthen public financial management (PFM) systems in the Health & Population Department (H&PD), particularly at the district level where service delivery and fiscal execution most directly intersect with community needs. However, gaps in financial planning, procurement efficiency, and internal audit functions remain persistent challenges across many districts. These constraints impede the timely allocation and effective utilization of resources, compromise accountability, and limit evidence-informed decision-making. 

The Punjab Health Sector Strategy (PHSS) 2019–2028 acknowledges these systemic bottlenecks and underscores the need to modernise financial governance through digital solutions, capacity strengthening, and standardized protocols. Likewise, Pakistan’s National Health Support Programme (NHSP) – funded by the World Bank has introduced Disbursement-Linked Results (DLRs) to incentivise provinces to institutionalise financial reforms. DLR 8.1 for Punjab mandates the development of an internal audit unit and protocols at the Department level and requires at least eight districts to implement internal audit protocols by Year 3.

Despite the availability of policy frameworks, operationalising these reforms remains uneven, with districts demonstrating varying levels of capacity and readiness. Fragmented audit practices, manual documentation processes, and a lack of standard operating procedures for financial oversight further weaken the audit–expenditure–feedback loop. Additionally, many district health managers lack exposure to PFM best practices, resulting in ad hoc budgeting and reactive procurement planning.

This technical assistance (TA) responds to these challenges by providing embedded support to the H&PD, Government of Punjab, with a dual focus: (1) strengthening district-level financial planning and procurement processes; and (2) institutionalising internal audit protocols as required under NHSP DLR 8.1. The TA will support districts that must report on these DLRs. With targeted capacity-building, tools development, and policy alignment, the initiative aims to enhance transparency, resource efficiency, and financial accountability in the delivery of health services.

The TA design aligns with global guidance such as the WHO’s Public Financial Management Framework for Health (2022), which advocates for integrated PFM reforms to support health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This includes better alignment between planning and budgeting, strengthening internal controls, and improving performance monitoring mechanisms.

Strategic Approach in alignment with other E4H ongoing initiatives

This TA is strategically aligned with Pakistan’s broader reform agenda in public financial management and health system strengthening, as laid out under the National Health Support Programme (NHSP) and the Punjab Health Sector Strategy (PHSS) 2019–2028. Specifically, it operationalises NHSP’s Disbursement Linked Result 8-2, which urges provinces to adopt standardised internal audit protocols at the district level to improve accountability and financial oversight.

The TA also contributes to the E4H’s log frame, which prioritises transparent governance, institutional capacity, and improved fiduciary mechanisms within primary healthcare systems. At a global level, the TA is aligned with the WHO’s PFM for Health Framework, which advocates for strengthening planning-budget linkages, internal controls, and monitoring systems as key enablers of effective health financing in LMICs.

Historically (2019 - 2022), the FCDO provided funding for a PFM unit embedded within the Development Wing of the then-Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) namely for the project ‘Technical Assistance to Improve Health Service Delivery in Punjab’. While the TA yielded notable successes during its implementation, its long-term potential was not fully realised due to limited capacity transfer and insufficient institutional embedding.

This current proposed TA will deliberately integrate a robust capacity transfer strategy throughout its duration, with focus on capacity building at district level, ensuring that the benefits are not only achieved in the short term but are also institutionalised and sustained well beyond the project’s lifetime by institutionalizing the developed training package into the Learning Management System and Punjab Health Development Centre (PHDC).

Moreover, the E4H Programme Punjab supported the H&PD in developing a policy brief based on the analysis of the Provincial Health Accounts. This TA will incorporate and institutionalise recommendations from the policy brief in the regular practices of the H&PD. 

By focusing on embedded PFM reforms in selected districts, this TA supports impact pathways linked to improved health system efficiency, enhanced fiduciary performance, and increased provincial readiness to scale reforms across Punjab.

Objectives

The overarching objective of this TA is to support the H&PD, Government of Punjab, in strengthening district-level PFM systems, with a particular focus on achieving NHSP’s DLR 8-2 requirements for internal audit protocols.

The TA seeks to address both systemic and operational gaps by embedding technical expertise within the provincial and district health governance structures to catalyse sustainable reforms in financial planning, procurement, and internal controls.

The specific objectives of the TA are to:

1. Assess and enhance financial planning and procurement processes in selected districts (Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi), identifying inefficiencies and recommending actionable improvements to strengthen fiscal management at the point of service delivery.
   

2. Design and institutionalize standardised internal audit protocols across the selected districts in alignment with NHSP DLR 8-2, ensuring they are context-appropriate, feasible, and scalable.
   

3. Build capacity of district health finance and audit personnel in selected districts through tailored training modules, hands-on mentoring, and the development of user-friendly tools and job aids to support day-to-day implementation of improved financial governance practices. The training modules will be developed in line with the overarching sustainable training system framework and institutionalised with the Provincial Health Development Centre (PHDC) and Learning Management System (LMS).
   

4. Develop a real-time dashboard and monitoring framework to support H&PD and donor partners in tracking implementation progress against DLR targets, highlighting bottlenecks, and facilitating evidence-informed decisions.
   

5. Contribute to broader provincial-level PFM strengthening efforts by synthesizing district-level insights and creating pathways for province-wide learning, policy revision, and potential replication of successful models.

Scope of Work and Methodology

The TA will be structured across four key phases: (1) Planning and Inception; (2) Diagnostic and Tools Development; (3) Field Implementation and Capacity Building; and (4) Consolidation and Reporting. Each phase will be coordinated closely with the Health & Population Department (H&PD), District Health Authority (DHAs) Offices, and relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment with NHSP DLR 8-2, FCDO’s log frame indicators, and the Punjab Health Sector Strategy 2019–2028.

Phase 1: Planning and Inception

• Conduct Inception Meetings with H&PD, NHSP PIU, and district-level representatives (Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi) to validate the TA scope, roles, and coordination arrangements.

• Develop Inception Report, including detailed work plan, stakeholder engagement strategy and risk mitigation measures.

• Map the Current Financial Governance Landscape, reviewing policy documents, existing audit tools, procurement SOPs, and budget execution workflows at both provincial and district levels.

Phase 2: Diagnostic and Tools Development

• Perform Rapid Financial Diagnostics in selected districts to assess current practices in budget planning, procurement, and internal audit, highlighting gaps, good practices, and process bottlenecks.

• Design Internal Audit Protocols aligned with NHSP DLR 8-2, incorporating input from district accounts officers, DHOs, and provincial financial controllers.

• Develop/Adapt Planning and Monitoring Tools, including procurement planning templates, budget tracking sheets, and audit checklist formats.

• Draft Capacity-Building Curriculum for financial managers, audit staff, and procurement teams, reflecting WHO and government-endorsed best practices.

Phase 3: Field Implementation and Capacity Building

• Roll Out Tools and Protocols through facilitated sessions in Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi, providing district teams with printed SOPs, planning instruments, and audit guidelines.

• Conduct on-site mentoring for district finance and audit teams, enabling practical application of tools during procurement cycles and audit exercises.

• Deliver Capacity-Building Workshop, with modules tailored to local contexts and delivered by TA specialists.

• Facilitate Stakeholder Consultations to validate findings, gather user feedback, and refine tools before finalization.

Phase 4: Consolidation and Reporting

• Document Implementation Results, including fidelity of tool adoption, capacity gains, and process improvements, with district-specific case studies.

• Develop a Dashboard for Monitoring DLR 8-2 Progress, integrating qualitative and quantitative indicators to inform real-time decision-making.

• Produce Final Technical Report, consolidating all TA findings, tools, training summaries, and recommendations for province-wide scale-up. Also policy brief as mentioned in delieverables below 

Throughout all phases, the TA team will employ a participatory and adaptive approach—co-developing tools with district actors, iteratively testing solutions, and maintaining feedback loops with provincial leadership. Cross-learning across districts will be encouraged, and the PFM Advisor will oversee methodological coherence and quality assurance. The Research Manager will support data collection, documentation, and progress visualization.

Timeline and LOE

The level of effort for the role is 144 working days, from August 2025 - March 2026

Requirements:

Technical Expertise

• Bachelors/Masters Degree in public health, economics, public administration or relevant degree.

• 5–7 years of overall experience

• Experience managing data collection, validation, and reporting.

• Experience working with government and donor-funded programs on financial and operational reporting.

Competencies

• Strong coordination and team engagement skills.

• Ability to analyse and synthesize large volumes of information.

• Effective communication with government partners.

• Structured planning and delivery of reporting outputs.

Deliverables/KPIs

1. Inception Report & Slide Deck
2. Diagnostic Assessment Report
3. Internal Audit Protocol Toolkit
4. Capacity-Building Curriculum and Training Package
5. NHSP DLR 8-2 Monitoring Dashboard
6. Final Technical Report, Conclusion Slide Deck, and Policy Brief on Internal Audit Protocols