Background and Justification

Mauritius’ transition to Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) status has brought economic advantages but significantly reduced the country’s access to traditional development financing, particularly grant-based Official Development Assistance (ODA). Due to the “graduation effect” and strong macroeconomic indicators, Mauritius is now excluded from many bilateral and multilateral funding windows that prioritize low-income countries, LDCs, and fragile states. As a result, external financing for critical health priorities—such as NCDs, ageing, digital health, and climate-resilient systems—has become increasingly limited.
At the same time, Mauritius faces escalating health challenges: a rapidly ageing population, a rising NCD burden with long-term complications, and heightened needs for health system resilience and emergency preparedness. This context underscores the urgency of developing new and innovative financing mechanisms, including strategic engagement with the private sector.
Mauritius has a strong, diversified private sector that contributes over Rs 900 million (USD 20 million) annually through the mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, with around USD 5 million directed to the health sector—more than twice the WHO Country Office’s biennium budget. However, these resources are fragmented, uncoordinated, and rarely aligned with national health priorities. Most CSR-funded activities remain one-off projects with limited evaluation and minimal systemic impact.
Currently, Mauritius lacks a structured national platform to coordinate engagement between government, WHO, and the corporate sector. Yet the country is well positioned—given its stability, strong institutions, and dynamic private sector—to become a regional leader in Public–Private Sector Engagement (PSE).
To unlock the full potential of private sector contributions, a dedicated PSE Strategy is essential. Such a strategy would shift CSR spending from scattered initiatives to coordinated, high-impact partnerships, mobilising substantial additional resources and accelerating progress toward national health outcomes.

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objective

The WHO Country Office in Mauritius works closely with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to shape national health policies in alignment with WHO’s principles and values. It promotes an integrated and multisectoral approach to health development and supports the strengthening of the country’s health system. The Office provides technical assistance across priority areas of public health and ensures that
Post Description: Partnerships and Resource Mobilization pg. 2
global and regional guidance is adapted to the national context. In addition, the WHO Country Office fulfils representational, resource mobilization, and strategic resource-steering functions, as required, to advance health outcomes in Mauritius.
To develop and operationalize a national, coordinated, and sustainable Private Sector Engagement Strategy that mobilises private sector resources, innovation, and expertise to strengthen health outcomes and advance national priorities.

Specific Objectives
1. Conduct a national PSE landscape assessment, mapping CSR flows, key actors, opportunities, and gaps
2. Develop a validated Private Sector Engagement Strategy outlining priorities, governance structures, partnership models, and accountability frameworks.
3. Establish a national PSE coordination mechanism, hosted jointly with MCCI/Business Mauritius.
4. Launch initial high-visibility engagements and partnerships through catalytic grants and corporate outreach.
5. Position Mauritius as a regional PSE model, showcasing a replicable framework for WHO AFRO.

Organizational context

Under the guidance and direct supervision of WHO Programme Management Officer (first level) and Coordinator, External Relations, Partnership (second level) the Partnerships and Resource Mobilization officer will be responsible for enhancing WHO partnerships, mobilizing resources for WHO programme efforts, and supporting WHO’s Partnerships and Donor Relations Teams. The Partnerships and Resource Mobilization officer supports WHO senior management teams (SMT) in developing/nurturing strategic partnerships and leveraging resources to achieve results for the programme portfolio.

Summary of Assigned Duties

The incumbent will perform all or part of the following, and other related responsibilities as required by the needs of the office.
1. Develop and/or manage the office’s database/information management system on donor and partner contacts, intelligence, and resource mobilization.: Map private sector actors, CSR foundations, and philanthropic initiatives; Identify funding flows, regulatory frameworks, and partnership barriers
2. Produce Scoping Report & Actor Database
3. Support the elaboration of a National PSE Strategy: Priority health areas; Partnership models (co-financing, CSR pooling, innovation pilots); Governance & coordination structures; Monitoring & Evaluation and accountability framework and its validation through consultative meetings with MCCI, Business Mauritius, MOHW and other specific private sector donor
4. Support the launching of the national PSE platform
5. Support implementation of strategies and guide senior management and technical teams in outreach and maintaining relations with the relevant partners including advocating for collaboration/funding and successful dialogue with stakeholders.
6. Support the organization of advocacy events- roundtables and meetings - with corporate leaders on specific themes once a month to increase the visibility of WHO and raise awareness of the work of the WCO.
7. Conduct targeted bilateral meetings with potential donors from the private sector for potential resource mobilsation
Post Description: Partnerships and Resource Mobilization pg. 3
8. Provide technical support to develop catalytic engagement grants (USD 5,000–10,000) to initiate co-designed pilots
9. Prepare communication and advocacy products and statements to be used by the resource mobilization team to encourage donors to rapidly fund the comprehensive health sector response, as well as create visibility of activities funded by donors.
10. Perform any other resource mobilization – partnership building duties as requested by supervisors.

Education

Essential: Bachelor's degree in international relations, or political science, or communications, or public administration
Desirable: Advanced university degree (master’s level) in a relevant field (such as international relations, political science, social sciences, business or public administration, communications, marketing, management). Qualifications/studies in external relations, communication, resource mobilization, partnership-building, development. Training in donor intelligence, proposal writing, and/or general project management.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of five years of relevant experience, with proven international exposure, in external relations, partnerships’ building, and resource mobilization, with grants management. Documented achievements in fundraising activities.
Desirable: Experience in programme/project management. Prior work experience with WHO, United Nations or other public international organizations.
Experience in partnership-building with major public health donors (Central Emergency Response Fund, European Union/ Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Civil Aid Operations (ECHO), Global Fund, World Bank, among others).

Organizational skills

• External relations, resource mobilization and partnership-building, complemented by the ability to conceptualize ideas.
• Funding modalities, such as pooled funding mechanisms, government financing, trust funds, and other funding mechanisms involving national governments.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including proven ability to facilitate and strengthen collaboration with a broad range of external partners.
• Ability to "think out of the box", and make innovative proposals for the mobilization of resources.
• Proven skills in drafting and finalizing grant/project proposals and donor reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Diplomacy, tact, and discretion.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing results
• Building and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment.

Use of Language Skills

Expert knowledge of English and French.

IT skills

•Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Familiarity with the use of graphic design, visual design, social media, website development and publishing software.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
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• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
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