CON 2026 041 | Birthing Facility Operationalization and Sustainability Consultant

Job Description

The International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s health program in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) aims at strengthening the resilience and responsiveness of the region’s health system and improving access to healthcare, as part of the organization’s strategy to alleviate the driver of unwanted migration and to reduce health-related risks during displacements and migration cycle. IOM has implemented various health-related projects that contributed to better health outcomes in the BARMM. 

IOM’s project “Building Resilience through Inclusive Governance and Healthcare Transformation in BARMM (BRIGHT-BARMM), funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), aims to enhance the local capacity of Ministry of Health (MOH) and its provinces and cities/municipalities, to pursue key and cross cutting reforms in health systems. It will strengthen Health Systems (HS), particularly in areas of health governance and leadership, financing, and data and information, to provide a more conducive setting for implementing Safe Motherhood (SM), Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH), and Global Health Security (GHS) programs. 

Under Safe Motherhood and Adolescent Reproductive Health initiative, the project supports upgrading of birthing facilities through infrastructure improvements, equipment provision, technical assistance, mentoring, and capacity building to improve the quality, accessibility, and continuity of maternal and newborn care services across selected municipalities in BARMM.

While significant investments have been made in strengthening health facilities and personnel, there remains a need for dedicated technical assistance to ensure that project-supported systems, equipment, and service delivery mechanisms are effectively managed and sustained beyond the project period. The consultant shall serve as a strategic advisor to IOM, MOH-BARMM, LGUs, and RHUs to ensure that facility development investments are supported by the necessary policy, regulatory, governance, operational, and sustainability mechanisms required for long-term functionality and service delivery.

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Sub-Office/Program Manager, and the direct supervision of the National Migration Health Programme Coordinator, and in close coordination with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Local Government Units (LGUs) and Integrated Provincial Health Officer (IPHOs), the successful candidate provide technical guidance and facilitation, and document lessons learned, good practices, challenges, and recommendations arising from mentoring and technical assistance activities.

Responsibilities

The Category B Consultant will provide technical assistance and submit deliverables on a three-installment payment basis:

The hired consultant shall undertake the following activities covering 11 selected facilities across Lanao del Sur (5), Maguindanao del Sur (5), and Maguindanao del Norte (1):

A. FIRST DELIVERABLE: Regulatory Compliance, Standards Integration, and Accreditation Readiness Advisory

• Review progress of regulatory, administrative, and technical requirements necessary for facility development, operationalization, and accreditation.

• Develop a compliance roadmap and accreditation readiness pathway, reflecting recommended actions, responsible stakeholders, timelines, and critical milestones for each target facility.

• Advise project teams and government partners on actions necessary to secure required approvals, permits, certifications, and other regulatory requirements, including Permit to Construct (PTC) and other relevant facility development requirements.

• Review the alignment of proposed equipment packages with the approved facility development plans, service delivery requirements, projected utilization, and applicable national standards to ensure that investments respond to the actual operational needs of each facility.

• Provide strategic guidance to ensure that facility development investments incorporate the requirements and standards relevant to maternal and newborn care services, including accreditation, licensing, and quality-of-care standards.

• Advise on the integration of Adolescent-Friendly Health Facility (AFHF) standards and related service requirements within the supported facilities, where applicable, to promote continuity of care across the reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health continuum.

• Identify compliance gaps, accreditation risks, and institutional barriers that may affect the timely operationalization and long-term functionality of supported facilities.

• Monitor and provide recommendations on compliance risks that may delay implementation, accreditation, operational readiness, or sustainability.

Deliverable outputs: 

1. Facility Regulatory Compliance, Standards, and Accreditation Tracker

2. Facility Accreditation and Operational Readiness Roadmap per Facility

3. Equipment Alignment and Standards Compliance Advisory Report

4. AFHF Integration and Service Readiness Assessment with Recommendations

- Activities shall be completed by 30 November 2026, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 December 2026 (30% of overall contract value) 

B. SECOND DELIVERABLE: Strategic Governance, Commitment, and Financing

• Identify long-term financing and institutional requirements necessary to sustain supported facility investments beyond project completion and provide recommendations for mitigation and resolution. 

• Provide strategic direction and advice, and facilitate engagement with LGUs and relevant stakeholders to support government-led implementation, decision-making, and sustainability of facility development investments. 

• Develop a Stakeholder Delivery Agreement or tools and provide guidance to facilitate dialogue with relevant government stakeholders to support the formalization, monitoring, and fulfillment of agreed commitments necessary for facility operationalization and sustainability.

• Provide recommendations to strengthen government counterpart support. 

• Facilitate discussions with decision-makers for integration of facility requirements and institutionalization into local planning, budgeting, and investment processes such as but not limited to Local Investment Plan for Health (LIPH), Annual Investment Programs (AIPs), Annual Operational Plans (AOPs), local development plans, and relevant MOH-BARMM and DOH policies.

Key Areas of Government Commitment

• Staffing and human resource deployment commitments

• Operations and Maintenance (O&M) financing and budget allocation

• Utility and recurring operational cost commitments

• Equipment maintenance and replacement commitments

• Service delivery and operational readiness commitments

• LocalInvestment Plan for Health (LIPH) integration, Annual Investment Program (AIP) and Annual Operational Plan (AOP) integration

• Sustainability financing and resource mobilization mechanisms

1. Deliverable outputs: 

2. Technical Guidance Notes on Strategic Direction on Service Delivery for the 11 Target Sites

3. Stakeholder Delivery Agreements including Sustainability Plans initially co-developed by the municipal health office and LGU of each target facility

- Activities shall be completed by 30 January 2027, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 29 February 2027 (30% of overall contract value) 

C. THIRD DELIVERABLE: Operations and Maintenance Strengthening and Transition Planning

• Review existing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) systems, plans, protocols, governance arrangements, and budget allocation mechanisms for supported facilities and equipment.

• Identify strategic gaps, risks, and operational requirements that may affect the long-term functionality, maintenance, and utilization of facility infrastructure, equipment, and systems. 

• Provide guidance and recommendations to strengthen preventive maintenance systems, asset management practices, equipment replacement planning, and budgeting mechanisms necessary to sustain project-supported investments.

• Develop municipality-specific O&M technical guidance package, and Transition manual and tools. 

• Support LGUs and health facilities in strengthening or updating O&M and transition plans, including clear assignment of responsibilities, accountability mechanisms, maintenance schedules, and financing arrangements, through technical guidance sessions such as but not limited to orientation, training, coaching, and strategic discussions with relevant stakeholders.

• Support endorsement and integration of O&M and Transition Plans by LGUs and relevant authorities.

• Document O&M activities and outputs, lessons learned, good practices, and recommendations to inform future facility development and sustainability initiatives within BARMM.

Deliverable Outputs

1. Operations and Maintenance guidance package 

2. Municipality-specific O&M and Transition plans

3. Consolidated Financial, Institutional, and Operational Findings, Recommendations, and Strategy Report

- Activities shall be completed by 30 March 2027, with all required deliverable reports submitted by email to IOM no later than 30 June 2027 (40% of overall contract value) 

Qualifications

Education, Experience and/or Skills required 

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Health Policy, Health Facility Development, or related field.

• At least 5 years of experience in health systems strengthening, health facility management, local governance, or public health programming.

• Demonstrated experience in developing sustainability plans and institutional strengthening initiatives.

• Experience working with MOH-BARMM, DOH, LGUs, development partners, or the United Nations is highly desirable.

• Strong analytical, communication, writing, facilitation, and training skills are a major competitive advantage.
• Experience in maternal and child health and familiarity with the socio-political landscape and context of BARMM are desirable.

Required Skills

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