1. Purpose:

The consultancy will strengthen WHO Afghanistan’s preparedness for reduced health financing from 2027 through strategic planning, resource prioritization, resource mobilization, and partnerships. The consultant will finalize the Investment Case 2027–2028; develop funding scenarios, priorities, and donor-facing products; expand traditional and non-traditional partnerships; and refine tools linking program priorities, workforce needs, resource gaps, and management decisions.

2. Background:

Afghanistan’s health sector faces a major financing transition. BPHS and EPHS are financed mainly by the World Bank-supported HER and ADB-supported SAFE projects, both of which are expected to end in 2026. Subsequent financing could decline by 50–60%, requiring decisions on service priorities, coverage, workforce needs, and resource allocation.

The wider humanitarian funding environment has contracted, while earmarked, time-bound contributions reduce flexibility. WHO Afghanistan is developing its Investment Case 2027–2028, funding scenarios, gap analyses, and planning tools, while expanding engagement with philanthropic, private-sector, high-net-worth, and diaspora partners. Specialized capacity is required to deliver these products and sustain essential health services.

3. Planned timelines:

Start date: 01 September 2026

End date: 31 December 2026

4. Work to be performed:

Outputs are designed as interconnected components of a single strategic objective: supporting WHO Afghanistan’s preparedness for the anticipated 2027 funding transition. Strategic planning and prioritization exercises will inform the development of the Investment Case and funding narratives; these products will in turn support resource mobilization, partnership development, and engagement with both traditional and non-traditional partners. Lessons learned and systems developed will be consolidated into institutional tools, guidance, and interoperable planning mechanisms to strengthen organizational preparedness/decision-making.

Output 1. Finalization of WHO Afghanistan Investment Case 2027–2028

· Deliverable 1.1: Lead the coordination, drafting, consolidation, and finalization of the WHO Afghanistan Investment Case 2027–2028.

· Deliverable 1.2: Develop strategic funding narratives, investment priorities, and donor-facing materials associated with the Investment Case.

· Deliverable 1.3: Identify and map prospective non-traditional partners, including philanthropic organizations, private sector actors, high-net-worth individuals, and members of the Afghan diaspora with an interest in supporting health outcomes in Afghanistan.

· Deliverable 1.4: Develop tailored engagement materials, investment narratives, and outreach products adapted to the priorities and interests of different target audiences, including traditional donors, private sector partners, philanthropic actors, high-net-worth individuals, and diaspora communities.

Output 2. Strategic Planning and Resource Prioritization

· Deliverable 2.1: Lead the refinement and implementation of strategic planning and prioritization frameworks to support annual planning processes and resource allocation decisions.

· Deliverable 2.2: Update, maintain, and further refine the WHO Afghanistan Strategic Planning Matrix for 2027, including funding requirements, workforce implications, implementation priorities, and resource gaps.

· Deliverable 2.3: Facilitate and support scenario-based planning exercises, including minimum, intermediate, and ideal funding scenarios, to identify priorities, resource requirements, and organizational adaptations required under different financing conditions.

· Deliverable 2.4: Develop recommendations and briefing materials for senior management on funding priorities, resource allocation, organizational preparedness, and strategic planning considerations.

· Deliverable 2.5: Support the initial design of a sustainable and interoperable online planning document/platform that consolidates strategic planning, resource prioritization, funding scenarios, workforce implications, and management decision-support tools.

Output 3. Cross-cutting Programmatic Support, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

· Deliverable 3.1: Provide strategic planning, partnership development, and resource mobilization support to cross-cutting priorities, including Gender, GBV, AAP, and PRSEAH, ensuring their integration within funding proposals, strategic planning processes, and resource mobilization efforts.

· Deliverable 3.2: Provide programmatic and resource mobilization support to RMNCAH, Nutrition, and the Health Cluster, including concept note development, proposal preparation, donor reporting, strategic positioning, and prioritization exercises.

· Deliverable 3.3: Provide technical support to the country office to develop strategic funding proposals, concept notes, donor reports, and partnership initiatives.

· Deliverable 3.4: Develop briefing notes, donor presentations, and partnership products for senior management engagement.

Output 4. Institutional Systems Strengthening and Knowledge Products

· Deliverable 4.1: Refine and strengthen strategic planning, resource prioritization, donor intelligence, and resource mobilization tools to support coordination and decision-making.

· Deliverable 4.2: Develop guidance materials, standard operating procedures, and knowledge products related to resource mobilization, planning, and donor engagement.

· Deliverable 4.3: Support the integration and interoperability of planning systems, donor tracking tools, SOPs, resource mobilization processes, and decision-support platforms to improve organizational coherence and efficiency.

5. Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work under the supervision of:

Primary Supervisor

· Helena O’Malley, Partnerships & External Relations Team Lead (omalleyh@who.int)

Secondary Supervisor:

Dr. Mukta Sharma, Deputy WHO Representative (sharmamu@who.int)

6. Specific Requirements

Education Required

Essential:

Advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in International Relations, Public Policy, Development Studies, Public Health, Political Science, Economics, Law, Business Administration

Desirable:

Additional training or certification in strategic planning, resource mobilization, project management, partnership development, or humanitarian programming.

Experience Required

Essential

5 to 10 years of relevant experience of progressively responsible professional experience in resource mobilization, partnerships, external relations, strategic planning, program coordination, including significant experience supporting health, humanitarian, emergency, or development programs in fragile, conflict-affected, and resource-constrained settings; international experience is mandatory

Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing comprehensive resource mobilization and partnership strategies (including investment cases, strategic frameworks, country strategies, business cases, donor engagement plans, partnership frameworks, innovative financing approaches, and high‑quality funding proposals/concept notes/reports) across diverse funding partners such as bilateral and multilateral donors, philanthropic foundations, development banks, and humanitarian mechanisms, within international organizations (e.g. WHO, UN entities, INGOs, development institutions).

Proven experience leading and coordinating complex, multi‑stakeholder strategic planning processes and developing, refining, and integrating strategic planning, resource mobilization, monitoring, and decision‑support tools and systems to support organizational planning, prioritization, resource allocation, and senior management decision‑making.

Desirable

Familiarity with WHO planning frameworks, investment case development processes, resource mobilization systems, and organizational planning mechanisms.

Knowledge of WHO internal administrative, planning, budgeting, and reporting systems.

Experience supporting senior leadership engagement with donors, Member States, strategic partners, and governing bodies.

Skills/ Technical skills and knowledge:

Strong strategic planning and analytical skills, including experience conducting prioritization, funding-gap, and scenario-planning exercises in complex organizational environments.

Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi‑stakeholder strategic processes and systems design—covering planning, resource prioritization, interoperable planning/monitoring/resource‑mobilization/decision‑support systems—and to manage multidisciplinary teams and multiple workstreams while consolidating diverse inputs into coherent organizational strategies and plans.

Strong capacity to turn complex technical, financial, and programmatic information into high‑quality strategic narratives and products—investment cases, frameworks, proposals, concept notes, donor reports, and senior management briefings—paired with excellent stakeholder engagement skills and deep knowledge of humanitarian and development financing, enabling effective relationship management with senior officials, donors, UN agencies, development partners, philanthropic and private sector actors in fragile, multicultural contexts

Language Requirements

Excellent knowledge of English, with demonstrated ability to draft high-quality strategic documents, investment cases, donor reports, funding proposals, briefing notes, and other external-facing products.

Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be considered an asset.

7. Place of assignment:

Home-based (remote)

8. Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

9. Travel

No routine travel is anticipated. However, should programmatic needs require participation in strategic planning workshops, donor consultations, partnership meetings, or other WHO-related activities, travel may be undertaken in accordance with WHO rules and regulations and subject to prior approval and availability of funds.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO; WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive a subsistence allowance.

Visa requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfill visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

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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Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.

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