Specialist - MHRA Structure and Governance
Dhaka
- Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
- Location: Dhaka
- Grade: LICA 10
-
Occupational Groups:
- Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
- International Relations
- Democratic Governance
- Public Policy and Administration
- Closing Date: 2025-11-27
General Information
Job Highlight
About the Region
The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.
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 strategi 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. WHO will provide technical assistance, policy advice, and coordination support to ensure that the reform measures are effectively implemented and aligned with global best practices in health system strengthening.
Role Purpose
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive proposal on new governance framework, operational rules, and organogram for the Medicine and Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) . The proposal should incorporate best practices from the regional and global standards, tailored to the local context.
Objectives of the Assignment
- To review the existing legal frameworks, current DGDA’s structure, functional units, committees, mandates, staffing, and decision-making processes, and identifying gaps, overlaps, inefficiencies, and capacity constraints affecting licensing, quality control, market surveillance, pharmacovigilance, enforcement, pricing on the medical products.
- To design a modern regulatory framework for the proposed MHRA by benchmarking against the best international and regional practices, proposing a detailed organogram, governance framework, operational rules and implementation roadmap.
- To provide a transition and implementation roadmap from DGDA to MHRA by recommending legal, administrative, and human resource changes, outlining necessary capacity-building and infrastructure improvements, and ensuring operational measures for a smooth and effective institutional transformation.
Functions / Key Results Expected
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Situational Analysis:
- Review relevant legal, policy, and strategic documents (including the Drug & Cosmetics Act 2023, National Drug Policy), DGDA mandates, organograms, Quality Manual, key standard operating procedures on pre- marketing control and post marketing control.
- Conduct consultations with DGDA function heads, Divisional heads and district offices; map functional units, committees, staffing, reporting lines, regulatory processes, and decision flows; identify gaps, bottlenecks, and capacity constraints.
Benchmarking and Best Practices:
- Analyze international and regional regulatory authorities with similar mandates to identify effective structures, governance models, Rules of Business, digital systems, human resource capacity, lab infrastructure, and enforcement mechanisms applicable to MHRA.
Design of MHRA Structure and Rules of Business:
- Propose a detailed organogram with directorates, divisions, functional units, staffing levels, roles, competencies, and reporting lines.
- Draft Rules of Business covering decision-making authority, delegation, licensing, compliance/enforcement, stakeholder engagement, transparency, and operational policies including ethics, conflicts of interest, and grievance procedures.
- Recommend legal, administrative, HR, and resource steps for transitioning from DGDA to MHRA (additional or changed mandates).
Transition and Implementation Plan
- Outline key institutional development plan, capacity building, training, and stakeholder engagement; provide rough cost estimates for structural, staffing, and infrastructure enhancements.
Expected Deliverables:
Sl. No. |
Activities |
Deliverables |
Timeline |
1 |
Situational and Benchmark Analysis – Conduct a comprehensive assessment of DGDA’s existing structure, mandates, functions, SOPs, and governance processes; benchmark against regional and international best practices (e.g., MHRA-UK, US-FDA, EMA, CDSCO India). |
Situational and Benchmark Analysis Report – Detailed analytical report mapping DGDA’s current structure, functions, and performance, with comparative analysis of global and regional regulatory authority models to inform MHRA design. |
Day 1–15 |
2 |
Development of Draft MHRA Structure and Rules of Business – Design a consolidated organizational proposal outlining the new MHRA structure, including directorates, divisions, and staffing framework; prepare draft Rules of Business defining decision-making, regulatory authority, and coordination mechanisms. |
Draft Proposal for MHRA Structure and Rules of Business – Comprehensive proposal including detailed organogram, role definitions, reporting hierarchies, operational workflows, and draft Rules of Business covering governance and transparency mechanisms. |
Day 16–30 |
3 |
Preparation of Transition and Implementation Plan – Develop recommendations and roadmap for the DGDA-to-MHRA transition, covering legal, administrative, HR, and financial dimensions; identify required reforms, capacity-building needs, and resource allocations. |
Transition and Implementation Plan – Action-oriented roadmap with timelines, responsibilities, training plan, and indicative cost estimates for transition and operationalization of MHRA. |
Day 31–40 |
Skills
Competencies
Education Requirements
Required
Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacy, Public Health, Health Policy, Legal Studies, Organizational Development, or related field with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
Desired
A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in [IF RELEVANT INSERT AREA OR DELETE] is desired.
Experience Requirements
Required
- At least 10 years in drug/health product regulatory authorities or health systems regulation.
- Proven experience in organizational restructuring, developing Rules of Business, and designing organograms for regulatory agencies.
- Strong legal and policy knowledge, especially drug related law and policies.
Skills:
- Strong analytical, conceptual, and report-writing skills.
- Excellent facilitation and communication abilities.
- Ability to harmonize legal, technical, policy, and operational dimensions.
- Collaborative approach with government, industry, and development partners.
Language Requirements
| Language | Proficiency Level | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| English | Fluent | Required |
| Bengali | Native | Required |
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.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.