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 strategic area,s 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.
A well-structured and transparent career pathway is critical for improving motivation, retention, and performance of the health workforce. In Bangladesh, the health workforce comprises various cadres, including doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, technologists, and public health professionals who play vital roles in service delivery. However, limited opportunities for career advancement, unclear promotion criteria, and lack of standardized progression frameworks have been identified as major factors contributing to job dissatisfaction and attrition, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
To address these challenges, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), intends to develop career pathways for key health worker cadres. These pathways will outline structured progression routes, competency requirements, promotion criteria, and professional development options aligned with national HRH policies and global best practices.
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical assistance to the MOHFW and relevant stakeholders in designing career pathways for the key health workers under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), such as medical doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists.
This ICT assignment will complement the work of the health systems consultant responsible for policy and content development, by providing the technical architecture, software development, and integration necessary for implementing a fully digitalized solution.
Objectives of the Assignment
Examine existing HR policies, regulations, and practices related to the career progression of key health worker cadres.
Determine gaps, challenges, and opportunities in current career structures.
Develop career pathway frameworks for selected cadres (e.g., medical doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists).
Define competencies, qualifications, and experience requirements for each level in the pathway.
Provide recommendations for the integration of career pathways into national HRH strategies and systems.
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Carry out a desk review of relevant documents, including HRH policies, service rules, job descriptions, and international best practices on health workforce career pathways.
Consult key stakeholders (MOHFW, DGHS, DGFP, BNMC, relevant professional councils, academia, and development partners) to gather inputs.
Assess current career progression mechanisms and identify bottlenecks affecting motivation, retention, and performance.
Develop draft career pathway frameworks for identified cadres, detailing:
Levels and positions
Core competencies and required qualifications
Professional development and training requirements
Promotion and progression criteria
Lateral movement and specialization options
Facilitate validation workshops with stakeholders to refine and finalize the frameworks.
Prepare a final report including the frameworks, policy recommendations, and implementation roadmap.
Expected Deliverables:
S.No.
Activities
Deliverables
Timeline
1
Inception and Desk Review Phase –
Conduct an inception meeting, finalize the methodology and work plan, and carry out a comprehensive desk review of the existing HRH structure, policies, and relevant frameworks.
Inception Report and Desk Review –
Comprehensive assessment of the current HRH situation, policy landscape, and existing professional development systems.
Day 1–10
2
Development of Draft Career Pathways Framework –
Design an initial framework outlining potential career pathways, progression mechanisms, and competency-based promotion criteria for selected cadres.
Draft Career Pathways Framework –
Initial draft document for selected cadres, highlighting structure, progression ladders, and linkage with HR policies.
Day 11–25
3
Stakeholder Consultations and Validation Workshops –
Conduct consultation meetings with MoHFW, HR units, and development partners to review, validate, and refine the draft framework.
Stakeholder Consultation and Validation Workshop Report –
Summary of key feedback, stakeholder inputs, and revisions incorporated into the draft framework.
Day 26–35
4
Finalization and Submission –
Integrate validated feedback, develop recommendations, and prepare the final report with a clear implementation roadmap and action plan for phased adoption.
Final Report –
Final draft of the HRH Career Pathways Framework, including recommendations, phased implementation roadmap, and resource plan.
Day 36–50
