1 Health Program Jobs

GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM ASSAM HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT SOCIETY (AHIDMS) 4TH FLOOR, NAYANTARA SUPERMARKET, SIXMILE, GUWAHATI-22 TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR) FOR STATE ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AND SAFEGUARD SPECIALIST (SEMSS) A. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The Assam Health Infrastructure Development & Management Society (AHIDMS) (a) has been created under the Medical Education & Research Department, Government of Assam (GoA), headed by Hon'ble Health Minister as Chairman and Senior Most Secretary, Medical Education & Research Department, GoA as the Member Secretary of the Governing Body. The Project Management Unit (PMU) is headed by a Project Director (PD). The key mandate of the Society is to function as an apex autonomous body of the GoA for monitoring, coordination and/or implementation of JICA, World Bank and any other Externally Aided Project (EAP). (b) AHIDM Society is now taking initiative to implementing 'Assam Secondary Health Care Systems Reform Project' (ASHSRP) with financial and technical support from the World Bank. The project aims to strengthen management capacity, access and quality of health care in secondary healthcare hospitals in Assam. The project will target investments towards health care facilities and locations across the state over the six- year project duration where the demand for health services is high and required capacities are in place to maximize the impact of the project. The project aims to address critical gaps in Assam secondary healthcare system to enhance its performance to optimum levels by implementing interventions under following two components: Component 1: Improving Governance and management capacity of health systems at the state and district level (Results based financing) Component 2: Improving quality and coverage of secondary health care services and investment in supply and demand side intervention (quality and access). The project aims are having internal performance contracts to boost the efficiency of teams in the directorate and at the district management level. Besides, the project will be investing in select District and sub district hospitals to expand the portfolio and improve the quality of service. With this background, the project intends to hire a State Environment Management and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) as a contractual consultant member of the Project Management Unit (PMU), to support the environment management & safeguard related activities under the project. The detailed scope of work is defined below: B. OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE ASSIGNMENT The objective of the assignment is to provide technical and operation support for all the Environment safeguard activities planned under the project. And also support the intermediate steps required for completion of environment Safeguards activities planned under the project and due diligence of environment framework under the project. C. SCOPE OF WORK: The State Environment Management and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) will be responsible for implementation, coordination and reporting of Environmental actions, focusing on biosafety, biosecurity, Waste management (biomedical, e-waste, liquid and Hazardous wastes), occupational and community health and safety measures, environmental risk mitigation/management, and conduct of environment audits and studies at project locations. Key tasks: preparation and dissemination of guidelines/advisories and action plans; provision of technical/operational support to project teams including regular field visits; training and capacity building plan/activities; support for state specific diagnostic work and strategies; conduct of relevant studies and learning events across state; coordination with project stakeholders, technical partners/resource agencies and World Bank, and documentation and progress reporting. The SEMSS will support the Project Management Unit (PMU) in overall management of the environment safeguard compliance under the project. The consultant will perform his/her duties as per the directions of Project Director (PD) and he/she will closely work with different Directorates, State entities and the PMU team members for Environment safeguards compliance. D. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: The job responsibilities of the SEMSS shall include the following: (a) Ensure exclusion of high-risk activities from the project. These are activities that are likely to have significant adverse impacts on the environment and/or affected people. (b) Ensure that the required screening checklists are duly filled out to ensure potentially important biodiversity and cultural resource are excluded from the project. (c) Will be in-charge of coordinating environmental management activities as per ESSA across directorates including addressing issues related to generation, collection, segregation, storage, transport, management and disposal of Biomedical, Solid and Hazardous wastes, reducing the risk of contracting infections within healthcare facilities, and occupational health and safety practices at healthcare facilities. (d) Provide operational support on environmental risk management including undertaking regular operational field visits to assist district, block, and field level officials/ teams in identifying environmental risks, planning mitigation measures, support towards implementation, reviewing environmental risk management documentation, monitoring and reporting to ensure that environmental issues are adequately addressed and that program in compliance with the environmental Safeguards policies/ ESSA core principles. (e) Support and coordinate capacity building; addressing bio-medical waste and liquid waste management related issues and concerns in health facilities, laboratories, and other health services care provisions as per BMWM rules; addressing civil works related environmental issues and concerns; addressing occupation health and safety (OHS) concerns; and other requirements for management of environmental risks and moving towards environmental sustainability under the program. (f) Will be responsible for helping develop the Environment Strategy for the Health Sector in Assam. (g) Will be helping conduct training/ capacity building activities towards environmental management as identified in ESSA across directorates. (h) Will regular monitor the implementation environmental activities and compliance to Bio-medical waste management, solid waste management, infection control activities and occupation and health safety measures. (i) Will be responsible for helping implement action plans as identified in ESSA and help monitor the same on periodic basis. (j) Will be responsible for helping to coordinate the annual audit of CTFs across different districts in the state (k) Report to PD/ APD and prepare environment safeguards Review summaries and relevant social sections for the monitoring/ review reports. (l) Any other tasks related to procurement and as per the requirement of the project and as assigned by the PD. E. DELIVERABLES Development of Environment safeguards assessment and action plan along with (a) specification and timely revision of the same with progressing implementation agreeable to Project Director. (b) Stakeholder consultation report with clear recommendations for Environment safeguards aligned with project objectives (c) Provide implementation support to the project in managing the Environment safeguards risk in order to achieve project objectives (d) Periodic review of Environment Action plan and its progress as per the project document for respective areas (e) Conduct field visits and meetings with Government departments and other contractors to monitor and resolve social safeguards related issues (f) Any other task as assigned by the Project Director with specific deliverable determinant to achieving the project objectives. F. KEY QUALIFICATION AND SKILLS: (a) Masters degree in Bio-medical Engineering/ Environment management from any Govt. recognized university/ institution with training in Environment safeguards. Excellent understanding of the World Bank Environment safeguards systems and procedure is desirable. (b) Experience : Must have at least 7 years of experience in Environment management or safeguards role. Preference will be given to the candidate with experience in Externally Aided projects. Experience of working in the North East and in the Health Sector will be preferred. (c) Skills and Competencies: Excellent communication and presentation skills, analytical and interpersonal abilities along with advocacy and negotiations skills Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language is essential. Proficiency in local language will be an advantage. Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment. Demonstrated experience in operationalizing health program at field level / working in strengthening of district level health systems would be an advantage. Willingness to travel to districts to provide technical assistance & ability to work on different assignments simultaneously to meet the timelines for assignments. Non discriminating, transparent, participative Advocacy, Negotiations, and communication skills Experience in World Bank Project will be an added advantage. Computer proficiency and familiarity with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint. (d) Age limit: Upto 50 years as on 01/01/2025. G. SALARY AND CONTRACT TERMS: a) Consolidated Pay of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh) to Rs. 1,20,000/- (Rupees one lakh twenty thousand) per month. The selected candidate will be offered 30% enhancement on the last drawn salary. However, in case the selected candidates current remuneration with 30% enhancement comes below Rs. 1,00,000/- per month, the lower remuneration will be offered. Moreover, in case, the selected candidates current remuneration with 30% enhancement exceeds Rs. 1,20,000/-per month, the highest pay range i.e. Rs. 1,20,000/- per month will be offered. The fixed remuneration shall be inclusive of monthly remuneration and performance linked incentive. b) Reporting and performance review: Engagement of the State Environment Management and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) will be on a full-time basis. The SEMSS will report to the Project Director (PD) or the other senior staff designated by the Project Director. The performance of the SEMSS will be reviewed periodically by the PD. c) Contract Term: The assignment is on purely contractual basis. The tenure of contract is intended for entire duration of the project and co-terminus with the project period. However, the tenure is initially for eleven (11) months and will be extended upon his/her satisfactory performance. d) Travel: The SEMSS may be required to travel frequently within the State. TA / DA for such approved travel shall be paid/ reimbursed as admissible as per the HR Policy of the AHIDMS. e) Leave: The provisions of leave shall be as per leave Policy of the AHIDMS. f) Facilities to be provided: The SEMSS will be provided with access to all the available documents, correspondence, and any other information associated with the project and as deemed necessary. No clerical assistance or other facilities will be provided. Note: This is a draft indicative ToR; The PD, AHIDMS reserves the right to change, update or modify this ToR at any stage during the recruitment process.