NATIONAL CONSULTANT: Private-Public Partnership (PPP) for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Kathmandu, Nepal

UNFPA Nepal, in line with its commitment to strengthen the national mental health system, is implementing the Joint UN Mental Health Support Programme (MSP) 2025–2028, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The programme aims to strengthen Nepal's mental health system by expanding access to quality MHPSS services and improving coordination across public and private service providers at national and sub-national levels.

Nepal's mental health landscape is shaped by decades of conflict, political unpredictability, and deep-rooted social inequalities. The National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) found a lifetime prevalence of 10% for mental disorders, with specific vulnerable groups, including women, adolescents, and the Dalit community, being disproportionately affected.

While the private sector is a significant provider of mental health services, including well-established psychiatry departments in hospitals and medical colleges, this institutional base operates largely in isolation from the public health system. Siloed approaches, weak coordination, limited resources, and high care costs exacerbate the lack of accessible, equitable, and quality MHPSS services.

To address these gaps, UNFPA Nepal is seeking innovative Private-Public Partnership (PPP) models that leverage private sector strengths to bridge gaps in the public system, particularly around equity, access, quality, and coordination. The consultancy will support not only the development of a national PPP conceptual framework, but also the identification, prioritization and operational design of feasible PPP models that can be implemented under the Mental Health Support Programme.

The programme's geographic focus includes Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Karnali Province (Tribeni, Banphikot, Sanibheri, Chaurjahari), Lumbini Province (Rolpa, Runtigadi, Shivaraj, Maharajganj), and Madhesh Province (Ishworpur, Lalbandi, Hariwan, Malangwa).

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNFPA Nepal in developing a national PPP conceptual framework for MHPSS and establishing a PPP Technical Working Group (TWG) to ensure structured stakeholder coordination and sustained private sector engagement in Nepal's mental health system.

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities under the PPP component of the MSP Project:

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of existing PPP initiatives in mental health and related sectors in Nepal, including a landscape mapping of public, private and non-traditional private sector actors (e.g. private hospitals, counselling centres, tele-mental health providers, digital health companies, universities, professional associations, corporate CSR initiatives, employers and other relevant stakeholders), existing coordination mechanisms, and an assessment of their comparative advantages, opportunities and challenges for engagement in MHPSS.
• Identify, analyse and prioritize feasible PPP models for implementation in Nepal, including options (but not limited to) such as tele-mental health, specialist mentorship, joint service delivery, digital innovation, workplace mental health and training partnerships, considering feasibility, sustainability, equity and scalability.
• Draft a National PPP Conceptual Framework.
• Develop an implementation roadmap for operationalizing the PPP conceptual framework throughout the duration of the Mental Health Support Programme, including key milestones, responsible actors, sustainability measures, and a transition plan to support government ownership and long term implementation beyond the programme period.
• Design and organize a national technical stakeholder consultation bringing together government ministries, private healthcare providers, civil society, development partners, and UN agencies to review and provide feedback on the draft PPP conceptual framework.
• Drawing on the outcomes of the consultation, finalize the framework, develop a targeted dissemination plan, and present it to UNFPA and key government counterparts for formal endorsement (if possible) and institutional uptake.

• Develop the Terms of Reference (ToR), operational guidelines, and membership criteria for the PPP TWG.
• Identify and engage key stakeholders, including government, private providers, civil society, and development partners, for TWG membership.
• Facilitate the inaugural meeting of the PPP TWG.
• Develop a TWG work plan and ensure linkages between the PPP TWG and existing national mental health coordination structures.

• Provide technical guidance and coordination support to selected institutions during the Planning and Design Phase for their pilot PPP models. This will include supporting partners in finalizing their implementation plans, ensuring alignment with the national PPP conceptual framework, confirming target groups and geographic areas, and facilitating coordination with designated public sector counterparts across the four output areas (tele-mental health integration, capacity building and mentorship, joint service delivery, and demand generation and stigma reduction).
• Support UNFPA in developing practical tools and approaches to facilitate the implementation and institutionalization of PPP models.
• Support UNFPA in reviewing inception reports and other technical documents submitted by selected PPP partners and ensuring coherence across the different PPP models.

Any other activities assigned by the supervisor.

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Health Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• A background or specialized training in mental health policy, health financing, or PPP frameworks is a strong asset.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in health systems strengthening, private sector engagement, public health policy, or private-public partnership development in Nepal.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and technical working groups in health or MHPSS contexts.
• Strong knowledge of Nepal's health governance structure, including federal, provincial, local government roles and private sector in health service delivery.
• Knowledge of the mental health and psychosocial support landscape in Nepal, including private sector actors, is highly desirable.
• Experience working with or supporting UN agencies or international organizations is an asset.

Fluency in Nepali and English is required.

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change.

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.