Team Leader

Health Nutrition Education and Agriculture Research Development Nepal (HEARD Nepal) invites applications from qualified, dynamic, and experienced Nepali professionals for inclusion in its Roster of Experts (Health and Nutrition) for the senior leadership position of Team Leader. Empaneled experts will be engaged on an assignment/contractual basis to provide overall strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational management across HEARD Nepal’s ongoing and upcoming health and nutrition programs as operational needs arise.

1. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

Health Nutrition Education and Agriculture Research Development Nepal (HEARD Nepal) is a national, non-profit, charitable, and humanitarian non-governmental organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being, resilience, and dignity of vulnerable and marginalized communities across Nepal. Implementing integrated, community-centered development models, HEARD Nepal works across Health, Nutrition, Education, Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Agriculture, Livelihoods, Child Protection, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation, and Humanitarian Emergency Response.

HEARD Nepal is legally registered with the District Administration Office, Saptari (Registration No. 1761/077/78) and affiliated with the Social Welfare Council, Kathmandu (Affiliation No. 52601).

2. POSITION OVERVIEW

Position Title

Team Leader (Roster of Experts)

Thematic Area

Health and Nutrition

Engagement Modality

Roster Empanelment; Assignment-Based Fixed-Term Contract

Duty Station

Project-specific field locations across Nepal (as per assignment requirements)

Roster Validity

Six to twelve months (one year) from the date of empanelment.

Date of Publication

12 November 2026

Application Deadline

25 November 2026 (5

00 PM NST)

3. PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Team Leader will provide overarching strategic leadership, technical direction, and operational management for HEARD Nepal’s health and nutrition portfolio. Serving as the primary institutional focal point for funding partners, federal/provincial/local government counterparts, and consortium stakeholders, the Team Leader ensures the timely, compliant, and high-impact delivery of multi-sectoral nutrition interventions aligned with national policies and donor standards.

HEARD Nepal | Vacancy Announcement

Roster of Experts – Team Leader (Health & Nutrition)

4. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

A. Strategic Leadership and Program Management

Strategic Alignment: Provide visionary leadership and technical direction for health and nutrition projects, ensuring full alignment with Nepal’s Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Plan (MSNP), national health policies, and donor agreements.

Program Planning: Spearhead the formulation of project inception plans, annual work plans, Detailed Implementation Plans (DIPs), and results frameworks.

Execution Excellence: Ensure high-quality, timely delivery of all programmatic milestones within approved budgets and agreed technical standards.

Adaptive Management: Lead adaptive management processes by systematically reviewing progress, identifying operational risks or bottlenecks, and instituting corrective measures with project teams and partners.

Multi-Sectoral Integration: Champion the operational integration of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions across Health, WASH, Agriculture, Education, and Social Protection sectors.

B. People Management and Organizational Capacity Building

Team Supervision: Supervise, mentor, and guide multidisciplinary project teams, including thematic coordinators, field officers, community volunteers, and external consultants.

Performance Management: Establish clear roles, accountabilities, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), conducting structured, periodic performance appraisals.

Staff Development: Assess technical and operational capacity gaps within the team and facilitate targeted coaching, training, and on-the-job mentorship.

Culture & Values: Cultivate an inclusive, collaborative, and high-accountability organizational culture anchored in HEARD Nepal’s core values.

C. External Representation, Coordination, and Partnerships

Government Liaison: Cultivate and sustain strategic working relationships with federal, provincial, and local governments (Palikas), Nutrition and Food Security Steering Committees (NFSSCs), Health Offices, and sectoral line agencies.

System Strengthening: Provide technical advocacy and support to local governments to institutionalize and co-finance health and nutrition priorities within their annual planning and budgeting cycles.

Institutional Representation: Represent HEARD Nepal in national/provincial nutrition clusters, technical working groups, donor forums, and high-level coordination platforms.

Partner Synergy: Harmonize interventions with UN agencies, I/NGOs, and development partners to prevent duplication, leverage synergies, and promote joint action.

D. Financial Oversight, Governance, and Compliance

Budget Stewardship: Exercise rigorous oversight over project budgets, expenditure forecasts, and procurement plans to guarantee transparent, cost-effective, and accountable resource utilization.

Financial Control: Review and authorize financial disbursements and closely track budget burn rates and variances in collaboration with the finance department.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to donor compliance regulations, Government of Nepal statutory requirements, and HEARD Nepal’s internal governance policies.

E. Quality Assurance, Learning, and Safeguarding

Executive Reporting: Ensure the timely submission of analytical, high-standard progress reports (monthly, quarterly, annual, and completion) for donors, government authorities, and HEARD Nepal leadership.

Evidence-Based Learning: Provide strategic oversight for baseline, midline, and endline evaluations, utilizing empirical evidence to drive continuous program refinement.

Knowledge Sharing: Promote institutional knowledge management through the systematic documentation and dissemination of best practices, case studies, and lessons learned.

GEDSI & Safeguarding: Mainstream Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), safeguarding, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), and Do-No-Harm principles across every stage of the project cycle.

5. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES

Education and Experience

Academic Qualification: Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH), Nutrition, Medicine, Nursing, Health Sciences, Global Health, Food Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a closely related discipline from a recognized university; OR a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Work Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of progressive senior leadership experience (for Master’s degree holders) or five (5) years (for Bachelor’s degree holders) managing health and/or nutrition programs in collaboration with government counterparts and I/NGO partners.

System Knowledge: Demonstrated technical command of Nepal’s federalized health and nutrition governance architecture, MSNP frameworks, and national health policies.

Core Skills and Competencies

Leadership & Management: Proven executive capabilities in strategic planning, multidisciplinary team leadership, decision-making, and adaptive program management.

Communication & Reporting: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and Nepali, with an established track record of producing high-level donor reports.

Stakeholder Diplomacy: Strong diplomatic, negotiation, and stakeholder representation skills suitable for high-level engagement with government officials and donor agencies.

Field Mobility: Willingness and physical readiness to travel frequently to remote and rural project implementation municipalities.

6. TERMS OF ROSTER EMPANELMENT

Nature of Engagement: Empanelment on the Roster of Experts does not constitute a guarantee of immediate or continuous employment. Rostered professionals will be contacted for specific assignments based on programmatic needs and thematic alignment.

Contractual Terms: Specific scope of work, duration, remuneration, and duty station will be stipulated in an individual assignment contract at the time of deployment.

Validity Period: Selected candidates will remain active on the HEARD Nepal Roster of Experts for a period of two (2) years from the date of selection.

7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested and eligible Nepali citizens meeting the above criteria are invited to submit their application package via email to [email protected] no later than 25 November 2026, 5:00 PM (NST). The application must include:

Cover Letter: Articulating suitability for the senior leadership role, strategic track record, and availability for assignment-based deployment.

Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailing relevant program leadership experience and contact details of at least two (2) professional referees.

Supporting Credentials: Scanned copies of academic credentials (with equivalence certificate, if applicable) and experience letters.

Email Subject Line: Please clearly mention “Application for Roster – Team Leader” in the subject line of your email.

8. SELECTION PROCESS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Selection Process: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment (written assessment, strategic case presentation, and/or competency-based interview). HEARD Nepal reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications without assigning any reason whatsoever. Telephone inquiries will not be entertained, and any form of canvassing or lobbying will result in automatic disqualification.

Inclusion & Diversity: HEARD Nepal is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity and inclusion. Qualified women, persons with disabilities, members of marginalized and disadvantaged communities, and local residents from project areas are strongly encouraged to apply.

Zero Tolerance Safeguarding Policy: HEARD Nepal enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy toward Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) and child abuse. All empaneled experts are required to adhere strictly to HEARD Nepal’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policies, and selection is subject to background and reference verification.