International Consultant - Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Strategy and Implementation Roadmap
Organizational Context
Sri Lanka possesses a well-established, high-completeness paper-based civil registration system, with recent coverage rates for birth and death registration exceeding 98%. The nation is transitioning to digital systems to enhance data timeliness and quality. A comprehensive national CRVS strategy is essential to guide this transition, establish shared priorities, improve mortality and cause-of-death data, and ensure vital statistics inform policy and public health decisions.
Job Purpose
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive national Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) strategy and an implementation roadmap for Sri Lanka for the period 2027-2031. This will involve close collaboration with key government ministries and departments, including the Registrar General’s Department, Ministry of Health, and Department of Census and Statistics, with technical support from WHO. The strategy will aim to guide the country's transition to digital CRVS systems, improve data quality and timeliness, strengthen the use of mortality and cause-of-death data for policy and planning, and ensure a coordinated approach across all relevant institutions. The consultant will facilitate stakeholder engagement and ensure the strategy addresses identified gaps and opportunities within the existing CRVS framework.
Responsibilities
The consultant will conduct a thorough assessment of the existing CRVS system, analyzing business processes, legal, institutional, and operational frameworks to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. This includes reviewing previous CRVS initiatives and mapping key stakeholders. A critical component involves assessing mortality and cause-of-death data systems, including medical certification processes, cause-of-death coding practices (ICD-10/11), and data workflows between health facilities and registration authorities. The consultant will identify data quality and timeliness gaps and assess capacity-building needs for implementing reporting standards. Finally, the consultant will develop a national CRVS strategy and implementation roadmap, incorporating findings from the assessments and stakeholder consultations, ensuring alignment with national priorities and WHO technical guidance.
Work Experience
Essential: Minimum 10 years of professional experience in public health, health information systems, CRVS, or related fields. Demonstrated experience in CRVS system strengthening, mortality statistics, or cause-of-death data systems. Experience in developing national strategies, policies, or action plans. Experience working with government institutions, national statistical offices, ministries of health, or international organizations. Desirable: Experience in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
Skills
Strong technical knowledge of CRVS systems, birth/death registration, and institutional arrangements. Knowledge of medical certification of cause of death (MCCD) and ICD coding (ICD-10/11). Ability to apply CRVS assessment approaches, strategic planning, and health information system strengthening concepts. Familiarity with CRVS Business Process Mapping. Knowledge of CRVS assessment tools and frameworks (WHO/UN). Strong analytical, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Excellent technical report writing and communication skills in English.