UNDP Jobs - 50506- Researcher: International Public Finance and Post-

Researcher: International Public Finance and Post-2015

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

03-Nov-2014

Application Deadline :

23-Oct-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

How to finance the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has emerged as a central question of recent discussions on international development. The UN’s intergovernmental committee of experts on sustainable development financing recently published its final report which provides an overview of the contemporary development financing landscape and points to new opportunities to leverage more resources in support of sustainable development. In July 2015, Addis Ababa will host the 3rd UN conference on financing for sustainable development. The conference will assess progress made on financing the ‘old’ MDG agenda as well as look at how the international community can best support the new post-2015 sustainable development agenda.

The expert committee’s report underscored that all sources of finance will need to be mobilized – and used more effectively – in support of sustainable development. These include domestic and external, public and private sources of finance. The report points to recent expansions in international private finance and suggests that more efforts are needed to orient a larger proportion of these flows towards internationally agreed sustainable development objectives. It also points to the continued need for development aid and other forms of international public finance and that private for-profit financing will be difficult – and even impossible – in some areas. It underscores that all sources of finance should be seen as complements, not substitutes, and the international community needs to find ways to ensure that different forms of finance work together more coherently.

In a recent joint paper, UNDP/ODI argued that despite the anticipated increased role for the private sector in development in the post-2015 period, and increasing domestic resources, international public finance (IPF) will still have a vital and unique role to play in the future. IPF has many specific characteristics which differentiate it from other forms of finance. These characteristics mean IPF will have a vital role in underpinning sustainable development efforts in the post-2015 era. The paper suggested however that international public finance needs to evolve in response to changing times; investment priorities need to change, more countries need to contribute resources to IPF in a stable and predictable manner and allocation mechanisms need to be made more efficient, accountable and representative.

Duties and Responsibilities

Against this background, UNDP is commissioning a consultant to look in more detail at the special characteristics of international public finance, and why it is so important to the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. The paper should also examine the idea that aid can (progressively) be replaced by domestic resources and private finance, and ask to what extent this premise holds true.

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the project manager, the specific tasks of the consultant will be to produce a paper co-authored with UNDP, which will:

Review the main literature on international public finance;
Describe the key characteristics of IPF;
Review what IPF has funded over the past five decades and how this has changed (is changing), including who is providing IPF, and a top-level analysis of where it has been most effective;
Review what the major “financing the SDGs” literature is saying on the role of IPF, its size, and its relationship to other types of finance;
Analyse the strengths/weaknesses of recent literature on “financing the SDGs” with specific reference to the role of aid and international public finance, and put forward alternative suggestions on the role of IPF in the post-2015 period;
Analyse the role of partnerships between public actors and for-profit/not-for-profit private actors;
Provide recommendations for the FfD Conference on practical ways to improve the current business model for IP.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Thorough knowledge of issues related to development finance, international economics, macroeconomics and other related fields;
Excellent writing skills with the ability to present complex arguments and data in a clear and understandable format;
Strong analytical skills;
Ability to work independently, against tight deadlines;
Strong knowledge of international policy debates on global finance;
Excellent knowledge of international policy debates on MDGs and SDGs.

Corporate competencies:

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters’ degree, preferably in economics, development studies or related field.

Experience:

At least 10 years relevant professional experience;
Strong publications record.

Languages:

Fluent English;
Other languages an asset.