UNDP Jobs - 59774- Vetted Roster - Individual Consultants: Inclusive

Vetted Roster - Individual Consultants: Inclusive Growth and Jobs and Livelihoods

Location :

Various Locations in Asia-Pacific and New York

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

04-Oct-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

To be determined, based on specific assignment

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2014-2017) emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability and efforts to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and strengthen resilience.One of the three key thrusts of the Strategic Plan is supporting a transition to Sustainable Development Pathways. Within this thrust, two areas of focus are (i) promoting inclusive growth and (ii) improving the resource endowments of the poor and boost their prospects for employment and livelihoods

While Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region in the world, with five of the ten fastest-growing countries in the world, economic successes have not translated into development gains for all. This has resulted in widening economic and social inequities. Income inequality has steadily risen across the region. Over the last two decades, the Gini coefficient for developing countries in Asia and the Pacific rose from 0.39 to 0.46, further widening the gulf between the poor and affluent populations and testing the limits of social cohesion.

The primary objective in this area of work is to ensure that economic growth is underpinned by more inclusive forms of wealth and income generation and distribution. More generally, this area of work will focus on identifying and supporting equitable policies for the structural transformation of the region’s economies to allow balanced and sustainable forms of economic growth to take hold. Inclusive growth policies and programmes can be viewed as a means to catalyze growth models that lead to more equitable development outcomes, focusing particularly on the needs and opportunities of the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized. Sustainable job creation is a critical element of creating more inclusive pathways to growth in the future. Countries across the globe, but especially in Asia Pacific have witnessed high rates of growth, but not commensurate increases in employment growth. This underscores the need for working with governments and stakeholders to ensure that more is done for creating employment intensive forms of growth.

Activities under Inclusive Growth and Jobs and Livelihoods encompass a range of issues including:

Macroeconomic policy analysis;
Jobs and livelihoods policies and issues (expanded upon in duties and responsibilities section);
Poverty economics, including the use of multidimensional poverty indices and other broader measures of poverty;
Fiscal policy, taxation and public expenditure (including public expenditure reviews);
Employment-intensive sector growth strategies;
Green growth strategies, including for natural resource and extractive sectors;
Social protection policies, including conditional and unconditional cash transfer schemes.

The Inclusive Growth Cluster leads this area of work, along with other thematic priorities including Jobs and Livelihoods and support to the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP acts in response to requests from country offices and in collaboration with relevant global teams. Working to ensure the execution of quality and coherent policy and programme advisory services within Asia Pacific, UNDP Asia aims to increase the credibility and recognition of UNDP’s contribution in this thematic area.

In order to ensure continued support to our initiatives, the Regional Hub (BRH) invites candidates to send their applications for inclusion in a Vetted Roster external experts. The process of including candidates in the Expert Roster are described in the later sections of this advertisement.

To be considered for inclusion in the roster, applicants would need to have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

Inclusive Growth

Macroeconomic policy analysis;
Sectoral analysis of key development sectors such as natural resources and extractive industries;
Labour market analysis;
Computation of multidimensional poverty indices and other broad and narrow measures of poverty and inequality;
Public Fiscal and Taxation Policy;
Fiscal policy analysis and policy advice, including analysis of trade and taxation policy, trade regimes and the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Aid and Trade (EIF);
Public expenditure reviews, including analysis of revenue generation and utilization and policy advice on expenditure impact and optimization;
Analysis and policy advice on tax and fiscal reform and domestic resource mobilization for development;
Policy and technical advice on employment-intensive sector growth strategies;
Policy and technical advice on green growth strategies, including sustainable management of natural resources and the extractive sector;
Analysis and policy recommendations for pro-poor policies;
Social Protection and Inequalities;
Design and implementation of social protection schemes, including economic and poverty impact and fiscal implications;
Financial Inclusion schemes, including microfinance and the informal financial sector;
Horizontal and income inequality;
Rural development and urbanization;
Gender-based budgeting.

Jobs and Livelihoods:

Labour market policies and pro-employment programming;
Skills development and vocational training;
The informal economy; informal livelihoods, small-scale entrepreneurship, informal savings and financing systems and associated economic activities;
Early recovery programming in crisis and post-crisis settings;
Emergency employment and cash-for work programmes;
Private sector/SME development and entrepreneurship, including for women;
Financial inclusion and Livelihood promotion, including issues such as remittances and informal savings and financing;
Youth engagement, youth employment and the transition from schooling to the workforce.

Duties and Responsibilities

Tasks assigned in each individual assignment may include one or more of the following:

Policy and Strategy Development

Prepare Policy briefs, discussion papers based on primary and secondary evidence;
Synthesize relevant informative into a compelling narrative;
Articulate and formulate feasible strategic national and sub-national policies;
Develop solutions that address economic, social and environmental dimensions;
Ability to carry out a SWOT and cost/benefit analysis;
Ability to analyze budgets and national planning documents.

Tools:

Carry out statistical and econometric analyses;
Construct and/or use existing models and analyze results, while identifying the limitations of the results;
Use innovative ways to identify developmental challenges, target areas, beneficiaries and partners;
Ability to combine social, economic and environmental considerations in the tools used and/or developed;
Identify issues, formulate and implement interventions that are aimed at achieving inclusive forms of growth and development;
Prepare project proposals using tools and concepts as necessary to strengthen the overall narrative.

Research and Documentation:

Develop research design, research questions and scope of work for undertaking primary research in new/relevant areas;
Document good practices, case studies, innovations and results of projects/programmes for wider dissemination and sharing;
Ability to demonstrate results in quantifiable terms as well as in clear, easy to understand language using new as well as traditional forms of media.

Capacity Development/Training:

Ability to develop and use relevant toolkits;
Design training curriculum, conduct and/or coordinate trainings programmes for various stakeholders;
Train and coach stakeholders in using relevant tools and rolling out initiatives;
Develop target specific training tools/tool-kits and manuals based on training needs assessment;
Carry out Capacity assessments of public institutions and government institutions for development of strategic interventions for institutional strengthening;
Conduct and/or coordinate trainings and workshops;
Experience in conducting surveys and tabulating and presenting results to a wider audience.

Knowledge Management:

Prepare easy to understand knowledge and communications products related to the projects/programs (audio, video and hard copies);
Review of Knowledge products (subject, design and content);
Prepare and publish featured articles and case studies for an external audience;
Disseminate knowledge and communications products;
Contribute to relevant Communities of Practice (CoP), discussion forums and networks;
A good grasp of, and ability to use innovative KM tools.

Monitoring & Evaluation:

Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of national and sub-national policies;
Carry out required independent monitoring and evaluation of projects;
Facilitate community and process monitoring;
Conduct and succinctly analyze baseline and client satisfaction surveys.

Competencies

Solid understanding of government functioning and systems;
Familiarity and exposure to development projects (one or more areas of expertise);
Working knowledge of objectives-oriented project planning, or results-based management;
Leadership skills;
Good grasp of statistical forecasting methods and economic modeling;
Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Ability to plan, organize, implement, and report on work;
Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet;
Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
Excellent presentation and facilitation skills;
Demonstrates integrity and ethical standard;
Positive, constructive attitude to work.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Degree in Economics and/or other social science/s.

Experience:

Following a vetting process, the successful candidates would be place in one of the following bands:

Band 1, Implementation Support: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 3 years of relevant work experience, or Bachelors Degree in relevant field with minimum 5 years of relevant work experience;
Band 2, Specialist Support: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 7 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 3 years of international experience as a requirement;
Band 3, Senior Advisory: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 12 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 5 years of international experience as a requirement;
Solid understanding of inequality, social protection, and growth trends in Asia Pacific;
Hands-on experience working in a development setting;
Experience in working with state/central Governments and/or an international organization, think tank;
Ability to synthesize complex issues and view inclusive growth through a multi-sectoral lens;
Ability to work with, and analyze data, using relevant tools/computer programs to present findings;
Ability to leverage your personal and the institutional network to achieve greater outreach, share lessons and good practices.

Language:

Excellent oral and written English.

Evaluation of Applicants

Interested candidates are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described above. Applicants will be screened against qualifications and the competencies specified above and may be may be requested to participate in a brief interview.

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

Applications should include:

A cover letter, clearly identifying the “Areas of Expertise” as mentioned in the background section above;
Updated CV with phone/email contacts.

Successful candidates will be included in UNDP RBAP Experts Roster for a period of 5 years, in one of the “bands” indicated above. However, the addition of an individual in the Roster does not guarantee a contract with UNDP.

Contracting:

When a request for services arises, the roster manager shall Contact the individuals included in the specific area of expertise with ToR, location and dates of the assignment seeking confirmation of availability, as well as other costs such as living allowance, travel cost, etc. The daily fee quoted by the individual during this application process shall remain as the ceiling fee and cannot be increased upwards for any offered individual assignment(s);
Travel: For each assignment UNDP shall reimburse cost of travel from the place of domicile of the individual to the place of assignment (most direct economy fare);
The individual selected for the deployment will be contracted as an Individual Contractor to the UNDP. The Contract template and associated conditions are available at
http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/operations/procurement.html;
The Contract and its terms and conditions are non-negotiable.

Payment:

Payment(s) shall be made following certification by the hiring UNDP Office that the services related to each deliverable, as specified in the contract, have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified, if any.

Other information:

This call for experts is not linked to other UNDP rosters or to a specific UNDP recruitment opportunity;
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are only able to inform the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

For any clarifications please write to rcb.procurement.th@undp.org