UNDP Jobs - 13561- Consultant: International Transport Strategic Plan

Consultant: International Transport Strategic Planning Specialist (TSPS)

Location :

Damascus, SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

06-Dec-09 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

6 months (6 visits to Syria for 1 week each)

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

During the Tenth Five-Year Plan (FYP) period, the country entered into a new stage of realizing modernization through the transition from a centrally led to a social market-led economy. While the 10th FYP laid the foundation for making the country equipped with a sound and credible economy, it also aimed at improving the country’s Human Development Index, generating more jobs, reducing poverty, and paving the way for achieving the MDGs by the year 2015. The development objectives of the project titled “Technical Support for the Implementation of the Tenth Five-Year Plan” is to assist the government in assuring an enabling environment to implement policies and projects embodied in the FYP. The assistance seeks to enhance institutional and human capacities and brings about good governance in implementing the five-year plan.

In light of the above prospects, and in support to the Syrian Government through SPC as the implementing partner, the project aims to achieve the planned outputs included in the project document published on: http://undp.org.sy/files/implementing%20FYP.pdf

The target beneficiaries of the project include the State Planning Commission; the Deputy Prime Minster’s Economic Team; Ministries; Local authorities and citizens of the six targeted governorates and Syrian population at large.

The project is also supporting SPC in the elaboration of the 11th Five Year Plan and the 10-year National Development Strategy for the country.

The assignment aims at preparing a full study for the National Strategic Transport Vision and Goals for the next 15 years, as well as supporting the Government in the development of detailed implementation programs and workplans.

Duties and Responsibilities

Review the current situation of transport is during the past 10 years using numerical indicators and submits a report in this respect.
Prepare a study on the long term vision for the transport sector in conjunction with the economic and development priorities in within the framework of the Syrian long term vision 2025.
Support the Ministry in leading the process of preparing the Syrian National Development Strategy for the Transport Sector (2011-2025) and its 11th Five Year Plan priorities (2011-2015), including the delivery of the following studies and documents:

Transport Strategic Planning methodology.
Sector assessment, prospective diagnosis and demand projections (scenarios).
Sector priorities, directions, vision and goals.
Strategies for the transport institutional development.
Strategies for the management of resource and funds allocation plan through national and foreign public-private partnership;
The Draft Strategic Transport Five Year Plan (2011-2015) and its annual programs.

The success of the assignment will be based on the achievement of certain milestones, which will reflect the delivery and acceptance of outcomes in accordance with internationally acceptable set of standards.

The consultant will work directly under the supervision of the Minister of Transport and will be supported by a national consultant or team. The consultancy will be for 6 months period with 6 visits at least (one week each) during the contractual period.

Technical:

Participates in reviewing and re-designing the Syrian transport planning approach and instruments on the national, sectorial and local planning levels.
Plan and coordinate the mission described in this TOR.
Report systematically to the Minister.
Supervise the preparation the Sector Situation Analysis report (using the statistical indicators).
Supervise drafting the Syria 2025 Transport Prospective report in accordance with the national long term socioeconomic prospective.
Draft Syrian Transport Priorities matrix, with the implementation workplan and mechanisms.
Cooperate with national and international advisors to deliver the required outputs by integrating his/her input with inputs from other senior consultants/projects working in the sector;
Provides concept notes, analysis, studies, consultancy inputs, proposals, presentations and reports related to the task and contributes to the task-related events and meetings.

Management:

Assumes management of the assignment in consistency with the requested technical ToR;
Ensures that UNDP rules and regulations are implemented with relevance to the consultancy activities;
Participates in necessary meetings and reviews;
Liaises with National Project Director (NPD) on daily/weekly basis to ensure proper monitoring and realizing results;
Suggests resource mobilization opportunities related to the assignment if applicable;
Ensures that UNDP is invited to all stake holder meetings related to the consultancy assignment if applicable.
Supports to media/communications work of the project;

Competencies

Language Requirements:

Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic.

Other Qualifications:

Excellent communication skills;
Demonstrated ability to transfer skills and to create a team-based participatory work;
Excellent computer skills include application of MS Windows, MS Office etc.
Gender knowledge is an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Hold an Advanced University Degree, or equivalent high level experience -with planning as subject- in: Transport Strategic Planning, Engineering, Economics, Macroeconomics, Development Planning, Development Management, Geography or related field of development and project management or relevant specialization;

Experience:

Have at least 15 years excellent international/expatriate working experience in long-term and mid-term strategic planning for national transport and sustainable socio-economic development;
Experience in preparing policy briefs, analytical reports, and undertake technical research;
Knowledge of the major approaches in the transport sector at the international level and the following studies: - 2050 plan for the – the White European Book – Visions of transport strategies
Hands on experience in drafting plans and strategies in the field of transport in neighboring or similar countries.
Knowledge and experience in the concept of “systems” and the interactive relation between economics, transport, society and environment.