UNDP Cambodia, in collaboration with other UN agencies and development partners, is working closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) on development priorities to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19, building back better from the pandemic, and to accelerate the achievement of the Cambodia Sustainable Development Goals (CSDG). Two UN Joint Programmes, which will be implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Planning, the National Bank of Cambodia, together with other line ministries and government agencies, are focused on financing the SDGs: 1) Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) to Catalyze Blended Finance for Transformative CSDG Achievement; and 2) Unlocking Cambodian Women’s Potential through Fiscal Space Creation (Credit Guarantee Scheme for women-owned enterprises).

The first programme aims to support the progressive development of the financing framework and supporting systems, consistent with best practice given by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs INFF guidelines, while the second focuses on assisting the women owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), predominantly operating in the informal sector, for their recovery from the COVID-19 and their turning into the driving force for accelerating Cambodia’s recovery from COVID-19 and the SDG achievement through supporting the RGC and the central bank to establish credit guarantee scheme to provide low-cost and reliable financing to MSME businesses. Both programmes are expected to deliver various research studies and diagnostics, policy dialogues, technical support, for innovations and enhanced financial data compilation and interpretation to set the policy agenda. UNDP is closely working with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Planning, the Council for the Development of Cambodia, the National Bank of Cambodia, UN Resident Coordination Office in Cambodia, other UN agencies and other stakeholders, including private sector, development partners and international finance institutions, to deliver the objectives of both programmes and ensure a process for sustainable and inclusive engagement of national stakeholders in the programmes. UNDP Cambodia is looking for an international consultant to deliver research studies and technical support on a number of macroeconomic and financing policy issues and capacity building to the relevant government agencies, including SDG finance, debt financing and macroeconomic analysis.  These Terms of Reference (TOR) refers to a set of assignments.

The LTA holder will work as part of UNDP’s abovementioned programmes and assignments will be designed under the following headings:

(a)  Financing and debt instruments: delivering technical assistance on the process of issuing Khmer Riel Bond and development of green/SDG bond and other financing tools.

(b)  Financing strategy: working with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and experts from other UN agencies to formulate sustainable development financing strategy including development of policy briefs and research papers.

(c)  Institutionalize INFF process: formulating strategies and roadmap to institutionalize INFF process within the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

(d)  Unlocking Cambodian Women’s Potential through Fiscal Space Creation programme: working with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia and other UN agencies to develop credit guarantee schemes guidelines, including for the under-supported group, and perform other required activities under the programme workplan where needed.

(e)  Macroeconomic analysis: conducting macroeconomic analysis on debt financing related issues. This would also include developing the government staff capacities where apply.

(f)  Resilience of the financial system: working with the National Bank of Cambodia to diagnose the existing regulations applicable to banks and financial institutions and provide recommendations on how to increase the resilience of the financial system.

Separate summary TORs will be developed for specific assignments (within the scope of the overall LTA and the categories above).   Specific deliverables of each assignment will be based on an agreed sub-ToR and Purchase Order (PO) issuance. All property – tangible and intellectual – produced during assignments/ LTA would remain the property of UNDP. The consultant should also ensure confidentiality of all the information received during assignments.

Functional competencies:

• Capacity to engage with senior decision/ policy makers, and to synthesize and present complex arguments in easily understood terms.

• Ability to work collaboratively with team members by sharing information openly and displaying cultural awareness and sensitivity.

• Superior written/ oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex development concepts and recommendations.

• Positive and results-oriented attitude, able to meet targets/deadline.

   

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards. 

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Education: 

• PhD degree in economics, with specialization in macroeconomics or financial economics

Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in conducting research on macroeconomics, public finances, monetary policy, financial markets, and debt instruments

• Experience of similar assignments in similar international development contexts

• Experience in engaging with senior policy/decision makers with technical knowledge of the stated assignment

• Application of techniques (e.g. econometric approaches, statistical analysis

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in written and spoken English

Interested offeror must read the Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice, which can be viewed at https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=85652 more detail information about term of references, instructions to offeror, and to download the documents to be submitted in the offer through online.

UNDP reserves right to reject any applications that is incomplete.

Please be informed that we don’t accept application submitted via email.

Interested Offerors are required to submit application via UNDP jobsite system as the application screening and evaluation will be done through UNDP jobsite system. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file. Your online applications submission will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Interested individual offeror must submit  the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Proposal:

(i) Letter of explaining why they are most suitable for the work

(ii) A written sample to prove superior written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex development concepts and recommendations

2. Financial proposal (Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP)

3. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references

Any request for clarification/additional information on this procurement notice shall be communicated in writing to UNDP office or send to email pheara.lek@undp.org and cc procurement.kh@undp.org . While the Procurement Unit would endeavor to provide information expeditiously, only requests receiving at least 5 working days prior to the submission deadline will be entertained. Any delay in providing such information will not be considered as a reason for extending the submission deadline. The UNDP's response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted in Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice page as provided above. Therefore, all prospective Offerors are advised to visit the page regularly to make obtain update related to this Individual Consultant (IC).