Background

This vacancy is opened for Moldova nationals only

In September 2015, the Republic of Moldova, together with 192 other member states of the United Nations, committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the following years, the Government of the Republic of Moldova drafted the new National Development Strategy (NDS) “European Moldova 2030”[1], which was approved by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in 2022. Also, the national framework for monitoring & evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been approved by the Government Decision no.953/2022[2] (GD no.953/2022).

Effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda requires a functional monitoring system, which includes nationalized indicators for all SDGs. In the Republic of Moldova, the SDGs indicators were nationalized in 2016, followed by a subsequent revision in 2019. However, the Voluntary National Review that the Government of the Republic of Moldova presented in 2020 to the UN High Level Political Forum revealed that for a quarter of nationalized SDG indicators data is still missing and for a third disaggregation is insufficient to accomplish the “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) principle of the 2030 Agenda.

In this context, the United Nations system in Moldova committed to support the government in strengthening the capacities of institutions to produce and utilize national statistics and data on specific vulnerable groups to be targeted under The Republic of Moldova - United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 (UNSDCF)[3], based on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (FPOS) and in compliance with the European Statistics Code of Practice, and in knowledgeable  reliable and disaggregated data (SDG target 17.18) for effective policies to leave no one behind.

Filling the data gap for nationalized SDGs indicators is a prerequisite for further successful implementation of 2030 Agenda. Assistance is required for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in revising the existing Roadmap[4] for addressing the data gaps for the nationalized SDG indicators (including child and gender related), and in drafting an Action plan that would include specific steps per main data providers for the production of the missing data for the nationalized SDG indicators. Support is also required for the NBS in collecting and processing the data and metadata (for the indicators included in the annex to the GD no.953/2022) from the institutions responsible for the data production and reporting, with a subsequent capacity building for them.

In this context, the UN Women, in partnership with UNICEF, seeks to hire one national short-term expert that will provide support to the NBS in performing the process of information analysis for the nationalized SDG indicators (both time-series and metadata), as well as to provide a training to the institutions responsible for the reporting in accordance with GD no.953/2022

[1] https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=134582&lang=ro

[2] https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=135555&lang=ro HG nr. 953 din 28-12-2022 Cu privire la aprobarea cadrului na?ional de monitorizare a implementarii Agendei de Dezvoltare Durabila 2030, Anexa 1.

[3] https://moldova.un.org/en/213110-republic-moldova-united-nations-sustainable-development-cooperation-framework-2023-2027

[4] During the elaboration oft he Government Decision no. 953 as of 28.12.2022 a roadmap has been drafted by NBS, with the support of GIZ, on measures required for the missing or partially available SDGs indicators– the availability of the indicators being assumed. Nevertheless, upon the data collection exercise undertaken in April-May 2023, the drafted Roadmap should be revised on the basis of factual availability of data series and disaggregated data being provided to NBS.

Duties and Responsibilities

In order to perform this assignment, the activities to be realized by the national short-term expert will be as follows:

1. Develop an action plan that will present a detailed vision on the fulfilment of the assignment, methodology and breakdown of days per each deliverable.
2. Provide expert assistance to the NBS in verification of the completeness and relevance of metadata and validation of data presented by other reporting institutions (administrative data providers) for the nationalised SDG indicators, as well as offer methodological support to the reporting institutions in calculation of SDG indicators.   
3. Revise the SDG Roadmap for redressing the data gaps for reviewed nationalized SDG indicators on the basis of the time-series data collection which should indicate the status on the current availability of data and disaggregation for the SDGs indicators, and the actions which would be needed to overcome the non-availability of data.  The revised Roadmap will provide a more detailed action plan for the production of data for the missing nationalized SDG indicators and required level of disaggregation (sex, age, rural/urban area). The action plan will include specific steps per all administrative data producer.
4. Revise/Finalise the Guidance/Instruction[1] for all data reporting entities (administrative data providers and NBS) on the mechanism, requirements and timeline for presenting and disseminating data on SDG indicators and information on the achievement of sustainable development objectives
5. Prepare materials for the training of the representatives of public administrations (data producers and users) on the reporting framework and process on nationalised SDG indicators.
6. Provide at least two training sessions for the representatives of the institutions responsible for providing data and metadata for the nationalised SDGs as per the GD no.953/2022
7. Prepare the Final Report on the assignment that will present the summary of the activities that have been realized, the lessons learned from the process as well as the conclusions and recommendations for further interventions to enhance the implementation of the GD no.953/2022.

Following deliverables will serve as proof of service provision:

1. Timeframe and Organization of Work

• The services shall be implemented in the timeframe from June to November 2023;
• All communication and documentation related to the assignment shall be in Romanian;
• The national consultant shall discuss the draft documents of the deliverables with the beneficiaries (NBS, UN Women and UNICEF) so that the final products reflect their comments.
• The national consultant shall work under the guidance and in close cooperation with the designated staff from NBS;
• Payments shall be disbursed upon submission and approval of the final versions of the deliverables by the contract providers (UN Women as contracting agency and UNICEF as contributing agency);
• Payment schedule will be as follows:

1. First payment upon submission SDG Matrix (50%, to be covered by UN Women),
2. Second payment upon finalisation of Road map, including child and women related SDGs (20%, to be covered by UNICEF based on the contract issued by UN Women).
3. Third payment upon delivering of training, elaboration of the Guidance and submission of final report (30%, to be covered by UN Women)

• The activities and deliverables shall consider the LNOB Principle;
• For fulfilling this assignment an estimated number of 50 working days is allocated.

[1] During the elaboration oft he Government Decision no. 953 as of 28.12.2022 an instruction/guideline has been drafted by NBS and State Chancellery, with the support of GIZ, on the mechanism, requirements and timeline for presenting and disseminating data on SDG indicators and information on the achievement of sustainable development objectives. Nevertheless, the drafted document needs tob e consistently revised taking into consideration the way how the data collection exercise undertaken in April-May 2023 took place, all the challenges faced, complemented by the instructions for the reporting of SDGs data to UN custodian agencies on the basis oft he annual data collection activities undertaken by them with the involvement oft he NBS as the national focal point for SDGs data.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Gender sensitiveness and empathy towards women’s rights issues;
• Respect for UN principles.

Core Competencies:

• Communication;
• Planning and Organizing;
• Organizational Awareness;
• Team working ability;
• Accountability;
• Leadership.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in statistics, economics or other related areas;
• Additional training and certification in statistics will be an advantage;

Experience:

• Proven experience (at least 3 years)  in developing or providing support for the development of policy documents for the public authorities in the Republic of Moldova in the field of official statistics;
• Proven experience (at least 3 years) in designing and conducting training of civil servants;
• Experience (at least 2 years) in the development assistance or related work for a donor organization, consulting company, preferably in the financial field;
• Knowledge of 2030 Agenda principles and the content of the National Development Strategy
• Previous experience (at least 2 years) in applying the LNOB Principle is an advantage.

Language Skills

• Fluency in Romanian, basic knowledge of English is desired.

Note: To see the full Terms of Reference wtih detailed description of the application and evaluaiton procedure as well as the template of the Financial Offer pelase visit the below link: 

https://sc.undp.md/unjobs/jobdetailsdraft/2855/