Emplois au PNUD - 59891- Expert for Capacity Building, Capacity on SWAp

Expert for Capacity Building, Capacity on SWAp

Lieu :

Mbabane, SWAZILAND

Type de contrat :

Individual Contract

Date de commencement :

15-Oct-2015

Date limite de candidature :

30-Sep-15 (Minuit New York, États-Unis)

Niveau du poste :

International Consultant

Durée du contrat initial

20 working days

Langues requises :

Anglais

Durée prévue de la mission :

20 working days spreadout within 2 months

Le PNUD s’engage à recruter un personnel divers en termes de genre, de nationalité et de culture. Nous encourageons de même les personnes issues des minorités ethniques, des communautés autochtones ou handicapées à postuler. Toutes les candidatures seront traitées dans la plus stricte confidentialité. Le PNUD ne tolère pas l’exploitation et / ou les atteintes sexuelles, ni aucune forme de harcèlement, y compris le harcèlement sexuel, et / ou toutes formes de discrimination. Tous/tes les candidats/tes selectectionnes /ées devront ainsi se soumettre à de rigoureuses vérifications relatives aux références fournies ainsi qu’à leurs antécédents.

Historique

Although Swaziland is categorized as a lower-middle income country, most of its human development indicators share common characteristics to those of low income countries. Approximately 52% of its population of just over one million is under the age of 20 years, and 78.9% live in rural areas. The incidence of poverty increased from 66% in 1995 to 69% in 2001 but declined to 63% in 2010. Key socio-economic indicators have deteriorated in the past decade, as captured in Swaziland’s falling Human Development Index score. The reasons behind these trends are many and complex including drought, macroeconomic imbalances, HIV and AIDS, soaring unemployment, food insecurity, externally driven shocks and fiscal deficits.

In her endeavour to advance development, Swaziland prepared a National Development Strategy (NDS) which defines the vision for the period 1997-2022. Furthermore, faced with the challenges of increasing levels of poverty, the Government of Swaziland formulated the Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme (PRSAP), which is a critical component for the implementation of the NDS. The process of formulating the PRSAP started in 2001 and led to a Prioritised Action Programme on Poverty Reduction in 2002. The PRSAP itself was finalized in 2006, and was launched by His Majesty on 1st April 2008.

Since late 2008, efforts have been made to re-focus government’s priorities to improved service delivery, particularly in education, health, agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, combating HIV and AIDS as well as addressing poverty. Yet, there have been substantial lags between the diagnosis of development issues, strategy and overall policy formulation on the one hand, and effective implementation on the other. The government has identified the inadequacy of institutional framework and capacity as one reason for these implementation gaps.

To address the identified implementation challenges, the Government is engaged in restructuring the planning and budgeting framework, based on the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp). Along this, the Government also established Sector Working Groups (SWGs) aimed at ensuring the participation of all stakeholders in the formulation of sector policies and programmes. Seen from this perspective, SWAp is basically a means of implementing the PRSAP and monitoring the achievement of its goals. Overall, the decisions taken aim to enhance government’s coordination and facilitation of the involvement of other stakeholders in the planning and budgeting process through SWAp where applicable (PBC Circular No 1 of 2008 for the budget preparation of FY 2009/2010). This process has already started with four key priority sectors: health, education, agriculture, and water and sanitation. The ultimate aim is to expand the coverage of SWAp to other sectors as experience accumulates and coordination capacity develops. In a nutshell, this is a step forward in reforming the planning system of the country.

Objectiive and Aim of Assignment

The prime objective of the consultancy is to enhance the implementation of SWAp by conducting an in depth training for Government Economists and to introduce effective measures that will revitalize the overall initiative of SWAp as the feasible means of implementing the country’s PRSAP. More specifically, the consultancy aims to:

Better improve the development planning and budgeting process for poverty reduction in Swaziland through strengthening the SWGs and their capacity to successfully formulate and implement SWAp;
Provide the MEPD and concerned sector ministries with viable policy and programmatic recommendations to better play their respective strategic leadership and coordinating roles in re-strengthening SWGs in the thirteen sectors identified by the government;
To facilitate the process of reviewing and refining the National Development Plan for the next plan period using the SWAp.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Produce an inception report reflecting a work plan on capacity building agreed with the Head of the Sectoral Department at the MEPD; Poverty Advisor and approved by the Chief Economist to take the work forward;
Review the establishment and state of strength of SWGs as viable mechanisms for the adoption and implementation of SWAp to the development planning system in the country including the state of commitment of senior officials at MEPD and sector ministries levels;
Assess the state of practical relevance and completeness of the Generic Guidelines/Terms of References (including those developed by the SWGs) for the proper operational functioning of the SWGs as well as indicate as to whether there is a need to develop a standard TOR for SWGs in relation to the planning and budget cycles;
Reviewing and refining the National Development Plan for the next plan period using the SWAp approach;
Review the PRSAP pillar matrices and their alignment with SWGs mechanisms and evaluate the SWAp approach for the achievement of the PRSAP objectives as well as its potentials for providing inputs in revising the NDS;
Assess the state of SWAp/SWGs institutionalization as well as the familiarization and knowledge of the fundamental tenets of the approach among the various stakeholders at different levels;
Propose best record practices of the different activities of the SWGs related, but not limited, to setting activity plans, facilitation of meetings, workshops, recording of proceedings, consolidation of presentations, reports of monitoring results, correspondences and overall predictability of activities;
Review the work load SWAps pose on the PPOs of the sector ministries and the viability of providing secretarial support so that planners will concentrate on strategic development issues;
Assess the capability and mix of skills of SWGs in terms of policy formulation, preparing sector strategies, action programmes including mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues, budgeting, and monitoring and reporting to stakeholders as well as conducting constructive dialogue, consultations, negotiations and collaborative efforts. Also, based on the identified gaps, propose time-lined capacity development intervention programmes aimed at improving the effectiveness of SWGs/SWAps;
Submit a final report reflecting the findings of the consultancy service both in soft and hard wares;
Undertake other functions and activities as MEPD might indicate.

Deliverables:

Within the first four days produce an inception and detailed work plan on how to build capacity for the planning Cadre on the SWAp approach to be agreed with the Head of the Sectoral Unit and approved by the Chief Economist;
Within thirteen days conduct an in-depth orientation for the Sector Working Groups;
Produce a training manual / guidelines for implementing SWAp before the end of the assignment, submit the final version of the SWAp assessment report both in hard and soft copy to the Chief Economist and DRR at UNDP.

Compétences

A SWAP expert and skilled in development issues;
Have strong ability to analyse and synthesize information from different sources, and to draw from it key themes and issues;
Familiar with operations of the central government and line ministries;
Have ability to, and experience of managing and leading teams;
Capable of working with very little supervision, taking own initiative and control of programmes and to implement tasks to accomplish stated goals and objectives through effectively delivered results;
Working with government in Sub-Saharan Africa will be an advantage;
Hard-working and easily adaptable to new cultural working environments;
Strong interpersonal skills;
Good inter-personal and facilitation skills are required, as well as persistence and initiative in pursuit of strategic goals and ability to work in a team.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

A Master’s degree in development economics, or a related development area.

Experience:

At least 7 years of relevant development experiences especially in development planning, poverty reduction strategies/programmes;
S/he should in particular be conversant with economic management concepts and instruments such as PRSPs, MTEFs, SWAPs, national budget, program budgeting, etc.;
Familiarity with international/regional development frameworks with a bearing on the Swaziland development context such as the MDGs and NEPAD would be an advantage;

Language:

Fluency in English.