Antecedentes

Saudi Arabia enjoys a very high human development & ranked 38 out of 188; with an adult literacy rates of 99% for females and 99% for males for ages 15-24 years (2009-2014); yet international indicators point to the progress that needs to be achieved. For example, the Gender Inequality Index ranked Saudi Arabia 50 out of 188 countries; and Saudi Arabia’s Human Development Index has a value of 0.779 for females in contrast to 0.884 for males; with the lowest rank of 1.3% on the Global Women Leader Index (GWLI) which measures civil service leadership; and a labor force participation of 20.1% for females versus 79.1% for males. Indeed, it is important to note that the employed males in the labor force (Saudi and non-Saudi) constitute 83% versus 16.7% for females and the 2016 statistics point to the distribution of Saudis versus non-Saudis in the labor force (15 years and above) standing at 47.5% of non-Saudi males as opposed to 35.6% of Saudi males, and 10.1% of Saudi females versus 6.7% of non-Saudi females. Moreover, among the Saudis, female unemployment stands at 33.7% compared to 5.4% for males within a total unemployment figure of 11.6% for 2016. In this regard, women’s low economic participation is correlated to women’s low representation in leadership positions. While women’s participation in the public sector is increasing, rates of leadership are staggeringly low. A limited number of women assume decision making roles. In 2016, only 6 females were in Level 13 versus 548 males. Moreover, 42 females were in Grades 11-13 versus 2,385 males. Thus, these low rates of women’s participation in leadership positions exclude women’s voices and needs from important decision-making processes.

In recent years, the Kingdom paid particular attention to advancing the socioeconomic and political development of women based on the rights granted to them in the Basic Law of Governance and the successive development plans. As part of its commitment to the advancement of a gender balance in the civil service and women’s empowerment, the Saudi Government has committed within its Vision 2030 launched in September 2017 to “Empower women and materialize their potentials; and improve performance, productivity, and flexibility of public authorities;” to increase “women’s participation in the workforce from 22% to 30%;” and to achieve the National Transformation Program’s 2020 goal of raising the proportion of women in Grade 11 and above of the civil service from 1.27% in 2016 to 5% by 2020.

To contribute to the achievement of Vision 2030 targets, the Ministry of Civil Service (MCS) is undertaking an Initiative entitled “Women’s Empowerment in the Civil Service Sector and the promotion of Women’s Leadership.” The main objective of the Initiative is to increase the percentage of women's participation and representation in the civil service at all levels of employment and in all job categories including women's leadership positions, and capitalize on their available capabilities to expand their employment options thus increasing their participation in order to achieve a gender balance in the civil service. The Initiative consists of three projects: a) Project to empower women leaders and increase their representation in decision-making positions; b) Project on Achieving a Gender Balance in the Civil Service; and c) Project Strategy for Telework in the Civil Service.

The overall aim of the Initiative on achieving a Gender Balance in the Civil Service (hereafter called the “project”) is to facilitate an enabling environment (legislative frameworks, policies and regulations); gender-sensitive institutional practices and work place culture supportive of the actualization of Vision 2030 targets on women’s empowerment.

The Initiative’s Development Goal is to achieve the following: Females in civil service institutions (selected pilots) by 2020, are empowered and their participation increases, at all levels and in all job categories, through equitable and diversified representation; capacities and opportunities; and supportive legislative frameworks to contribute to Vision 2030 Targets on achieving a prosperous economy, prosperous opportunities, increasing participation of women in the labor market and reducing unemployment rates (Enabling environment and institutional levels trickling down to the individual level).

To facilitate the implementation of the proposed Development Goal, the Initiative is designed around a set of concrete outcomes: Outcome 1: Gender-Balanced Enabling Environment in the Civil Service Enhanced to Promote Women’s Empowerment (enabling environment level); Outcome 2: Gender-Sensitive Structural and Institutional Frameworks including Human Resources Systems’ & Practices Developed & Strengthened to Ensure Gender Balance in the Civil Service (institutional level); and Outcome 3: A Positive Mind-set towards Women’s Employment by Decision-makers, Civil Servants, the General Public, and Women Promoted (individual and community level).

Deberes y responsabilidades

In order to address gender-balance in the civil service, the project will undertake a review of national Human Resources’ related Initiatives. To this end, the project will hire an international expert who will work in cooperation with the project’s management to conduct an in-depth review and prepare proposals for gender-sensitization of these interventions, regulations, policies and practices.

Duties and responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Adviser (CTA), the incumbent will perform the following duties and responsibilities which pertain mainly to focusing on mainstreaming “National Initiatives and Projects” related to Human Resources:

Support MCS in instituting a gender-balance Human Resources’ Management and Human Resources’ Development policy and system

• Review of national Human Resources’ related Initiatives/Projects through a gender-analysis against international best practices with the objective of mainstreaming gender within these Initiatives/projects and making them gender-sensitive. The review should entail focus group discussions, mini survey, and interviews with Initiatives/project managers;
• Embed gender-sensitive policy analysis and executive oversight functions in these Initiatives to ensure accountability for the required gender mainstreaming;
• Provide a strategic framework on needed gender-sensitive related National Human Resources’ Initiatives through recommendations for necessary procedural changes on vacancies’ advertisements, recruitment, job-place induction, promotion, performance appraisal, coaching/mentoring, career development policies and establishing of a carrier development plan, and needed gender mainstreaming, etc.;
• Based on the analysis & assessment (focus groups, interviews, etc.) advise on needed institutional and individual capacity development to these Initiatives to enable them to address gender balance in their interventions;
• Support the Initiatives in the review of existing organic gram and needed restructuring;
• Advice on implementation of recommendations;
• Carry out a sensitization workshop to relevant stakeholders including managers of Human Resource Initiatives and civil service institutions on the analysis findings and recommendations.
• Submit the final draft to the Project’s Secretariat. The Project management will review the work done by the consultant (taking the time to discuss, question and consult via e-mail) and are expected to do a final validation of the findings during a final mission; and
• Once the report has been approved by the Project Management, deliver a presentation to the Project Secretariat and the High Level Advisory Committee on the findings of the report and the specific recommendations on improving the human resources framework.
• Undertake needed revisions of the deliverables for finalization.

Deliverables:

• Review Report of National Initiatives/Projects related to Human Resources governing civil servants in particular and employment in general with concrete recommendations on needed changes to ensure a gender-sensitive and gender-mainstreamed policies and practices, including recommendations for needed executive oversight functions in national Human Resources Initiatives to ensure accountability for the required gender mainstreaming;
• A strategic framework report on needed gender-sensitive related National Human Resources’ Initiatives necessary procedural changes on vacancies’ advertisements, recruitment, job-place induction, promotion, performance appraisal, coaching/mentoring, career development policies and establishing of a carrier development plan, revised organic gram and needed restructuring
• A brief on the analysis of needed institutional and individual capacity development needed within National Initiatives to enable them to address gender balance in their interventions;
• Sensitization workshop report on analysis findings and recommendations
• Prepare a gender-sensitive Final Human Resources Review Report of at least 30 standard typed pages in Arabic. The assignment will be carried out in close consultation with the senior management of the Secretariat, Human Resources Department, related Human Resources’ national initiatives and the Project team.
• The Human Resources Review Report should include concrete proposals on regulation amendments, policies, operational procedures and practices in the Civil Service to cover, inter alia from a gender-analysis perspective and gender-sensitivity approach, the following issues:
  • Review of job descriptions and classification of posts;
  • Recruitment and selection;
  • Promotions;
  • Organizational design and development;
  • Institutional transformation and change management;
  • Evaluation, performance, conduct and behavior management;
  • Employee relations;
  • Human resources analysis and the management of workforce personal data;
  • Compensation, rewards and benefits management;
  • Learning management, training & career development; and
  • Proposed Gender-sensitive Human Resource Development Plan.

The expert will undertake long-term (about 40 working days) missions to Riyadh to undertake needed interviews, surveys, assessments, etc. He/she is expected to work home-based prior to the field trips. Travel expenses, including Daily Substance Allowance will be covered by the Project as per the agreed financial and practical arrangements. 

Competencias

Core Values/ Guiding Principles:

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Work in teams:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Development and Innovation:

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative;

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

• Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

As part of the technical proposal, the consultant will submit the methodology that corresponds with the task outlined above as well as the financial proposal and have the following qualifications:

• Graduate degree in Law, Political Sciences, Administrative Sciences (i.e. Management, Economics, Public Administration, Business Administration, and Human Resources Management etc.) or Social Sciences;
• At least 10 years’ experience in implementation of activities related to human resource management and review;
• Proven experience in gender-mainstreaming and of working on gender-related projects/policies/interventions;
• Excellent command of written and spoken Arabic. English is an asset.
• Knowledge of the socioeconomic context within Saudi Arabia;
• Knowledge of the applicable civil service law in Saudi Arabia;
• Proven experience in producing at least 3 analytical reports;
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills;
• Excellent computer/information systems skills;
• Excellent communication and inter-personal skills; 
• Ability to work as a team member and meet tight deadlines without compromising quality