Consultancy: DCO support framework to implementation of the UNSDG efficiency roadmap (process review)

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

In his December 2017 report, the Secretary-General presented his vision and proposals to reposition the UN development system to better respond to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While the focus was firmly placed on improving the overall effectiveness, accountability, and cohesion of the UN development system’s collective results on the ground, the Secretary-General also anticipated that the proposed change measures would have the potential to also achieve cost savings that could be redeployed into development activities.

This aspect of the reform aims to realize cost avoidance and performance improvement by harmonizing, centralizing, and consolidating the use of resources to generate efficiencies in financial and quality terms, to be redeployed as part of programmes to better support the 2030 Agenda . Both the overall reform process and the efficiency agenda received wide support of Member States, as reflected in General Assembly resolution 72/279 on the repositioning of the UN development system.

Based on estimates of potential efficiency gains from various sources , the Secretary General had requested external management consultancies to apply external benchmarking to estimate the potential for efficiencies. These benchmarks – applied to operational data gathered from surveys and data collected from UN development – led to a broad projection of savings of around US$ 310 million a year by 2022, across the UN system.

Specifically, the SG report cited some initial but non-exhaustive potential areas for consolidation of business operations:

1. “…establish common back offices for all UN country teams by 2022…”.

2. “…ensure compliance with an improved Business Operations Strategy by 2021…”:

3. “…increase the proportion of UN common premises to 50 per cent by 2021…”.

4. “…explore various options, including the possible consolidation of location-independent business operations into six or seven networks of shared service centers”.

The UNSDG Business Innovations Group (BIG) is an ASG level coordination body overseeing the development and implementation of the UNSDG efficiency roadmap. In August 2022, the UNSDG approved a revised efficiency roadmap for the period 2022-2024, which adjusts the original efficiency strategy considering critical lessons learned in the first 3 years of implementation. In the revised roadmap, the BIG retains the ambition of the commitments and the intent to achieve 310M in savings annually through a variety of inter-agency, agency, and bilateral initiatives.

DCO provides secretariat to the UNSDG BIG supporting the implementation of the UNSDG efficiency roadmap 20223-2024. DCO’s core functions as secretariat include coordination, technical advisory services in support of the BIG and UNCTs, communication and advocacy, knowledge management and data and reporting.

It has become clear that the level of resources required to deliver the revised efficiency roadmap exceeds the amount that can be made available through existing DCO and entity cost-sharing. For 2023, DCO contributions are expected to be $2.1 million, far lower than the $4.7 million provided in 2022. If all the remaining participating entities contribute at the 2022 levels, this would still represent a decrease of 47%. Taking this resource picture into consideration as well as occasional feedback from Reference Group members on ways to streamline and simplify processes, the BIG Co-chairs and DCO will conduct a review of the support framework for the implementation of the efficiency roadmap to assess ways to lower the cost of implementation support provided through DCO vis-à-vis operational entities as well as improve communications and decision flows across different task teams and groups under the BIG.

Objectives and agenda of the consultancy

Under the overall supervision and in close consultation with the chairs of the UNSDG BIG, and under the day-to-day management of the UN Development Coordination Office (UN DCO), the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Assess the division of labour between DCO and the BIG entities and make recommendations with regards to a more optimized division of labour which could enhance clarity of roles and responsibilities.

2. Review staffing and budget allocations to identify ways to be most cost-effective across the different workstreams (BOS, CBO, Common Premises and Global Shared Services), including a clear rationale for allocations to DCO vis-à-vis entities. Make recommendations for more cost-effective ways of obtaining and managing technical capacities needed for each work-stream.

3. Review organization of data collection and analytical functions and capacities across the different workstreams, and how best to re-organize the data analytics function supporting the BIG to avoid duplication and ensure data quality

4. Review country support processes underpinning each work-stream with a view to identifying ways improve effectiveness and efficiency and ensure buy-in from participating entities. Document feedback relating to methodologies underpinning different workstreams, which will be further reviewed in early 2023 by technical working groups.

The consultant is required for the period of 8 weeks.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will use an approach including:

• Desk review of existing resources, documents, and literature.
• Data and online platform analyses.
• Interviews with key stakeholders involved in the UNSDG efficiency strategy, including but not limited to the 8+1 Reference Group members.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Education: Advanced university degree in economics, development economics, political sciences, or a related field.
• Experience: Ten years or more of relevant experience in the area of operations and/or development cooperation.
• Language: Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Russian, Arabic, or Chinese

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

Functional competencies:

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships

Technical Competencies:

• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyses and synthesize complex, technical information
• IT Skills: Good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment.

Communication:

• Communicate effectively in writing and orally to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

  Professionalism:

• Capable of working in a high-pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously.

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Teamwork:

• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks.
• Focuses on results for the client.
• Welcomes constructive feedback

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.