Consultant for Common Country Analysis Development

Result of Service Final Country Common Analysis Annual report (in English), including Executive Summary, plus annexes/ other CCA outputs (including 1 external version of CCA report, if need be)

Work Location Yerevan, Armenia

Expected duration The consultant is expected to finalize the assignment within thirty (30) working days, from the date of signing the contract, spread between June and August 2022

Duties and Responsibilities The consultant will work closely with the team in the RCO, especially the Economist. The RCO will support and facilitate the organisation of necessary meetings and consultations; as well as the provision of necessary inputs (reference document and written inputs, as required).

The consultant will be responsible for undertaking all necessary activities of the CCA update process and will be specifically responsible for the following: - Prepare, design, and present the detailed CCA methodology and contextualization of tools to be used during the analysis, review, and reporting to fulfil the consultancy objectives. - Conduct consultations with key stakeholders (government, development partners, civil society, private sector) in very close consultation with the RCO. - Prepare a high quality analytical CCA update - Integrate into research design, analysis and report the UN Guiding principles: (i) Leave no one behind, (ii) Human rights-based approach’ (iii) gender equality and women’s empowerment, (iv) resilience; (v) accountability; and (vi) sustainability.

Qualifications/special skills Competency: Good knowledge of the UN system, UN Development System Reform and the new Cooperation Framework Internal Guidelines.

Outstanding communication and drafting skills, including the ability to write reports, conduct consultations and interviews and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style

Ability to review and synthesize large amounts of information rapidly, and to distinguish major trends from minor details

Ability to conceptualize and analyze problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate

Technical competence in undertaking complex analysis which involve use of mixed methods

Familiarity with statistical data and knowledge of human rights and gender equality approaches; demonstrate understanding of preventive agenda of the UNSG

Proven track record of conducting similar assignment involving various stakeholders and in a participatory manner

Strong communication and written skills in English Ability to handle a large volume of work under time constraints Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Masters and equivalent) in development studies, economics, social sciences, international relations, or related field. Experience: At least 5 years’ experience of conducting country/national level situational analysis, UN common country programming processes, some of which must be related to 2030 Agenda for sustainable development/SDGs and SDG nationalization and reporting processes.

Previous experience of conducting UN Common Country Analysis is an asset

Substantial professional application of human rights, gender equality, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, results-based management, resilience, and capacity development in research; with excellent understanding of inclusive economic growth, decent work, development risks, hazards, vulnerabilities, and challenges of upper-middle income countries, including those linked to climate change.

Experience in the discourse around UN development system reforms and related trainings/workshops of the UN System Staff College and other UN entities.

Ability to design and implement participatory, inclusive, and innovative methods and tools.

Ability to deliver a high-analytical report in a very short time and ability to lead a research team and work effectively and constructively in a multi-agency setting.

Excellent facilitation skills with experience in leading multi-stakeholder discussions.

Extensive knowledge of, and experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis

Strong understanding of the development and political context and working experience in Armenia and/or in the region. Language: Excellent analytical writing in English required. Knowledge of Armenian and/or Russian is an advantage.

Additional Information SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will be responsible for drafting and finalizing the update of Armenia CCA in close consultation with and based on inputs from the UN team. The updated CCA will draw from and add to existing data, statistics, analyses, reviews, research, capacities, and resources from within and outside the UN system. Multi-disciplinary in nature, the CCA will seek to engender integrated, cross-pillar systems thinking, summarizing the interlinkages and integrated nature of the SDGs; multidimensional factors spanning the development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and human rights spectrum; relevant regional, sub-regional and cross-border dynamics; the country’s legal, institutional, policy and financial landscape as it pertains to the 2030 Agenda and; the root causes of crises – potential or actual – in order to prioritize our support in preventing these.

Working towards this effort, the selected consultant will fully adhere to all aspects of CCA outlined in the Consolidated Annexes to the Cooperation Framework Guidance (Annex 2 that indicates the elements of CCA) as well as UN CCA Companion Piece that offers “how to” guidance, tools, templates, and examples of how a CCA should be developed (to be shared with the selected consultant).

Elements of the process to update the CCA will entail, but are not limited to the following: - Developing an outline and methodology for updating the CCA in line with the UNDG guidance and submit for review and approval to the UNCT - Synthesizing primary (based on availability) and secondary data (statistics, analyses, reviews, research, studies, and resources from within and outside the UN system). - Facilitating at least two discussions with the four UNSDCF Results Groups and the UN M&E group on the first and revised draft updated CCA and reflect the comments and availed in inputs prior to sharing with UNCT - Consultant to gather inputs and the contribution from the Gender Specialist (UN Women/RCO), the PDA team (both national and international) and Human Right Advisor (OHCHR) to ensure the updated CCA contains solid gender equality, Human Rights, and risk prevention analyses - Integrate comments and feedback, finalize, and submit the updated CCA based on comments and inputs received from UNCT

ANALYTICAL METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS

The CCA update would be based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodology, with resulting narratives that relate to the causal pathways from the theory of change. As a data driven CCA, it needs to assess the different development facets of Armenia both on a macro and micro (subnational) level, include dynamically (projections), and disaggregate data (such as sex- and age-disaggregated data) as much as possible.

The consultant will be expected utilize quantitative methods to: - Utilize global SDG data for SDG-by-SDG forecasting - Calculate, graphically show, and analyze the interlinkages between SDGs to show Armenia’s developmental model as a network with positive and negative linkages (reinforcing or inhibiting) and identify vicious and virtuous SDG communities/circles (using toolkit developed by KSA RCO) - Examine national indicators to supplement the global data analysis - Identify Sustainable Development Goals priority areas from the Human Rights lens by utilizing the Danish Human Rights SDG Data Explorer

The consultant will be expected to utilize qualitative methods to provide the analytical identification of root causes and peer learning potential for causal pathways and theory of change, through: - Narrative exploration of complex issues - Looking and drawing on successful experiences elsewhere (case studies) - Grounded theory - Drawing on discussions with stakeholders

The consultant will be expected to pursue participatory and inclusive stakeholder engagement to ensure that the CCA update benefits from the views of a variety of stakeholders, including but not limited to: - 4 UNSDCF Results groups - UNCT M&E Group - UNCT - DCO and other relevant regional and global support bodies - Government, Civil Society, Private Sector and Academia as necessary

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS AND PAYMENT STRUCTURE

The consultant will contractually report to the RCO Head of Office. He/she will be technically guided by the RCO Economist and the members of the UNSDCF Results Groups. All costs directly related to this contract will be covered through the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. The assignment will be a combination of field and home-based work. All installments will be processed subject to UNCT’s assessment of the basic requirements of completeness and quality of content in line with the Terms of Reference. The Consultants’ payment shall be made in three instalments of: - 20% upon signing of the contract and submission of an acceptable inception report - 40% upon completion of stakeholder consultations and submission of draft CCA report - 40% upon successful submission of the Final CCA document

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.