Establishment of a roster of national consultants in the field of Social Policy/Protection in Tbilisi, Georgia (open only for Georgian nationals)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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For every child, education

1. Background

Every child deserves an equitable chance in life. How governments decide to spend public resources is critical to ensure that no child is left behind. Children are more likely to live in poverty than adults. They are also more vulnerable to its effects. Children are left behind for various reasons. Social services are often underfunded, with available funds favoring services that never reach the most disadvantaged families. Local governments – increasingly responsible for providing basic social services lack the capacity to collect data, consult communities, and determine why and where children remain cut off from needs.

UNICEF supports the Government of Georgia to plan, implement and monitor child-friendly social policies and programmes to ensure that all children, especially the most vulnerable, grow up in a caring family environment, have access to quality and inclusive education and healthcare and live in safe, inclusive environment.

Prioritized issues and areas

UNICEF’s areas of work in Georgia are determined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Georgia for 2021-2025[1] and 2021-2025 Georgia-UNICEF Programme of Cooperation[2]. Based on this programme, among other priorities, UNICEF provides technical assistance to the Government to address poverty, deprivations, vulnerabilities, and inequalities that children and families with children face in Georgia through development of a child-sensitive social protection system and monitoring implementation of children’s rights.

In the frame of this support, it is expected that by 2025:

• national authorities will have the capacity to develop child-sensitive evidence-based social policies and budgets;
• municipalities will have improved capacities for planning, public finance for children (PF4C), implementing of social protection programmes and monitoring of their effectiveness;
• relevant health and social service structures will have the capacity to identify and grant disability status and provide assistance (cash and services) based on the social model of disability;
• national human rights monitoring mechanisms will be reinforced to monitor child rights through effective and timely collection and analysis of data and evidence on children and adolescents.

Technical support of UNICEF includes the following areas of work:

• Development of relevant legislation, state policies and programmes (e.g. technical assistance in development of the Social Code; advancement and implementation of the Code on the Rights of the Child and the Law on Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; support in development of the Human Rights Strategy and its action plans; optimization of social protection measures for children with disabilities; etc.)
• Generation of data and evidence to inform child-centered policies and advocacy (e.g. Real Time Monitoring survey to understand effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on households; Child Welfare Survey to have in-depth understanding of the multidimensional nature of child poverty and deprivations, access to health, education, social protection; Goods and Services required study for equal participation of children with disabilities etc.)
• Strengthen capacity of the state institutions at the level of central government and municipalities to advance social protection of children and families (e.g. transformation of disability assessment and status determination system; increase capacity of municipalities for child-centered, needs-based social programming, etc.)
• Improve public finance for children (e.g. understanding public funding for children in the areas of social protection, education, health, child protection; advocacy for increased financial allocations; capacity development of state agencies in child-friendly budgeting, ect.).

Major partners of UNICEF in these areas of work are:

• Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs
• Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development
• Parliament of Georgia
• National Statistics Office of Georgia
• Municipalities
• Organization of Persons with Disabilities and Civil Society Organizations
• Academia
• Health facilities responsible for disability assessment
• Other state and non-state stakeholders

2. Objective

The objective of this terms of reference is to establish a roster of national consultants for UNICEF Georgia in the field of Social Policy to enable implementation of the 2021-2025 Georgia-UNICEF Programme of Cooperation in a quality and effective manner. The roster will serve as human resources repository, from which the Country Office can draw pre-vetted, well-qualified social policy, social protection, disability, PF4C, local self-governance, research experts quickly and efficiently for assignments.

In order to support the implementation of the Programme of Cooperation, UNICEF Georgia seeks expertise in the following overlapping areas:

1. Inclusive (child-sensitive) social protection system strengthening
2. Child poverty, welfare analysis and other child rights-related data analysis
3. Public finance management, including public finance for children
4. Local governance/decentralization
5. Optimization of social protection of children with disabilities

Please note that being part of the roster does not guarantee any type of formal engagement with UNICEF.

3. Potential activities and deliverables

Upon need, UNICEF will call for the selected consultants to support implementation of the on-going programmes and activities. Potential key actions might include:

• Provide policy and technical advice to the Government partners to support the implementation of Georgia’s national child rights legislation and international child rights obligations in the area of social protection;
• Provide support in creation of enabling environment through policy advice for developing inclusive social policies, strategies and programmes;
• Support in data analysis and reporting on poverty/welfare, social protection and other child rights- related areas;
• Provide support to develop child rights- related information management systems (IMS) at local and national levels;
• Provide budget analysis in relation of state spending on children;
• Identify potential areas how to incorporate child-sensitive budgeting into the ongoing public finance reform;
• Provide support in capacity building and support to relevant national agencies and municipalities in equity-based, gender-sensitive programme budgeting for children;
• Provide support and policy advice to municipalities in social policy planning and programming;
• Provide support to enhance participation of local communities to engage in the planning, modelling and monitoring of social programmes, including community-based family support services for vulnerable families with children;
• Provide support to municipalities to efficiently increase the coverage of social programmes and include the most vulnerable;
• Provide technical assistance, expert advice and training to the Government for the gradual roll out of the pilot model of disability assessment and status determination system;
• Provide support to develop/optimize social protection measures for children with disabilities based on the new status determination system;
• Provide support to the reform of the general (mainstream) social protection system to ensure that it is disability inclusive and accessible;
• Provide support to strengthen partnerships and strategic alliances with central and local Governments, Parliament, donors, international and national NGOs, OPDs, media, businesses, as well as children, youth and parents.

Potential key deliverables may include:

• Situation analyses
• Analytical briefs and papers; system and programme mapping;
• Policy briefs, policy papers;
• Legislative analyses and draft legal documents;
• Qualitative and quantitative study/survey/research methodology and instruments;
• Operational procedures, instruments, instructions and guidance for public servants;
• Reports of qualitative and quantitative studies;
• Training curricula and materials;
• Other

In-country travels may be required and will be defined for each case separately.

3. Scope of Work

The consultancy work will focus on Georgia.

4. Conditions of Work

The consultant/s shall use their own facilities to manage the work.

5. Qualifications

Consultants are required to have a minimum set of qualifications, core competencies, technical background and experience regardless of specialised area of expertise;

• Core values of commitment, inclusion and integrity
• Advanced university degree in public policy, social policy, social sciences, policy analysis, economics or related field.
• Minimum 7 years’ relevant professional experience in public/social policy and social protection;
• Minimum 7 years of experience in research and analysis and the ability to use data as evidence;
• Excellent understanding of social policy, social protection and child rights in development context;
• Knowledge and experience in the formulation, design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection legislation, policies and programmes, preferably in close coordination and cooperation with government bodies;
• Knowledge and experience in strengthening national and/or sub-national institutional arrangements in social sector;
• Knowledge and experience in addressing inequities and disparities in social sector;
• Communication, advocacy and negotiation skills: the ability to engage clearly and articulately with stakeholders including, inter alia, government bodies, international organisations, national institutions, civil society and academia;Training and presentation skills: the ability to share and impart knowledge, provide technical and policy guidance, build capacities and promulgate good practice for child social protection;
• Excellent spoken and written Georgian and English;
• High level of computer literacy.

How to apply:

Applicants are required:

• To submit a CV and list of relevant previous experience explaining the accomplished work
• To choose one or more of the categories of work listed in the section 5., which represent areas of your expertise;
• To submit with their application a sample of their own written work (report, proposal, situation analysis, etc.) of not more than 2000 words. Relevant to the areas and categories selected; Applications submitted without a sample will not be accepted.
• To provide references (at least 2) that will validate the experience of the candidate.
• To indicate proposed daily fee in US dollars.

Consultants are required to indicate which category/s of work indicated below they have expertise and would like to be considered; For indicated categories of work applicants need to provide a list of preformed activities (with brief explanation) and evidence on previous experience.

Categories of work (choose one or more.)

1. Inclusive (child-sensitive) social protection system strengthening
2. Child poverty, welfare analysis and other child rights-related data analysis
3. Public finance management, including public finance for children
4. Local governance/decentralization
5. Social protection of children with disabilities

Please apply to the roster of consultants in the field of Social Policy/Protection no later than 6 PM , 1 August 2022.

Only applicants who are under consideration will be contacted. Work references will be conducted as part of the selection process for short-listed candidates. Once accepted on the Social Policy Roster, consultants will be eligible for direct recruitment by UNICEF Georgia for short-term consultancies over a period of three years. The consultant will be issued a contract which is subject to UNICEF General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors. The length of the contract will depend on project needs and funding availability.

In the selection of its staff and consultants, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction. Well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

[1] See the link: https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/Georgia_UNSDCF_%202021%20to%202025_0.pdf

[2][2] See the link: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3896636

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.