International consultant on Public finance management and gender responsive budgeting in support of SDG project implementation in Belarus

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world.

At the regional level, UN Women assist efforts to uphold agreed gender equality norms, working through regional coordination mechanisms and UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) teams. UN Women co-chairs the UN coordination mechanism, Issue Based Coalition on Gender, jointly with UNFPA and provides technical support on strengthening gender equality and the empowerment women, promoting joint action at the regional level in support of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as supporting the work of UN country teams on gender mainstreaming. At the country level, UN Women works with resident coordinators and other UN entities through UN country teams, leading gender theme groups, and actively engaging in joint results groups and joint programmes to strategically address gender-based inequalities. UN Women is supporting roll out of country-level UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF) and support and engagement to RCs and UNCTs with technical expertise for gender responsive UNDAF evaluations, development of Gender Briefs, review of draft CCAs, results frameworks, participation in strategic prioritization retreats, national consultation and validation processes, capacity building on gender data and statistics as well as in inter-agency support.

In Belarus, UN Women is engaged as Non-Resident Agency and is working closely with the UN Country team to support national stakeholders in advancing gender equality agenda in the country, in line with the objectives and priorities set in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2021 -2025.

With the aim to advance implementation of the objectives set under 3 Outcomes of the UNSDCF and to accelerate the realization of the 2030 Agenda, the UNCT has developed a Joint Project “Promoting new tools of sustainable development budgeting that prioritize vulnerable populations in Belarus” (hereinafter SDG project). The Joint project is implemented by UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women and contributes -among others – to the implementation of the Objective 1 of the Belarus National Action Plan on Gender Equality.

The UN SDG project is structured around 4 UNSDCF Outcomes:

• Outcome 1: By 2025, adolescents, youth, families with children and vulnerable groups practice safer and healthier behaviors and enjoy better access to quality healthcare services (SDG 3 and 5 and LNOB)
• Outcome 2: By 2025, adolescents, youth, families with children and vulnerable groups, enjoy better access to gender-responsive, inclusive and labor-market-oriented education, improved social protection system, more restorative approaches to justice, and opportunities to strengthen their families’ resilience. (SDG 1, 8, 16 and LNOB)
• Outcome 3: By 2025, improvements in data collection, gender equality policies, and child and gender budgeting have created conditions for men and women of all ages, including those aged 65 years and older, as well as girls and boys, to better realize their rights and increase the quality of their lives, including through increased opportunities for employment and better protection from gender-based and domestic violence. (SDG 5, 17 and LNOB)
• Outcome 4: By 2025, improvements in data collection, gender equality policies, and child and gender budgeting have created conditions for men and women of all ages, including those aged 65 years and older, as well as girls and boys, to better realize their rights and increase the quality of their lives and better protection from gender-based and domestic violence. (5, 16 and LNOB)

UN Women is directly responsible for implementation of Outcome 4 and through the SDG project will aim at achieving the Output whereas “Wider opportunities are provided to apply the principles of gender analysis of legislation, gender budgeting and gender equality mainstreaming in developing state programmes and allocating budget resources (SDGs 5.6, 5.c, 5.4,5.5). UN Women is working closely with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP) and will be extending technical and expert support to public officials in strengthening national capacities on Gender budget analysis and planning in programming, in aligning its sectoral programme development and budgeting with the on-going process of public finance management and planning and in providing specific entry points for mainstreaming gender responsive budgeting in the existing budgetary planning process and/or in providing recommendations for its amendment.

To support the MLSP in implementing the obligations under the 2030 Agenda and the newly adopted National Action Plan on Gender Equality (2021-2025) UN Women is seeking to recruit an international consultant on public finance management and gender responsive budgeting.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work

The objective of the assignment is to strengthen the capacities of MLSP officials – sector specific employees and finance departments - on gender responsive programme planning and budgeting. The consultant is expected to carry out analysis of the existing public finance and budgeting process and provide technical assistance through training, mentoring and advise/recommendations to MLSP staff and potentially to the Ministry of finance and finance departments of other line ministries in integrating principles of gender budgeting in the public financing process. The consultant is expected to work jointly and in close coordination with an international consultant on GRB and programme budgeting, assigned to support MLSP.

Tasks and responsibilities

Based on the above-described objectives of the assignment, under the supervision of the Programme Specialist of UN Women Moldova CO[1], the UN Women Regional Adviser on GRB, and in close coordination with the Development Coordination Officer of the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Belarus, the International consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks and responsibilities:

• Carry out desk review of the Public Finance Management Reform in Belarus including analyses of the existing process of budget cycle from planning to monitoring, review of the Organic Budget Law, as well as review of the instruction for budget preparations (budget circular), existing budgetary programmes, and the role of line ministries in budget preparation including the timelines, in specific Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, etc. Present the main findings and recommendations of possibilities for integration of GE principles at the peer review session with the public officials and staff from UN participating agencies.
• Jointly with the International consultant on GRB and sector specific programme analysis and the MLSP responsible officials, support with capacity needs assessment on Gender Responsive Budgeting at of the sectors aimed with this consultancy (Social Protection and/or Employment) and obtain the necessary validation.
• Jointly with the international consultant on GRB and programme budgeting, adapt training curricula on GRB for public officials from MLSP and potentially from Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, tailored for officials working on sectoral policy development and on financing.
• Deliver – jointly with the International consultant on GRB and programme budgeting, first round of 2 days trainings for select group of public officials, based on the capacity needs assessment and training curricula developed.
• Support and mentor MLSP officials and potentially staff from Ministry of finance and Ministry of Economy, in understanding the programme-based budgeting and gender sensitive key Performance Indicators (KPIs) specifically targeting gender equality commitments.
• Jointly with the International Expert on GRB and Programme budgeting, deliver second GRB advanced 3 days training on sector specific including findings and recommendations from the GRB analysis of the sectoral programme. Use this training as a validation of the findings of the analyses and the recommendations. Additionally, the training should provide examples of gender budget statements and approaches to tracking expenditures on GE as well as tools for measuring impact on women and men).
• Technical advice and recommendations on how to develop a system in place as per the SDG 5.c.1 indicator methodology “Government’s systems in place to make and track budget allocations for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” and sharing some of best practices worldwide.
• Take active part in moderating a regional event with representatives from Ministries of finance and line ministries on sharing of best practices of institutionalization of GRB in the countries from Europe and Central Asia.
• Jointly with the International Expert on GRB and Programme Budgeting , develop policy checklists and guidelines on GRB entry points on Belarus.
• Submit detailed Final Assignment Report with description of undertaken activities, their short-term and long-term results, with recommendations for UN Women for further improvement of work on GRB in Belarus.

Competencies

Core Values/guiding principles:

• Integrity – Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct;
• Professionalism – Demonstrate professional competence and Consultant knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work;
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity – Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Additionally, the individual should have an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Planning & Organizing – Develops clear goals in line with agreed strategies, identifies priorities, foresees risks and makes allowances accordingly;
• Organizational Awareness – Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Teamwork – Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and delivers outputs in accordance with agreed time, cost and quality standards.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://unwomen.sharepoint.com/management/Human-Resources/2016%20HR%20Intranet/Values%20and%20Competencies/Values%20%26%20competencies_updated_EN.pdf

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UN Women;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Development and Operational Effectiveness;
• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills. Communicates sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
• Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy
• Ability to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported;
• Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems;
• Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource.

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking skills and ability to generate interest in UN Women’s mandate;
• Identifies opportunities and builds strong partnerships with clients and partners.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• First level University Degree in public administration, social studies, development studies, gender studies and/or international relations, or any other degree relevant to the requirements of the TOR. A Master’s degree is considered a strong asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in gender responsive budgeting application either at the central or local level;
• Experience in working on central government finance policies and processes – including medium-term budgeting program (MTBP), budgeting methodologies and approaches;
• Familiarity with country and regional context on gender equality is considered an asset;
• Previous experience working with international organizations is considered an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Russian language is an asset.

Submission Instructions:

Following documents should be submitted on-line through current platform no later than 4 July 2021, 23:59 EST:

• Short Letter of interest,
• Financial proposal in USD indicating a total lump sum for the delivery as per above description. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (consultancy fee, travel and any other possible costs). Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and inability to predict whether on-line or face to face meetings/trainings will be possible, please do not include in financial offer travel cost.
• Completed UN Women Personal History (P11) form, that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment
• UN Women applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals.

Supporting documents and full ToR can be found here following https://sc.undp.md/jobdetails/2255/.