Job Competencies Framework Senior Consutant

Result of Service ­ Develop An easy-to-use implementation guide for the previously set competency framework for leadership positions to be used by the civil service boards/units/councils in the Arab countries. This shall entail: o Define leadership positions in Public Administrations in the Arab Countries - Their levels, functions, and powers - Their common roles (strategic, supervisory, executive ...) o The steps to be followed on how to define and select their related core competencies: - Identify and specify the details, procedures and steps to be followed detailing the competencies and explaining what they include in terms of knowledge, skills and behaviour according to each senior leadership position (Competency matrix and its level for each leadership position, determining behavioural indicators to be adopted in each of the core competencies for each senior leadership position, how to measure performance and evaluation according to various levels of senior leadership; in addition to specifying details for setting weighs for each competency and behavioural indicator ) o Specify the details to be followed to develop a competency card for each of the senior leadership positions (how to incorporate into the job description card) 3 samples (tasks, goals, duties and prerogatives, technical and professional qualifications and competencies, skills and behaviours, core competencies, behavioural indicators, and performance appraisal) o Explain and explore the method of using competencies in the human resources management planning process (attracting, selecting, and recruiting senior leaders, training qualifying and developing leaders, resource planning and individual performance appraisal) o Explain the method of linking evaluation results to: - Accountability and responsibility - Develop competencies according to needs and strategic objectives - Career path chart - Training - Offer incentives/promotion - Benefit from present experiences and skills - Explain how technical competencies will be identified (for later specific country use: specialised area and supporting areas) o Specify the steps to be followed to develop specific competencies for senior leadership positions

­ Develop technical guidance for the easy implementation of the guide

Work Location Remote

Expected duration The total duration of this assignment is four months (4) starting from the date of signature of the contract.

Duties and Responsibilities Background

The objective of ESCWA's Cluster 6 is to advance just, peaceful and inclusive societies, especially for people living under occupation or in conflict or post-conflict settings; to improve governance and strengthen effective, efficient and accountable public institutions; and to enhance service delivery.

SDG 16 calls on all levels of government to "create effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions," a goal in which well-functioning governments play a significant role. The need for effective governments, on the other hand, goes beyond SDG 16 and runs through all the other objectives, which rely heavily on the public sector to formulate policies, operationalize programs, and provide quality services to society. Civil servants and specifically senior and leadership positions in all fields play a significant role in institutional strength and government capability. Thus, the path to enhanced government competence and cross-cutting SDG attainment may then begin to be illuminated with a clear knowledge of the elements that drive civil servant motivation and performance.

Most Arab Governments have been working for decades to reform the public sector so as to address various imbalances, enhance its effectiveness, and allocate resources to improve the quality of services provided to citizens. Arab Governments are increasingly focusing on developing the functional competencies of workers in public administrations and the civil service, based on a growing awareness of the role of functional competencies in the success of sustainable development, which requires highly capable human resources in public administrations. In this context, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) helped a Standing group of Experts specialized in human resources management, from ministries, offices, centres and institutes of public administration and civil service in several Arab countries, to prepare an initiative entitled "Towards a common Arab regional job competencies framework for senior public servants within the context of the 2030 Agenda and public policy". In preparing the framework, a participatory methodology was adopted based on exchanging expertise and experiences to identify problems and difficulties in the work of government departments and institutions, and the lack of tools, methodologies and modern models for human resource management, especially for team leaders. Based on a request submitted by the General Personnel Council in the State of Palestine (date 07/06/2022, number 2022-0114) seeking technical support from ESCWA, an implementation guide for the Job Competencies Framework will be developed to be adapted and suitable to the reality of public administration in Palestine and in the Arab countries. This guide should be practical, realistic, easy to understand and apply, and includes a table of defined terms, realistic measurement indicators for the range of competencies contained in the Arab framework, and effective and simple measurement tools that are easy to adapt to the circumstances and nature of the public administration and civil service in each Arab country.

Objectives

The primary objective of the assignment is to prepare a guide for the Arab Job competencies' framework specifying the details, procedures and steps to be followed (detailing the competencies and explaining what they include in terms of knowledge, skills and behaviour according to each level of senior leadership and setting indicators for measuring performance and evaluation according to the various levels of senior leadership). The guide should include a chapter on defining leadership positions in public administrations in Arab countries, and their levels, functions and powers.

Duties and responsibilities

Within the delegated authority, the Consultant will develop an implementation guide, based on the pre-set list of core competencies (competencies framework) concluded in "Towards a common Arab regional job competencies framework for senior public servants within the context of the 2030 Agenda and public policy". For this purpose, tthe consultant shall design and provide a step-by-step methodology that will help in implementing this generic framework by the Senior civil service units/boards and making sure that the framework is used as needed and that the civil service units will take ownership for it. Accordingly, the consultant shall: - Review and gather information about the leadership job family for identifying core competencies for all ministries. - Identify and verify the basic, common and core competencies for the senior level of the leadership job family - Develop a comprehensive implementation guide including the identified generic senior level positions (3 generic senior positions), with their distribution, roles, relevant competencies, and their levels, how they are measured based on behavioural indicators, and identifying scope and weight for each indicator as well as a brief description of how to develop and apply technical specific competencies. - Develop and produce sample competency card for each of the 3 generic senior levels - Highlight the important use of competencies in the human resources management planning process, in making informed decisions about recruitment, retention and succession strategies, and how to invest the results of evaluation for better performant public sector.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: Knowledge in developing training materials and methodology is desirable. Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree in Human Resources Management, Public Administration, Political Science, or related disciplines is required. Experience: At least five years' experience in the field of public sector training and capacity building is required. Practical experience of civil service job analysis, description, and classification projects; experience in the development of competency-based curriculum and training and its practical application in the public sector Job Families is desirable. Language: Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required; fluency in other working languages of the UN is an advantage.

Additional Information The Consultant will report regularly to the competency framework team and to the Director of the Cluster. During the implementation of the contract, periodic discussions and reviews of drafts and research progress shall take place at reasonable intervals throughout the development of the outputs. It is expected that the Consultant and the competency framework team will work closely together and interact frequently during the consultancy to ensure successful contract fulfilment.

The guide to be produced is expected to be drafted in IN ARABIC.

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.