Local expert/Research Analyst on public policy analysis

Contract

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

Background

The project “Unleashing Employment and Income Generating Opportunities for Youth in the Regions of Armenia” aims at supporting the fulfilment of youth’s potential and wellbeing in the regions of Armenia through youth economic empowerment, including improved education opportunities, facilitated labour market transition and fostered entrepreneurship across 4 target regions of Armenia: Kotayk, Gegharqunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik provinces.

The Project sets out to achieve the following 3 objectives:

• Objective 1: Increase the employability of the youth in vocational education and training by addressing the mismatch of the labor market demand and supply sides.
• Objective 2: Facilitate transition to work for the youth in the target regions.
• Objective 3: Support economic empowerment of young people in the target regions, especially in rural and remote areas.

This task will revolve around the 1st objective of the Project which tackles the need to have a full picture of the labour market trends and developments in Armenia, which showcases the current and future supply side of the market – the students and graduates of VET institutions and their career tracks. The analysis will contribute to demonstrating the benefits of opting for VET to high school students through providing data on career tracks and real earnings of previous graduates of the course. The analysis will also inform policy-level decision-making with respect to VET education and employment by looking at aggregated macro level analysis of the market supply.

To provide the decision makers at all levels starting from high school students to policy makers with relevant VET supply side data, the project proposes a cooperation with the National Centre of Educational Technologies (NCET). NCET is a trusted partner for multiple governmental bodies in the context of data generation and analysis and has a successful track record of digitizing and centralizing school student related data across Armenia, currently it has the mandate to expand the system to include VET institutions as well – providing a platform to digitally input data on students focusing only on data collection and centralization of current day students.

While many of the VET institutions do their own career tracking of students, the methodologies and tools differ, therefore it is not possible to aggregate the results and get a full picture of vocational trades on the supply side of the market, or even the potential market opportunities and average earnings for a given trade. In this view, an additional career tracking block on NCET, devised together with national partners, would allow for standardized data gathering on student careers and aggregated analysis for the market as a whole and for professional streams.

The product of this activity will contribute to the scoping of an additional analytical and digital career tracking block on the NCET system for VET institutions and data visualization on the Edu2Work VET block for a complete picture of the labour market. The direct beneficiaries of this analysis will be students, VET institutions and policy makers, who will be equipped with timely information to align their expectations and make evidence-based decisions about education and employment.

To implement the aforementioned tasks UNDP is seeking to procure the services of a local expert/research analyst on public policy analysis.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the overall coordination of Innovation Portfolio Lead and under direct supervision of SDG Innovation Lab Lead, the expert will be responsible for conducting qualitative primary and secondary research and delivering reports on findings, implementing the following key responsibilities:

• Develop methodology for research with a focus on uncovering stakeholder needs and feasibility for potential solutions
• Elicit insights on VET institution data and alumni career tracking through research that will feed into the subcomponent of successful career tracking analysis of VET in Armenia;
• Map the system to identify key stakeholders and analyze the relationships within the system that enable or hinder the career tracking process;
• Review the policy framework and potential reform agenda with respect to VET institutions and career orientation methodologies in Armenia;
• Review local career tracking methodologies, and international best practices in countries with resilient and successful VET programs with a focus on the role of data and digital tools in shaping successful policies;
• Conduct desk review of the legal framework and functions of VET institutions in Armenia, as well as any document relevant to Career Orientation Centers in educational institutions;
• Collect and analyze data on data systems, processes, policy frameworks and stakeholder needs.

Expected deliverables:

Deliverables:

Payment %

Delivery date

1 Methodology of research on VET career centres operation and career tracking practices developed

20%

September 25, 2022

2. Report on current career tracking paths with a focus on data mapping in VET institutions in Armenia developed

   30%

   October 10, 2022

3. Report on international best practices on career tracking in educational institutions with a focus on digital products developed

   20%

October 15, 2022

4. A comprehensive report on analysis of approaches and gaps, including data gaps, in career tracking in Armenia in comparison to the international experience and with respect to the users’ needs developed

   30%

October 21, 2022

Competencies

• Strong analytical skills and an understanding of the principles of competency-based education standards and working experience to address them
• Good knowledge of the VET system in Armenia
• Strong partnership and team-working skills and focus on results
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage set priorities

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Political science, Economics, Business administration, or related field. Relevant university degree in combination with qualifying research experience in the public sector.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of research and data analysis experience in Public policy analysis
• At least 5 years of hands-on experience in applied research and policy planning.
• Experience in writing academic papers, policy papers, policy briefs etc.
• Strong experience in applying different methodologies of social science and innovation research, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed approaches etc.
• Experience in academic environment, analytical research and development of professional reports;
• Hands-on experience in data collection and processing methods and approaches; surveys, interviews, focus group discussions
• Experience of collaborations with international researchers/ international research projects;
• Published research is a definite advantage;
• Experience in innovation research is an asset.

Language Skills:

• Excellent written and oral Armenian and English language skills

CANDIDATES WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING METHODOLOGY:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants' technical qualifications, experience and financial proposal.The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as technically responsive/compliant/acceptable to the requirements of the ToR and received the highest cumulative (technical and financial) score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 70 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 30 points.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION.

• Financial Proposal and Availability form: OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP (A total lump sum option is applicable for this assignment)
• CV shall include Education/Qualification, Processional Certification, Employment Records /Experience

General Conditions of Contract is available here: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

Note: Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents that should be included in the application in one single PDF file and upload it).