National consultant-Financial information and data for an Education Public Expenditure Review (PER)

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a future.

Please visit UNICEF Sierra Leone website here: www.unicef.org/sierraleone

How can you make a difference?

Since 2018, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has further committed to strengthening the education sector through the launch of its flagship Free Quality School Education (FQSE) Program. To deliver promised access and learning improvements through the FQSE Program, the education sector needs to drive substantive efficiency gains and resource mobilization to maintain fiscal sustainability.

Purpose of Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy assignment is to support the Joint Education Public Expenditure Review exercise UNICEF is undertaking in collaboration with the World Bank covering pre-primary and tertiary sub-sectors. The assignment will cover collection of data and relevant documents as well as preliminary analysis on the public financial budget allocation and expenditure practices in relation to the education sector, primarily pre-primary and tertiary. While UNICEF will recruit a local consultant for gathering financial data from Ministry of Finance (MOF), MBSSE and MTHE, World Bank is recruiting the data analyst consultant to analyze the collected financial and education data. The two consultants will collaborate closely, and the national consultant would be expected to work with the international consultant to fill any data gaps as the analysis progresses.

Objectives of the Assignment:

The overall objective of the Education PER is to assess the quality of public spending on all the sub-sectors of education and recommend measures to help heighten the quality and efficiency of public spending. Specifically, this Education PER will assess: (i) the adequacy and sustainability of public spending in the education sector; (ii) the efficiency and effectiveness in the use of these resources; (iii) the equity of education expenditure in terms of the distribution of expenditures, complementary inputs, and outcomes; (iv) the key management and governance issues facing the education sector; (v) Scrutinize the key cost drivers, relate them to the assessment of quality of education (efficiency, effectiveness), especially the quality of teaching and structure of teacher salaries; and (vi) provide policy recommendations. Analysis has already been undertaken for pre-primary and secondary sub-sectors, and the analysis of pre-primary and tertiary sub-sectors will follow the same methodology and format.

Scope of Work:

• Collect financial data – including the amount budgeted/allocated and expenditure (e.g. direct, related, supportive of etc.) – for each subsector of education (particularly for pre-primary and higher education) by district. Though the main data source utilized for the PER is BOOST data, however the BOOST does not provide disaggregated data by district. Therefore, the consultant will collect disaggregated data from the relevant ministries.
• In addition to collecting data from the Ministry database, documentation and personnel, the consultant will provide a brief report presenting the information collected, including a table of the applicable sources and documents and how the data was defined and collected.
• Conduct meetings with key government ministries as required to collect information/data and collaborate with the international consultant to ensure data gaps are filled to the extent possible.

Deliverables:

• Consultant presents a work plan UNICEF and WB team detailing how he/she will approach the task.
• UNICEF and World Bank team provide inputs on the workplan and then approves the final workplan
• Collect financial data from ministry of Finance and the two education ministries with breakdowns detailing amount budgeted/allocated and expenditure (e.g. direct, related, supportive of etc.) – for each subsector of education (particularly for pre-primary and higher education) by district.
• Prepare a brief report presenting/discussing the data collected from the various ministries database and any outstanding data gaps
• Collect feedback from UNICEF and World Bank team and provide additional information if required.
• Prepare final report detailing of the process and the product of the consultancy.
• Consultant presents a work plan UNICEF and WB team detailing how he/she will approach the task.
• UNICEF and World Bank team provide inputs on the workplan and then approves the final workplan.
• Collect financial data from ministry of Finance and the two education ministries with breakdowns detailing amount budgeted/allocated and expenditure (e.g. direct, related, supportive of etc.) – for each subsector of education (particularly for pre-primary and higher education) by district.
• Prepare a brief report presenting/discussing the data collected from the various ministries database and any outstanding data gaps
• Collect feedback from UNICEF and World Bank team and provide additional information if required.
• Prepare final report detailing of the process and the product of the consultancy.

Please see attached ToR for detailed information ToR for Education PER.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Masters’ degree in Economics, Public Expenditure Management/Finance or relevant field with 5 years relevant experience.
• Excellent understanding and knowledge about Public Financial Management (PMF), Education structure and financing in Sierra Leone.
• Experience working with government officials/ministries.
• Excellent understanding about financial data.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 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.

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

• Application to include financial proposal that will detail your daily/monthly rate (in Sierra Leone Leones) to undertake the terms of reference.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.