National Consultant – Social Policy Researcher

Consultant Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, hope

How can you make a difference?

Background:

UNICEF is committed to support the Government of Ukraine in its efforts to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending, with a focus on addressing children’s needs.

Promoting social inclusion by supporting integrated and equitable social protection policies, enhancing the social welfare and justice systems to ensure protection services, including alternative family care and child-friendly justice are among key five outcomes for children UNICEF in Ukraine will focus on over the next 5 years

Over the past few years, UNICEF has provided a large-scale humanitarian response to war-affected communities and rendered support to the Government of Ukraine in the early recovery phase, demonstrating the organizations’ commitment to support Ukraine’s emergency response and recovery phase.

The implementation of national recovery plan agenda and introduction of new social policy instruments require adequate financial support from the state and local budgets, the development of new financial mechanisms. Therefore, on an ongoing basis, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of draft legislation and changes in legislation that regulates budget and social protection issues and peculiarities of financing social expenditures during the period of shock-responsive humanitarian response and recovery, analysis of the status of implementation of expenditures of the social sector by different dimensions and at different levels as well as creation data base of key indicators that should be served a basis for evidence-based decision making.

This will allow to promptly monitor the changes proposed by the Government, to forecast the consequences of their implementation and will create the basis for preparing their own proposals for improving the current legislation as well as minimize possible risks and timely develop preventive measures. In addition, the results of the consultancy will increase internal knowledge on the organization and financing of the social and child protection sector in Ukraine during war and recovery period. The results of analysis will help to clarify the main challenges and bottlenecks in social financial spheres in Ukraine and can be used as an input for formulating follow-up activities and for strategic planning.

Purpose of assignment:

The scope of the consultancy is as follows:

• Support to the Social policy section with the development and preparation of advocacy materials for promotion of child-focused social policy and public financial management systems at state and local levels in Ukraine.
• Studying best practices in the sphere of social policy and social protection of vulnerable groups of families with children and drafting proposals on possible ways of their implementation in Ukraine
• Provide policy consulting and strategic advice in matters of interest for UNICEF Ukraine Sections, which may include providing expert advice on public finance at local level, social protection and child protection policies and strategies, including strategy of demographic development, to stimulate creating child and family friendly policies and initiatives
• Ongoing analysis of draft legislation that regulates social policy issues and peculiarities of management and financing of social sectors expenditures with a focus on children needs.
• Provide inputs into documents and research work, including related to National Recovery Plan and Perekhid initiative and follow up action plans and activities.
• Develop recommendations, position papers and reports on macro-environment for use in the development of UNICEF policy agenda
• Support with strengthening capacity of state and local authorities in the system of Ministry of social policy, Ministry of finance and other partners, in provision of appropriate programmes in social protection during the crisis and recovery period in Ukraine, including providing inputs to the training materials.
• Support UNICEF staff with advocacy the implementation of the proposed recommendations in the activities of the Ministry of Social Policy and Ministry of Finance of Ukraine

It is expected that consultant provide materials in English and if required, support with their translation into Ukrainian.

The consultant will work closely with and under the supervision of the UNICEF Social policy officer.

Work assignment overview:

Deliverables

Estimated Deadline

# of w/days

1****. Inception report, including methodology and workplan and list of products and materials to be developed during the consultancy (in English)

September 2023

5

2. A****nalysis of draft legislation that regulates social policy and social protection issues, management and financing of social sectors expenditures with a focus on children needs

Drafting of 10 monthly notes (in English) with Analysis of legislative changes that may have a potential implication on budgets for children (3 days per 1 note)

Monthly

30

3. Advocacy materials for promotion of child-focused social policy and public financial management systems at state and local levels in Ukraine

Estimated 5 policy recommendations on possible improvements of social protection and public finance system at national and sub-national level in child related sectors in relation to adequacy, efficiency, equity and transparency are developed (8 days per 1 policy recommendation)

Quarterly

40

4. Report with best practices in the sphere of social policy and social protection of vulnerable groups of families with children

3.1 One technical report with the results of studying best practices in the sphere of social policy and social protection of vulnerable groups of families with children

3.2 Note with proposals on possible ways of implementation of best practices in the sphere of social policy and social protection in Ukraine (in English)

January 2024

February 2024

20

10

5. Develop position papers/reports on macro-environment/ lists of recommendations to be used for the development of UNICEF policy agenda, including providing inputs into documents and research work related to National Recovery Plan/Perekhid initiative/follow up action plans and activities (in English)

(Topics and structure of each document should be preliminary agreed with UNICEF focal point during thew inception phase.

Estimated 6 reports should be provided (7 days per 1 document)

quarterly

42

6. Analytical notes in relation to the national recovery plan, strategies and social policy developments

Estimated 8 analytical notes with the results of analysis on the relevant to social policy and PF4C topics, preliminary agreed with UNICEF focal point (5 days per 1 document)

Monthly

40

7. Support with strengthening capacity of state and local authorities and other partners, in provision of appropriate programmes in social protection during the crisis and recovery period in Ukraine. (in collaboration with partners, support with organization of 3 trainings and/or meetings, including preparing training materials, minutes of meetings, drafting reports etc. Will be preliminary agreed with UNICEF focal point)

June 2024

15

8. Support with advocacy the implementation of the proposed recommendations in the activities of the Ministry of Social Policy and Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and other partners (estimated 4 meetings organized, including agenda, minutes of meetings, ppts other relevant activities and documents)

During the period of contract

16

9. Final report, including lessons learnt and recommendations for further steps (for UNICEF and GoU) to strengthen Social protection in Ukraine

August 2024

7

Sub-total:

225

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

Education: Master's degree or higher in public finance, economics, public administration social research, law, international relations or any other related technical field. PhD or doctoral degree is considered as a strong asset.

Professional experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in public policy and social policy researches at national and/or municipal level.
• At least 5 years of experience in developing capacity of national and sub-national professionals in improving social protection and financial management systems, introducing good governance principle into the daily practice
• At least 3 years’ experience in data analysis, research, strategy development.
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian fiscal and social systems, inter-governmental fiscal relationships, budget cycle, and budget related legislation.
• Experience in conducting policy analysis with a focus on families with children, persons with disabilities, other vulnerable categories of citizens for UNICEF or other UN agencies or international organizations.
• Proven experience in providing consultancy and policy making for state and local level authorities, including but not limited by the Ministry of social policy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Regional development

Languages:

• Ukrainian: Advanced [C1];
• English: Upper-Intermediate [B2].

Skills and competencies:

• Excellent qualitative and quantitative analysis skills
• Ability to produce high-quality analytical results in a timely manner
• Good communication skills
• Good presentation skills
• Good analytical and writing skills
• Good coordination and planning skills.
• Computer literacy (including Word and Excel), and able to produce briefs and strategic notes.
• Good time management skills and the ability to achieve the best result in a short time.
• Understanding of collaboration with Government and local governance entities.

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal to carry out the deliverables listed above.

i Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed 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.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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.

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Added 10 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unicef.org