National consultant to support UNICEF Albania & MHSP in developing a proposal on the Global Accelerator on Decent Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions

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, Protection

UNICEF in Albania has been closely supporting Ministry of Health & Social Protection (MHSP) into developing for the first time the policy and the normative framework for social care services and provide support for the development of the National Strategy on Social Protection 2019 – 2023. MoHSP is the key institution for development of the policy and legal framework that guide the implementation of social protection policies in the country. The Global Accelerator on Decent Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions is an initiative of the UN Secretary-General launched in September 2021 to help countries address multiple crises, accelerate economic recovery while investing in decent jobs and social protection, and respond to current and future challenges (formalization, youth employment, gender equality, green transition, digital economy, etc.) while facilitating just transitions for all. The Global Accelerator is not business as usual. Developing and implementing such integrated approach (policy, financing and coordination) requires not just a common technical framework that brings these areas of work together but also a high-level agreement on a tailor-made national process of design and implementation with interagency support. The accelerator aims to further advance the strategic work in the sector through 3 pillars:

Pillar 1 - It supports the development and implementation of integrated policy approaches to create productive jobs and achieve universal social protection in order to foster just transitions and a virtuous cycle or economic growth, public revenue generation, formalization and reinvestment in key sectors.

Pillar 2 - It helps countries to develop and implement financing strategies using the full range of available funding sources (tax revenues, social security contributions, official development assistance, debt reduction/restructuring, private investment) for strategic investments in sectors of the economy (renewable energy, agriculture, digitalization, care, etc.) with high potential for decent job creation, social protection improvements, formalization of employment and enterprises, public social protection and labor market institutions, to put the State closer to people, respond to the needs of workers and enterprises and incentivize them to contribute their fair share of taxes and social security contributions

Pillar 3 - It seeks to elicit high-level buy-in and commitment among governments, social partners, civil society and the development community and facilitates effective intersectoral coordination and national social dialogue at the country level.

After the development of the Policy Mapping and Roadmap for the SDG Acceleration on Jobs and Social Protection for Albania, Albania is selected as a pathway finder country eligible to apply for a project reflecting the priorities established in the Roadmap on Jobs and Social Protection.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection is asking UNICEF as the lead agency on social protection to support them in the process of applying to the SDG Accelerator and more specifically: a) developing a project proposal following Guidelines and formats established for this process; b) support develop a budget as part of the proposal c) coordinate with the expert on employment and skills in this process and work closely with the engaged UN agencies; d) engage with the relevant government structures in the process and e) organize a consultation process with the group of civil society organizations on this process. The consultant is expected to ensure close consultation and collaboration with other relevant key UN agencies engaged in this initiative to identify areas of synergies and coordination. UNDP is the lead agency on the jobs and skills aspect and coordination will be required with the expert working with UNDP. Both experts will work closely with each other and with the UN team engaged in this process as well as with the two-line ministries covering jobs and social protection.

How can you make a difference?

Ministry of Health and Social Protection is asking urgent external support to prepare the project proposal through a participatory process to apply in the SDG Jobs and Social Protection Accelerator. The consultant will support the MoHSP in facilitating the process and preparing the required project proposal and budget, as well as explore/ establish synergies with jobs and skills, consult widely with all key relevant stakeholders.

Specific deliverables for this assignment are:

Deliverable 1 - Consultation process – Brief paper report (max 3 pages) on priority areas and targeted actions

Task: Consult with the Government counterparts on the priorities and identification of targeted actions

Duration: 3 working days

Deliverable 2 - Draft project proposal prepared- Package of project proposal, plan of action and draft budget following guidelines and templates.

Task: Prepare Draft Project Proposal and a draft budget following guidelines and templates developed by the SDG accelerator on Jobs and Skills team

Duration: 10 working days

Deliverable 3 - Draft project proposal shared for feedback with UNICEF. UNICEF to coordinate the collection of feedback and sharing with the expert.

Task: Share for feedback

Duration: 2 working days

Deliverable 4 - Final package of application reflecting suggestions and comments

Task: Final package of application reflecting suggestions and comments

Duration: 3 working days

Deliverable 5 - Consultation workshop delivered.

Task: Consultation workshop with CSOs and any other relevant actor

Duration: 2 working days

Deliverable 6 - Final application package prepared.

Task: Reflection and final agreement on the package of application

Duration: 3 working days

Deliverable 7- Revision of the package based on questions and comments.

Tasks: Reflect comments/ questions raised by the Steering Committee on the SDG Accelerator on Jobs and Skills

Duration: 4 working days

If any question about the deliverables of this consultancy please contact Elvana Pernaska, HR in UNICEF Albania office at epernaska@unicef.org

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

• Master's in social sciences and humanities, business; communication, economic, public administration, or other relevant areas
• 5 years of demonstrated experience in planning, assessing, designing and evaluating social protection policies. Demonstrated extensive experience of working and liaising with different stakeholders.
• Excellent writing skills in English language and ability to synthetize complex information.
• Availability to work for the time required as indicated in the current ToRs.
• Fluency in English and Albanian is required.

What to submit

1. Letter of interest, summarizing the educational background, the working experience that is relevant to the assignment, and the specific role the candidate will play in collaboration with the key stakeholders involved in the process and the UN relevant agencies in the area of social protection.

3.CV reflecting the relevant requirements.

4. Financial proposal - the financial proposal shall be submitted in local currency (LEK) and should include the daily consultancy fee inclusive of all taxes.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.