National Partnerships Consultant

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

The incumbent will be responsible to support technical and coordination work of the RCO covering the programme review of the current SCF, formulation of the new CF, and other partnerships reporting and data-related work of the Office.

Work Location

RCO Office - Manama

Expected duration

6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background:

The assignment is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Bahrain and reports to the Head of RCO. The UNCT in Bahrain has initiated the process of formulating its UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (hereon, Cooperation Framework or CF) for 2025-2030. As part of the process a rigorous programme review of the current Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SCF) is being undertaken. The new Cooperation Framework will be finalized by the second quarter of 2024.

The Bahrain RCO does not currently have capacity in partnerships development and limited capacity in data, and the assignment is envisaged to fill the gap to the end of 2023 to support technical and coordination work of the RCO covering the programme review of the current SCF, formulation of the new CF, reporting and partnerships related work of the office.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Within delegated authority, the Data and Partnerships Consultant will be responsible for the following duties:

Summary of Functions:

1. Provide substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of the UN Country Team’s (UNCT) partnerships.
2. Guide and inform joint resource mobilization for the Strategic Cooperation Framework.
3. Plan and facilitate substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
4. Provide substantive support for the formulation of the new CF 2022.
5. Provide substantive support for monitoring and reporting of UNCT results under the SCF.
6. Contribute to the overall coordination and support function of the RCO and the representation function of the RC.

Description of Functions:

1. Provide substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of the UN Country Team’s (UNCT) partnerships.

• Provide advice on the development and implementation of the UN Partnership Strategy in alignment with and support of the UNSDCF in the country. • Coordinate the monitoring and assessment of the strategy at regular intervals to harness new emerging opportunities, to anticipate changes to the internal direction and external environment, and to make mid-term adjustment. • Advise the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UNCT in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships and suggest mitigation measures as relevant. • Provide analysis and recommendations on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities, in accordance with UN regulations and procedures. • Advise the RC/UNCT on developing and implementing locally tailored partnerships and resource mobilization strategies and initiatives. • Plan and facilitate dialogues with partners to improve development assistance policies and practice. • Conduct liaison and coordination with UN entities at country, regional and HQ levels, to help package and define UN business strategies, including differentiated value propositions, to attract partners, both traditional and non-traditional.

2. Guide and inform joint resource mobilization for the Strategic Cooperation Framework

• Advise the RC/UNCT on developing and implementing locally tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives and identify data and benchmarks to measure progress and success. • Monitor, analyze and enhance existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships. • Plan and facilitate the design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of joint programmes and programming processes for use in joint resource mobilization.

3. Plan and facilitate substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Provide advice on financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the RC/UNCT, in alignment with the Common Country Analysis (CCA), and UNSDCF. • Analyze trends and provide advice on new and innovative financing mechanisms for SDG acceleration. • Prepare briefing papers and discussion points on issues related to financing for development. • Plan and facilitate engagements with external stakeholders - including the national government, international financial institutions and others - on financing for SDG acceleration. • Advise on the establishment and management of the country-based SDG Fund, in close collaboration with UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office.

4. Provide substantive support for the formulation of the new CF 2025 • Provide inputs to the formulation of the strategic priorities and the associated outcomes. • Inform the design and implementation of the consultations with the government and stakeholders and support the discussions of the UNCT to develop a rigorous theory of change. • Advise and assist UN agency focal points in formulating the outcome and output statements, and in selecting and defining the indicators on the basis of the global indicator list and local context and availability of data. • Coordinate and lead the formulation of the results matrix for the CF based on the theory of change and principles of results-based management.

5. Coordinate monitoring and reporting of UNCT results under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) • Support inter-agency efforts on results and progress monitoring and reporting on the UNSDCF and Joint Programmes, particularly through UNINFO. • Provide quality assurance review of the UNSDCF monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework and results reporting to country, regional and global levels. • Support the UN’s work with national data and statistical systems, facilitating engagement with national entities and data systems. • Communicates and coordinates with internal and external partners on data collection and project/research implementation. • Supports the RCO’s work on sustainable development and 2030 Agenda to provide inputs for, advise and steer the UNCT’s data agenda. • Support and participate in the general coordination function of the RC Office for the effective functioning of the Office.

6. Contribute to the overall coordination and support function of the RCO and the representation function of the RC. • As part of the new post-reform RCO, support the RC and the team in the ongoing engagement with the UNCT. • Support the representation function of the RC by organizing meetings and preparing talking points. • Support the RCO’s advocacy function in its engagements with Government, development and implementing partners and the UNCT. • Undertake other tasks assigned.

Qualifications/special skills

A Master’s degree or equivalent in business or public administration, information management, statistics, sustainable development, social sciences, education or related area is required. A Bachelor's degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of five years of professional work experience in resource mobilization, communications/ advocacy, research and data analysis or program management in the context of development cooperation or related area is required. A minimum of two years of experience in data analysis is required. Data management and/or monitoring, evaluation and reporting experience, preferably with a UN Agency or international organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA.

For this position, fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Recruitment for this position is on a local basis. The incumbent is required to have the legal right to live and work in the specified working location.

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.