Roster of consultants: Public Finance for Children (local candidates only)

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, opportunity

UNICEF’s current Country Programme Document for Serbia (2021-2025) is contributing to national efforts to progressively fulfil the rights of all children in Serbia, especially the most disadvantaged and excluded, and enable them to develop to their full potential in an inclusive and protective society respectful of their voices. The Country Programme is focused on: (a) young child health and wellbeing; (b) quality and inclusive pre-university education, including early childhood education and care (ECEC); (c) child protection; (d) young people and (e) social policy, public financing, and child rights monitoring.

UNICEF Serbia is increasingly engaged in providing analytical and technical support in social protection, public financial management, child poverty analysis, and support to local governance to support more equitable and more sustainable results for children. To support its work in these areas, UNICEF Serbia Country Office is establishing a local roster of experts to facilitate the swift engagement of social and economic policy expertise where and when required.

How can you make a difference?

The consultants will deliver advisory services, access to knowledge, and technical expertise to UNICEF’s social policy portfolio in the area of Public Finance for Children. The range of tasks may include research and assessments, diagnostics, provision of strategic and operational guidance, training and capacity building, development of policy papers, monitoring and evaluation, and others as may be required. Precise tasks, outputs, reporting and working relationships will be specified in a separate ToR at the time of contracting for the given assignment. The roster will serve as human resources repository from which the Country Office can draw pre-vetted, well qualified experts quickly and efficiently for assignments.

Work Assignment Overview:

The concrete assessment will be specified in a separate ToR at the time of contracting for the given assignment and will include some of the following types of tasks:

− Research and assessments of relevant materials and data in the area of Public Finance for Children,

− Diagnostics of situation regarding the Public Finance for Children using all available information,

− Provision of strategic and operational guidance as required,

− Training and capacity building for relevant stakeholders and partners, which might include filed visits,

− Development of specific policy papers, assessments, reports and similar documents in the area of Public Finance for Children,

− Monitoring and evaluation in area of Public Finance for Children, in a manner and in specific areas that will be explained in a separate ToR at the time of contracting for the given assignment.

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

• University degree in economics, public administration, public policy or other relevant fields;
• Minimum 9 years’ experience for senior experts; Minimum 5 years’ experience for medium level experts; Minimum 3 years’ experience for junior experts;
• Proven track record in all / some of the following areas:

− Hands-on experience with PFM issues, including experience with public finance in decentralized contexts; budget analysis, costing and developing investment cases in key sectors for children such as health, education, and social protection; designing and implementing Public Expenditure Review, and poverty and social impact analysis tools; value for money analysis; developing child budgets, or results-based budgeting tools; high level policy analysis and advice; and other public finance tools;

− Experience in the analysis and monitoring of social spending and public finance in line with UNICEF’s strategic priorities.

− Demonstrated experience at analysing large-scale household and/or other survey and administrative data, preferably in regard to children’s outcomes; experience with longitudinal data an asset;

− Assessing the impact of social spending on children’s wellbeing and equity;

− Assessing the impact of shocks on social spending e.g. COVID-19;

− Assessing the child sensitivity and gender responsiveness of public finance;

− Collation and analysis of secondary data including sub-national public spending;

• Experience in quantitative and big data analysis, and in statistical analysis with ability to carry out statistical analyses autonomously; Excellent analytical skills and advanced quantitative skills;
• Previous experience in poverty analysis, including child poverty, multi-dimensional poverty and multiple overlapping deprivations is advantage;
• Desirable: Current knowledge of social sector in Serbia;
• Proven experience with capacity development of partners is a strong advantage;
• Good inter-personal and communication (oral and written) skills;
• Publication record in areas related to public finance preferred;
• Full working knowledge of English, including excellent report writing and presentation skills in English.
• Fluency in Serbian language.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

1. Daily rate (all costs included, e.g. usage of mobile phone).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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.

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.