Short-term Local Consultant to act as a Research Associate to support the Development of the 2021 Common Country Analysis at UNDP

Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Starting Date: 30-July-2021 (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)    
Duration of Initial Contract: 50 Days
Expected Duration of Assignment: 50 Days

Background

• The United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) 2018 – 2022 was developed through an inclusive and participatory process led by the Government of Nigeria and the United Nations in Nigeria in consultation with civil society and development partners. The UNSDPF embodies the strategic focus and outcome areas to respond to national needs and makes use of the United Nations’ comparative advantages. These outcomes serve as a mutual accountability framework among the government, other partners, and the United Nations.
• Following recent reforms repositioning the UN development system, the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDCF) is now the most important UN planning and implementation instrument in support of the 2030 Agenda in the country and the next framework will be prepared and implemented in full consultation with the national government. The next UNSDCF will outline the UN’s collective response to national SDG priorities agreed with the national government for the period 2023 – 2028. In this vein, it will be first and foremost, a partnership with the national government, a compact for UN country teams and a commitment to national stakeholders including development partners, international financial institutions, civil society, trade unions, employers and those left behind. The new Nigeria UNSDCF will be expected to be a vehicle for supporting economic transformation, peaceful societies through sustainable development strategies specific to the Nigeria country contexts and leveraging of all sources of sustainable financing.
•  As per the guidelines from the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), the UN Common Country Analysis (CCA) is the UN system’s independent, impartial, and collective assessment (i.e., a description of a country situation) and analysis (i.e., a description of causes and their implications) of a country’s situation for its internal use in developing the UNSDCF. Multi-disciplinary in nature, the CCA will examine progress, gaps, opportunities, and bottlenecks vis-à-vis a country’s commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda, UN norms and standards, and the principles of the UN Charter as reflected in the guiding principles.
• The CCA will seek to engender integrated, cross-pillar systems thinking, summarizing the interlinkages and integrated nature of the SDGs; multidimensional factors spanning the development, humanitarian, peacebuilding, and human rights spectrum; relevant regional, sub-regional and cross-border dynamics; the country’s legal institutional, policy and financial landscape.
• The CCA is no longer a one-off event, but a core analytical function carried out by the UNCT (UN country team). The CCA is a flagship product of the Nigeria UNCT and a core analytical function of the UN at country, regional and global levels. This will enable the UNCT to be responsive to emerging needs and challenging conditions in the country and provide a basis for making course corrections in programme implementation.
• Therefore, under the guidance of the UN Resident Coordinator, the UNCT in Nigeria seeks to hire the services of a local consultant to serve as a research associate to support the preparation of a high-quality, rights-based, and evidence-based CCA as the foundation for the new UNSDCF 2023 – 2028.

Scope of Work, Responsibilities & Description of the Proposed Analytical Work
Purpose:

• This consultancy is aimed to support the UNCT in Nigeria to develop a high quality and evidence based CCA for Nigeria which examines the progress, gaps, opportunities, and bottlenecks vis-à-vis Nigeria’s commitment to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, human rights and UN norms and standards and the principles of the UN Charter.
• The CCA will identify strategic entry points for the UN’s work in Nigeria between 2023 and 2028 based on national priorities and the Agenda 2030, also considering the global, regional, and sub-regional contexts.
• The CCA must be based on the UNSDCF guidelines and the companion pieces including the framework guidance on UN Common Country Analysis. Hence, the main elements are:
  • Taking stock of Nigeria’s progress towards fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda
  • Analysis of opportunities and constraints for Nigeria in achieving SDG targets with emphasis on those left behind and structural transformation.
  • Examining the governance structures, institutions, existing capacities and capacity gaps in the country
  • Identification of emerging challenges, critical gaps, and potential partnerships to support implementation of UNSDG commitments for Nigeria.
  • Identifying the UN capacity to deliver in various thematic areas incorporating the mandates of both in and out of country UN agencies.

Specific Objectives:

• To support the gathering, collation, and analysis of existing data and identify data gaps for national SDG indicators, comparing official data with international sources and where possible, use innovative diagnostic tools. This would include data disaggregated not only by income, gender, geography, and age but also other grounds of discriminations prohibited under international law.
• To support the identification of key challenges and opportunities in relation to achieving national priorities in relation to Agenda 2030, international human rights obligations and agreed international norms and standards, and regional commitments.
• To support the identifications of multidimensional risks that could impact the development trajectory of the country, covering a full spectrum of development, humanitarian, peacebuilding, and human rights issues.
• To support the planning and interactions with key development stakeholders and describe their capacities and potential contributions to national SDG priorities.
• To support the identification of population groups left behind or at risk of being left behind in the country, assessing the evidence of who is left behind and to what degree, and the underlying intersection of drivers of risks and vulnerabilities, sources of deprivation, discrimination, needs analysis of inequalities, including gender inequality, taking into account political, social, cultural, geography, governance, conflict, disasters, climate change, the environment or economy related issues.

Working Arrangements:

• The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UN Resident Coordinator and the UNCT. The consultant will work daily with the RCO (Resident Coordinators Office) who will oversee and guide the work. The consultant is expected to mostly work remotely.

Deliverables:
Deliverable 1: First Draft of the CCA:

• This will include all research and support towards the development of the first draft of the report.
• Duration: 15 working days.
• Payment schedule: 30%

Deliverable 2: Stakeholder Engagements:

• This will include the facilitation of discussions of the draft report and recommendations. This interaction would include engagements with the UNCT and other stakeholders in core areas; economy, governance, youth, people living with disabilities, gender, and other cleavage areas.
• Duration: 20 working days
• Payment schedule: 30%

Deliverable 3: Final CCA Report:

• Incorporation of stakeholder feedback and production of the final CCA.
• Duration: 15 working days.
• Payment schedule: 40%.

Required Skills and Experience
Academic Qualifications:

• Advanced Degree in Social Sciences (Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology, or Development Studies), Demography or related fields.

Years of experience:

• 5 years relevant experience in development work; familiar with SDG analysis, Social protection, Education, Health, Gender, Climate, Human Rights, and/or Governance analysis.

Selection Criteria:

• Educational Qualifications (20 Marks)
• Experience working for the United Natons or other development organisations (20 Marks)
• Proven experience/satisfactorily implementation of similar assignment in the past in Nigeria and/or elsewhere (60 Marks).

Competencies
Technical Competencies:

• Design/management of strategic analysis and planning including with multiple stakeholders;
• Project/programme/policy planning, M&E (Monitoring & Evaluation) and management;
• Analysis of macro socioeconomic and political developments;
• Understanding of human rights-based approaches to programming;
• Understanding of gender mainstreaming;
• Familiarity with results-based management instruments and their application
• Trend analysis and projections.

Corporate Competencies:

•  Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism

Functional Competencies:

• Capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations; analyses information accurately and identifies key issues needed to solve problems
• Excellent organizational and management skills
• Focuses on impact and results for the client
• Ability to schedule and prioritize activities to ensure best use of time and resources.
• Handles effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrates openness and flexibility
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.