Macroeconomic Expert, Nairobi Closing Date: Friday, 04 June 2010
Location :	Nairobi, KENYA
Application Deadline :	04-Jun-10
Type of Contract :	SSA
Languages Required :	English
Expected Duration of Assignment :	12 months
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Background
Title of Consultancy: Macroeconomic Expert Type of Contract: SSA – Special Service Agreement Duration of the assignment:12 months Duty station: Nairobi, with frequent travel to Somalia Expected places of travel:Somalia Supervisor: Project Manager SIDP Anticipated presence at UNDP premises:Full time Date of Issue: 21st May 2010 Closing Date: 4th June 2010 II. Organizational Context The Governance Programme of UNDP Somalia consists of three pillars: (i) capacity building and institutional development, (ii) democratic governance (constitutional dialogue and elections) and (iii) local governance/decentralization. The three current legal frameworks under which Somalia is being ruled are the Transitional Federal Charter (2003), the Puntland Charter (1998) and the Somaliland Constitution (2001). The Joint Needs Assessment which was carried out in 2006 identified institution building as one of the major challenges in re-establishing trust in the state and enhancing its capacity for development. In the last four years UNDP has been providing support to the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Somaliland and Puntland Federal administrations to enable them to perform their functions effectively. Under the Somali Institutional Development project (SIDP) this support has focused on four areas, namely: (a) policy and legislative development (b) human resource management and development (c) pubic administration and financial management, and (d) rehabilitation of infrastructure and provision of essential facilities and equipment. Substantial progress has been made in these areas but a great deal more effort is required to bring the machinery of government to operate at a level which can enable the country to meet the aspirations of the Somali people, particularly in the key areas of public administration, public financial management and service delivery. Public financial management (PFM) is an essential part of the development process. Sound PFM supports aggregate control, prioritization, accountability and efficiency in the management of public resources and delivery of services, which are critical to the achievement of public policy objectives, including achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Sound public financial management is also fundamental to the appropriate use and effectiveness of donor resources since aid is increasingly provided through modalities that rely on well-functioning systems for budget development, execution and control. Many years of conflict have extensively damaged Somalia’s public administrative and PFM systems. Although the degree of erosion of the capability of public institutions differs significantly across the country, the damage in some instances requires rebuilding systems practically from scratch. A series of highly flexible and responsive programs of support are being established by the international community through the UN and the World Bank to help the Somali society to receive immediate support while laying the foundations for more strategically functional structures, systems and policies. Through its Somali Institutional Development Project (SIDP) UNDP is working with various development partners in assisting Somali authorities in the three zones (Somaliland, Puntland and South Central) to rebuild public administrative public financial management systems, to enable them to execute their mandate and meet the aspirations of the Somali people. Public financial management has been highlighted as a key priority by the leadership of all the three regions in their communication with development partners. Reporting to the SIDP Project Manager the macroeconomic expert will provide specialized intervention in areas that include policy and legislation formulation, macroeconomic and macro fiscal management, and revenue (customs and Income Tax) administration and management. The scope of work and required profile of the ideal candidate are detailed hereunder. Duties and Responsibilities Scope of work The macroeconomic expert will be responsible for the following tasks: Lead the study to document the current macroeconomic policies and their assumptions being followed in each of the three zones of Somalia (South Central, Somaliland and Puntland) Provide technical lead and coordinate development of macroeconomic policies and frameworks by the authorities in the three zones. Train counterparts in macroeconomic forecasting and resource projections Support the governments in developing Public Investment Plans (PIPs) Provide technical support to strengthen counterpart capacity to review and develop sector and ministerial strategic plans and budgets, and link them to national development priorities Assist the governments in making realistic projections of revenues and expenditures, at least annually. Provide technical support to government to enable them adopt policy and program based budgeting, and develop medium term budget framework papers (BFPs) Participate in the development and implementation of medium term capacity development programs for public finance staff in all the three zones. Develop a strategic risk identification, assessment, quantification and mitigation plan to ensure that the PFM strategy is implemented successfully. Participate in PFM steering committee meetings, and provide expert advice on required adjustments to the PFM strategy and implementation modalities in response to the lessons learned from the field Provide regular technical briefings on macroeconomic and strategic planning reforms to the Somali authorities and UNDP. Provide support to the development of a framework for linking central government to fiscal decentralization Any other duties assigned by the project manager. Monitoring and Progress controls The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the SIDP Project Manager Final product/deliverables Quarterly and annual progress reports to be submitted to the Project Manager on progress made in the areas of responsibility mentioned above. Quarterly and annual revenue and expenditure projections beginning with the 3rdquarter of 2010. Documents produced on macroeconomic policy formulation, development of macroeconomic framework, national budget framework paper etc Impact assessment report on the PFM reform implementation in the areas of responsibility indicated above. Competencies Demonstrable Experience in budget reforms relating to linking policy, planning and budgeting Demonstrable experience in developing and successfully implementing PFM reform strategies and action plans in developing countries Experience in working in conflict/post-conflict environments; Experience in working with senior government officials, donors and civil society on public policy and public sector management Ability to work in a team and in a multicultural environment. Ability to prioritise among competing and complex tasks Ability to communicate effectively in English, in writing and orally. Willingness to travel and work in Somalia. Required Skills and Experience Advanced degree in Economics, econometrics, with a minimum of 10 years of demonstrable experience with successful PFM reforms Extensive experience in international macroeconomic modeling, financial programming and macroeconomic forecasting. UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.