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Economist and Open Data Specialist

United Nations Children's Fund

JOB DESCRIPTION

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
For the past 8 years, the EU-funded UNDP Public Finance Management (PFM) Pro PALOP-TL SAI programmes (2013-2017 and 2018-2022) successfully fostered and consolidated innovative tools and a solid Community of Practices (CoP) gathering more than 20 core economic governance state institutions and a similar number of CSO platforms in the 6 PALOP-TL countries (Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé e Príncipe, and Timor-Leste) to promote transparent and efficient PFM, budget oversight and economic governance. These programmes have been brokering CoPs that use south-south/triangular cooperation and peer-to-peer association between similar state and non-state institutions that have spurred a degree of coordinated policymaking on PFM transparency and accountability matters unmatched in most countries in the region. They have increased the quality and efficiency of policy dialogue, notably in countries with EU Budget Support operations, by providing critical, timely insider information, networks, and connection to oversight institutions.

The 3rd PFM Pro PALOP-TL SAI programme, the PALOP-TL Regional Economic Governance Programme – Boosting Public Finance Management Systems (PFMS) and Budget Oversight (Pro PALOP-TL – Phase III), aims to consolidate and scale up the gains and actions referred above to continue promoting transparent, accountable, gender responsive and open budgetary cycles, as well as to further strengthen parliament, the court of auditors, the executive institutions and citizens’ capacities to monitor how governments execute state budgets. Hence, the focus is now on promoting change and transformation in fiscal/tax transparency and domestic resource mobilisation, gender equal economies (EQUANOMICS), open and accountable PFMS, notably using digital technologies and promoting environmental sensitive initiatives. The programme will promote alignment with UNDP 2022-25 Strategic Plan directions of change, signature solutions and enablers, as well as with the EU Global Gateway axes on green (accelerating green transition for biodiversity) and digital transitions through its crosscutting issues.

In this context, the programme’s 3rd intervention domain focuses in supporting PALOP-TL civil society organizations to efficiently use or promote open government data (OGD) platforms to seek public budget information and monitor policy outcomes. Recently, a community of practices for PALOP-TL CSOs working on social monitoring of PFMS (many of them also part of the group of PALOP-TL CSO working with the International Budget Partnership (IBP)) was fostered with Pro PALOP-TL SAI support on the basis of joined trainings, conferences for exchanges of experiences involving other stakeholders of the PFMS, training tools (e-Learnings adapted to classroom training).

PALOP-TL CSOs need more capacity development in relevant domains of PF, but also need to consolidate this community of practices allowing for more south-south cooperation among the PALOP-TL countries.

The media (including new media) are important stakeholders for the intervention logic of the programme, considering their role in disseminating information (budget analysis) and advocating for more transparency and accountability in PFM. Regardless, media has not been playing a pivotal role in promoting transparency and accountability in the PALOP-TL PFMS.

Position Purpose

The Economist and Open Data Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) Head of Partnerships and Chief Technical Advisor providing expert advice and technical support to the programme’s CSO and media beneficiaries (and all other stakeholders, as deemed necessary) in the six beneficiary countries, aka the PALOP-TL countries (Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé e Príncipe, and Timor-Leste), on all activities and deliverables that will contribute for the operationalization and effective use of PALOP-TL eBudget Platform and initiatives foreseen under the programme’s Output 3. These activities include, but are not limited to:

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  • Capacity development of PALOP-TL CSO members (including gender-sensitive CSOs) and media professionals. This activity aims to develop capacities of CSO members, including through technical assistance and south-south/triangular cooperation, so that they are capable of carrying out public budget, expenditures and policies’ social monitoring/scrutiny.
  • Expert advice and technical support for advocacy and sensitisation campaigns in PALOP-TL countries. This activity aims to provide CSO members and PFM institutions in general capacities and tools to effectively promote advocacy and sensitisation initiatives for citizens’ awareness on budgetary processes and fiscal policies, including on domestic resource mobilisation policies.
  • Expert advice and technical support for legal and institutional reforms. This activity aims to provide CSO members and PFM institutions in general capacities and tools to effectively promote legal and institutional reforms for enhanced inclusive public involvement in the budget cycle, through tailored technical assistance and south-south/triangular cooperation.
  • Expert advice and technical support for digitalisationin PFMS and for promoting the effective use of the Civil Society Online Budget Platform by CSOs. This activity aims to enhance the capacity of CSOs and the public to use digital means, including existing Digital Public Infrastructure, to simplify fiscal information and broker public participation in budgetary processes.

He/she will be based in UNDP CO in Praia, Cabo Verde, but will cover all six beneficiary countries. He/she will devote 100% of his/her time to the programme.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities
Ensure capacity development of PALOP-TL CSO members (including gender-sensitive CSOs) and media professionals.
  • Develop training materials to CSO members and media professionals on issues related with Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms; and data anallysis.
  • Organize and facilitate trainings (in-person and online) to CSO members and media professionals on issues related with Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Identify opportunities for south-south cooperation with other countries/CSOs with good practices of Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Facilitate and support the building of Communities of Practice of CSOs and media focusing on Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Provide expert advice and technical support to Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) / ISCTE-IULIPPS academic courses in areas of relevant expertise in benefice of the project beneficiaries, particularly PALOP-TL CSOs and media.
  • Provide expert advice and technical support for Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) participation and contributions to UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub initiatives in relevant areas of expertise in benefice of the project beneficiaries, particularly PALOP-TL CSOs and media
Provision of expert advice and technical support for advocacy and sensitisation campaigns in PALOP-TL countries.
  • Advise and Support CSO members to design content and strategies (in-perrson and online/digital) to carryout advocacy, sensitisaton and outreach camapaings on issues related with Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Ensure that the PALOP-TL CSOs’ Digital eBudget Platform initiatives and products are used for advocacy and sensitization of the public – in all PALOP-TL countries and globally.
  • Map and liase with relevant media in the PALOP-TL countries working in the field of PFM to promote the PALOP-TL CSOs’ Digital eBudget Platform initiatives and products, as well as other initiatives carried under the project’s output 3.
  • Contribute to the Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) / RTP AFRICA Podcast.
  • Liaise with the Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) management unit to provie graphic design, communications and visibility guidance, web and social media design services to CSOs
Provision of expert advice and technical support for legal and institutional reforms.
  • Provide expert advice and technical support to PALOP-TL CSOs and other PFM institutions to draft proposals for legal framework and institutional reform on issues related with Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Identify opportunities for south-south cooperation with other countries/CSOs with successful legal reforms (good practices) promoting Public and social monitoting of public expenditure and the setup of Digital online and open data platforms.
Provision of Expert advice and technical support for digitalisation in PFMS and for promoting the effective use of the Civil Society Online Budget Platform by CSOs.
  • Develop standalone and long-term support material to ensure the effective and sustainable daily management of the PALOP-TL eBudget CSO digital platform by the benefiaciary CSOs.
  • Design and deliver a Mentoring programme on PFM and the management/update of the PALOP-TL CSO eBudget Platform to relevant CSO members.
  • Guide and ensure that the fiscal data and the PALOP-TL transparency index are regularly updated in the platform.
  • Develop and regularly update a Manual to inform PALOP-TL Governments (Ministries of Finances) and other PFM actors with transition to Open Data policies and ecosystems.
  • Develop new features and/or new products that promote transparency and civil participation in budgetary processes in, but not limited to, the platform.
  • Work closely with the platform developers in designing a workflow for the sustainable maintenance and update of the platform.
  • Develop and implement an exit strategy for the PALOP-TL CSOs’ Digital eBudget Platform.
Draft papers, case studies, policy briefs, and other publications focusing on the scope of his/her work in the PALOP-TL.
  • Draft one working paper and/or policy brief quarterly on matters related to Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Contribute for the project publications, handbooks and progress reports, as well as for the project’s contributions to other partners’ publications, international articles/papers and corporate UNDP Policy briefs/papers in the relevant field of expertise.
  • Prepare an annual narrative report in the activities carried out under output 3 of the project with a focus not only on the activities carried out in all PALOP-TL countries, but also on the overall impact of the project’s interventions.
  • Facilitate and support the building of Communities of Practice of CSOs and media focusing on Budget simplification and analysis; Public and social monitoting of public expenditure; Digital online and open data platforms.
  • Provide expert advice and technical support to Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) / ISCTE-IULIPPS academic courses in areas of relevant expertise in benefice of the project beneficiaries, particularly PALOP-TL CSOs and media.
  • Provide expert advice and technical support for Pro PALOP-TL SAI (Phase III) participation and contributions to UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub initiatives in relevant areas of expertise in benefice of the project beneficiaries, particularly PALOP-TL CSOs and media.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: the incumbent will not have supervisory/managerial responsibilities.
Competencies
  • Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

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Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

  • Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 
Business Management-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment
Business Direction and Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Development-Knowledge generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Business Development-Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.
Digital & Innovation-Data analysis: Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.
Digital & Innovation-Digital ecosystems: Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society
Digital & Innovation-Co-creation: Ability to design and facilitate a process that enables a diverse group of stakeholders to solve a common problem, develop a practice, or create knowledge together. Ability to embrace diversity, work with a diverse group of stakeholders understand their interests, perspectives and views and tap into to them as a source for creativity. Ability to facilitate processes and create conditions that are open for diverse inputs, stimulate collaboration and sharing.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
  • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economy and/or Public Administration or related relevant field is required. Or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above -mentioned fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
  • Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience working with public institutions and civil society organizations in the field of transparency and budget analysis is required.
  • At least 5 years as researcher in the field of budget transparency and public policy with work on the use statistical analysis for problem diagnosis is required.
  • At least 4 years of proven experience in design of questionnaires/inquires and data collection/data analysis methodologies is required.
  • At least 3 years of proven experience in open budget surveys and/or open data initiatives is required.
  • Experience and knowledge of Design Thinking framework is an asset.
  • Development of platforms similar to the PALOP-TL CSO eBudget Platform (including training of teams responsible for operating such platforms) is an asset.
  • Experience in with public institutions and civil society organizations in the field of transparency and budget analysis – experience working with UNDP and/or other UN Agencies is an asset.
  • Experience in developing innovative digital solutions that link technology of information and budgetary processes for public and/or private sector organizations is an asset.
  • Solid background working with tech tools to simplify the budget and public expenditure with the aim of raising standard of transparency and accountability in government is an asset
  • Demonstrated excellent analytical and drafting/ presentation/reporting skills, particularly in the context of donor-funded UN projects is an asset.

Language:

  • Proficiency in oral and written English language is required.
  • Proficiency in oral and written Portuguese language is an asset.
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.
Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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