OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

BACKGROUND

Fast-changing conditions and critical challenges of today – amongst which global pandemics, climate change, digital transformations, and the interplay of these trends – require large-scale and future-oriented reforms. Public administrations are under pressure to design and implement such reforms, while simultaneously addressing internal needs and building capacities to prepare themselves for the future. In this context, efforts to recalibrate the engagement of the public administrations with private consulting services and to develop internal/in-house consulting capacities for the design and implementation of reforms are being initiated across countries.

Six Member States (i.e., Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Greece and Latvia) have requested support in addressing the afore-mentioned needs.

Submitted and funded through the EU’s Technical Support Instrument, the ensuing multi-country project will be implemented over a period of 18 months by UNESCO with the aim of achieving the following outcomes:

i. Approved action plan to establish in-house consulting focusing on a selected service portfolio adapted to each participating Member State;
ii. Capacity built for the implementation of the action plan in the participating Member States; and
iii. Increased awareness on the importance of in-house consulting and creation of an EU network of experts.

To this end, UNESCO is organizing teams to support, in conjunction with the central project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters, country-specific delivery for the 6 participating countries.

SCOPE OF WORK

Under the overall guidance of the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS) and the Director for Social Policies, and the supervision of the Head of the Capacity Building and Inclusive Growth Unit, the expert will provide the following support to implementation in the six participating Member States:

• Development of country-specific training materials covering futures literacy and foresight;
• Organisation and delivery of six capacity-building trainings for core teams and relevant experts of each participating Member State, focusing on futures literacy and foresight;
• Provision of five on-the-job support sessions per participating Member State, directed to its beneficiary authorities, to further expertise in futures literacy and foresight;
• Collaboration with the UNESCO expert on crisis preparedness and resilience on the afore-mentioned tasks;
• Drafting, in collaboration with other UNESCO experts and the project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters, of six country-specific reports summarizing the capacity-building support provided to the six participating Member States; and
• Revision and iteration of deliverables based on comments received.

DELIVERABLES

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Academic Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, public administration, governance, public policy, knowledge-policy nexus, evidence-based policy making; PhD would be considered an asset.

Professional Experience

• Track record, with minimum 10 years of experience, in government innovation, public administration, good governance, knowledge-policy nexus, institutional development and capacity building or similar areas;
• Experience in developing and implementing futures literacy and foresight strategies, including scenario planning, anticipatory governance and capacity-building initiatives to enhance long-term planning and resilience;
• Experience in providing tailored, high-expertise technical support and implementing capacity building projects for the benefit of public administrations/governments; and
• Experience working with or within public administration is an asset.

Skills

• Excellent training and capacity building skills;
• Solid advocacy, communication and presentation skills adapted to technical and general purposes. Familiarity with EU-funded project, including multi-country technical support, considered an advantage;
• Strong interpersonal skills, including interacting with various actors and working effectively and respectfully in a complex environment on sensitive issues; and
• Understanding and adherence to the UN principles.

Language

• Excellent writing skills in English. Fluency in French is an asset.