Agriculture Statistics Expert

Organization: UNDP Saudi Arabia, through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC).

VA No. VA24-85

Position Title: Agriculture Statistics Expert
Consultancy Type: International Expert

Duty Station: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Duration: 1 year

Vacancy Date of Issue: 6 June 2024

Vacancy Closure Date: 12 June 2024

Expected Starting Date: As soon as possible

This vacancy is announced by UNDP Saudi Arabia through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC). SOC is a sub-contractor for UNDP Saudi Arabia, assisting the programme in implementing their activities through HR and contract management of consultants working in their support.

Office/Unit/Project Description

Saudi Arabia has realized and sustained, for the last four decades, remarkable progress along the socio- economic development path. As a result of this, the Kingdom has been able to move to a high-income country. The GDP, for instance, increased from SAR 156 billion in 1969 to SAR 4,160 billion in 2022, putting the economy among the top 20 global economies in terms of size. Based on the annual ranking of the Human Development Index (HDI) of the Human Development Report, Saudi Arabia has steadily moved from the medium human development category in the 1990s to the very high human development category in 2021 at 0.875 value of HDI. The Saudi Vision 2030 represents an ambitious resolve with long-term goals and expectations founded on the strengths and capabilities of the Kingdom. It covers the three themes of a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation. A thorough review of the three themes and their underlying issues of national concern would reveal a holistic approach to development that encompasses the three dimensions of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the social, the economic and the environmental. Saudi Arabia recognizes that achieving the SDGs requires rigorous, real-time and continuous monitoring for which quality statistics is a must.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has gone through a major revision of its corporate strategy and vision in alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030 and the SDGs. The revised strategy revolves around five pillars:

• Usage of statistics and information
• Production of statistics and information
• Application of advanced technologies in collecting and analyzing datasets
• Communications and awareness towards statistical knowledge
• Governance of statistical sector

In this context and under the framework of the Institutional Support to Statistics project, UNDP provides technical support to the GASTAT to strengthen the institutional and human capacities of the national statistical system (NSS) to support evidence-based development planning and policy-making, and to implement the National Strategy for Statistical Development (NSSD) successfully, and modernize the national statistical system.

Scope of Work

In order to support the General Authority of Statistics (GASTAT) and National statistical system (NSS) in monitoring and reporting the sustainable development goals (SDGs), producing official statistics and data with quality and in the context of the technical cooperation framework with the GASTAT – Institutional Support to Statistics Project – the UNDP is seeking an Agriculture Statistics Expert to provide technical support to the Agriculture Statistics Team. The Agriculture Statistics Team of the GASTAT is engaged in the development of methodology, data collection, capacity development, coordination in the fields of Agriculture and food statistics, in addition to monitoring and reporting SDGs indicators. The Agriculture Statistics Expert will provide technical assistance related to Saudi Arabia’s Agriculture Statistics products, the expected outcome should be comprehensive data reconciliation from multiple sources on Agriculture statistics integrating natural resources of Agriculture with its uses in all economic sectors. The responsibilities under this assignment include the following:

Technical support:

• To harmonize and benchmark GASTATS current statistical products on Agriculture with the world’s best practices and provide a detailed gap-analysis report.
• To provide an overall plan to bridge the gaps based on the gap-analysis report and a detailed plan/roadmap to complete Agriculture statistics as needed.
• To design and develop a clear guidelines and procedures for developing Agriculture publications that should detail gathering, calculating and reporting, including:

1. Figuring out a way to integrate new administrative resources into the current agricultural framework.
2. Determining the fundamentals of sample selection and whether the sample is representative.
3. Coming up with ways to generalize the sample. Developing agricultural product questionnaires.
4. Offering estimation of production metrics at the individual product level.

• To develop all input and output templates, surveys and datasheets for Agriculture statistics calculations and publication according to the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM).
• To prepare related indicators and reports for crops, animal, livestock, food, fishing statistics publications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including all relevant elements in accordance with the International Practices Guide.
• To support the team in the challenges related to Agriculture indicators & statistics of SDGs and FAO.
• To utilize available resources and improve statistical analysis through best practices implementation along with performing QA & QC on surveys, received data and methodologies.
• To provide guidance and methodologies for implementing and improving (geospatial data, big data, or alternative data) intakes to better reflect Agriculture statistics for both spatial and temporal dimensions.
• In support of data sets preparation upon request and efficiently respond to queries/requests.
• To identify additional data sources Undertake other relevant duties required to achieve the overall assignment’s objectives.

Capacity Development

• In addition to delivering the above-mentioned technical support, the Agriculture Statistics Expert will advise the GASTAT employees and related stakeholders on principles and best practice in modernize the Saudi Arabia’s of Agriculture Surveys.
• Strengthen GASTAT’s internal capabilities in the field of Agriculture statistics through improving its statistical database and engaging it with international organizations and statistical offices.
• Develop national team capacity to conduct a comparative study of similar surveys in developed countries and to manage/analyze surveys’ data and results.
• Knowledge transfer through coaching and on-the-job-training/workshops for the staff as needed to maintain Agriculture database and statistics.

Institutional Arrangement

• The Agriculture Statistics Expert will work in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), other consultants and the relevant GASTAT technical staff.

Duration of the Work

• The expected duration of the assignment is expected to be up to 12 months with the possibility of extension.

Duty Station

• The assignment will be In Country Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He/ She will be embedded within the within the Survey Unit at GASTAT.
• If unforeseen travel outside the consultant’s home-based city is requested by UNDP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP in line with applicable rules and regulations and upon prior written agreement. In such cases, the consultan tshall receive living allowances not exceeding the United Nations (UN) Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for such other location(s).

Working Arrangements:

• The duty station of the Agriculture Statistics Expert is GASTAT at Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
• The Agriculture Statistics Expert will work in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), other consultants and the relevant GASTAT technical staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced university degree in Agriculture sustainability, environmental sustainability, economics, statistics, or other relevant fields.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

• At least 10 years of experience in providing consultancy services on Agriculture statistics.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support on Agriculture development with international organizations UNDP/UN/FAO and/or National statistical offices.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support for government agencies in KSA/GCC
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards.
• Display cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Competencies

• Previous experience in providing advisory support on Agriculture development with international organizations UNDP/UN/FAO and/or National statistical offices.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support for government agencies in KSA/GCC
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards.
• Display cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability

Required Language:

• Excellent command of English, working knowledge of Arabic would be considered an asset.

How to apply

1. CV must be submitted online in PDF through SOC’s portal via the following link: https://jobs.my-soc.org/apply/20240606141640/0ryB5RanoDtqHh2NdTgAYmMfG
2. Use the English language only.
3. To review the full ToR, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z9gJIIHGpD-eToXkqwNyWAL5frCqr04x/view?usp=sharing
4. Indicate clear years of experience with each job (Month/Year)
5. If the candidate is currently employed by a government institution, he/she must be able to provide an unpaid leave of absence for the duration of the consultancy.
6. Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.
7. By submitting your application, you have read the Terms of Reference for this position and agree that any false, wrong, or incomplete information might lead to your disqualification in this recruitment process.