Duties and Responsibilities
IDEP is a pan-African economic development and planning capacity building institute created in 1962 by the UN General Assembly. It became operational on 21st November 1963. Its original mandate was to accompany and support newly independent African countries in building and strengthening economic management and development planning capacity in the public sector. In 2018, it undertook a strategic shift to focus on public sector capacity for the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Africa Union’s Agenda 2063. The Strategic Framework (SF) 2019-2023 was developed to implement this shift in orientation. After five years of implementation, the SF was independently evaluated in 2023. The evaluation puts forward findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its assessment of IDEP’s performance and institutional effectiveness over the period of the Strategic Framework. Following the successful implementation of its strategic plan 2019-2023 and considering the outcome of its evaluation, IDEP is seeking the services of a Senior consultant to develop a strategic plan 2025-2029 (SF2025-2029) based on the evaluation outcomes, the continent’s key Agendas, member States needs, UNECA strategic orientations, development trends, and UN reforms in line with the upcoming outcome of the Summit of the Future. The Strategic Framework will also reflect on the orientation and outcome of the IDEP’ Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) retreat. The consultancy assignment is located in the IDEP based in Dakar, Senegal. Under the general guidance of the Director of IDEP and the direct supervision of the head of the Training and the Research Division, the consultant is expected to achieve the following tasks: II- Duties and Responsibilities The consultant is expected to accomplish the following tasks: Facilitate the retreat of the Technical Advisor Committee (TAC) and draft strategic orientation and courses catalogues • Serve as a lead facilitator for the TAC retreat ensuring the following: – prepare a present the summary on the outcomes of the evaluation of the SF 2019-2023, identifying successes, challenges, and areas for improvement to inform IDEP’s future strategic direction – prepare guiding questions/ facilitate group activities on IDEP’s future strategic direction. – facilitate the identification and prioritization of strategic area of focus for IDEP, through interactive sessions and group discussions. – facilitate the brainstorming and identification of core courses, training programs, and interventions that reflect IDEP’s unique value proposition – Make a presentation on a Theory of Change that will guide the design of the strategic framework • Against the above draft the Strategic Orientation 2025-2029 and the retreat report • Lead the review and approval of the strategic orientation and the retreat report Lead IDEP stakeholders’ consultations, survey and/or meeting to inform the development of the SF2025-2029 • Conduct individual and group consultations with key stakeholders (including, mainly Planning Directors, National SDG Focal point or Director UN regional Coordinator, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Africa Union Commission and Other Regional Institutions ) to refine the strategic priorities and gather specific feedback on the strategic orientation (through on-line survey or interviews) • Share and discuss the findings to update the strategic orientation and course catalogue in close consultation with IDEP management and TAC Develop and present a comprehensive Theory of Change to the IDEP Management and TAC members for endorsement • Through a consultative process with management, staff, selected stakeholders, and application of an appropriate tool of analysis, concretize the focus areas and develop a comprehensive Theory of change • Propose a comprehensive Theory of Change with detailed narrative based on the strategic orientation • Organise a review meeting with IDEP management, ECA and the TAC Draft and present the Strategic Framework and budget based strategic plan 2025-2029 to the IDEP management, TAC and Governing Council • Through a consultative process with management, staff, selected stakeholders, and application of an appropriate tool of analysis, concretize the focus areas and develop strategic objectives and key result areas for the same • Review the institutional capacity, organizational set-up, financial and administrative systems against the IDEP mandate and the identified strategic objectives and key result areas; and make recommendations, if any • Propose a strategy for achieving the strategic objectives and key results • Coordinate the development of Divisional Results and Resources Frameworks and their respective consolidation into an IDEP Framework for the plan period • Hold a stakeholder meeting(s) to validate the draft Strategic Plan • Finalize Strategic framework and the strategic plan and submit to IDEP • Lead presentation of the final document to the TAC and the Governing Council. Recommendation for resource mobilisation for the implementation of the strategic plan The consultant is expected to undertake donors/development partners mapping and propose a set of recommendations for resource mobilization.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in International Development, management, capacity building or related area. A first-level university degree with combination of 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience at a national and/or or international level in program management, strategic planning. Proven experience in facilitating strategic planning processes , strategic framework evaluation , with mastering of the theory of change. Strong participatory facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders in meaningful dialogue. Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills is advantageous.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French is required. Knowledge of the other is an advantage
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.