Social Policy Consultant with a focus on PFM/LG for Children, Port Sudan with limited travel to other States (open to Sudan nationals)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Hope

Sudan, surrounded by the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya and South Sudan, positioned next to East, West, South and North Africa, is surrounded by complex conflicts in an unpredictable, volatile and rapidly evolving region. Sudan is by size the third biggest country in Africa, with a diverse population of around 42 million people. Sudan’s children make up half of the total population, and the past two decades have seen their lives significantly improve: fewer girls and boys are dying before their fifth birthday, primary school attendance is increasing, immunization coverage is high and the country remains polio free. Still, millions of children continue to suffer from protracted conflict in Darfur, the Kordofans, and Blue Nile, from seasonal natural disasters, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, and from under-investment in basic social services. More than three million of Sudan’s school aged children are not in the classroom. UNICEF has been in Sudan since 1952 and continues with a presence in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of the consultancy is to provide necessary SBC technical support to the State and District level health promotion structures in areas of plan, implementing and monitoring and evaluating communication and social mobilization activities on vaccination campaigns and health emergencies in Sudan.

Scope of work:

1. Collection and analysis of budget allocation and expenditure data

• Periodically collect budget and expenditure data on social sector areas such as health, education, social protection, WASH, child immunization and nutrition, and child protection, at both national and sub-national levels.

• Systematically organize and present data in Excel format, including through the use of visuals

• Analysis of public spending patterns and bottlenecks.

• Contribute to the production of budget and thematic briefs and follow-up advocacy based on the above analysis.

2. Support PF4C/Child Poverty macroeconomic scanning and related research

• Support UNICEF with data collection and analysis for PF4C-related research such as investment cases, Public Expenditure Reviews, Fiscal Space Analysis budget absorption capacity studies and fiscal space analysis.

• Undertake secondary analysis of key reports and major national surveys to establish links with public spending patterns and provide on-demand support to PF4C work.

• Periodically analyze macroeconomic indicators to inform UNICEF’s work on PF4C.

• Keep track of, and analyze the government’s socio-economic policies, strategies and programs with a bearing on the PF4C/ social sector to inform programming and advocacy by UNICEF and its partners

• Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.

3. Strengthening the capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on, and monitor child-focused social services.

* Collaborates with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation, and accountability processes so that decisions and child-focused/social service delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.

• Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.

4. Strengthening social protection systems, programs, and impact on children

• Develops/Implements social protection policies, legislation, and programs with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention to the most marginalized. And Identifies, generates, and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

• Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works, and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.

•

However, a detailed workplan and delivery schedule will be discussed and agreed upon before the specific project/activity commences to outline clear expectations.

Work Assignments:

1. Budget briefs for national and state-level budgets.
2. Manage partnerships to deliver on local governance/ PF4C capacity strengthening
3. Support capacity building of state and locality officers on adaptive crisis management and enhanced revenue mobilization for enhanced outcomes for children/ social sectors
4. Support evidence-based advocacy briefing / or Research/ Assessment as per wider office requirements (e.g., Social Sector allocation, child poverty indicators, LG adaptation to crisis).
5. Support the delivery and expansion of the office flagship SP program MCCT+, on targeting, improvement of the plus component/ services, and graduation.

Expected Deliverables/Outputs:

1. 2 budget summary/Briefs
2. 2 partnerships for implementation of PF4C/LG based on the AWP of 2024 are identified.
3. Support delivery of training workshops and on-job training in 3 states
4. 2-3 analysis/assessment depending on demand.
5. Develop a proposal on MCCT+ livelihood and women empowerment component

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business studies, development studies, public administration or any other related social sciences.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant fields.
• Knowledge of public finance management and social policy is mandatory.
• Good analytical skills, especially applied to economics and public finance.
• Advanced quantitative analysis and capacity to synthesize huge data sets and information in a clear and user-friendly manner, using EXCEL.
•  Knowledge of the Sudanese PFM systems and key actors is required.
• A good understanding of the political economy of Sudan is required

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. All applications must be accompanied by detailed financial offer.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.