Consultancy for the Development of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) for Liberia

The Position:

Liberia's statistical capacity has been severely impacted by years of civil war. The country lacks critical baseline data and the infrastructure for effective data collection and analysis. The government has just drawn up a new development plan for the period 2025-2029. This strategic initiative involves several challenges, including providing the information required for its implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national and international development strategies and programmes. To meet this challenge and ensure that the statistical base provides the essential support to the planning process and the implementation of the new development agenda, the country needs to adopt a new national strategy for the development of statistics (NSDS) in line with the new national development plan. A robust National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) is crucial for rebuilding this capacity, coordinating statistical activities, and ensuring the availability of reliable and accurate data for informed decision-making. The National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) is a framework aimed at rebuilding Liberia's statistical capacity and strengthening coordination across agencies responsible for collecting data. It specifically seeks to improve the capacity of the central statistics organization, LISGIS, and integrate all statistical activities within a national system, with the overarching objective of creating a well-coordinated, harmonized, and efficient national statistics system. The NSDS incorporates five long-term strategic objectives: making statistics relevant to national and local development; developing efficient capacity building; developing a coordinated, harmonized, and effective system; ensuring adoption and consistent use of relevant statistical methods and standards; and developing and managing an efficient information-sharing system.

You will report to the Program Specialist, Data and Evidence

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The consultancy generally focuses on the development of a comprehensive and sustainable National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) in Liberia and strengthening the capacity of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). The objectives of this new NSDS is as follows: ● Enhance coordination and harmonization of statistical activities across government ministries and agencies. ● Improve the quality, timeliness, and accessibility of national statistics. ● Take into account the need for statistical information to monitor and evaluate the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development ● Equip the country with new tools to enable it to honor its national and international commitments in terms of statistical data production and dissemination (on the implementation of the SDGs, the AU's Agenda 2063), ● Strengthen the national statistical system (NSS) in a comprehensive way.

All governments need good statistics, but in developing countries, the need is even more important. Because resources are very limited, they must be used effectively and efficiently; good statistics are necessary to do this. There is an increasing consensus internationally that development in many countries, especially the poorest, has faltered in the past because development efforts did not focus on results. Many developing countries have weak statistical systems and mechanisms for measuring results. Good, reliable statistics are essential for measuring progress in reaching development goals and provide essential information about the effectiveness of policies and programmes. They help governments improve their policies and to be transparent and accountable about the delivery of development results. The NSDS is a framework, a process, and a product built through the collective and coordinated work of the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). NSDS is a government-owned strategy and is used for the benefit of the country. A framework from which the strategic planning is outlined for the statistical development. 

The work to be carried out by the consultant will focus on the following:

Take stock of the existing strategy and carry out a rapid analysis of the national statistical system 

Develop a vision, goal, objectives, interventions and strategies, implementation arrangement, and monitoring framework consistent with the new development agenda, which is the ARREST Agenda for inclusive development Draw up an operational action plan to meet the statistical information needs of the ARREST Agenda, the SDGs, and other international agendas

 Develop a financing strategy inclusive of the NSDS 

Formulate relevant recommendations that may be useful for the implementation of the new NSDS.

Key Principles for the NSDS The National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) will: 

Be nationally led and owned, with high-level political support and champions; ● Be developed in an inclusive and consultative way 

Assess all statistical sectors and user needs and provide a vision and strategic plan for national statistics; 

Set out an integrated statistical development programme to build capacity to deliver results, which is prioritized and timetabled, incorporating plans for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation but is also flexible enough to cope with change 

Address institutional and organizational constraints and processes, including resources, for the sustainable development of statistical systems and outputs

Build quality “fit for purpose”, drawing on best international practices and standards 

Build on what exists and is being developed and continue to satisfy immediate needs for statistics during the NSDS process.

Respond to user needs but be realistic about resources. 

Serve as a coherent framework for international support for statistical development

Key Deliverables:

Qualifications and Experience: 

 The consultant must have at least ten (10) years' experience in managing or participating in missions in the field of statistics. Extensive experience in developing national statistical strategies, policies, and plans 

 Education Requirements  

 The consultant must have at least a (Master Degree) in statistics, demography, development economics, or any other degree deemed equivalent; Experience 
 

Knowledge and Experience:

Languages: 

Fluency in English and familiarity with the West African Region

Required Competencies: 

Values:

Core Competencies: 

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format, and deadline:

The overall consultancy will be managed by the Program Specialist, Data and Evidence, and will provide direct day-to-day oversight of the strategy development process. In close collaboration with the program team, the consultant will receive the required support to smoothly implement the strategy development. Referencing the above-mentioned timelines, all deliverables will be initially reviewed by the Program Specialist, Data and Evidence, before submission to the Deputy Representative for final inputs. Once reviewed by the Deputy Representative, the deliverable will then be shared with LISGIS.

The consultant is expected to travel outside Montserrado to conduct and facilitate review and validation meetings and will be responsible for his accommodation, while UNFPA will provide breakfast and lunch during stakeholders' meetings.

The consultant is expected to travel outside Montserrado to conduct and facilitate review and validation meetings and will be responsible for his accommodation, while UNFPA will provide breakfast and lunch during stakeholders' meetings.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy, etc.): The consultant is expected to initiate and complete the NSDS within 60 working days.

Place where services are to be delivered: The NSDS will be developed within Monrovia, Montserrado County, the main station of the consultant. The consultant will work in the UNFPA and LISGIS premises.

UNFPA will provide an office space with access to the internet and transportation to ensure a successful undertaking of this consultancy. Additionally, UNFPA will fund the review and validation meeting.

All interested applicants should submit the following:

 ● Letter of expression of interest 

● CV with evidence of qualifications and experience 

● Samples of reports from previous similar assignments undertaken (optional) 

● Detailed technical and financial proposal (to be negotiated)

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.