TERMS OF REFERENCE

State Level Coordinator

Project

EU - Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility [NDICI Africa/2023/451-029]

Start date and duration

The role is expected to commence in October 2024 (subject to adjustment), and to run for a term of approximately twelve (12) months (renewable / extendable subject to project requirements, performance and resourcing), from the date of initial deployment of the expert.

Recruitment of the State Level Coordinator will run in parallel with recruitment and deployment of a Senior Technical Advisor at Federal level.

Inputs

A maximum of 220 working days over twelve (12) months (renewable / extendable, as above).

Location and travel

The main place of assignment shall be Baidoa/Southwest State of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Regular travel within Somalia will be required (primarily within the state) and will be subject to relevant project and EU requirements and regulations.

Supervision

The role of the State Level Coordinator will be supervised by the TAPF Team Leader.

Timesheets will be endorsed by the Director General of the relevant state ministry and will be approved by the Team Leader and European Union Delegation.

1. BACKGROUND

The European Union – Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF) is a three-year initiative designed to support the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Somalia’s engagement and cooperation with the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to expedite progress towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The project is being implemented, through a service contract, between the EUD and DAI Global Belgium, and operates from DAIs offices in Mogadishu and Nairobi. See detailed project description at Annex 1.

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 Project Objectives

The TAPF has three main projected result areas:

1. Strengthening the capacity of the Government of Somalia, at both State and Federal levels, and in particular the Federal Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development (MoPIED), to deliver on its mandate with respect to the National Transformation Plan (NTP).

2. Strengthening identification, formulation, implementation and monitoring of European Union funded programmes in Somalia, covering renewable energy, environment, climate change adaptation and natural resources management, amongst others.

3. Enhancing partnerships and facilitation of policy dialogue on key topics for EU-Somalia cooperation.

The project will deliver a range of activities, structured around these result areas, to Federal and Member State government institutions, selected non-state actors, and the EUD. These may include technical studies and analysis, policy and planning advice and formulation, cross-cutting thematic analyses, project and programme design, monitoring and evaluation, and multi-stakeholder engagement activities, including community consultations.

2.2 Assignment Objectives

The State Level Coordinator (SLC) will play a central role in coordination of EU-Somalia cooperation at state level, supporting the Federal Member State Government with the implementation of capacity development activities undertaken under the auspices of the TAPF, starting with support for and assisting Federal Member State institutions with planning and delivery of State-level development plans consistent with Somalia’s National Transformation Plan (to be drafted, validated and enacted by the end of 2024).

An appraisal of the status of the NTP process will be conducted in January 2025, at which point the performance of the SLC will also be evaluated, in line with the outcome of the broader NTP appraisal.

The SLC will also support the EUD with State-level, demand-driven technical assistance, and will participate in delivering EU-Somalia policy dialogue activities and corresponding events.

3. SCOPE

3.1   General

Working closely with appropriate authorities and other Key Experts, assist with TAPF state-level delivery, initially through coordinating with relevant stakeholders, to design, formulate, and subsequently implement, the National Transformation Plan at state-level.

The SLC will bring to the position one or more areas of specific, complementary technical expertise relevant to EU-Somalia cooperation, which will be a particular focus of his / her support.

3.2   Target Groups

The work of the TAPF benefits Somali citizens through increased effectiveness of EU and other development partners’ operational cooperation with Somalia.

The SLC will be based in the State Ministry of Planning but may extend coordination and support activities to other relevant Member State institutions. The SLC is also expected to interact with non-state actors, for example facilitating their participation in policy dialogue activities, e.g. NTP consultations, or as part of other sector-based analysis and consultation.

3.3   Specific Activities

The SLC is expected to complete the following tasks:

1.       Under the supervision of the TAPF Team Leader and Key Expert 2 and the Director General of the Ministry of Planning, proactively drive day-to-day engagement and coordination with assigned FMS government counterpart agencies, for development of the state-level National Transformation Plan.

2.       Provide proactive support to state level strategy and policy development and sector opportunities, relevant to the NTP, ensuring alignment with Somalia’s Vision2060.

3.       Provide advice and capacity support on national transformation processes, in specific sectors where the SLC brings a particular technical specialisation.

4.       Ensure the effective and timely engagement of government, notably relevant ministries, with the private sector and other partners, in policy development, through effective communication, consultation and relationship building.

5.       Provide contextual analysis to the EU Delegation on institutional structures, processes, (inter-) relationships, issues and needs, relevant to state level TAPF activities.

6.       Support work plan and technical progress monitoring, reporting and learning functions of the TAPF.

7.       Undertake other ad-hoc technical and coordination tasks, as assigned by the State Ministry, Contracting Authority and / or Team Leader.

4. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING

1.       Participate in the delivery of assigned state-level work plan activities (primarily development of a state level development plan), with full involvement of concerned stakeholders, ensuring endorsement and approvals, as needed, from relevant authorities.

2.       Provide workshop facilitation or co-facilitation, in line with SLC / TAPF work plans.

3.       Provide a weekly briefing and a monthly report to the TAPF Team Leader, summarising all work carried out by the SLC and identifying any issues encountered and planning / strategy considerations.

4.       Contribute, substantively, to the preparation of TAPF six-monthly progress reports, as directed by the Team Leader.

5.       Ensure TAPF outputs and other relevant materials are recorded on the TAPF internal SharePoint platform.

6.       Ensure financial and administrative records are duly obtained, maintained and returned to TAPF administrative support staff, in line with project and EUD policy.

The working language of the assignment will be English.

5. SUPERVISION

The SLC will report to the TAPF Team Leader.

SLC timesheets will be endorsed by the Director General of the State Ministry and approved by the Team Leader and EUD.

6. LOGISTICS

The position will be based in the Ministry of Planning in the state capital. The Ministry of Planning will provide appropriate office space.

Occasional travel within Somalia (primarily within the state, but with occasional visits to Mogadishu) will be required.

TAPF Office Managers, based in Mogadishu and Nairobi, will support the SLC with operational and administrative matters as needed.

7. EXPERT QUALIFICATIONS / SELECTION CRITERIA[1]

1.       University degree in social and political science, economics, planning or related field.

2.       Excellent communication skills, both in written and spoken English and the Somali language.

3.       At least five years’ work experience with development projects.

4.       At least one previous experience in facilitation of multi-stakeholder workshops / consultations.

5.       Extensive knowledge of the local context. Candidates originating from the state will be preferred.

6.       Special criteria: Demonstrated extensive knowledge of the applicable Federal Member State place of posting, government institutions, development actors and processes and at least one professional specialism, e.g. agriculture, agricultural economics, livestock production, etc, required.

8. COMPENSATION

This position and any offer extended is contingent upon client approval.

This is a consulting based input position.

How to apply

https://phf.tbe.taleo.net/phf04/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=DAINC&cws=48&rid=9107

Please kindly note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

[1]These criteria for Non-Key Experts are taken from the TAPF Terms of Reference section 6.1.2 and are contractually fixed, except for criteria no. 6, which relates to specific experience relevant to the role and is tailored accordingly.