Turkey: Governance & Strategic Planning Advisor

Background:

i. After six years of war and the chaotic status of the opposition, the existing entities didn’t manage to contribute to the early recovery and stabilization status of the liberated areas. Across the opposition-controlled areas, the services are being delivered by a number of different stakeholders, including Syrian and international NGOs, donor-funded programs, as well as SIG-related bodies, in a dis-organised manner. As a result, there are many overlaps and technical gaps in the key services delivery sectors. In addition, a technical framework, including standards, norms and technical guidelines is missing, making it very difficult for these stakeholders to provide good quality services. This situation calls for: a more structured collaboration among key stakeholders to identify key areas of technical and service delivery; a technical gaps assessment in the key services delivery sectors; and develop appropriate collaboration plans to address them.

ii. As part of ‘phase 0’ of the EU support to SIG, three national experts conducted meetings and interviews with over 50 stakeholders providing services in Syria, trying to understand what are the key obstacles to effective service delivery on the ground and how these can be addressed. All interviewed stakeholders agreed that the most appropriate body to initiate and administer such collaboration efforts, and help develop some of the missing guidelines, is SIG (including central ministries and provincial technical directorates). However, all agreed that SIG is lacking staff and technical skills to conduct this work on their own. Similar conclusions have been drawn from the workshops that have been previously organised by UOSSM and NASAK among key stakeholders in education, health and water sector.

iii. As a result, a consortium of four Syrian NGOs with expertise and experience in governance, needs assessments and technical studies has been formed. This consortium collaborates to develop a plan to be able to provide support to the SIG in these areas, while enabling them to conduct this work.

iv. The SIG, in collaboration with NGOs, will work on establishing and instituting a collaboration mechanism among all actors (SNGOs, INGOs, LACs, Directorates and SIG) in the opposition held areas. This mechanism will allow them to meet on regular basis and discuss specific technical issues that delay service delivery, in addition to working together on developing solutions and monitoring successful implementation of these solutions in future. .The collaboration mechanism would specifically be used for:

1. assessing technical and delivery gaps in the key services delivery sectors (including education, health, agriculture, water and electricity).

2. discussing and giving feedback to: (1) the technical collaboration plans, and (2) priority response plans, developed by SIG to address the identified technical gaps in the key services delivery sectors

3. providing a compliance flagging mechanism with the objective of ensuring that the plans are being effectively implemented by all subscribed stakeholders.

v. The external technical experts (Education, Health, Agriculture, and services) will support SIG with this work.

vi. In addition, the NGO consortium will organise a series of internal meetings and workshops to assess internal division of roles and responsibilities and help develop missing bylaws necessary to guide the work of SIG-related bodies. Once developed and agreed with everyone the roles and responsibilities will be widely circulated among the external stakeholders. This work will be done within the regulatory framework provided by the Syrian state, however taking into account specific circumstances on the ground.

vii. All the activities start upwards to ensure all stakeholders’ participation in decisions making. This is achieved by workshops and dialogue sessions. On the other hand, the technical gaps assessments in key services delivery sectors, as well as the collaboration plan to address them, will be developed in a participatory manner - through a series of sector specific meetings between relevant SIG bodies (including provincial, central and local levels, as well as key NGOs).

viii. The duration of this project is 12 months, taking into consideration the changeable political situation and the consequent formulation of transitional governance structure.

Objectives:

The objective of this assignment is to provide technical support for the activities to be carried out under the:

• Support the SIG to strengthen vertical governance layers and enhance its coordination role of local governance structures, to draft the technical gaps reports through technical workshops inside Syria in 5 areas (Daraa & Qunetra, Idleb & Hama, Homs, Damascus countryside, Aleppo) in the sector of (Education, Health, Agriculture and Services). The advisor will lead the work of experts on drafting the report regarding missing policies and rules of engagement for all stakeholders in the sector.
• Draft the sectoral strategies of the Syrian Interim Government in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental actors in the field of (Education, Health, Agriculture and Services). The advisor will lead the team of experts and researchers to develop the methodology and research tools and supervise the development of the sectoral strategies. The advisor will work in close cooperation with experts and the SIG ministries to develop the sectoral strategies. In addition, the Advisor will advise the SPU (Strategic Planning Unit) within the SIG to develop the master strategy of the government.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Advisor will be mainly responsible for:

• To advise the SPU within the SIG on Governance and strategic planning.
• To assess the status of institutional development of SPU, SIG and sectoral ministries, and, as necessary, to give expert recommendations.
• To support the development of frameworks and mechanisms relevant to the institutional development of SPU, SIG and sectoral ministries, in the field of governance, strategies planning and public administration.
• To support the SPU’s efforts in addressing areas of structural weaknesses in the performance and accountability of respective counterparts/institutions (Ministries and directorates), and to propose solutions to strengthen them.
• To mentor and advise the SIG/SPU authorities on developing the governance of technical ministries.
• To develop and organize training/workshops on strategic planning and governance tools for technical officers within the SPU.
• To lead the team of experts with developing the master plan for SIG.
• To develop the methodologies and tools with experts and researchers of sectoral strategies.
• To revise the draft sectoral strategies prepared by technical experts.
• To map the governance projects that are working on Syria and to build strong relationships with relevant actors.
• To receive and revise the missing policies reports from the technical experts in each sector.
• To identify the best practices and lesson learned within the field of responsibility (Governance and Strategic Planning)
• To liaise with the SIG ministries, project steering committee and sectoral experts to safeguard the inclusion of the governance components in all strategies.
• To ensure compliance with instruction/direction from project steering committee.
• To maintain necessary contacts and build relationships with relevant counterparts.
• To advise SIG ministers and SPU on the workload and performance, and to propose solutions.
• To ensure timely reporting on activities within the field of responsibility (Governance and Strategic Planning) as for planning documents, in particular progress and/or lack of progress.
• To undertake any related task, as requested by the line manager.

Key Activities & Deliverables

• Advising/ coaching/mentoring the SPU, required duration is On daily basis required approval from Project manager.
• Mapping Governance projects, required duration first month of the contract, required approval from Project Manager.
• Reporting on the performance of SPU and experts’ team duration monthly basis, required approval from Project Manager.
• Revising the methodology of research which is developed by researcher, the duration 15 days prior to each research according to the agreed time table required approval from Project Manager.

Qualification (Education/Work Experience)

Educational:

• Postgraduate degree in Governance, Strategic Planning, or other related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of advisory work in areas of Governance & Strategic Planning, including relevant field experience, especially in the areas government, state building and international and inter-governmental organizations, political economy analysis, and sustainable development, and strategic planning.
• At least 5 years of experience in senior management.
• Working experience in conflict zone
• Good understanding of the Syrian context and knowledge of national and international institutions operating in the field

Language:

• Fluency (both written and spoken) in English.

Desirable:

• Experience in training and drafting workshops and other materials required.
• Experience in preparation and leading strategic planning and governance workshops and discussions.

Core & Technical Competencies

A. Core Competencies**:**

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning and Organizing
• Accountability
• Creativity
• negotiation skills.
• Analytical skills
• Technological Awareness.

B. Supervisor/Managerial Competencies**:**

• Leadership
• Building Trust
• Vision
• Managing Performance
• Empowering Others
• Judgment/Decision-making.

C. Technical Competencies:

• Adavcned Command of SPSS and other data analysis methods.
• Adavnced research and drafting skills.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Governance & Strategic Planning Advisor will work directly with the Experts and Researchers team.

Duration of the Work

The assignment duration will be Mid of May 2018 till end of December 2018 as detailed schedule:

• · First Month (May 2018): 10 working days;
• · Second Month (June 2018): 10 working days;
• · Third Month (July 2018): 10 working days;
• · Fourth Month (August 2018): 23 working days;
• · Fifth Month (September 2018): 22 working days;
• · Sixth Month (October): 23 working days;
• · Seventh Month (November 2018): 22 working days;
• · Eighth Month (December 2018): 22 working days.

Duty Station

Gaziantep, Turkey with possible travel to selected provinces.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount.

To apply for this job by Email please send your details to: gov.cv@acu-sy.org,

Please include the job code in the subject (Co-Go-14) this position open until 13/05/2018. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted

To apply for this job by Email please send your details to: gov.cv@acu-sy.org

Please include the job code in the subject ( Co-Go-14 )

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

For questions or more information please email to the formal email above. HR will respond in writing or by standard email and will send copies of the response (including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry) to all consultants.