Somalia: NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Background

Somalia’s first ever security and justice public expenditure review (SJPER) was recently completed. In response to a request from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in late 2013, the Bank in collaboration with the UN, initiated a Security and Justice Public Expenditure Review (SJPER), which was finalized in January 2017. During the duration of the SJPER, the Bank team engaged closely with the FGS and the emerging Federal Member States (FMS) including several high-level consultations with the FGS Cabinet as well as donors in various fora (New York, London, Nairobi, and Mogadishu).

A major finding emerging from the SJPER is the significance of linking ongoing security sector public financial management (PFM) reform efforts to ‘whole-of-government PFM reforms’ as an important priority. The World Bank is already playing a leading role in PFM reform through operations led by the Governance GP. These include the PFM and Recurrent Cost and Reform Finance projects, which include support to the reform of the civil service payroll.

The international community in Somalia has a renewed cohesion on security cooperation through the formation during 2016 of an “S6” coordination group of the major donors (US, UK, UAE, Turkey and EU with the UN). These coordination arrangements then in partnership with the FGS became the Comprehensive Approach to Security (CAS) which is the major platform for technical and strategic consultation and planning in the sector.

The donors and the FGS have requested that that the World Bank stay engaged on this work given the added-value thus far on a range of critical challenges for which the FGS will need the World Bank’s competency and expertise, within its mandate. These challenges, – sustainability, pensions, demobilization and reintegration, and public financial management reform are outlined below. The World Bank will continue to play an important role in this sector, albeit a modest and technical one, providing upstream advisory support to the Ministry of Finance.

Both the FGS and development partners have expressed interest in having the SJPER sustainability projections continue to be used to inform sector policy discussions. The importance of sustainability modelling and PFM reform was reiterated at a recent Workshop on Somalia’s National Security Architecture. A significant expansion in police numbers is now envisaged, as part of inter-governmental discussion regarding a new ‘security architecture’. There is an expectation among security sector stakeholders that the World Bank will provide support to the MoF work out the projected costs of the security architecture (using the SJPER costing/ sustainability model).

Recent security sector PFM reform initiatives, though at an early stage, are fundamental to addressing both sustainability and structural reform challenges, as well as essential for the IMF Staff Monitored Program. Ongoing work on the security payroll is of central importance. There is also an important reform agenda around establishing systems for operating expenditures. These payment systems, including procurement policies and processes, will become increasingly important as the volume of funds and number of transactions in the sector increases.

Greater Government – International Community coordination in support of this complex reform agenda will be essential to its success. The CAS provides an important framework that allows all parties to engage with the security dialogue in a collective and coherent manner. Ensuring that Somalia is able to achieve an affordable, acceptable, appropriate and able security sector is central to state-building, both at an institutional level, and how the population views the role of their security forces in delivering human security and economic development. Somali authorities (FGS and FMS) and their international partners have much to gain from improving partnership arrangements within a mutual accountability framework.

For the complex reasons outlined above, the World Bank is launching a second phase of work that will be more advisory in nature (as opposed to simply undertaking analytics and data collection). The work will consist of just-in time advisory support to the FGS Ministry of Finance and comprise two main components: (i) Macro-fiscal knowledge work, and; (ii) Public administration systems reform knowledge work. The primary partner for this work will be the FGS Ministry of Finance.

Role and responsibilities of the National Coordinator

A short-term consultancy will be recruited to support the World Bank team and to 'anchor' the work going forward by being the focal point for (i) links with the Ministry of Finance, FGS; (ii) partnership with the UN mission; and (iii) the World Bank team including the two key staff (the co-leads) as well as other consultants engaged in this work. Hence, the expectations of this consultancy will be to provide a regular presence in coordinating all activities and interactions related to this work-stream without necessarily providing substantive inputs on the various technical aspects of the advisory work. The specific tasks of the consultancy will be as follows:

(i) stakeholder database: to draw up a comprehensive set of contacts of the key stakeholders (first Somali and second international) of the key individuals important for this work-stream with their names, positions, telephone and email contacts. The database can then be maintained by an administrative support staff within the Bank team with ongoing inputs by the coordinator and others working in the team.

(ii) work-planning: to work closely with the co-leads and the key focal points in the Ministry of Finance in articulating a work-plan in line with the original Concept Note with a clear outline of specific objectives, activities, inputs, outputs and timelines. Further, to monitor implementation of the work plan and the various sub-objectives and to advise the co-leads on obstacles, delays and progress.

(iii) coordination: under the supervision of the co-leads, the core function of the consultancy will be to work with the FGS Ministry of Finance, international partners and other stakeholders in implementation of the advisory work. This will involve a lot of coordination between the various actors in Nairobi, Mogadishu and other locations in Somalia, attending meetings and communicating time-lines, events, workshops, reports amongst the key stakeholders.

(iv) support the deployment of inputs: the advisory work will principally rely on two types of inputs: (i) the deployment of technical expertise to share experience and knowledge on critical public policy issues (e.g. pensions, demobilization etc) and (ii) the organization of workshops to allow for dissemination of knowledge to a wide array of concerned Somali institutions. Other related inputs may also include the production of materials such as Power Point Presentations and short policy notes. The coordination consultant will be tasked with supporting the team in the identification and deployment of experts as well as the organization of workshops. The consultant will be also expected to support the organization and facilitation of workshops for delivery of the material.

(v) reporting: the coordination consultant will devise a simple 'light' reporting format in order that the team, led by the consultant, can complete a monthly report on implementation progress. These monthly reports will then serve as the basis for more formal reporting to management, monitoring and evaluation and completion of the overall task.

(vi) other duties as they arise during the implementation of the program.

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

i. the stakeholder database of key contacts;

ii. monthly reporting on progress of the work-stream.

Reporting Relationships

The consultant will report primarily to the lead of the work-stream, Governance GP, based in Nairobi. S/he will also receive guidance from time-to-time from the co-lead, GSURR, based in Washington DC. Albeit this consultancy will be procured and paid for under a World Bank trust fund, as the overall workstream is a joint one with the UN mission, the consultant will also remain in close contact with the Ministry of Finance, and particularly the MoF security sector focal point.

Duty station and Duration of Assignment

This assignment will consist of a 2-month probationary period followed by an extension for up to a total of 4 months depending on the start date, with possible further extension. The National Coordinator will be based in Mogadishu with regular travel to Villa Somalia and the Ministry of Finance in Mogadishu and Nairobi, Kenya. Start date as soon as possible.

Skills and Experience Required

· At least five years professional experience in humanitarian, development or diplomatic work

· An under-graduate degree in a relevant field;

· Proven oral and writing communication skills in English;

· Knowledge of Somalia;

· Knowledge of international institutions including the UN system and the World Bank;

· Knowledge of public policy including security and criminal justice institutions.

How to Apply

The National Coordinator will be contracted by the Nordic International Support Foundation –NIS

(www.nis-foundation.org). All applications must be submited via our dedicated online system, which may be accessed at the following address: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/0614ba65db0947829e535ba21ac8335c

The deadline for submitting applications is 22 August 2018 at 4pm EAT. Please note that applications submitted in other formats will not be considered by NIS. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.