Economist (Social Protection)

Organization(s): Maxwell Stamp

Country/Region: Uganda

Contract Length: Long-term consulting assignment

Apply by: 22 January 2010

Description

Maxwell Stamp has been contracted by DFID as the Management Consultant to provide good quality and timely technical assistance to the Government of Uganda to implement the Expanding Social Protection in Uganda (ESPU). This 5 year programme of support for social protection in Uganda will focus on developing and piloting a cash transfer scheme and delivering technical assistance to increase capacity for management of social protection. The overall aim is to help develop a national social protection framework taking into account both social assistance and social insurance mechanisms which will support chronically poor households. The programme will be led by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD).

Maxwell Stamp will oversee implementation of the cash transfer pilot scheme over 3 years, involving administration and management of up to £20 million in cash transfers. A Management Agency composed of MoGLSD personnel and individuals contracted by Maxwell Stamp will implement the Programme.

Overall Responsibilities of the Economist

Maxwell Stamp is looking to recruit an Economist for a 2-year contract, who will firstly be accountable to the Social Protection Adviser. The Economist will be responsible for third party researchers, data analysts and evaluation contractors hired by the Secretariat.

Key working relationships with the team will not be limited to those to whom the Economist is accountable to and responsible for.

The Economist will work within the Social Protection Policy Unit of the Secretariat with responsibility for compiling evidence on and sharing findings with government in terms of the micro and macro level impact of social protection on economic growth. He/she will work closely with the M&E Coordinator and district M&E staff of the SAGE pilot. The following bullet points outline the general responsibility of the Economist.

• Achieving programme outputs, activities, deliverables and expected results within budget, within the agreed timeframe and to the highest standards.
• Successfully managing the economic and impact analysis of the SAGE pilot programme.
• Ensuring the information is reported to the GoU, particularly the MoFPED, in a clear and timely manner and with maximum impact so as to influence government policy on social protection.
• Ensuring that relationships with the client, the GoU, the SAGE service providers and all key stakeholders are amicable, productive, mutually beneficial and conducive to a long term relationship.
• Ensuring that all work is performed to the highest ethical and professional standards.
• Facilitating and coordinating the work of external analysts and M&E personnel as appropriate.

Specific Responsibilities

In a programme such as the ESPU there will be new responsibilities and tasks identified regularly. Revisions of work schedules, specific responsibilities and tasks will be necessary from time to time, depending on demands of the donor and the Government of Uganda and operational developments within the Secretariat. To get a fuller understanding of the specific tasks and deliverables please refer to the current logframe and milestone workplan. A list of specific responsibilities is detailed below. Key duties for this role will be:

• Producing high quality, clear and insightful impact reports and policy recommendations for submission to the Head of Secretariat and other collaborating ministries, particularly MoFPED, to influence social protection policy and related legislation.
• Support the preparation of TORs for and quality assuring the Social Protection Performance Expenditure Review.
• Supporting the SP Learning Coordinator on wider lesson dissemination concerning the economic impact of the programme.

• Responsibility for overall impact analysis of the pilot.
• Working with the SAGE M&E Coordinator and SP Learning Coordinator to define the ToRs for baseline survey and external evaluation contractors and assist in recruitment.
• Developing socio and economic indicators and quality assuring the work of staff charged with evidence generation of the impact of SAGE on economic growth at micro- and macro-level.

• Developing and training external contractors in the data collection plan and methodologies for the impact analysis. This will include case studies in conjunction with the M&E Coordinator and the SP Learning Coordinator.
• Analysing the evidence generated by the SAGE pilot of the impact on economic growth and human development.
• Leading analysis of affordability for upscaling pilot at national level.
• Quality assuring the Cost Benefit Analysis and cost-effectiveness studies of the SAGE pilot.

Competencies

The candidate for this role will be an international consultant with the following credentials:

• Must have a postgraduate degree in economics.
• Excellent quantitative skills including proven econometric and statistical skills and experienced with software packages (e.g. SPSS).
• Experience in developing survey questionnaires and impact indicators.
• Excellent understanding of logical frameworks.

• An understanding of the economic impacts of social protection transfers, ideally with previous experience working with cash transfers.
• At least 3 years experience designing and delivering economic impact analysis on social protection or related donor-funded programmes.
• Experience working in East Africa, preferably Uganda.
• Highly motivated, with strong initiative and good judgement. Able to contribute innovative and effective ideas, be receptive to new ideas and take calculated decisions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. Able to clearly express and present complex ideas and findings. Strong written and spoken English.
• Able to demonstrate integrity.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to collaborate with, manage and build capacity of other team members, GoU, service providers and other external collaborators.

The position is based in Kampala, within a designated office of the MGLSD and will involve regular travel to the pilot districts.

Candidates that meet the above requirements are strongly advised to send their CVs/Resumes to dcooper@maxwellstamp.com, by Friday 22 January at 5pm UK time. Please note that due to the high level of interest only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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