Senior Non-key Expert State-level Development Planning – Puntland Pillar 2: “Sustainable Economic Development”

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Senior Non-key Expert

State-level Development Planning – Puntland

Pillar 2: “Sustainable Economic Development”

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

Start date and duration          The role is expected to commence in May 2025 (extendable, subject to project need / requirements and resource availability), and to be implemented as a single, continuous assignment, counting from the date of first deployment of the expert.

Inputs A maximum of 30 working days, delivered over a period not exceeding two (2) calendar months.

Location and travel    The main place of assignment shall be Puntland State, Somalia, based in the state capital Garowe.

Travel within the State may be required and will be subject to relevant project and EU rules and regulations, including security protocols and the outcome of contemporary security assessments.

Supervision    The role will be answerable to the Director General (DG) of the Puntland State Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) and will be supervised by the TAPF Team Leader, in close collaboration with the TAPF KE2 / Partnership Advisor.

Time sheets will be approved by the TAPF Team Leader and the EU Delegation (EUD).

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 in and cooperation with the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to expedite progress towards achievement of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The project is being implemented through a service contract, signed between the EUD and DAI Global Belgium, and operates from DAIs offices in Mogadishu and Nairobi.

The project duration runs for an initial total term of 36 months, from 1st January 2024, through to 31st December 2026.

It is resourced and implemented by a Key Expert 1 / Team Leader (with an allocation of 660 working days) and a Key Expert 2: Partnership Advisor (660 working days), complemented by seven State-level Coordinators (each with 660 days: 4,620 days in total), and three Senior Technical Advisors (1,500 working days in total).

In addition, the project has an allocation of (respectively) 850 Senior and 1,000 Junior Non-Key Expert days, to fulfil demand-driven tasks in accordance with the project’s overall Terms of Reference and in line with its “facility” modus.

Key experts are supported by in-country administrative staff in Mogadishu (and in Nairobi, if required), responsible for local administration, operational logistics and financial management, while overall project delivery is underpinned and supervised by DAI’s backstopping team and support service.

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 Project Objectives

The TAPF has three main result areas:

1. Strengthening the capacity of the Government of Somalia, at both Federal and State 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, the environment, climate change adaptation and natural resources management, amongst others.

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

The project is expected to deliver a range of technical support activities structured around these result areas, in relation to both Federal (FGS) and Member State (FMS) institutions, selected non-state actors, and the EUD. Deliverables may include multi-stakeholder engagement activities, including community consultations, planning, project and programme design, technical studies and analyses, policy formulation and advisory support, cross-cutting thematic analyses, and monitoring and evaluation.

2.2 General Assignment Objectives

Between 2010 and 2025 Puntland State has developed and implemented three Puntland Five-year Development Plans: PFYDP-1, PFYDP-2 and PFYDP-3. Each five-year development plan was formulated to enhance the core functioning and overall effectiveness of government operations, through improved civil service management, public sector capacity reform and the implementation of cross-cutting administrative programmes. These five-year development plans have been supported by the World Bank, UN agencies, EU and other development partners.

Recognising the need for a continuation of this planning framework, the Puntland Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) has embarked on the development of a Fourth Puntland Five-year Development Plan (PFYDP-4), 2025-2029, to guide the Puntland government’s strategic programmes and policies for the next five years.

Building on the significant achievements of its predecessors, and, in particular, on insights gained from a recent end-line evaluation of FYPDP-3, the fourth multi-year plan prioritises, not only economic development, but also social welfare, security, and democratic governance.

As with the NTP, the PFYDP will focus on four priority sectors or pillars:

–             Governance (including security and the rule of law, decentralisation and democratisation);

–             Sustainable economic development (including private sector-led inclusive economic growth and productive sector development);

–             Social and human development (including education, health, social protection and water);

–             Environment and climate resilience (including environmental protection, climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience).

The new five-year development plan was initially expected to be finalised and rolled out by January 2025, however, due to funding, and alignment issues with the federal National Transformation Plan (NTP), plan development has, somewhat, lagged behind schedule.

When complete, the PFYDP-4 will be aligned with the Somalia National Transformation Plan (NTP), 2025-2029, as well as with the Puntland District Development Framework (DDF) and international Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to ensure the harmonisation of local, national and global development priorities.

2.3 Specific Assignment Objectives

The specific objective of the assignment is to formulate a Sustainable Economic Development Pillar “sector development plan” that will be integrated into the new Puntland Five-year Development Plan (FYPDP-4) covering the period from 2025–2029. The Sustainable Economic Development Pillar “sector development plan” will include issues related to private sector-led inclusive economic growth and productive sector development, and should outline individual, time-specific development goals for the sector, to be achieved through a consultative and participatory process that actively involves all the relevant stakeholders.

The Puntland authorities have already undertaken and completed baseline data collection in the state’s 36 districts and from its public institutions.

The Sustainable Economic Development Sector Non-key Expert (NKE) will work closely with the overall PFYDP-4 Coordinator and the MoPEDIC Senior Management Team to review this baseline data, using it to formulate a Sustainable Economic Development Sector Development Plan. Additionally, the sector NKE will collaborate with the relevant Ministerial Working Group to ensure that the sector plan aligns with the other three sector development plans (for Governance, Social and Human Development and Environment and Climate Resilience), ultimately contributing to finalisation of the fourth Puntland Five-year Development Plan (PFYDP-4) 2025–2029.

Key technical staff from the MoPEDIC Planning Department will play a crucial role in facilitating the NKEs work, ensuring that all relevant documents are accessible to the sectoral Non-key Expert for thorough review.

Formulation of the Sustainable Economic Development Sector Development Plan will pass through a number of data review and management phases, including the convening of consultation and validation workshops where all relevant stakeholders will contribute their ideas to enhance inclusivity and promote ownership. The sectoral Non-key Expert will incorporate feedback gathered during these validation workshops into the evolving draft plan.

Amongst others issues the Sustainable Economic Development Sector Development Plan should:

–             Identify / pinpoint important constraints hindering the improvement of economic conditions and job creation in Puntland State;

–             Articulate desired goals / the future status of the economic reality / conditions, highlighting where the sector should be after five (5) years’ and how it will get there (defining the principal means and actions by which stated objectives will be realised);

–             Define and quantify the short- and medium-term objectives of the sector and elaborate institutional, implementational and M&E arrangements applicable to the sector;

–             Highlight cross-cutting issues and strategies within the sustainable economic development sector; establishing investment needs for programme implementation and specifying what is to be done, why, how, when and by whom within the sector;

–             Contain a monitoring framework that is results-based, management compliant, and fully aligned with the NTP, SDGs and Somalia’s other international obligations.

The finished Sustainable Economic Development Sector Development Plan should also contain a comprehensive resource mobilisation strategy, with domestic and foreign resources components, in line with sector investment needs and cognisant of the macro-economic and fiscal constraints in effect in Puntland, with emphasis on public / private partnerships for future development of the sector.

3. SCOPE

3.1 General

Working closely with appropriate authorities at state level (the overall PFYDP-4 Coordinator, the MoPEDIC Senior Management Team and the relevant Ministerial Working Group), and with TAPF Key Experts (KE1 and KE2) and Non-key Experts (the Puntland State Level Coordinator – SLC), and coordinating between the State Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), assist in the design, preparation (through data review), draft formulation and subsequent validation of the Sustainable Economic Development Pillar component of the Puntland Five-year Development Plan / State Transformation Plan, thus helping to generate a comprehensive, inclusive and fully formed state development / transformation blueprint.

3.2 Target Groups

The work of the TAPF benefits Somali citizens through increasing the effectiveness of EU cooperation with Somalia, including (in this case) support for the development planning process.

The Sustainable Economic Development State Planning NKE will work with and be based in the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) in Garowe, but will liaise and coordinate with other relevant FMS institutions. The NKE will also interact with non-state actors, such as civil society organisations and interest groups (women, youth, private sector and the business community), facilitating their participation in policy dialogue activities, e.g. State Development / Transformation Plan consultations, sector-based analysis and validation events.

3.3 Specific Activities

The Expert is expected to undertake and complete the following tasks:

• Under the direct supervision of the office of the MoPEDIC DG, with support from the TAPF Puntland SLC, and in conjunction with the TAPF Team Leader and Key Expert 2, pro-actively assist, contribute to, and where required “drive”, the preparation and formulation of the Sustainable Economic Development Pillar component of the Puntland State Five-year Development or Transformation Plan, 2025-2029, through direct engagement and in coordination with state government counterpart MDAs. Specifically:

–             Review the process methodology used to conduct development planning sectoral activities (in line with the general PFYDP-4 work plan).

–             Prepare a sector work plan specific to the Sustainable Economic Development Pillar planning process.

–             Conduct a stakeholder analysis within the sector and develop mechanisms and arrangements to coordinate formulation of the sector development plan.

–             Conduct detailed desk reviews of existing policies, legal frameworks, programme evaluations and sector-specific performance data.

–             Compile and review quantitative and qualitative baseline data and work with public institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure that data is credible, disaggregated (e.g., by gender, age, location) and actionable.

–             Identify gaps, challenges, opportunities and lessons learned, to inform strategic direction.

–             Design and implement inclusive consultation processes with a diverse range of actors.

–             Prepare briefing notes and presentation materials for high-level meetings.

–             In collaboration with government counterparts and development partners, convene and facilitate sectoral working group discussions, ensuring productive dialogue between technical experts, policymakers and key stakeholders, and ensure adequate engagement with business enterprises, civil society organisations, non-state actors, academic institutions, women’s groups, youth organisations, and community representatives.

–             Ensure that relevant cross-cutting themes (gender, human rights, inclusivity, conflict sensitivity, environment and climate change, youth, women and marginalised groups) and challenges are identified and adequately mainstreamed in the development planning process and that marginalised voices are heard, and their priorities recognised and incorporated.

–             Monitor progress and resolve coordination issues within the sectoral planning process.

–             Develop the initial draft of the sectoral development plan, outlining strategic objectives, policy priorities, implementation frameworks, and monitoring indicators.

–             Revise the draft based on stakeholder feedback, working group discussions, and technical reviews.

–             Produce a final, comprehensive sectoral development plan that aligns with the national vision, SDGs, and financing frameworks.

–             Provide mentoring and training to sectoral staff and junior professionals during the entirety of the sector development plan formulation process.

–             Support institutional learning and the sustainability of planning practices.

–             Facilitate and ensure alignment with the National Transformation Plan (NTP) and Centennial Vision 2060 (CV2060).

–             Organise and conduct / facilitate a final State Plan validation consultation workshop, involving key stakeholders from state and district levels, civil society and the private sector.

• Prepare and submit an end-of-mission narrative report summarising activities undertaken, progress made, and lessons learned during commission of the assignment.

4. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING

The following deliverables will contribute to and result in the successful implementation of the State-level Development Planning technical assistance assignment:

• Preparation of an assignment methodology road map, in the form of an “inception report” summarising the planning process and sector plan development strategy.
• Conducting detailed desk reviews of existing policies, legal frameworks, programme evaluations and sector performance data and, working with public institutions and / or other, relevant stakeholders, ensuring data is credible, disaggregated (e.g., by gender, age, location) and actionable.
• Preparing briefing notes and presentation materials for high-level meetings.
• Convening and facilitating sectoral working group discussions and engaging with business enterprises, civil society organisations, non-state actors, academic institutions, women’s groups, youth organisations, and community representatives, thus ensuring productive dialogue between technical experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders.
• Provision of workshop facilitation or co-facilitation services, in relation to targeted stakeholder consultations and development plan validation events.
• Developing and compiling an initial draft of the sectoral development plan, outlining strategic objectives, policy priorities, implementation frameworks and monitoring indicators.
• Revising the initial draft based on stakeholder feedback (especially that received through convening a Validation Workshop), working group discussions, and technical reviews.
• Producing a final, comprehensive sectoral development plan that aligns with the national vision, SDGs, and financing frameworks.
• Preparing and submitting an end-of-mission narrative report.
• Timely handover of development / transformation plans and other relevant materials to the TAPF management for uploading to the internal SharePoint platform.
• Timely handover of financial and administrative records to TAPF administrative support staff, in line with project and EUD regulations.

5. SUPERVISION

The Pillar 2 State-level Development Planning NKE will be answerable to the Director General (DG) of the Puntland State Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC), working in collaboration with the TAPF State Level Coordinator (SLC), and will be supervised by the TAPF Team Leader, in close collaboration with the TAPF KE2 / Partnership Advisor.

Time sheets will be approved by the TAPF Team Leader and the EU Delegation (EUD).

The working language of the assignment and contract will be English, and all communication and reports will be submitted in English.

6. LOGISTICS

The assignment will be implemented from the MoPEDIC office in Garowe, Puntland State.

Travel to selected districts within Puntland State may be required, to conduct consultations and other fact-finding activities, subject to relevant project and EU rules and regulations, including security protocols and the outcome of contemporary security assessments.

The TAPF Office Manager, based in Mogadishu, and the DAI Project Manager, based in Brussels, will support the State-level Development Planning NKE with operational and administrative issues, as required.

7. EXPERT QUALIFICATIONS / SELECTION CRITERIA

The sustainable Economic Development Pillar State Planning NKE should possess:

• A university degree, preferably a Master’s, in one of the following fields: Project Management, International Development, Business Administration, Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Applied Research, Political Science, M&E or a related field.
• 12 or more years of practical work experience in a senior advisory capacity with an international development organisation, private sector company, non-governmental organisation or government institution, including at least three (3) previous assignments as a development planner, preparing regional, organisational or company-level strategic plans.
• Previous work experience as a TA or CTA (technical assistant / chief technical advisor), embedded within a host government department, inclusive mentoring and capacity development experience, leading development programmes and / or the implementation of policies, strategies and operational plans.
• Previous experience (in at least three (3) work assignments) of workshop organisation and facilitation, inclusive in-depth knowledge of and familiarity with participatory rural appraisal (PRA), focus group discussion and other interactive data collection methodologies, preparation of PowerPoint presentations and handouts, and moderating workshop plenaries.
• Clear and demonstrable understanding and in-depth knowledge of Results Based Management (RBM), Participatory Planning and Monitoring (PPM) or other management techniques.
• Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken / verbal communication skills, in both English and Somali.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Extensive knowledge of the local (Somali) development context.
• Specialist technical knowledge of one or more sectors comprising the foundation pillars in the current development planning framework. These are:

Compulsory (in this case):

–             Sustainable economic transformation: Macro-economic stability, private- sector-led, inclusive economic growth and productive sector development.

Optional:

–             Governance transformation: rule of law and security, public sector reforms, and inclusive governance;

–             Social and human capital transformation: Education, health and nutrition, social protection, water and inter-sectoral themes;

–             Environment and climate resilience: Environmental protection, renewable energy, disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and mitigation, and resilience.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities effectively.