Jobs and Labour Market Assessment

Job Description

Project/ Consultancy Title; Job and Labour Assessment

Consultancy locations; Maban, Upper Nile State, South Sudan

Background:

Relief International (RI) is a humanitarian, non-profit, non-sectarian and non-political agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation and development services throughout the world with a sole mission to reduce human suffering. We respond to natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies and chronic poverty. With legal standing in the United States as a not-for-profit organization, the United Kingdom and France as a registered Charity, Relief International implements programs in 19 countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

RI seamlessly blends humanitarian and development efforts so every program resolves immediate issues while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way — emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work for them — and for generations to come.

Rationale:

Relief International supported by UNHCR is implementing a Livelihoods program to create jobs and skill development for Refugee Youth and Women in Maban County. The project aims to Increase the number of Refugee youth who are gainfully employed or self-employed through a replicable, self-sustainable job and skills development model. The outcomes include; Skills development through improved outlook and motivation of youth participants on prospects for the future and becoming self-sufficient, responsible members of society, Job creation through improved incomes and employment opportunities and Successful youth-led businesses, creating employment.

As part of the project improvement strategy, RI, with support from UNHCR wish to conduct a labor market assessment in each of the four Refugee camps and the surrounding host Community especially Bunj to identify the types of jobs currently or projected to be available in the near future. The assessment should pay special attention on identifying green growth jobs, including waste management, fuel-efficient cookstoves, solar lighting, biogas, renewable energy, Vocational skills and sustainable agriculture such as the fresh vegetable/fruits value chains. The results from this assessment will support RI and UNHCR’s to better align training programs to the types of jobs that are emerging in their locales.

Purpose of the Assessment:

The purpose of the assessment focusing on the informal and informal economy, across all sectors but with a special focus on the green economy is to determine the following parameters:

1. Economic context and analysis: Which sectors currently absorb labor and which are likely to see increases in employment in the future, and the income levels per sector and job type/level?
2. Demand for specific skills: What are the skill sets required by function in the value chain, currently and in the future, by type of firm, by region and/or county? Determine which trades have significant local labor market demand? Which sectors have shortages?
3. Supply of specific skills: What occupations, education levels, and skills levels are possessed by the workforce (disaggregated by gender), and what types of training are offered by which institutions?
4. Systems, stakeholders: What are the institutional relationships, barriers, and opportunities for supporting employment including identifying opportunities for developing partnerships and linkages with NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs) and state and private employers and local enterprises;
5. Policy and regulatory environment: What policies impact the labor market and what are the implications for reform?
6. Alignment: How does the information gathered fit together? What recommendations can we make to improve labor market functioning?
7. determine which sectors are capable of absorbing more labor; assess the absorption capacity of each trade to ensure that there will not be an excess supply of available workers;
8. identify occupations that accept female employees and those with disabilities or special needs; what types of duties women and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, are capable of performing in various sectors, taking into consideration potential cultural or physical constraints;
9. identify barriers to employment due to gender, age, ability, ethnicity, social group, religion or other reasons;

Identify how the informal sector has an impact on employment opportunities be sensitive to the employment and economic needs of the host community.

The detailed Assessment objectives are:

1) Employment and sector analysis of labor demand: To provide a summary of the employment situation in Maban County, an analysis of the structural and/or other factors influencing unemployment and employment. Including:

· Generation of employers’ details including;

a) Employers’ catalogue and needs (specifying both skilled and unskilled needs)

b) Employers’ opinion about the willingness and readiness of youth – distinguished by factors including gender and location (urban/rural) - to take up certain jobs in both the formal and informal job sectors

c) The competencies and skills of the available labor for the job respectively

· Existing labor opportunities and economic coping strategies that can be strengthened or expanded.

· New and potential growth sectors that can be supported and developed.

· Income levels for the new and existing employment/job opportunities

2) Small and medium enterprise (SME) development, entrepreneurship, and self-employment: To identify SME development, entrepreneurship, and self-employment opportunities across sectors including the green economic opportunities.

3) Labor supply: To describe the degree to which youth have the potential to meet employment demands in high potential sectors both in the formal and informal sectors, with a special focus on the green economy;

· Showcase the technical and transferable skills that youth need to successfully pursue existing or anticipated labor opportunities in the local market.

· Socio- economic and unemployment/employment information on youth including women

· Identify critical gaps in the job market for youth with age of 15 -35 years

· Income levels for the new and existing employment/job opportunities

4) Mapping of workforce development programs: To better understand who is doing what and where on youth workforce development and match this to the needs of the labor and employment workspace. Detailing possible opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, incubation, and mentorship cutting across the informal and formal sector. (Paying special attention to Village Technical Centers, Agricultural Technical Centers and other Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions)

5) Policy and regulatory reforms: To identify and examine key policy and regulatory opportunities and constraints which would be critical in addressing the systemic deficiencies of the labor market under the mandate and/or influence of the County government.

· Identify institutional gaps at all levels of the county government and private sector in coordination and provision necessary information on available jobs in timely and efficiently manner

· Identify capacity and quality of trainings provided on TVET centres in the job creation and readiness of the youth for the job market either in the formal or informal sectors, employed or self-employed

6) Barriers and constraints: To identify critical barriers and constraints to youth access and participation in the local labor market in the formal and informal sectors, including:

· Cultural barriers that limit youth engagement against gender in various employment opportunities

· Social barriers (ex. negative employer perceptions of young people, cultural norms that limit female youth participation, etc.) and

· Physical or structural barriers (ex. lack of safe transportation services, no childcare for young mothers, safety concerns and limitations on physical mobility).

· Discuss the major health concerns, and how they affect youth productivity and employment

Approach and Methodology:

The assessment approach shall be utilization focused. As such, the consultant should arrange individual meetings with individual intended users during the assessment.

The following should be observed:

• Possible sector players including potential employers in the formal and informal economy should be individually engaged including private sector actors and relevant government and non-governmental institutions
• Attention should be given to collect information from all types of stakeholders, with special attention to women and youth from the project focus areas.
• Initial findings and recommendations made as a result of the assessment must be fed back to RI and UNHCR so they have an opportunity to discuss the recommendations before they are finalised. This includes a (virtual) workshop presentation of the findings.

Methodology:

• The Consultant is expected to respond to this call with a detailed proposed methodology and itinerary which upon successful contracting will be discussed during the inception meeting.
• The consultant is expected to refer to and use existing research and assessment, while relevant documents and information specific to the RI-UNHCR will be made available to the consultant during the inception meeting. It is however expected that the consultant in the expression of interest, will share a brief analysis of any job and labor market analysis that have assessed the needs in the “bottom of the pyramid” in both the informal and formal economy and how these will influence their methodology.
• As the assessment is market and end-user oriented with a special focus on commercial viability, meetings with following are expected: RI, UNHCR and other NGOs; County Government relevant departments; Various authorities, Chamber of commerce; Private sector players including SMEs; Training institutions – village training centers, agricultural training centers, incubation hubs etc.

Required Qualifications:

Academic:

• Advanced university degree in labor and macro-economic studies or other related fields.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in job-labor market assessments, livelihood studies, value chain studies, market study, policy review and development research, or similar
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills and experience leading and managing research teams
• Proven assessment experiences from similar assignments including participatory assessment methodologies, appreciative enquiry methods, focus group interviews etc.
• Demonstrable experience of engaging with and networks amongst the private sector including the financial sector
• Proven experience from NGO-based development assistance in the South Sudan is an added advantage.

Deliverables and Schedule:

Suggested Timeline:

The envisaged assessment period is 20 days during the month of September 2021 distributed around time for preparation, start-up meeting with intended user, field work, travel, and report writing.

Reports:

The final assessment report shall follow a format to be agreed on between the consultant and RI.

Throughout the assessment process, intended users should be adequately updated on progress. A progress report can take the form of an email of half a page, supplemented by field notes as relevant.

General Terms and Conditions of Consultancy:

• Professional fee: The consultant(s) will be paid professional fees in accordance with this TOR and within RI’s approved rates, which will cover all costs of the consultant including travels, food, accommodation, etc.
• A contract will be signed by the consultant(s) prior to commencement of this consultancy which will detail additional terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables.
• Full term of consultancy: document review, field work and report writing should not exceed 30 days.

Other specifics on who makes decisions on what and what resources does RI mobilise to support the assessment, e.g., logistical support will be contained in the consultancy contract.

Budget and Payment:

• The consultant(s) will receive remuneration under the following terms of payment, which will be based on the output of the work and not on the duration that it might take:
• This task is projected to fall within 30 consultancy days
• 20 % of the total consultancy value (including withholding tax) shall be paid upon signing of the contractual agreement.
• The remaining 80% shall be paid after a final satisfactory report and other outputs are submitted and satisfactorily signed off by RI.

Expression of Interest and Proposal:

All expressions of interest should include:

Technical Proposal:

This section should be no more than 8 pages detailing:

• Brief explanation about the consultants (s) with evidence of previous experience in this kind of work.
• Profile of the consultancy firm to be involved in undertaking the consultancy.
• Understanding of the TOR with detailed response to the overall and specific objectives of this task
• A detailed description of the proposed methodology, staffing and monitoring of training and fieldwork.
• A draft consultancy framework and execution plan, with milestones and points of engagement with RI and UNHCR
• At least three referees and links to materials of relevant works.

Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal should be no more than 2 pages and provide cost estimates for:

· Services rendered costs including

• daily consultancy fees related to the consultants
• Costs related to persons that will participate from partners and government officers.

· Detailed breakdown of support costs including

• Accommodation, living and transport cost
• Stationeries and supplies needed for data collection.

How to apply:

Interested consultants/firms should submit, by email, a technical and financial proposal for this consultancy latest by September 10th 2021. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and candidates will be interviewed prior to the closing date that may appear on any of the job boards where this vacancy is posted.

Contact persons:

In case of any questions, or need for clarification, please write to: Henry M. Omony: henry.omony@ri.org and Alex Noel Kilong; KILONG@unhcr.org

All applications to send on this email addresses not later than September 10^th 2021

Confidentiality Statement:

• All data and information received from agencies and any other stakeholder for the purpose of this assignment is to be treated with utmost confidentiality and should only be used in the execution of the Terms of Reference
• Contents of written materials obtained and used in this assignment may not be disclosed to any 3^rd parties without advance written authorization of Relief International and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities. We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability

About the Organization

About Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 16 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

Relief International includes the four members of the RI Alliance in the USA, UK, France, and Belgium. Under our alliance agreement, we operate under a single, shared management structure with one CEO and one Board of Directors.

About our Programs.

RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

• RI employs 7,000+ staff and auxiliary workers

• 97% of staff are in-country nationals

• We only have some 90 ex-pat staff out of 7,000+

• RI spent $125 million in 2019 on our programs.

RI invests in four broad program sectors: Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). We design our programs to incorporate The RI Way: local participation, integrated programming, the development of civic skills, and partnerships including with local NGOs, governments, and the private sector.

RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.