HDRO produces the Human Development Report (HDR) and other key knowledge products, with the objective of moving the global debate on human development forward. In 2022 HDRO published a Special Report on Human Security that pushed the analytical frontier on human security and put forward new policy approaches for a systemic response to the evolving and interconnected threats to human security that societies face around the globe. The forthcoming 2021-2022 HDR will take this analysis one step further, building on the 2019 and the 2020 HDR, and explore how different layers of uncertainty – from the dangerous planetary changes in the Anthropocene and their interaction with inequalities, from the necessary transformations to ease planetary pressures, and from the intensified polarization of our societies – are stacking up and interacting to unsettle our lives in unprecedented ways.

Now, HDRO is seeking consultants who will contribute to the next generation of human development research. The work will build on the findings in previous HDRs, and other knowledge products published by HDRO, as well as related background research, but should apply a forward-looking lens. For this call, three main thematic areas will be considered:

• New policy frontiers to mitigate climate change impacts on human development
• Water security and Human Development
• Conflict measurement analysis and Human Security

The consultants will work collaboratively with the HDR Research team. The work will be carried out remotely.

It is expected that the consultants provide the following deliverables:

• Excellent record of conducting research on the main themes of this call, including conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Sound theoretical knowledge of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, or peace and conflict studies, or water security
• Familiarity with working with an international organization
• Familiarity with policy-oriented research writing
• Familiarity with the process of producing a leading global report
• Demonstrated experience of successful delivery under tight deadlines.

• Master’s degree or equivalent degree in a social science. PhD considered an asset
• Degree in economics, sociology, political science, peace and conflict-studies and environmental science, with experience in international development and knowledge of developing economies, are particularly relevant.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience working with large datasets and advanced knowledge of Excel
• Experience working with Stata, R or other statistical analysis software
• Demonstrated experience of successful delivery under tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of key debates in the area of development studies.

Desired:

• Experience on working with EndNote for managing references and citations.
• Solid experience with analysis rooted in the human development approach.
• Ability to synthesize large amounts of information into succinct written summaries.
• Orientation for details and ability to work as part of a team with staff at all levels.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken?English, additional languages desired

Scope of financial/price proposal and schedule of payment(s)

The prospective service provider will indicate the cost of services in US dollars when applying for this consultancy. The proposer will be paid only after approving authority confirms the successful completion of each deliverable.

Recommended presentation of offer

The prospective service provider should present:

• Statement of research interest: a brief description of the prospective service provider’s research interests (max 500 words)
• Statement on availability: indicating time availability for carrying out the assignment/consultancy
• Financial proposal: Fee quote (lumpsum) in USD for the assignment/consultancy
• Personal CV: indicating past experience from similar projects as well as the contact details of the Candidate and at least three professional references

The expressions of interest will be assessed on a rolling basis.

Criteria for selecting the best offer:

The prospective service provider will be evaluated based on Cumulative Analysis as per the following scenario:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

• Having received the highest ranked score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. In this regard, the respective weight of the proposals is:
  • Technical Criteria weight is 70%
  • Financial Criteria weight is 30%

Process

The author(s) will work closely with the HDRO research team.

The author(s) will be asked to consult remotely with the Human Development Report team via Zoom or phone to discuss the work. In-person meetings will be held as needed.

The final version of the paper (potentially co-authored by members of the HDRO team) may also be published on the HDRO website. Please refer to the annexed HDRO publishing policy.

The HDRO’s research team will oversee the work of the selected consultant(s).

Annex: HDRO publishing policy

The copyright for all research commissioned by the Human Development Report Office will be held by HDRO/UNDP. HDRO reserves the right to publish it online as a Working Paper of the HDR Paper Series. Therefore, authors are requested to submit the papers in a form they would be satisfied with, substantively and stylistically, for publication. Publication and dissemination elsewhere is not permitted before the article here commissioned is published as a Working Paper of the HDR Paper series, or the author is informed that the paper will not be published by HDRO. After the publication of the Working Paper by HDRO or the written communication to the author that the paper will not be published by HDRO, authors are free to edit, update, expand and publish the papers elsewhere as long as they explicitly acknowledge that the original research had been commissioned by HDRO.