II. Background and context

District Councils face a range of challenges related to development planning including a lack of strategic planning mechanism that results in districts having low capacity to adapt programmes and service delivery to the changing needs of stakeholders, lack of adequate baseline data and effective data management skills and systems to inform planning processes.

In this context, the MoIFAR intends to hire a Planning Consultant to support the Department of Planning at MoIFAR execute its mandate including decentralization roadmap, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation.

The Planning Consultant should ensure that in implementation of their work, strong emphasis is placed on gender, women, youth and marginalized groups in local government, human rights, local governance and good governance principles of transparency, accountability and participation.

The UN JPLG which is a five-year joint programme comprising of ILO, UNCDF, UNDP, UN-HABITAT and UNICEF with the overall goal of “creating an enabling environment for improved service delivery and greater stability, through improved legal, policy and system frameworks – building the knowledge of those working in and with local governments” will support MoIFAR in recruiting the Planning Consultant who will   to be based in Dhusamareb District administration offices and will be supervised by the Director General with assistance from the Planning Director. The position is for a limited period of six months.

·       Ensure that MoIFAR plays an active role in decentralization policy implementation, strategic thinking and knowledge sharing; conduct planning briefings and participate in missions related to local governance; and promote flow of information to donors, government institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

·       Provide Capacity Building support to the local governments departments of to improve local governments capacity to respond to the needs of their people for improved service delivery

·       Encourage full participation of stakeholders in the decentralization and local government reform processes to enhance empowerment and ownership.

·       Support Planning Department to ensure efficient day-to-day management of Local Governance Capacity Building Activities and putting in place the required plans for expansion of JPLG activities to additional districts.

·       Support (MoIFAR) to provide appropriate backstopping and quality control of activities in Local Governments to ensure efficient implementation of the workplan.

Specific Tasks:

1. Support the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation in implementation of the decentralization policy.

·       Provide technical inputs to the decentralization policy and provide recommendations on how to decentralize services. .

·       Guide the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation identifying functions and tasks that are not officially devolved and currently done by the local government, and functions performed by the sector ministries that could potentially be allocated to the districts.

·       Provide support to the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation in design of key decentralization messages through different media (TV, print e.t.c), and support   of public awareness campaign on decentralization

·       Review relevant policies, relevant laws, rules and regulation on Local governance and decentralization in Galmudug State, and advice MoIFAR and the IMCLG (when formed) on any discrepancies and relevant changes required

·       Identify training gaps that inhibit district capacities to assume service delivery responsibilities and recommend specific trainings to improve district capacities.

2. Support the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation play an active role in policy advice, strategic thinking and knowledge sharing;

·       Provide support to the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation in organizing decentralization policy forums with relevant stakeholders including other Galmudug State institutions, civil society, the private sector, and donor organizations to ensure coherency in approaches to relevant policy agendas.

·       Provide advice to the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation, and other relevant government stakeholders on decentralization policy and guideline requirements for the local governments approach, district grading and the demarcation of district borders.

·       Provide support to the Planning Department and district councils to identify options for resource mobilization at the local level and promote policy discussions with relevant government agencies and local authorities on this issue.

·       Provide support to the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation to write briefings on local governance latest developments in terms of capacity, policy and strategy as required.

3. Provide Capacity Building support to planning to improve local governments capacity to respond to the needs of its people by improving service delivery

·       Support the departments of planning at the local governments to monitor districts and ensure they follow the Participatory Planning Public Expenditure Management (PPPEM) modules and the District Development Framework (DDF) in preparation of their Annual Work plan and Budgets and ensure that the projects are equitable.

·       In consultation with relevant Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation departments, provide support to the preparation of work plans and budgets necessary to meet the programmatic outputs of the districts plans and priorities.

·       Strengthen capacity in the Planning Department to ensure that all donor support contributes to the improvement of accountability and transparency, and that gender sensitivity and other relevant cross cutting issues are being addressed.

4. Encourage full participation of stakeholders in the Department of Planning processes to enhance empowerment and ownership.

·       Assist the Planning Department in identification and formulation of coordinated approaches to local governance planning, management, and implementation of activities.

·       Assist Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation in its promotion of approaches to designing, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities that promote participation, accountability, and transparency.

·       Assist the Planning Department to encourage the participation of all stakeholders and special interest groups, especially women, youth, the elderly, disabled, and IDPS in the planning, implementation and evaluation of all development and capacity building activities

·       Provide appropriate support to the Planning Department to ensure that all project activities are well planned and coordinated, and that roll-out of the Joint Local Governance programme interventions takes place in a coherent manner

5. Support Local Governments to ensure efficient day-to-day management of all Local Governance Capacity Building Activities

·       Support the Planning Department to ensure that all activities, not limited to those agreed to under the Joint Local Governance Programme, are implemented in an efficient and timely manner, according to agreed upon workplans, and in compliance with relevant rules and regulations.

·       Assist the Planning Department to identify human resource needs in the departments of planning of local governments and assist in the preparation of Terms of Reference for staff and regular updating.

·       Ensure for supporting performance   are conducted on regular basis as required.

·       Help ensure that staff capacity and capability is utilized in the most efficient manner to achieve service delivery through district councils.

·       Provide support to the Planning Department in liaison with counterparts with regards to all donor funded activities and facilitate efficient management of the projects by government counterparts to ensure accountability, transparency and good practice.

·       Help facilitate team building and coordination between all LG staff to ensure improved output.

·       Assist the Planning Department in preparation of relevant progress reports on activities of Ministry including those of JPLG.

·       Perform any other duties that maybe assigned by the Minister or the Director General.

6. Support the Planning Department to provide appropriate backstopping and quality control of activities in Local Governments to ensure efficient implementation of the workplan.

·       Assist the Planning Department in designing and implementation of a quality control plan and help facilitate effective implementation of service delivery at the local level

·       Provide support and guidance to help ensure appropriate management of funds by the Planning Department, and Local Governments / districts.

·       Help ensure appropriate management of all resources and assets provided to the Planning Department, local governments / target districts through JPLG.

1. The Planning Department at MoIFAR plays an active role in policy advise, strategic thinking and knowledge sharing in the implementation of the Decentralization policy and roadmap in Galmudug.
2. The departments of planning in local governments capacities improved to actively participate in decentralization policy implementation and district planning and budgeting processes
3. Community consultations and decision-making processes by district councils are participatory and transparent and enhance ownership and empowerment.
4. The Planning Department and target districts follow procedures and regulations in delivery of the workplan as agreed with JPLG including the production of District Development framework (DDF).
5. Ensure quality control of activities undertaken by MoIFAR and the local governments

VI. How to apply

Qualified candidates should submit their applications, accompanied with copies of their Curriculum Vitae (CVs), to the below indicated address not later than on 07/07/2021, at this email: dg@moifar.gm.so and also copy Salah.abdirahman@undp.org. Only shortlisted candidates will be communicated

Only e-mail applications will be accepted

MoIFAR will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply