[Hiring] International Consultant to develop a PEFA methodology for assessing Child-Responsive Public Financial Management @AGORA

Role Description

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop and undertake initial testing of a draft Child-Responsive Public Financial Management (ChPFM) assessment methodology suitable for subsequent country piloting and future consideration as a PEFA-aligned supplementary diagnostic.

• Public financial management (PFM) systems determine whether policy commitments to children are translated into credible budgets, predictable financing, effective service delivery, transparent reporting, and accountable results.
• UNICEF works on strengthening Public Finance for Children in 144 countries, generating analysis and evidence to strengthen budgets for children.
• Current tools include child-focused expenditure measurement, budget tagging, equity-sensitive allocation, subnational financing, service-delivery bottlenecks, and the use of budget and performance information.
• There is currently no globally established methodology for systematically assessing how the full PFM system supports children’s rights and equitable outcomes.
• The Department of Budget Management of the Philippines, together with UNICEF and the Asian Development Bank, developed and applied a pioneering ChPFM assessment alongside its 2024 PEFA assessment.
• This assessment adapted nine areas from the PEFA Gender framework to assess the extent to which the country’s PFM systems respond to the needs and rights of children.
• The experience demonstrated the feasibility of applying a child lens within an established PFM diagnostic process.
• This consultancy constitutes the first phase of a process to develop a methodology suitable for future piloting and global application.
• Final deliverables include the draft methodology and a protocol for future multi-country piloting.

Qualifications

• Masters in Economics, public finance, public policy, public administration or a related field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in public finance, public expenditure analysis, public financial management or fiscal policy; child-focused expenditure analysis.
• Demonstrated expertise in the PEFA framework, including application or development of PEFA or supplementary assessments.
• Experience in applying the PEFA Supplementary Assessment for Gender Responsive PFM, and the PEFA Subnational Framework Assessment is an asset.
• Experience developing indicator frameworks, assessment methodologies, technical guidance or operational tools.
• Experience working with ministries of finance and other PFM institutions in more than one country context.
• Experience in public finance for children, equity-oriented PFM, social-sector financing or child expenditure analysis is a strong asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• French fluency is a significant asset, given relevant examples from francophone contexts.
• Another UN language is an asset.

Requirements

• Strong comparative research, facilitation, analytical writing and stakeholder-consultation skills.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Experience developing methodologies, technical guidance or operational tools for governments or development partners.
• Advanced Excel skills.

Benefits

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do.
• UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does.
• UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence.
• Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities is offered throughout the recruitment process.