Consultancy on Technical Support and Capacity Development on Risk Management for Statistical Work in Palestine according to the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)

The ultimate result of service of the consultancy is to support ESCWA in providing technical assistance and capacity development to PCBS on risk management for statistical work, using the GSBPM as the main reference framework. The support will help PCBS staff review current arrangements, identify gaps and priority areas, and develop practical tools, procedures and a phased action plan aligned with the existing national strategy for the development of statistics and the requirements of the National Statistical System.

Remote

3 months

Background The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) submitted a technical cooperation request to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) for technical advisory and capacity-development support in risk management for statistical work. The request aims to strengthen the capacity of PCBS staff to identify, assess, mitigate and monitor risks that may affect the production of official statistics, in accordance with the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM). The GSBPM will serve as the main reference framework for linking risk management to the phases of statistical production. This support is particularly relevant in the Palestinian context, where political, security and humanitarian conditions may affect field data collection, access to certain areas and population groups, staff mobility, administrative data flows, digital infrastructure, dissemination, and the continuity of statistical production. ESCWA will provide the requested support with the assistance of an international consultant. The proposed support will focus on enabling PCBS staff to develop a practical and applicable approach for managing risks related to statistical work according to the GSBPM phases, strengthening institutional preparedness, continuity, quality and reliability of official statistics, and ensuring alignment with the existing national strategy for the development of statistics and coordination requirements within the National Statistical System. Technical support is expected to start remotely during the initial phase. It may subsequently be built upon through more interactive technical support and capacity-development modalities, including in-person technical meetings, face-to-face training or a hybrid format, whenever feasible, as a future direction to be considered in light of progress and available resources. Duties and Responsibilities Under the overall supervision of ESCWA's Project Coordinator and in close coordination with PCBS, the consultant will: 1. Undertake a review of the current situation, covering relevant documents, policies, procedures and practices, complemented by interviews and working sessions with the relevant technical and administrative departments. 2. Support PCBS in assessing risks across the main phases of the GSBPM: needs, design, build, collection, processing, analysis, dissemination and evaluation. 3. Provide online technical guidance and capacity-development sessions on risk concepts, GSBPM-based risk mapping, risk registers, mitigation measures, monitoring and reporting. 4. Assist PCBS in developing a practical risk management approach for statistical work, including roles, responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, escalation procedures and review arrangements. 5. Support the preparation of practical tools and templates, including a risk register, risk assessment matrix, mitigation plan, monitoring format and reporting template. 6. Assist PCBS in preparing a phased action plan for implementation, including priority activities, roles and responsibilities, timeline, technical and institutional needs, and monitoring and evaluation indicators, ensuring alignment with the existing national strategy for the development of statistics and the requirements of the National Statistical System. The action plan should include a pilot phase to test the proposed tools and templates before their adoption and scale-up, as well as a clear mechanism for knowledge transfer and sustainability of institutional application, and finalize outputs based on comments from ESCWA and PCBS.

A Master's degree in statistics, data management, risk management, public administration, institutional development or a related field is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. At least seven years of relevant professional experience in official statistics, statistical systems, risk management, business continuity or institutional governance is required. Demonstrated knowledge of the GSBPM and its application in official statistics is required. Experience working with national statistical offices or public institutions and in capacity development or online training is desirable. Knowledge of crisis-affected or fragile contexts is desirable. Excellent analytical, drafting and communication skills are desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required, and knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Not available.