Senior Political Analyst

Proposed position Senior Political Analyst

Activity name, description and number

Decision-making at the municipal level in the area of local economic development is more inclusive and participatory: Activation and support for LED Forum
Ref: IDEAL19.ps.02

Background of the Country Programme and expected results

The IDEAL Palestine programme aims to build the capacity to form and implement inclusive Local Economic Development projects and policies of staff and leaders of selected Palestinian municipalities and its supporting organizations, i.e. the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG), the Municipal Development and Lending Fund (MDLF), and the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA).

Specific objectives of IDEAL Program:

1. Palestinian municipalities can create better conditions for economic growth and generate more employment opportunities, through more effective, gender sensitive, and responsive services in the area of Local Economic Development (LED);
2. Decision-making processes at the municipal level in the area of local economic development are more inclusive, gender sensitive, and transparent;
3. The policy and institutional environment for LED in Palestine enables the role of local governments as LED providers.

This assignment concerns itself with Outcome (2).

Context for current Terms of Reference

IDEAL supports 5 municipalities in drafting and implementing full Local Economic Development policy creation and implementation cycles. These municipalities are Ramallah, el-Bireh, Dura, Qalqiliya and Jericho. To ensure their inclusiveness and transparency, these cycles must be informed by local advisory bodies that are inclusive of various citizens groups, especially vulnerable groups. For this purpose each municipality has established a Local Economic Development Forum (LED Forum).

The LED Fora should consist of a group of representatives from diverse local backgrounds, including MSMEs, CSOs, and sex and age groups. 

In order to be successful, active support from municipal decision-makers (mayors, councils) for the inclusive and participatory functioning of the LED Fora is required.

Aim of this assignment

This assignment should determine the existing power relations between municipal decision-makers, i.e. mayors and councils, and the local private sector, as well as determine the individual and organizational structures that influence decision-making processes in the sphere of Local Economic Development.

Activities to be performed

The consultant should:

• Visit each of the 5 municipalities and interview mayors, council members involved with LED, current key LED Forum members, municipal LED Unit managers, and key representatives of CSOs not involved in the Led Forum;
• Consider background materials provided by IDEAL programme management;
• Analyze the current municipal power structures, taking into account and showing the political and economic local processes and how that influences
• The attitudes and decisions of municipal decision-makers regarding the LED Forum and its members.
• The advice that the LED Forum provides on economic development initiatives to the municipality
• How CSOs not involved with the LED Forum view the representative role of the LED Forum and the performance of the municipality as transparent and participatory towards its community;
• Provide a synthesis of conclusions and general recommendations on actions to improve the support and the inclusive and participatory practices of the LED Forum in each of the 5 municipalities and in general.

During the assignment the consultant will ensure the execution of the analysis and the recommendations are conflict and gender sensitive. The consultant will cooperate closely with a gender expert, provided by IDEAL programme management. 

The consultant may expect VNG International to facilitate contacts with each of the municipal organizations, but the consultant is expected to coordinate all meetings and visits. A VNG International coordinator will accompany the consultant during the visits.

Outputs (expected deliverables)

1. A 1 to 2 page action plan describing (a) which stakeholders will be contacted and what is required from VNG International in facilitation of contact, (b) what desk research will be done, (c) how the research and interviewing method will ensure conflict and gender sensitivity in approach and conclusions, (d) how the consultant will cooperate with the gender consultant. The action plan needs to be approved by VNG International in order to continue the assignment.
2. An advisory report on power relations in each of the 5 municipalities as well as a general synthesis, according to the tasks described above. 

All reporting is to be done in English

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Qualifications of the consultant

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience working with the public sector in Palestine and preferably with the municipal sector;
• A university degree in political science, public administration or similar. A degree in anthropology, sociology, history or similar may also deemed relevant, in combination with relevant research experience; 
• Demonstrable practitioners experience of delivering political economy analyses in the MENA-region;
• Demonstrable research experience and excellent writing skills
• Fluency in Arabic and English

Interested candidates should send their CVs and research/publication samples to mrs. Amal Odeh, [email protected] before 27 August 2019. Please mention Senior Political Analyst in the subject line.

Foreseen number of working days 12

Period of the assignment September

Place of the assignment Ramallah, el-Bireh, Dura, Qalqilya and Jericho