Food Security Statistics Expert

Organization: UNDP Saudi Arabia, through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC).

VA No. VA24-84

Position Title: Food Security Statistics Expert
Consultancy Type: International Expert

Duty Station: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Duration: 25 weeks

Vacancy Date of Issue: 6 June 2024

Vacancy Closure Date: 12 June 2024

Expected Starting Date: As soon as possible

This vacancy is announced by UNDP Saudi Arabia through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC). SOC is a sub-contractor for UNDP Saudi Arabia, assisting the programme in implementing their activities through HR and contract management of consultants working in their support.

Office/Unit/Project Description

Saudi Arabia has realized and sustained, for the last four decades, remarkable progress along the socio- economic development path. As a result of this, the Kingdom has been able to move to a high-income country. The GDP, for instance, increased from SAR 156 billion in 1969 to SAR 4,160 billion in 2022, putting the economy among the top 20 global economies in terms of size. Based on the annual ranking of the Human Development Index (HDI) of the Human Development Report, Saudi Arabia has steadily moved from the medium human development category in the 1990s to the very high human development category in 2021 at 0.875 value of HDI. The Saudi Vision 2030 represents an ambitious resolve with long-term goals and expectations founded on the strengths and capabilities of the Kingdom. It covers the three themes of a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation. A thorough review of the three themes and their underlying issues of national concern would reveal a holistic approach to development that encompasses the three dimensions of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the social, the economic and the environmental. Saudi Arabia recognizes that achieving the SDGs requires rigorous, real-time and continuous monitoring for which quality statistics is a must. The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has gone through a major revision of its corporate strategy and vision in alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030 and the SDGs. The revised strategy revolves around five pillars:

• Usage of statistics and information
• Production of statistics and information
• Application of advanced technologies in collecting and analyzing datasets
• Communications and awareness towards statistical knowledge
• Governance of statistical sector

In this context and under the framework of the Institutional Support to Statistics project, UNDP provides technical support to the GASTAT to strengthen the institutional and human capacities of the national statistical system (NSS) to support evidence-based development planning and policy-making, and to implement the National Strategy for Statistical Development (NSSD) successfully, and modernize the national statistical system.

Scope of Work

In order to support the General Authority of Statistics (GASTAT) and National statistical system (NSS) in monitoring and reporting the sustainable development goals (SDGs), producing official statistics and data with quality and in the context of the technical cooperation framework with the GASTAT – Institutional Support to Statistics Project – the UNDP is seeking an Agriculture Statistics Expert to provide technical support and support and guidance to the Agriculture Statistics team under the Environment Agriculture and Energy Statistics Department. This department of the GASTAT is engaged in the development of methodology, data collection, capacity development, coordination in the fields of Agriculture statistics, and monitoring and reporting SDGs indicators. The Agriculture Statistics Expert will provide technical assistance related to Saudi Arabia’s Food Security publications, the expected outcome should be comprehensive food security publications that includes all data and variables related to food security and fills the data gap.

Technical support:

• To assess the current status of GASTATS current statistical products on Food Security and benchmark with the world’s best practices and provide a detailed gap-analysis report.
• To provide an overall plan to fill the gaps based on the gap-analysis report and a detailed plan/roadmap to complete Food Security publications as needed.
• To design and develop a clear guidelines and procedures for Food Security publications that should detail gathering, calculating and reporting all applicable Agriculture, Food Security for Saudi Arabia
• To develop all input and output templates, surveys and datasheets for Food Security calculations and publication according to the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM).
• To prepare the full report for the Food Security Bulletin in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including all relevant elements in accordance with the International Practices Guide.
• Support the Agricultural Statistics team in challenges related to the (FIES) indicator of SDGs and FAO etc.
• To Support and provide expertise in analysing the food insecurity index (FIES) and Verifying the calculation and making a comparison to determine the Kingdom’s ranking with the rest of the countries.
• TO utilize an international best practice in reporting food security based on SDG, GFSI, FAO, and FSI
• To utilize available resources and improve statistical analysis through best practices implementation along with performing QA & QC on surveys, received data and methodologies.
• To provide guidance and methodologies for implementing and improving (geospatial data, big data, or alternative data) intakes to better reflect Agriculture statistics for both spatial and temporal dimensions.
• In support of data sets preparation upon request and efficiently respond to queries/requests.
• To identify additional data sources
• Undertake other relevant duties required to achieve the overall assignment’s objectives.
• To Verify the data related to food security received from concerned authorities.
• To Prepare the indicators on food security publications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including all relevant elements in accordance with the International Practices Guidelines.
• To Verify outputs by implementing best practices along with performing quality assurance and quality control on surveys, data and methodologies received.
• To Prepare output models for the Food Security Bulletin tables.
• To Review the Food Security Bulletin and verify the performance of best practices to achieve the overall mission objectives.

Capacity Development

• In addition to delivering the above-mentioned technical support, the Agriculture Statistics Expert will advise the GASTAT employees and related stakeholders on principles and best practice in modernize the Saudi Arabia’s of Agriculture statistics and Food security.
• Strengthen GASTAT’s internal capabilities in the field of Agriculture statistics through improving its statistical database and engaging it with international organizations and statistical offices.
• Develop national team capacity to conduct a comparative study of similar surveys in developed countries and to manage/analyse surveys’ data and results.
• Knowledge transfer through coaching and on-the-job-training/workshops for the ASD staff as needed to maintain Agriculture database and statistics.

Institutional Arrangement

• The duty station of the Agriculture Statistics Expert is GASTAT at Riyadh – Saudi Arabia & Remotely

The Agriculture Statistics Expert will work in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), other consultants and the relevant GASTAT technical staff.

Duration of the Work

• The expected duration of the assignment is expected to be up to 25 weeks with the possibility of extension.

Duty Station

• The assignment will be In Country Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He/ She will be embedded within the within the Survey Unit at GASTAT.
• If unforeseen travel outside the consultant’s home-based city is requested by UNDP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP in line with applicable rules and regulations and upon prior written agreement. In such cases, the consultant shall receive living allowances not exceeding the United Nations (UN) Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for such other location(s).
• Note: A written approval from UNDP and relevant authorities will be required to facilitate the consultant’s travel to any locations than stated on this TOR on official missions where necessary.

Working Arrangements:

• The duty station of the Agriculture Statistics Expert is GASTAT at Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
• The Food security expert will work in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), other consultants and the relevant GASTAT technical staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced university degree in Agriculture sustainability, environmental sustainability, economics, statistics, or other relevant fields.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

• At least 15 years of experience in providing consultancy services on Agriculture statistics.
• Sound quantitative analytical skill in Agriculture statistics and statistical analysis
• Professional experience in providing technical advice on national statistics.
• Ability to provide statistical technical advice on different sectors/theme.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team and to work under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish strong cooperative relationships with senior government officials.
• Ability to work on any of the statistical packages to analyse data.
• Good understanding and practice of capacity development.
• Training skills.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support on Agriculture development with international organizations UNDP/UN/FAO and/or National statistical offices.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support for government agencies in KSA/GCC
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards.
• Display cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Competencies

• Previous experience in providing advisory support on Agriculture development with international organizations UNDP/UN/FAO and/or National statistical offices.
• Previous experience in providing advisory support for government agencies in KSA/GCC
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards.
• Display cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Language:

Excellent command of English, working knowledge of Arabic would be considered an asset.