NSSP Political Economy Analyst/NSSP School Safety Expert

NSSP Political Economy Analyst& NSSP School Safety Expert

The Policy and Institutions Facility (PIF) Project 

Scope of Work

1. Background

The Policy and Institutions Facility (PIF) run by Oxford Policy Management is a five-year DFID-funded project to support government to critically assess and take actions to address key constraints to Nepal’s disaster risk and climate change policy and institutional framework. The PIF contributes to DFID's Disaster and Climate Resilience portfolio to deliver a sustained and transformational impact on Nepal’s resilience to climate disasters and earthquakes. One of the working approaches is to provide need based appropriate policy support to resilience partners to ensure quality delivery maintaining harmony and enhancing synergy across the portfolio projects.

On this context, PIF as a part of DFID's Disaster Resilience Programme is technically supports the Nepal Safer Schools Project (NSSP) on Political Economy and Public Finance Mechanism Analysis to assess opportunities and constraints for institutionalization, replication & sustainability of Nepal Safer School Project Approaches.

2. Project Background

As part of DFID's Disaster Resilience Programme, the Nepal Safer Schools Project (NSSP) is working closely with federal, provincial and local governments to strengthen schools against earthquakes. The major objectives of the NSSP are: 

• Engage with local governments towards safer learning facilities, particularly through seismically- resilient retrofitting and the rebuilding of schools in the Far-West of Nepal in: Provinces 5; Karnal; and Sudur Pacshim Province (eg. Bardiya, Jumla, Achham and Kailali Districts). At least 200 schools will be retrofitted and rebuilt, encompassing over 2100 classrooms.
• Ensure effective school-level disaster management  and resilient education for over 60,000 school children in these 200 schools, with a focus on disaster planning and response training and capacity building for the target schools and broader communities .
• Work with local and provincial governments to scale-up project activities, in line with the Comprehensive School Safety Master Plan  and with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology via a Technical Working Group  on Safer Schools.

One of the major recommendations from DFID's recent Annual Review of the Disaster Resilience Programme (in 2019) was to draw lessons from pre and post-earthquake retrofitting initiatives; and how NSSP can benefit from having an influencing strategy to advocate sustainable and scalable retrofitting approaches in Nepal. 

Reengagement with local, provincial and federal governments during the pre-pilot and pilot phases of school retrofitting provides an opportunity to equally emphasise project delivery, while strategically viewing how socio-economic and political dynamics influence and incentivise federal, provincial and local governments to invest in school retrofitting versus reconstruction approaches. 

3. Objective of Study

The overall objective of this Study is to: identify and analyse opportunities and constraints to institutionalize and scale-up safer school approaches (adopted by NSSP) by local, provincial and federal government; and recommend to DFID/NSSP (and wider stakeholders) appropriate investment options.  

Specifically, this Study aims to:

• Analyse the political economy of public financing on the education sector; monitor the fund flows and allocation; assess the capacity offer technical support; and present options to improve school safety toward disaster-resilient education systems (involving resilient infrastructure, institutions, and practices in support of comprehensive school safety) in Nepal;  Options should include enabling factors – incentive interests and power dynamics – for public financing of comprehensive safe school master planning via federal, provincial and local governments; 
• Assist in the adoption, implementation and harmonization of education related policy practices regarding school retrofitting; and,
• Analyse opportunities and constraints of NSSP technological and managerial approaches, and identify options to institutionalize these approaches through School Management Committees; and through local, provincial, and federal government.

Applicable recommendations are expected from the above analyses. This Study will address, inter-alia, the following key questions:

4. Skills and Expertise Required

4.1 NSSP Political Economy Analyst - 1 (National- 60 days over 6 months)

a.  Essential functions: The dedicated PEA Expert will lead this Study as Technical Team Leader, and coordinate all work of the School Safety Expert, in concert with the NSSP Project Team. S(he) will be responsible for quality assurance, PEA analysis, the methodology, and all deliverables. S(he) shall have primary accountability in systematically answering all Study Questions (above), along with core influencing issues such as: GESI, geographic disparity and marginalized groups, markets and global processes. 

The PEA Analyst will be fiercely independent, and have high confidence in formulating purposeful recommendations and formulating appropriate investment options for GoN and donors. 

b. Minimum qualification: At least a Master’s degree ina related fields - public policy, public education, political economics, or related degree. S(he) should:Have at least 4-5 years professional experience in DRRM &/or education policy, and practice assessment; be familiar with Nepal’s federal structures and public education context; have a solid conceptual understanding and analytical skills re gender, social, cultural, and geographic factors across Nepal;possess prior experience conducting/supervising applied research and political economy analysis in Nepal;possess solid proficiency (both in written and spoken) in English and Nepali.

4.2 NSSP School Safety Expert - 1 (National – 60 days over 6 months)

a.  Essential functions: TheSchool Safety Expert will lead the School Safety component of this Study; work together with the Political Economy Analyst (Technical Team Leader), and coordinate consultations and outputs with the NSSP Project Team and PIF Team. S(he) will be responsible for quality assurance on the school safety components; and in the co-formulation of the methodology and contract deliverables/report production. S(he) shall lead in the production of all school sector-related deliverables, with co-accountability on the Study Questions and issues such as: school retrofitting investment options, GESI (gender equality), geographic disparity and marginalized groups, markets and global processes. 

b.  Minimum qualification: At least a master’s degree in policy and governance related to education. Should have at least 3-4 years professional experience working with Nepal’s education sector,education research, and disaster (and climate) resilience. Must have very good proficiency (both in written and spoken) in English and Nepali

5. Reporting 

The NSSP Study Team will report to the PIF Team Leader, in alignment with the expectations and standards set by the NSSP Project Lead. Reporting deadlines will be agreed upon with the PIF Team Leader and NSSP Project Lead, as per the Inception Report and detailed Work Plan (see sections 3, 5 & 6).

NSSP Study Team experts shall work very closely with relevant PIF & NSSP Leads, and the DFID MEL Team as appropriate. The PIF Project Coordinator shall provide periodic support on certain administrative and logistics matters.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter along with 3 refrees to goma.pandey@opml.co.uk. by November 24, 2019.  Please mention the position in the subject line of the email.