Call for Consultant: FFSD Data Tool

As civil society, CONCORD Europe, the European Confederation of Development and Relief NGOs, monitors the quantity and quality of EU ODA, to keep EU institutions and EU Member States accountable for their ODA commitments and to inform coordinated EU lobby work on development cooperation. In the framework of our work on Financing and Funding for Sustainable Development (FFSD), CONCORD is launching a call for an external consultant.

The agreement for the next EU budget 2021-2027 foresees significant changes in the EU development landscape with 75% of the NDICI which will be implemented through geographic programmes (the ‘geographisation’ of ODA) and an increase in funds through the EFSD+. The role of EU Delegations in-country grows steadily in determining the direction of spending but makes it harder to track. CONCORD’s aim is, therefore, to monitor that EU funding reaches the most marginalised countries and people. Therefore, CONCORD is creating an FFSD data tool to make sure that the EU respects the aid transparency principle as well as the commitments taken under the instrument NDICI-Global Europe.

For the period 2021-2027, CONCORD data tool for ODA aims to monitor:

• EU ODA from NDICI-Global Europe to (core funding) and through (earmarked funding) CSOs. In particular, we would like to monitor:
  • funding to local CSOs,
  • funding to CSOs who work with the most marginalised populations (women/feminist organisations, youth organisations, disability organisations, etc.),
  • funding to CSOs who are based in the most marginalised areas of partner countries (e.g. rural areas)
• EU ODA from NDICI-Global Europe commitments vs disbursements at the global, regional and country levels – including for groups of countries (ex. LDCs, MICs, Fragile States, etc.);
• EU grants-based ODA from NDICI-Global Europe channelled through financial mechanisms (calls for proposals, direct awards, negotiated procedures, etc.) and different aid modalities.
• How the NDICI-Global Europe targets & benchmarks are being met through the geographic and thematic and rapid response programmes, as well as monitor the priority sectors for cooperation; how the EU attains SDG priorities through the Team Europe Initiatives.

Timeline

The work should be carried out between September 2021 and November 2021.

Job description

The main tasks of the work would consist of proposals for data collection and establishment of the initial data visualisations:

• Developing a methodology and a timeline for the FFSD data tool. The methodology will be about which EU ODA & HA (NDICI-Global Europe) codes and sources the FFSD data tool should use, from which datasets the information should be drawn from, a division of labour (roles of CONCORD Secretariat, members). In terms of timeline, this should be about how often we should update our database/how often fresh data is released by the EU institutions, etc.
• Through Tableau or PowerBI, setting up the database to visualise the data on CONCORD’s website, which will be regularly updated based on the methodology.

Data tool format

The final tool should use Tableau or PowerBI as a software to visualise the data.

Candidate profile

Successful candidates for this offer will respond as much as possible to the following profile:

• Essential:
  • Experience in quantitative and qualitative ODA data analysis and statistics.
  • Familiarity with databases such as OECD DAC CSR, EU Open Data portal, EU Aid Explorer; as well as with EU MEL framework and OPSYS and different aid modalities of EU programming.
  • Fluent English writing and editing skills.
  • Very good understanding of the aid/development effectiveness agenda, of DAC and EU ODA reporting rules.
  • Experience with data visualisation software like Tableau or PowerBI.
• Desirable:
  • Experience of working with CSOs/NGOs networks or multiple stakeholders, working under pressure would be an advantage.
  • Very good knowledge of EU Development Cooperation issues, with a particular focus on the new NDICI-Global Europe instrument.
  • Some experience in communication.

Application process

To apply for this post, please send:
– your CV outlining your relevant expertise to meet this assignment (1 page max);
– your proposal on how you will undertake this research, including a suggested number of days and their distribution between the different tasks and phases of the work and your day rate (1 pages max).
The CV and proposal must be submitted as one document. Please upload the document in the portal below by 30 August 2021 COB. Only applications uploaded through this portal will be considered. 

For any additional information, don’t hesitate to contact Riccardo Roba riccardo.roba@concordeurope.org before the deadline.