Result of Service

OG-CORE for officials of four beneficiary countries (specific countries to be determined) to develop capacities to prepare and utilize the country adaptation of OG-CORE to analyze policy questions and inform viable options.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

9 months

Duties and Responsibilities

PDF project SDG-2022-03 seeks to build capacity for the use of modern modelling approaches and tools to strengthen the analytic foundations and evidence base of policies and strategies for sustainable development in target countries. One of the tools being transferred to beneficiary countries is the Core Overlapping Generations Macroeconomy Model (OG-CORE) adapted to each beneficiary country.
EAPD intends to create the capacities to prepare and utilize the country adaptation of OG-CORE to analyse policy questions and inform viable options. To this end, EAPD intends to design and deliver a training program on OG-CORE and its use to technical staff of beneficiary countries. To support the training course, EAPD intends to develop OG-CORE training materials to be made available in a dedicated online training platform for the project.
An external consultant is needed to conduct the training of OG-CORE for officials of four beneficiary countries (to be determined in consultation with the project managers). This includes creating the OG-CORE training materials (including presentation materials, demonstration case and exercises, as well as adapt them to a modular format suited to be published on the project online training website). The training materials will be used during training sessions to guide a group of government officials on the use of the OG-CORE model to address a realistic policy question and communicate the findings to senior officials.

The consultant will support the following outputs of the project:

Output 1.2: Customized macro-micro simulation tools and integrated modelling. Develop macro-economic, microsimulation or CLEWs integrated modelling tools customized for each country, adapted for the unique circumstances of selected countries to inform COVID-19 recovery strategies and SDG implementation. Model selection and design will be tailored to the specific geographic, economic and social characteristics as well as the sustainable development priorities and specific COVID-19 recovery challenges of each country. When applicable, structural and econometric modelling tools will be customized and used for simulations of the countries’ recovery plans to project paths of macro-economic indicators such as GDP growth, consumption and investment, export and imports, productivity changes, fiscal balance, debt to GDP ratio, inflation, and foreign exchange. If data allows, Existing DESA guided instruments, and free and open-source tools will be used as much as possible.

Output.1.3: National training workshops for each country on the policy simulation tools. A training program that blends on-line training with in-person workshops will be delivered in each country. The training will cover macro-economic modelling, micro-simulations, or CLEWs analysis as appropriate. Training materials for both virtual and in-person delivery will be developed and tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of each country. Government officials will be trained to use the quantitative techniques in their work to inform and support national development planning, investment proposals, gender, labour, education and health system interventions. To support sustainability, staff members of regional training centres and researchers at local universities will be invited to the workshops for training of trainers.

Under the supervision of DESA/EAPD/DRB staff, the consultant will conduct training workshops in each beneficiary country to train government officials on using OG-CORE to inform policymaking.

The consultant will:
A. Develop digital training materials on OG-CORE covering model dynamics, components, calibration, simulation, and applications. The materials should include presentations, case studies and exercises.
B. For each country, develop a training plan comprising two 5-day in-person workshops for each country. The program should cover both theoretical and practical aspects of using OG-CORE and include an assessment of data availability and needs, as well as possible policy questions
C. For each country, deliver the first in-person on site 5-day session: Running, interpreting, and calibrating OG macro model
D. For each country, deliver the second in-person 5-day session: Advanced OG modeling skills for policy experiments and calibration, and how to interpret outputs for policy advice
E. For each country, finalize model calibration and resolve and pending questions.

Qualifications/special skills

• Doctorate Degree (or equivalent) in economics, engineering, programming or related field.
• A minimum of 15 years of experience in quantitative techno-economic analysis.
• Experience in contributing to the OG-CORE open-source project as a developer is required.
• Experience in teaching the OG-CORE is required.
• Teamwork and leadership ability.

Languages

Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official UN Language is an advantage.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.