The Joint UN Joint Programme PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature (Programme) is designed to contribute to improving the well-being and quality of life of citizens through improved local governance, social inclusion, and environmental protection in 99 cities and municipalities in two regions: i/ Sumadija and Western Serbia and ii/ Southern and Eastern Serbia. The Programme is jointly implemented by the United Nations Serbia organisations - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of Serbia, and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland, in the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026.

UNFPA’s component within the Programme is focused on i/ building capacities of local governments and other relevant local public entities for implementing social policies and services, ii/ addressing the rights and needs of left behind groups, iii/ enhancing family-centered public service delivery and iv/ improving the quality of life of older persons and youth in Serbia.
The Government of Serbia has adopted the Strategy of Deinstitutionalization and Development of Social Services in the Community for the period 2022-2026 to support the development of social
protection services in local communities. Deinstitutionalization involved a shift of social services towards home care and community-based services and away from residential care. As part of the Strategy, various additional social services are planned to be gradually developed in local communities and interconnected with services such as employment, health care, education, and housing, in collaboration with civil society organizations and other service providers. This is an important step in supporting the delivery of community-integrated social services.

UNFPA CO Serbia is engaging three national consultants, one as a lead expert and project coordinator and two experts (legal and financial), to conduct an assessment of the local government’s capacities for the process of deinstitutionalization within the Programme (Output 2.3, Activity 2.3.1).
The National Consultant - the financial expert recruited under this assignment as part of the team with the lead and legal expert will participate in the process of the assessment of capacities at the local level for the process of deinstitutionalization (especially taking into account older persons, youth with disabilities, youth leaving the system of social care, etc) and explore possibilities for community-based social protection services in response to specific user needs. This assessment and related recommendations will inform the development of the Guidelines for LGs that would initiate the process of deinstitutionalization with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MoLEVSA). The activity will contribute to the realization of the Strategy of Deinstitutionalization and Development of Social Protection Services in the Community for the period 2022-2026 objectives and ultimately to the quality of life of social services end-users.
The National Consultant - the financial expert will report to the lead expert, the UNFPA Head of Office, the UNFPA PD Programme Analyst, the Programme Assistant, and the Focal Point from the MoLEVSA. The team of three experts will cooperate closely with the MoLEVSA, local governments, centers for social work, CSOs, the Institute for Social Protection, the Institute for Mental Health, and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities.

Three deliverables are expected from the national consultant, as follows:

1st Deliverable, to be completed by 25th January 2024:
The work plan for activity 2.3.1. is developed, in accordance with the Joint Programme Document.

2nd Deliverable, to be completed by 1st September 2024:
Capacities at the local level for the process of deinstitutionalization are assessed (especially taking into account older persons, youth with disabilities, youth leaving the system of social care, etc), and possibilities for community-based social protection services in response to specific user needs are explored.

3rd Deliverable, to be completed by 24th November 2024:
The first draft of the Guidelines for local governments that would initiate the process of deinstitutionalization is developed and submitted to the MoLEVSA and the UNFPA CO Serbia for review and comments.

Applicants should send their resume (CV) with a motivation letter to vacancies.serbia@unfpa.org, no later than 25 December 2023.

For more information, download the full Terms of Reference.