Junior Consultant – Social Protection Coordination and Event Support

Result of ServiceThe consultant will: • Complete the planning and logistical organization of the launch event for the Social Protection Country Profile for Egypt, including administrative and operational tasks as needed. • Complete background research and compiling of relevant information to support the preparation of event materials and briefings. • Submit a concise summary of the key messages and outcomes emerging from the event discussions. • Support communication and follow-up with national counterparts, partners, and stakeholders as needed. • Provide other ad hoc tasks Work LocationUN-House ESCWA Expected duration2 months Duties and Responsibilities1. Background and Objective In recent years, Egypt—like many countries in the Arab region—has taken important steps to strengthen its social protection system, expanding access to pensions, healthcare, and targeted cash assistance. However, despite this progress, a large share of the population remains outside the scope of protection. According to the 2024 World Social Protection Report, only 34.7% of Egypt’s population is covered by at least one social protection benefit. Among those still left behind are millions of informal, irregular, and self-employed workers—often referred to as the “missing middle.” These individuals are not eligible for poverty-targeted programs and are also not enrolled in contributory social insurance schemes, often due to a lack of formal employment arrangements or employer compliance. As Egypt moves forward with its social and economic reform agenda, there is growing momentum and political will to address this protection gap. Extending social insurance to irregular workers is increasingly recognized as a critical step toward ensuring more inclusive and resilient coverage. The ongoing project, supported by ESCWA, aims to assist national stakeholders in piloting practical solutions that can expand access to social insurance, strengthen administrative systems, and promote long-term sustainability. As part of this broader initiative, ESCWA has developed a Social Protection Country Profile for Egypt in close collaboration with national partners. The profile presents an innovative and comprehensive overview of the national social protection landscape. It consolidates information on all major contributory and non-contributory programmes, reviews institutional and legal frameworks, and offers evidence-based policy recommendations to enhance the inclusiveness and coherence of the system. The launch of the Country Profile marks a key milestone and will bring together representatives from the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS), the Ministry of Labour (MoL), the National Organization for Social Insurance (NOSI), the Universal Health Insurance Authority (UHIA), and development partners including ESCWA, GIZ, and the ILO. Beyond the presentation of the report, the event will also serve as an opportunity to collectively reflect on progress made under the pilot initiative to extend social insurance to irregular workers—starting with those in the construction sector. To support the organization of the launch event, strengthen coordination with partners, and ensure proper documentation and follow-up, ESCWA is seeking to recruit a junior consultant. The consultant will contribute to event logistics, stakeholder coordination, preparation of materials, and the synthesis of key messages and outcomes. This role also offers the opportunity to support broader communication and knowledge-sharing activities related to ESCWA’s work on extending social insurance coverage to informal and irregular workers. 2. Tasks - Duties and responsibilities: • Provide coordination support to both international and national consultants involved in the project. • Assist in the planning and logistical organization of the launch event for the Social Protection Country Profile for Egypt, including administrative and operational tasks as needed. • Conduct background research and compile relevant information to support the preparation of event materials and briefings. • Prepare a concise summary of the key messages and outcomes emerging from the event discussions. • Support communication and follow-up with national counterparts, partners, and stakeholders as needed. • Assist in drafting minutes, meeting notes, and internal summaries for coordination meetings related to the project. Qualifications/special skillsA Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Public Administration, Project Management, Social Policy, Social Development, Economic Policy, Financial Policy or another relevant field. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of Three years of relevant professional work experience in social development and public administration is required. Experience working on similar development projects is desirable. Background/familiarity with e-platforms management is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English and fluency in Arabic is required. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.