Gulf Sustain Researcher - Saudi Arabia

Short-Term Consultancy: Request for Proposals

The Institute of Human Rights and Business (IHRB) is the leading international think tank on business and human rights. IHRB’s mission is to shape policy, advance practice, and strengthen accountability in order to make respect for human rights part of everyday business.

Background

The Institute for Human Rights and Business’s (IHRB) Gulf Sustain programme seeks an individual or expert organisation to prepare a country analysis on sustainable development and economic diversification with a particular focus on the quality of jobs needed and the protection of vulnerable workers throughout the green transition in Saudi Arabia.

The ideal candidate/organisation will have a strong background in qualitative and quantitative research; comprehensive knowledge of labour standards and labour economics; familiarity with just transition framework; an excellent understanding of the national context in Saudi Arabia and/or Gulf Cooperation Council region; and a proven ability to transform complex topics and research inputs into compelling, accessible, and solutions-oriented recommendations and communications materials targeted at government and business audiences. Exact deliverables linked to the consultancy are listed below.

The research is expected to be undertaken over a 3-month period, with a total of 35 working days. The researcher(s) will work closely with the Gulf Sustain team as well as other strategic partners.

Gulf Sustain is an initiative funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) aiming to promote worker welfare and migrant rights in the context of the green transition in Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) countries.The programme works at multiple levels (regional, local and global) and involves engagement with government agencies, businesses, research institutions, and civil society. It fosters opportunities for knowledge exchange, coalition building, policy strengthening and promotion of international human rights and labour standards.

The research will aim to examine the benefits and implications of prioritizing job quality in economic diversification and green (just) transition processes in Saudi Arabia. It will also explore how, if managed well, economic diversification could present economic, social, and environmental co-benefits for all including vulnerable workers. 

Deliverables

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  • A research outline, including key research questions, potential interview questions and methodology. The outline and key research questions will then be finalized in collaboration with the Gulf Sustain team within 7 days following the initiation of the consultancy.
  
  
  • An in-depth report targeted at government and the private sector on the links between sustainable development and economic diversification, with a particular focus on the quality of jobs needed to support the ongoing green (just) transition in Saudi Arabia. The opportunities and risks for vulnerable worker groups should be addressed. The research should explore, in particular, the implications and potential benefits of placing an emphasis on job quality and access to decent work in the four national priorities outlined in the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ and wider green (just) transition plans. The analysis is expected to cover:
  
  
  • A brief overview of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification plans, including an overview of the key priority areas.
  
  
  • Labour market characteristics of the national priorities, including workforce composition, skill and education compositions, alongside different job quality and decent work measures, with a focus on vulnerable worker groups.
  
  
  • Demand-side considerations for each of the eight priority sectors, including key obstacles or pain points for growth and expansion (particularly among vulnerable groups), as identified in desk research and through key informant interviews (see point 2 below), in order to gauge the potential for growth over the coming decade.
  
  
  • Recommendations for relevant government departments and the private sector for considering and addressing job quality shortfalls with the expansion of the key priority sectors, while also providing recommendations to enhance enforcement and accountability of existing legislation and policy.
  
  
  
  • A summary brief (5 pages max) highlighting key findings, recommendations and policy priorities for Saudi Arabia’s government and the private sector.
  
  

Requirements

Experience & Knowledge

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  • Ability to commit up to30 days between 11 March and 11 June 2024
    
  • At least 10 years ofexperience in quantitative and qualitative research in labour economics,labour standards, job quality, decent work, just transitions or a relatedfield.
    
  • Excellent understandingof the regional geopolitical, economic and policy landscape in the GCC, aswell as a high degree of diplomacy and political awareness.
    
  • Proven track record inanalyzing complex issues and presenting data-driven analysis in a clear,accessible and concise manner.
    
  • Fluency in written andspoken English, with excellent research and writing skills; an articulate,confident and credible communicator that is able to draw connectionsbetween different overlapping topics.
    
  
  

Skills & Abilities

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  • Familiarity with keychallenges and opportunities in the context of the green transition in theGCC, and the ability to connect these issues to job creation, job qualityand workers’ rights.
    
  • Knowledge of keyinternational Business and Human Rights frameworks, in particular UNGuiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
    
  • Familiarity with theconcepts of "just transition" and social equity, and anunderstanding of their significance in the context of sustainabledevelopment and workers’ rights.
    
  • Experience/ examples ofworking with project teams to turn complex subjects into engagingcommunications materials.
    
  • Arabic language skills area plus.
    
    
    
  
  

Location & Travel

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• Remote with apreference for candidates based in the Gulf Cooperation Council
  
• No travel is requiredfor this role
  

Application Process

 Click on 'Apply' to submit the following:

A brief proposal summarising your approach, work plan, and suitability for this work (strictly no more than 2 pages).

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• Links to any relevant research previously completed on similar projects or with a similar approach
  
• Name and contact details for two references.
  
• Please indicate your proposed day rate, number of working days per year, and whether VAT is included/applicable.
  

Deadline for applications: 9am GMT on 25 February 2024 

Interviews: will be invited to an initial 30-45min video interview on 28 or 29 February 2024.

Expected start date: 11 March 2024.