Individual Consultant for Research Assistants, GDP Rebasing 479 views
Job Overview
Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West and Central Africa (HISWACA)
Project Implementation Unit (PIU), C/o Gambia Bureau of Statistics,
Kanifing Institutional Layout, Kanifing, The Gambia
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Country: The Gambia
Project: Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West and Central Africa
Grant No.: IDA E1750-GM
Assignment Title: Recruitment of a individual consultant for Research Assistants, GDP Rebasing Exercise
Duration of the Assignment: 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027
Duty station: As assigned by the National Accounts Unit, The Gambia Bureau of Statistics
Reporting line: Principal Statistician, National Accounts Unit, or Director of Economic Statistics
Background
The National Accounts Unit (NAU) of The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) is undertaking the rebasing of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), updating the base year from 2013 to 2024 in accordance with the System of National Accounts 2008 (SNA 2008). The exercise is intended to enhance the accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness of national economic indicators by incorporating new data sources, applying updated methodologies, and reflecting recent structural changes in the economy.
To support the exercise, the NAU will engage Research Assistants to collect data from selected establishments, institutions, households, and informal sector enterprises, as applicable, and to process the resulting information for GDP compilation. Their work will be essential to ensuring that the data used in the rebased GDP estimates are accurate, reliable, complete, and fit for purpose.
Objective of the Assignment
The principal objective of the assignment is to collect, process, and validate high-quality data required for the GDP rebasing exercise. The assignment will cover relevant economic activities and institutional units, including:
- Agriculture, industry, and services sectors;
- Public institutions, private sector entities, and non-governmental organizations;
- Households, where applicable, and informal sector enterprises;
- Processing and cleaning data for integration into the national accounts compilation system; and
- Ensuring compliance with established statistical, methodological, ethical, and quality-assurance standards throughout the exercise.
Scope of Work
Under the guidance of the National Accounts Unit, each Research Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
- Accurately administering questionnaires and collecting relevant supporting documents, including financial statements;
- Conducting interviews with assigned enterprises, institutions, and households in accordance with approved procedures;
- Submitting weekly progress updates to the Head of the National Accounts Unit;
- Safeguarding the confidentiality of all information obtained and complying with applicable ethical and data-protection standards;
- Participating fully in on-the-job training and other technical orientation sessions organized by the NAU;
- Undertaking data validation, verification, and follow-up activities as instructed;
- Ensuring the consistency, accuracy, and completeness of all information collected;
- Entering, coding, processing, and validating data using designated software, including Excel and Stata;
- Identifying inconsistencies, omissions, and errors, and promptly flagging anomalies for review;
- Supporting the compilation, cleaning, and organization of datasets for analysis and integration into the GDP compilation framework;
- Assisting in the preparation of summary reports, field documentation, and other materials required by the NAU technical team; and
- Performing any other duties relevant to the compilation of national accounts, as may be assigned.
Expected Deliverables
- Complete, accurate, and verified data from assigned respondents and data sources;
- Cleaned and validated datasets ready for compilation and analysis;
- Monthly progress reports covering data collection and data-processing activities; and
- Clear documentation of field challenges, data-quality concerns, corrective actions taken, and recommendations for improvement.
Duration of the Assignment
The assignment will be undertaken over a period of one year, from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, and will include on-the-job training, data collection, validation, and processing activities. The duration may be adjusted, where necessary, to reflect field conditions and workload requirements.
Reporting and Supervision Arrangements
The Research Assistants will report directly to the Principal Statistician, National Accounts Unit, or the Director of Economic Statistics. Overall coordination and technical oversight will be provided by the Head of the National Accounts Unit under the supervision of the Director of the Economic Statistics Directorate.
Required Qualifications and Skills
Candidates must possess the following qualifications, experience, and competencies:
- A bachelor’s degree in Financial Economics, Accountancy, Statistics, or a related discipline;
- Prior experience in surveys or data-collection activities will be considered an asset;
- Good communication and interpersonal skills;
- Strong attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment to accuracy in recording information;
- Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet established deadlines;
- Experience in data entry, validation, and cleaning;
- Proficiency in data-processing software, including Excel, Access, Stata, SPSS, or similar applications;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; and
- Ability to work with minimal supervision and deliver outputs within tight deadlines.
Logistics and Administrative Support
The Bureau will provide the materials required for the assignment. Field logistics, including transportation and monthly allowances, will be arranged in accordance with the Bureau’s applicable guidelines and procedures.
Confidentiality
All data and information collected or accessed during the assignment shall be treated as strictly confidential and used solely for authorized statistical and analytical purposes. Any unauthorized disclosure or breach of confidentiality may result in disciplinary action in accordance with applicable institutional rules and procedures.
Professional Conduct
Research Assistants are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, impartiality, and neutrality throughout the assignment. They must comply fully with institutional policies, approved field protocols, ethical requirements, and the professional standards governing official statistics.
Application and Submission Procedures
Interested and suitably qualified applicants are invited to submit their applications by close of business on Friday 4th September 2026. Applications may be submitted either electronically or in hard copy.
Electronic submissions:
hydarakutubhiswaca@gbosgov.org
Hard copy submissions:
Mr. Mohammed L. Janneh
HISWACA Project
Mansa Musa Faal Complex
Bijilo, The Gambia
Applicants should clearly indicate the position title, “Research Assistant for the GDP Rebasing Exercise,” in the subject line of electronic submissions or on the envelope containing a hard-copy application.
