Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP’s development efforts are defined by the Strategic Plan: 2008-2013, which has established four development focus areas: (i) poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, (ii) democratic governance, (iii) crisis prevention and post-conflict recovery, and (iv) environment and sustainable development. The “Environment and Sustainable Development” focus area consists of four key result areas, which are: (i) mainstreaming environment and energy, (ii) catalyzing environmental finance, (iii) expanding access to environmental and energy services for the poor and adaptation to climate change.

UNDP seeks to develop country capacity to manage the environment and natural resources; integrate environmental and energy dimensions into poverty reduction strategies and national development frameworks. Energy and environment are essential for sustainable development. The poor are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and lack of access to clean, affordable energy services. UNDP helps countries strengthen their capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.

UNDP’s Water & Ocean Governance Programme (WOGP), active in over 100 countries, supports governments and other stakeholders in moving towards sustainable, climate resilient utilization of the earth’s freshwater and marine resources, vital to sustainable development and livelihoods. WOGP assists countries in accelerating progress on the water and sanitation MDGs and towards achieving WSSD and other Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) targets. Through development and promotion of training courses, tools and methodologies, and other materials, WOGP builds national, regional and global capacities for effective water and ocean governance.

Duties and Responsibilities

The successful contractor would provide the following demand-based services to WOGP:

• Maintenance and updating of global UNDP water & ocean governance portfolio databases;
• Occasional research and analytical tasks;
• Provide assistance in preparing and editing WOGP publications, outreach and advocacy materials including liaison with designers, printers and distributors;
• Ensure vendors are paid in a timely manner upon completion of deliverables;
• Working with WOGP partners (US-NOAA, GEF, SIWI, UN-Oceans, etc.) in the preparation and launch of occasional joint publications;
• Support WOGP team in preparation for major international conferences, fora and events including Stockholm World Water Week, AAAS Annual Meeting, GEF  Biennial IW Conference, World Water Day, World Oceans Day, etc. (preparing and shipping materials for dissemination, outreach, event organization, etc.);
• Working with UNDP web team, ensuring WOGP website is kept up to date and accurate in its portrayal of WOGP;
• Miscellaneous WOGP outreach and communications activities. 

Competencies

• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Focuses on achieving results for external and internal clients;
• Willingly provides support to others in UNDP who request advice or help;
• Displays open, co-operative behavior with other team members;
• Supports team decisions;
• Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients; anticipates evolving client needs;
• Writes and speaks clearly and convincingly;
• Practices attentive and active listening;
• Communicates effectively and respectfully with individuals of a different culture, races, gender, religion, nationality and age;
• Continuously clarifies, refers to, and supports UNDP's mission, values and guiding principles in his/her work;
• Remains calm and in control, and good humored even under pressure;
• Demonstrates respect and a clear interest in people by what he/she says and does;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
• Makes and sustains needed changes in the way he/she behaves.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced degree in environment, water resources or development-related field(s);

Experience:

• 5 or more years of relevant experience;
• Excellent computer literacy;
• Excellent writing and editing skills (English);
• Good knowledge of UNDP policies and procedures, including procurement;
• Experience working with member agencies of UN-Water, UN-Oceans and other UNDP Water & Ocean Governance partner organizations;
• Experience organizing media and related awareness raising events in the metro-NY area;
• Highly organized with the ability to work efficiently and meet deadlines;

Language:

• Fluent in English language; skills in other UN languages a plus but not required.

Management Arrangements:

The consultant will report to the Head, UNDP Water & Ocean Governance Program (NY-based). The consultant is expected to work from home, needing to come to UNDP only upon request or as needed. The contract that will be signed with the successful Offeror shall be for an “on-call” arrangement, whereby the contractor is engaged as needed, and paid quarterly on basis of number of days worked.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

• Financial proposals must be all inclusive and must be expressed on the basis of a daily fee in USD;
• Payments will be made on a quarterly basis upon submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating outputs achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The selection of the best offer will be based on a Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a maximum of 30%. The 70% rating shall be based on how well the Offeror meets the minimum qualifications/competencies described above.

Framework Agreement

The Individual Consultancy (IC) will be established as a framework agreement with the selected Offeror when the services are needed on an intermittent basis. The IC will be based on an agreed upon unit price for the service and the issuance of a Purchase Order will be used to activate the rendering of service within the IC period. The IC as a framework agreement does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNDP at the time the IC is signed, and that such an agreement is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from entering into another such framework agreement with another individual or entity). Financial commitments will only be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the IC, through the agreed triggering action (Purchase Order) that signals the commencement of a given engagement.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Terms of Reference
• UNDP General Terms and Conditions

Applicants must provide the following  (documents can be downloaded from: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=10477):

Personal CV or Personal History Form (P11), indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive daily fee. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.  

Indicate available start date

All submissions can be scanned and uploaded as one PDF document or attachments can be sent by email to eeg.jobvacancies@undp.org. The email 'Subject" header must indicate the job ID #34899 - Support Services to UNDP Water & Ocean Governance Programme (WOGP).  INCOMPLETE or late submissions will not be considered for this vacancy.

Note:

The term ‘all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal