Background

UNDP helps countries prevent armed conflict, alleviate the risk and effects of disasters from natural hazards and build back better and stronger when crises happen. Building resilience to conflicts and disasters is at the very heart of UNDP's work. When a crisis strikes, UNDP ensures that while the humanitarian response focuses on the immediate lifesaving needs of a population, those responsible also work towards longer-term development objectives.
 
Created in 2001 by UNDP's Executive Board, the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) works around the world to restore the quality of life for men, women and children who have been devastated by natural disaster or violent conflict. Operating through some 100 Country Offices (COs), the Bureau provides a bridge between the humanitarian agencies that handle immediate relief needs and the long-term development phase following recovery. Carving stability out of chaos, BCPR continues to seek new ways of preventing conflicts and of doing business - faster, earlier and in riskier situations.
 
When operating in countries in development and crisis situations, UNDP country offices are almost always faced with the challenge of finding adequate human resources with the required technical expertise in the short time-frame that crisis related situations often demand. BCPR is at the forefront of receiving regular requests from COs asking for the quick deployment of staff or identification of consultants with specific expertise for durations ranging anywhere from a few days to a few months.
 
ExpRes was created in 2009 as one of the tools to help address this challenge. ExpRes is the ‘Experts Roster for Rapid Response’ of UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery and has seen over 600 experts deployed since its inception. The system provides pre-selected and technically vetted consultants to support the work of UNDP country offices/units and other UNDP partner agencies in the area of crisis prevention and recovery.
 
In this context, UNDP is soliciting the submission of CVs (individuals, not firms) from experts and experienced consultants to be considered for registration with the UNDP ExpRes Roster in the below profile.

If you are already a member of ExpRes, you do not need to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities

Profile: Mine Action

Incorporation of Mine Action into Contingency Planning, Early Recovery and Regular Programming

Including developing appropriate programmatic approaches, identifying implementing partners and linkages with other UNDP sectors of intervention.

Integration of Mine Action Planning and Programming

Including into broader national development and reconstruction programmes.

Mine Action Policy and Advocacy

Including maintenance and development of national and international mine action policy and advocacy on specialized matters such as cluster munitions, victim assistance and Mine Ban Treaty.

Development of Mine Action Programmes

Including recommendation of programme activities, feasibility and implementation plans, resource mobilization and mainstreaming gender and victim assistance considerations into programmes/projects.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Mine Action Initiatives

Including missions, monitoring and review of UNDP’s mine action work plans, policies and strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Consultants will provide advisory support to clients (UNDP offices, national project teams, and national stakeholders including governments, civil society organizations and affected communities) in areas of Crisis Prevention and Recovery. Specific reporting and working relationships will be specified at the time of contracting.
 
When demand arises in a particular thematic area, pre-selected consultants are called upon to provide demand-driven advisory services, access to knowledge, and technical backstopping to UNDP Country Offices. The range of tasks for the consultant vary according to the assignment and may include  research, diagnostic missions, provision of strategic advice, capacity assessments and capacity development activities, strategic development and implementation of projects and policies, on-site support to programme identification and development, monitoring and evaluation, legislation drafting, negotiation and coordination with public/private partners and stakeholders, partnership development, community engagement and outreach. Consultants will perform their duties from home combined with the in-country missions and/or project site visits (per request of the UNDP Country Office). Consultants are expected to attend relevant meetings and workshops at the country level, including stakeholder consultations, inception and validation meetings. Requirements for specific competencies, qualifications, duties and responsibilities will be outlined in assignment TORs.

Competencies

Core Competencies:
 
Ethics & Values:
  • Demonstrating / Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity;
  • Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status.
Organizational Awareness:
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment understands the structure and hierarchy of UN/UNDP, process flows throughout the organization, products and services, their measures of effectiveness, and perceptions of clients;
  • Excellent knowledge of development issues and internationally-agreed development goals;
  • Good knowledge of the socio-economic and political situation of the countries in the different regions;
  • Knowledge of UNDP's approach to ICT for development and e-governance .
Developing & Empowering People/Coaching and Mentoring:
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Takes appropriate risk in developing new or adapting existing methods and approaches to more effectively perform tasks or to solve problems in new and unique ways.
Working in Teams:
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Works collaboratively with colleagues inside UN/UNDP as well as its partners and other stakeholders to pursue common goals.
Communicating Information and Ideas:
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
  • Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organized and easily understood manner;
  • Excellent oral and written skills to develop knowledge products in relevant areas.
Self-Management & Emotional Intelligence:
  • Creating synergies through self-control tolerates conditions of stress, uncertainty or ambiguity and continues to maintain a positive outlook and to work productively.
Conflict Management/Negotiating & Resolving Disagreements:
  • Managing conflict;
  • Remains calm, composed and patient, regardless of his/her own state of mind in the face of conflict.
Knowledge Sharing & Continuous Learning:
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
  • Demonstrates commitment to ongoing professional development and keeps abreast of new developments in his/her professional field.
Appropriate and Transparent Decision-making:
  • Informed and transparent decision making;
  • Accepts responsibility and accountability for the quality of the outcome of his/her decisions.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Advanced university degree (Master, PhD) relevant to the thematic area or appropriate work experience.
Experience:
  • At least 7 years of proven working experience in Mine Action including field experience in designing, implementing and evaluating Mine Action programmes at national level;
  • Extensive technical knowledge relevant to the thematic area;
  • Region specific experience;
  • Theoretical and practical experience in drafting, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public policies, strategies or concepts relevant to the selected thematic area;
  • Proven and recent experience with technical assistance for project development, implementation, management and/or evaluation;
  • Excellent drafting and formulation skills; proven record of drafting official reports or papers/studies in the selected area;
  • Current knowledge of the latest developments and methodologies in the field of mine action, including technical tools and standards and the linkages between mine action and broader development work. A deep understanding of all mine action components, and of socio-economic, integrated and rights based approaches to these;
  • UN experience an asset;
  • Experience with training and facilitation is an asset.
Languages:
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is a must, knowledge of another UN language a plus. We are specifically looking for candidates with excellent French and Arabic language skills (fluent written and spoken).
Application procedures:
 
Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:
  • A current completed P11 form in English - a blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc
  • P11 form should, among other things, include names and contacts of at least three references and clearly indicate names of former and current supervisors (if applicable); in case of freelance consultants – list of partner institutions and contact details of projects supervisors. A file in .doc, .docx or .pdf format, containing the P11 form should be signed, scanned and uploaded into the system upon completion of the online application;
  • Links to/examples of work, analytical reports, publications, online presence (e.g. blogs) in the subject matter that resulted from the consultant’s work should be included in the P11.
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested material.
Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
 
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome of the selection process.
 
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.