UNDP Jobs - 49370- Individual Consultant – Technical Support to Chhat

Individual Consultant – Technical Support to Chhattisgarh, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), For Indian Nationals Only.

Location :

Raipur (with visits to field and Delhi), INDIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

10-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Eight Months with ten working days per month.

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP Country Programme (2013-17) is aligned with the Government of India’s Twelfth Plan priorities and seeks to improve the effectiveness of national programmes and policies for disadvantaged regions and groups especially women, Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes, minorities, displaced persons and persons with disabilities. UNDP’s partnership with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) under “Governance and Accelerated Livelihoods Support” aims to strengthen the effectiveness of key Ministry programmes by providing:

(a) technical assistance to the state government and NGOs in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha to improve sustainable livelihoods with linkages to Panchayati Raj Institutions for governance in focus districts;
(b) policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and the state governments to help improve the efficiency, accountability and inclusiveness of National Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme and;
(c) policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and state governments to help “green” select schemes.

The Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development had launched the “National Rural Livelihood Mission” (NRLM) in June 2011 after restructuring its existing centrally sponsored flagship Scheme “Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana” (SGSY). The NRLM functions in a mission mode for target based time bound delivery of outcomes. The Mission is designed to facilitate shift of the states from the allocation based strategy to a demand-driven strategy, enabling the states in the process to formulate their own poverty reduction plans.

The central objective of the Mission is to eliminate rural poverty through innovative implementation strategies involving mobilization and organization of the rural poor into sustainable community based organizations (CBOs) and their financial and economic inclusion. The three key components of the Mission are:

social inclusion through institution and human capacity building;
financial literacy and inclusion; and
economic inclusion through livelihood promotion and diversification. The NRLM is implemented on a cost sharing basis between the Center and the States in the ratio of 75:25. In respect of the North-Eastern States, the cost is shared between the Center and the States in the ratio of 90:10. The inter-state distribution of NRLM funds, however, is based on the relative rural poverty ratios of the states as determined by the Planning Commission.

UNDP, under the GOALS Project, provides technical support to NRLM for efficient and inclusive implementation through:

(a) positioning professional managers and domain experts to improve implementation at the state level;
(b) strengthening the social mobilisation in favour of women from persistently excluded groups; and
(c) developing and testing of context-specific, market-led, livelihood strategies that will enable institutions of the poor women to secure their role in markets and supply chains and ensure higher and sustained returns.

The Mission is designed to cover 70 million poor households scattered over 6 lakh villages, 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,000 blocks and 600 districts across 29 states and 5 UTs, in a phased manner. The Mission is designed to be implemented through a dedicated architecture at the central, state and sub-state levels. At the national level, the Mission is implemented by a National Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (NRLPS) where a management unit - National Mission Management Unit (NMMU) comprising several thematic groups and professional experts, under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). As part of transition to NRLM, the state governments established an autonomous and empowered State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) at the state level and dedicated Mission Implementation Units at the State (SMMU), District (DMMU), Block (BMMU) and Sub-Block Units (Cluster Level). SRLMs are implementing Resource Blocks/Clusters using the Project Resource Persons and Community Resource Persons from the CBOs facilitated by National Resource Organization(s). The internal CRPs generated in the Resource Blocks/Clusters would be involved in scaling up in other blocks in an intensive manner.

In this context, the services of a Technical Expert is required to support the NMMU, National Resource Organization and the State Rural Livelihoods Mission in Chhattisgarh in rolling-out NRLM implementation in the state in general and Resource Blocks/Clusters through Community Resource Persons and Capacity Building and nurturing mission staff at various levels and other stakeholders, in particular.

As part of its support to NRLM, UNDP is looking for a dynamic individual to supplement the role of the NMMU and NRO in the above capacity.

Duties and Responsibilities

Deliverables / key results expected:

The Consultant is required to undertake the following activities under the direct supervision of the Lead, Capacity Building, NRLM and Programme Analyst, UNDP, under the guidance of the Mission Director, NRLM:

Provide need-based technical assistance in NRLM implementation, working directly with CEO and the State Unit of SRLM;
Work towards identifying scope for improvement in systems (HR, MIS and Administration) and help CEO and the state team to envision, demonstrate and institutionalise appropriate systems/mechanics across the SRLM;
Work for assessing capacity building requirements of staff working at state, district and block levels, and help CEO/SMMU in designing and conducting appropriate capacity building programmes;
Arrange capacity building support to staff of SRLMs, communities (members, leaders, cadres and institutions) and other stakeholders at various levels in various ways;
Assist CEO in staff performance management and provide mentoring support to thematic heads (SPMs) of SRLM;
Work closely with CEO and extend all possible support in planning and programme reviews;
Facilitate SRLM in visioning and planning of SMMU, DMMU, BMMU and Community Institutions;
Facilitate SRLM in communitization process and develop guidelines and protocols to implement;
Perform any other related tasks consistent with the responsibilities.

Deliverables and Timelines:

A comprehensive workplan will be drawn up in consultation with the Mission Director, NRLM and UNDP;
Report on the work undertaken and accomplished will be submitted at the end of each month;
Back-to-office reports will be submitted at the end of each travel and meetings, giving details of objectives, outcomes and follow-up actions of the travel/meeting.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

strong facilitation, training and presentation skills especially with communities;
Ability to plan and organize work programme;
Proactive Consultative and collaborative capacities;
Team mentoring including prioritisation for self and others, time and resource management and conflict resolution skills;
Problem resolution based on comprehensive information gathering, analysis and identification of key issues;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
openness to change and ability to manage complex situations;
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures and applies them consistently in work tasks;
Willingness to travel.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty;
Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view; Also solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behaviour.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Science, Economics, Social Sciences, Engineering, Management, Development Studies or related field.

Experience:

15+ years of overall development experience in general;
10+ years of relevant experience at the state/national/international level in implementation (hands-on) of large poverty; reduction/livelihoods projects as part of senior management supporting scaling-up community-led implementation processes, training and mentoring project staff, community members, leaders, cadres, trainers and resource persons in various local contexts, Coordination and facilitation of senior, complex teams;
Providing management advisory services, experience (hands-on) in design and implement of large development projects.

Language:

Good knowledge of English and Hindi;
Knowledge of state language would be an asset;
Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Submission of proposal:

Financial Proposal:

Consultant shall specify his/her per day consultancy rate;
Any travel with prior UNDP approval will be handled separately as per rules.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weightà 70%

Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% point would be considered for the Financial Evaluation:

Educational Qualification:10;
Proven experience in supporting states in general and mentoring teams at state level in particular:25;
Experience in developing/strengthening various systems at state level fro project implementation: 15;
Experience in working at national level poverty reduction project:10;
Experience of training staff and community: 10.

Notes:

Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed;
Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual;
Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered;
CV and Financial proposal can be clubbed in one file for uploading;
The consultants must bring his/her own computing equipment.

For any clarification please write to sandeep.sharma@undp.org