UNDP Jobs - 51019- Chief Technical Advisor

Chief Technical Advisor

Location :

Home-based with missions to Ukraine, UKRAINE

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

11-Nov-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 weeks (over a 2-year period)

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

The lighting sector consumes significant amounts of energy, whereas substantial savings, from 75% to 90% compared with conventional practices, can be achieved through the use of new energy efficient technologies. At the national level, several OECD and developing countries have prepared and enacted Energy-Efficient Lighting (EEL) programs aimed at phasing-out incandescent lamps and other inefficient technologies. Such programs reduce energy use by 30% within 5 to 7 years, while quality and even quantity of lighting is enhanced. Representatives of the leading lighting manufacturers announced their support for this ambitious market transformation calling for a coordinated effort among all countries worldwide.

Despite the fact that Ukraine offers one of the world’s greatest potentials for energy savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in the lighting sector, the country has so far not achieved significant improvements in energy savings from energy-efficiency in lighting.

The implementation of the full-scale UNDP/GEF Project “Transforming the Market for Energy Efficient Lighting”” started in summer 2011. The project is planned for 5 years. It is nationally executed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine. The main objective of the project is to help transform the market in Ukraine towards more EE lighting technologies by removing barriers which will contribute to the goal of reducing GHG emissions.

The project build on, and leverage, partnerships with regional and municipal authorities, education institutions and the expert network developed under this initiative in Ukraine.

The project is innovative for Ukraine as most energy efficiency projects and programs focus on energy savings related to heating supply or for the heating insulation in buildings. Energy efficient lighting has been a GEF priority for over a decade and this project builds on GEF experiences while taking into account that the market for energy efficient lighting has become established in Ukraine. However, though it is an established market with many importers of products, it has not reached the same potential as in other European countries due to policy, cost barriers, and poor consumer experiences with “grey market” (low quality) products.

The objective is to help transform the market towards more EE lighting technologies by removing barriers which contributes to the goal of reducing GHG emissions.

The project will target five areas in order to accomplish its goals:

Residential/Consumer Lighting;
Public Sector Lighting;
Domestic Lighting Suppliers;
Foreign Lighting Suppliers;
Domestic Testing Facilities for Quality Control.

These five areas will be targeted within five components designed to produce real and demonstrable results with outcomes that can be monitored.

These components consist of actions to:

Improve the national policy framework for promoting energy-efficient (EE) lighting;
Improve the national quality-assurance (QA) & quality-control (QC) systems for imported and produced lighting products in Ukraine;
Improve the collection, recycling, and waste-handling schemes for EE lighting products, e.g. CFLs which contain mercury;
Design and implement energy-efficient (EE) lighting demonstrations in the municipal sector focusing on public schools;
Improve EE Lighting product penetration in the Residential Sector;
Disseminate and replicate and the project results.

To provide focused direction and ensure timely implementation of project activities over the remaining project time-frame, project management needs to be reassessed and strengthened. In this connection, the project is recruiting a Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) who would support the Project Manager in the crucial areas of the project’s objectives. S/he should provide technical and targeted management guidance to the project from her/his home office and, as required, through brief missions to Ukraine. Guidance and assist of the CTA shall ensure that project implementation will pick up momentum, with the result that project outputs could very well be achieved with the remaining project time-frame.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of responsibilities / scope of work

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP Senior Programme Manager, Head of the Energy and Environment cluster, the Chief Technical Adviser will have the following specific duties:

Policy analysis and advisory services:

Monitor/analyse economic, social and political issues which affect sectoral, international or national development; through this process, identifies development needs and potential solutions relevant to project activities;
Maintain continuous dialogue with the Government and other key partners to provide knowledge based advisory services and to ensure proper integration and co-ordination of project with other related development efforts;
Work closely with the Project Manager (PM) in coordinating and facilitating inputs of government agencies, partner organizations, scientific and research institutions, subcontractors, and national and international experts in a timely and effective manner;
Advocate, promote awareness and understanding of issues and responses related to the energy efficient lighting; promotes clarity and understanding on the role and issues of UNDP; represents project accordingly at public events;
Support project team and provide professional opinions in areas of expertise.
Provide “on-the-job” technical guidance and mentoring to the Project team in order to strengthen their capacity to effectively implement the technical aspects of the project;

Programme services:

Support project’ dialogue with government officials, both local and national, NGOs, partners, donors and communities to provide knowledge and understanding, ensuring an accurate interpretation of the program’s mission;
Assure proper monitoring and evaluation procedures are instituted in the projects;
Co-ordinate and oversee the preparation of the substantive and operational reports from the Programme;
Review the developed concepts and assess their relevance in the prevailing context and assist the programme in adjusting them;
Provide support and advice in institutional and legal aspects;

Resource mobilization activities:

Develop partnerships with other individuals and organizations to ensure wide participation in development issues that UNDP is addressing; UNDP’s most valuable resource - knowledge – to be shared widely;
Maintain relationships with donors and present a clear analysis of how their financial support has contributed to the results they requested and promote the programme to new donors;
Facilitate the development and implementation of sustainable model of financing municipal lighting systems modernizations, based on cost recovery from its services and investments from the government, local authorities, credit facilities and the private sector

Deliverables:

The key products to be delivered are as follows:

Recommendations on Project implementation Plan (PIP);
Semi-Annual and Annual Project Progress reports;
Assistance and recommendations on preparation of TORs;
Assistance in preparation of Project Implementation Review according to UNDP/GEF procedures;
Assistance in preparation and implementation of the final Independent Evaluation Mission;
Feasibility study on financing of municipal lighting systems modernizations in Ukraine.

Monitoring/reporting requirements

UNDP Senior Programme Manager, Head of the Energy and Environment cluster via personal workshop meetings and email/or telephone communication.

The documents should be submitted in electronic or paper form in English, Russian or Ukrainian.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Proven ability to carry out representation at the highest governmental and diplomatic levels;
Computer proficiency, especially related to professional office software packages;
Excellent drafting and communication skills.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters or Postgraduate degree in energy efficiency/renewable energy development.

Experience:

Minimum ten years of experience in implementing energy efficiency/energy efficient lighting projects in combination with knowledge of economic and financial analysis, institutional, regulatory and policy frameworks;
Good knowledge of and experience with UNDP and GEF rules, regulations, operational modalities and administrative procedures;
Proven experience on preparation of written reports prepared in an accurate and concise manner and public presentation skills;
Experience in project design, implementation and evaluation/impact analysis;
Prior knowledge and experience of the political, social and environmental factors and issues related to energy development in Eastern Europe, preferably in Ukraine;
Demonstrated experience in humanitarian and/or development coordination especially at the field level and in working with Government officials, NGOs and donors.

Languages:

Excellent English, both oral and written;
Knowledge of Ukrainian/Russian will be an advantage.

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

CV/P-11;
Financial proposal.

Financial proposal - Contracts based on daily fee

The financial proposal will specify the toal lump-sum daily fee and payments are made to the Individual Consultant based on the number of days worked.

Payment will be released in 4 equal semi-annual instalments each after presenting a report and approval on a Project board meeting.

Evaluation:

UNDP will use a two-stage procedure to assess applications with. The Technical proposals will be assessed based on compliance with the Terms of Reference.

The following criteria will be rated as indicated below:

Masters or Postgraduate degree in energy efficiency/renewable energy development – Masters – 3 points, Postgraduate degree - 8 points;
Minimum ten years of experience in implementing energy efficiency/energy efficient lighting projects in combination with knowledge of economic and financial analysis, institutional, regulatory and policy frameworks – 10 points;
Good knowledge of and experience with UNDP and GEF rules, regulations, operational modalities and administrative procedures – 7 points;
Proven experience on preparation of written reports prepared in an accurate and concise manner and public presentation skills – 5 points;
Experience in project design, implementation and evaluation/impact analysis– 7 points;
Prior knowledge and experience of the political, social and environmental factors and issues related to energy development in Eastern Europe, preferably in Ukraine– 10 points;
Demonstrated experience in humanitarian and/or development coordination especially at the field level and in working with Government officials, NGOs and donors– 8 points;
Proven ability to carry out representation at the highest governmental and diplomatic levels– 10 points;
Languages: Excellent English, both oral and written. Knowledge of Ukrainian/Russian will be an advantage – 5 points;

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

Evaluation method:

Cumulative analysis

The Contract shall be awarded to the Applicant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

A) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
B) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
Technical Criteria weight: 70%;
Financial Criteria weight: 30%.

Only the candidates received minimum 70% of maximum available technical score shall be admitted to the Financial Evaluation
The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:
30 points [max points available for financial proposal] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.
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

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://jobs.undp.org

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Applications should be filled in only in English.