UNDP Jobs - 51688- Research Consultant

Research Consultant - LTA

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

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 has recently approved new Social and Environmental Standards. The Standards will apply to all UNDP projects and programmes, effective 31 December 2014. The application of Social and Environmental Standards across UNDP programming will protect the values UNDP stands for and help UNDP become a more effective organization. The objectives of the Standards are to: (i) strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of UNDP projects; (ii) avoid adverse impacts to people and the environment affected by projects; (iii) minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible; (iv) strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks; and (v) ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.

The SES will be underpinned by an Accountability Mechanism with two key functions: 1) A Stakeholder Response Mechanism that ensures individuals, groups, peoples, and communities affected by UNDP projects can raise project-related grievances to UNDP when necessary and receive a timely and appropriate UNDP response; and 2) A Compliance Review process to respond to claims that UNDP is not in compliance with UNDP’s social and environmental policies and procedures. In October 2012 the UNDP Administrator revised the Charter of the Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI) to include the mandate to investigate UNDP’s compliance with applicable social and environmental policies and procedures. In February 2013 OAI established the Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (SECU) to respond to complaints that UNDP may not be meeting its social and environmental commitments during the interim phase. The main purpose of the compliance review is to investigate alleged violations of UNDP’s social and environmental policies and procedures.

The Research Consultant will provide research, outreach, case management, and other assistance as necessary, to ensure that SECU is effective and responsive to local individual and community concerns.

OAI is seeking to establish a Long Term Agreement with an individual consultant, the Research Consultant , who will provide research, outreach, case management, and other assistance as necessary, to ensure that SECU is effective and responsive to local individual and community concerns.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will support the following activities:

Provide research and writing assistance, as need and requested, to SECU, OAI;
Provide logistical support, e.g., for meetings, etc., to the SECU, and others, as needed and requested;
Support development and ongoing maintenance of the SECU website;
Support development and ongoing maintenance of the SECU registry;
Support development and ongoing maintenance the SECU side of the case management system;
Support the rollout of the SECU, and the intake of complaints;
Participate in OAI meetings, providing updates on SECU as requested;
Support the preparation of outreach and communications materials about SECU and its functions;
Support the development and ongoing maintenance of the SECU roster of compliance experts;
Support the preparation of annual reports on SECU.

Expected Outputs (that can be identified presently)

Complete creation of and launch website within two weeks of contract signing;
Complete creation of case registry on the SECU website within two weeks of contract signing;
Organize SECU update meetings and prepare weekly task lists;
Research and prepare documents on SECU-related topics at the Direction of the Lead Compliance Officer;
Provide ongoing support to the work outlined in ‘Scope of work and deliverables’ above, at the direction of the Lead Compliance Officer;
Prepare and disseminate outreach materials to inform stakeholders.Develop new and updated outreach materials over three year period after launch;
Support the establishment of a roster of compliance experts.

Institutional arrangement:

The Consultant will be tasked by the Lead Compliance Officer, SECU.All work products produced by the Consultant as result of this engagement is owned by UNDP and shall be submitted to SECU;
Report progress weekly during SECU update meetings;
Liaise with the Compliance Officer, SECU, the Deputy Director (Investigations), OAI, other individuals within OAI as appropriate, other accountability mechanisms and entities as directed by the Lead Compliance Officer.

Duration:

Maximum 250 days per year over 3 years.

Payment Terms:

The consultancy fee will be paid per working day;
Payment will be made upon submission of monthly invoices, specifying the number of working days spent on each approved case, and providing documentation to support pre-approved expenses.

Competencies

Teamwork:

Advances all team-based activities as required;
Embraces extra responsibility;
Contributes to building team morale and consensus.

Relationship building:

Builds strong client relationships;
Focuses on client results and impacts;
Anticipates evolving client needs;
Manages conflict and stress.

Task Management Skills:

Produces timely, quality outputs;
Ability to handle multiple tasks.

Communications:

Speaks clearly and convincingly;
Listens actively and responds effectively.

Technical:

Demonstrated ability to use and apply the following technical process or aides:
Microsoft office;
Presentation software.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in environmental and/or human rights law is essential.

Experience:

A minimum of 2 years working experience in social and environmental issues and/or legal issues;
Knowledge of and/or experience working at UN/UNDP is an advantage;
Strong legal research and writing skills, and an ability to respond to requests efficiently and promptly is essential;
Experience working with, or a detailed knowledge of, social and environmental accountability mechanisms is desirable;
Experience in establishing or managing web based reporting and case management systems is desirable.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English is essential;
Fluency in French and/or Spanish is an advantage.

Application procedure:

This assignment is also advertised in UNDP Procurement Notice, where P11 and financial proposal templates are posted . The link is:

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=19455

The interested applicants should submit the below required documents:

P11 in lieu of Curriculum vitae;
Financial proposal.

On-line through this Job Site.

By mail to:

United Nations Development Programme

Office of Audit and Investigations, OAI

1 UN Plaza, DC1 - 4th Floor. New York 11017

Attention: Ms. Linwen Ju

By email to:

oai.bids@undp.org.

Subject: Research Consultant.