UNDP Jobs - 55120- Individual Consultant (Feasibility Assessment Job

Individual Consultant (Feasibility Assessment Job Support – Job Coaching Centers) - (Open to Indian Nationals Only.

Location :

New Delhi with travel as per assigment, INDIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

25-Apr-2015

Application Deadline :

10-Apr-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Forty working days spread over Two months.

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

For over 50 years, UNDP has been privileged to support some of India’s most important development initiatives. UNDP provides its trademark capacity development support services to strengthen implementation of government programmes and schemes. UNDP’s Development Support Centre has the capacity to provide a full range of development support services to accelerate implementation of government schemes and programmes.

Within its portfolio of programmes UNDP is embarking on a new proof-of-concept initiative “Creating Employment Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Women in India” that aims to reach young women by providing them with necessary skills and knowledge for employment or entrepreneurship. Through an integrated skilling and job placement/ enterprise start up approach, the project aims to create linkages between education & skills and employment & growth in India and support young women progress towards economic empowerment. The project will start with a six months research and scoping phase with an aim to use this period to further fine-tune project strategies. The results of this exploration will further guide the project implementation in the states. UNDP’s intention is to implement the overall project in the following areas: Delhi NCR, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with a focus on urban centres namely: a) Delhi NCR (Gurgaon, Manesar, Faridabad, Noida) with semi – urban pockets around these key centers; b) Maharashtra (Mumbai and “sugar belt region) with inclusion of some rural and semi-rural households, Karnataka (Bangalore) with a greater focus on South West part of the state, Telengana and Andhra Pradesh (pockets around Hyderabad and Hyderabad itself). However, the job centre, should it prove feasible will likely be implemented in one or two states only.

In many cases job opportunities and/or entrepreneurship opportunities may involve a need to move away from native districts or even states. In order to better inform women and improve access to information, ease their entry and placement in the formal work – force, the project wishes to explore ways and modalities to provide better information and support services to young women. The project’s idea is to offer some form of job counselling services to women, as well as to link them with opportunities and allow them to access information. Hence, the project wants to test the viability of this idea, and see what would be the best approach and modality to do so. The support services could include: counseling services, peer support, networking events with employers, coordination with police and local civil society, soft skills training to name a few. The project is keen on looking for a cost – effective, efficient, sustainable approaches that utilize technology and could be easily replicated. The project is also interested in innovative partnerships to support job counselling for women.

UNDP, is now seeking an expert consultant to undertake a feasibility study that will: a) showcase state-of-the-field regarding job coaching, job support services for women; b) propose a potential approach a project could implement and develop a costing/sustainability plan for such a centre/or approach. The findings of the feasibility assessment will be shared with the Project Steering Committee and help the project to:

Make an informed decision on a need for the project intervention;
Test market readiness and;
Decide on the next steps and implementation modality for the centre or proposed approach.

Duties and Responsibilities

In line with the objectives of the assignment the feasibility study should answer to the following questions:

Is there a scope and a need for such support?
If yes, how should support be structured (i.e. mobile based, physical location, combination of both etc?) and where?
What innovations exist at the moment? What could be scaled – up and under which conditions?
What key services could be provided and how[1]?
Who could be the target group of the center (for example: women in employment, all women, etc.)
What type of service or assistance has been provided by NGOs, community based organization to women when it comes to jobs and entrepreneurship, which approaches have been particularly innovative?
How should services be funded, for fee, for free etc.?
What type of costs would be associated with this?
How could approach be made sustainable?
What criteria should the project put in place as it make a decision on where to pilot (proposed states will be shared with the consultant upon recruitment)?
What are government views (upon the commencement of assignment UNDP will suggest a list of relevant central and state Ministries for inclusion in the study) of a need for such approaches and opportunities to co – finance it.

UNDP expects that the feasibility study will be implemented through an inclusive consultation process targeting the government, non-governmental organizations, private sector and other relevant organizations. It is also expected that the consultant reviews international best practices while conceptualizing approach to the center. The expectations is to identify cost – effective, innovative, scalable approaches.

The deliverables for this assignment are as follows:

Approach to Work: Explain how would you undertake and approach the assignment, including a list of proposed interviews and organizations you would visit;
Data collection instruments: Submit questionnaire or other data collection instruments used for the feasibility study;
Draft Final Report: Submit the draft final report synthesizing all findings, conclusions and recommendations;
Draft Findings Presentation: Prepare a presentation on initial findings (based on draft report) to UNDP India: PPT and delivery of presentation;
Final report: Prepare the Final Report synthesizing all findings, conclusions, recommendations (incorporating and accounting for comments and additions from UNDP that will be shared following submission of the Draft Final Report);
Final Presentation: Prepare a PPT and present final report findings to Project Steering Committee.

Institutional Arrangement:

The consultant will report to the Project Manager, and will work in close consultations with project team.

[1] UNDP will undertake a market based research with women in selected urban areas to identify their needs, aspirations as well as concerns. The selected consultant will have access to the reports and the information. However, in this assignment there is no scope for primary data collection with women, therefore assessment of their needs apart from research available through UNDP, has to be undertaken by examining secondary literature review on the topic and undertaking expert interviews.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Excellent analytical skills.

Core Competencies:

Positive, constructive attitude to work;

Integrity

Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UNDP in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism

Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity

Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Development Studies, International Development, Economics or in relevant field from reputable university.

Professional Experience:

Minimum of 7 years’ experience in the relevant field;
High level of competency and experience in design of solutions around meeting information needs of women with professional expertise in skilling, job placement and entrepreneurship;
A high level of competency and experience in undertaking reviews of models, approaches and institutional approaches, especially for skilling, employment and entrepreneurship sector, access to finance sectors;
Experience with private sector;
Experience with costing and development of sustainability plans, and developing costing model for interventions;
Experience of developing cost – effective, sustainable solutions for low – income market segments

Language Requirement:

Excellent spoken and written English.

Payment Schedule:

Upon submission and acceptance of deliverables:

Approach to Work write up

With questionnaire outlining how would you undertake and approach the assignment, including a list of proposed interviews and organizations you would visit - 25%.

Draft Final Report:

Submit the draft final report synthesizing all findings, conclusions and recommendations & Draft Findings Presentation: Prepare a presentation on initial findings (based on draft report) to UNDP India: PPT and delivery of presentation - 15%.

Final report:

Prepare the Final Report synthesizing all findings, conclusions, recommendations (incorporating and accounting for comments and additions from UNDP that will be shared following submission of the Draft Final Report); and

Final Presentation:

Prepare a PPT and present final report findings to Project Steering Committee - 60%.

Documents to be submitted:

Technical proposal (proposed methodology and workplan for undertaking the task);
Updated CV with contact details of three references;
Financial proposal specifying per day consultancy fee. Prior approved economy class travel expenses will be reimbursed as per actuals in line with UNDP rules.

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive;
Having received the 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 candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Qualification of the Consultant-15%
Relevant work Experience-20%
Proposed methodology and work plan for undertaking the task-35%

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 , Financial proposal and work methodology can be clubbed in one file for uploading;
Consultants must bring his/her own computing equipment.

For any clarification please write to manikandan.srinivasan@undp.org.