UNDP Jobs - 58349- Knowledge and Project Management support Consultan

Knowledge and Project Management support Consultant

Location :

Home Based with Limited Mission Travel

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Sep-2015

Application Deadline :

31-Jul-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

10 months through 30 June 2016

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-GEF is currently managing two initiatives: the “Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative” programme (COMDEKS) and the “Strengthening Environmental Governance by Building the Capacities of NGOs in EU Neighborhood Countries” project (EU-NGOs). These projects are implemented by UNDP, and are delivered through the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme in two different sets of countries totaling 33 altogether (20 countries for COMDEKS and 13 countries for EU-NGOs).

The Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), the United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed to support a programme titled "Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative" (COMDEKS) as the flagship of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI). The Satoyama Initiative is a global initiative to promote sustainable use and management of natural resources in socio-ecological production landscapes with the aim of maintaining, rebuilding and revitalizing them. The programme provides small-scale project financing to local community organizations in selected developing countries through UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP). The programme is implemented by UNDP under the Direct Implementation Modality, with UNOPS serving as the Responsible Party for the delivery of community-based grants, using established modalities of the SGP. The programme is also expected to review, analyze, and codify results arising from implementation of the community projects supported to distill and disseminate lessons which can be communicated to policy makers for coherent policy development and replication in other parts of the world.

The European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed to support a project titled Strengthening Environmental Governance by Building the Capacities of NGOs in European Neighborhood countries. The project will provide small-scale project financing to NGOs through the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP). The project is implemented by UNDP under the Direct Implementation Modality (DIM) with the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub serving as Responsible Party for the delivery of grants, and UNOPS serving as Responsible Party for the execution of payments for the operational expenses associated with in-country implementation of the project.

UNDP-GEF is seeking a Knowledge and Project Management support Consultant who will be primarily responsible for the development of a number of knowledge products aimed at capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices from these country-led initiatives, and providing additional assistance, when needed, on overall management and implementation of the two UNDP implemented projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the COMDEKS/EU-NGO Project Manager and the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programmes for programme oversight and technical and substantive guidance. Communication with SGP National Coordinators will be closely coordinated with the SGP Central Programme Management Team (CPMT) for the global GEF-SGP Country Programmes, and with the UNDP-GEF GC for SGP Upgrading Country Programmes.

The consultant’s main tasks will include the following:

COMDEKS:

Development of various knowledge products for the COMDEKS Programme, including but not limited to COMDEKS Newsletters (September 2015, December 2015, March 2016 and June 2016) and Project Briefs for community-based projects;
Support with case study development from baseline assessments and community consultations in COMDEKS participating countries;
Maintain, add, and update content to the COMDEKS website and promote its use and implementation, particularly the stimulation of exchange of information and experiences within and among the various user groups;
Assist with social media outreach and information dissemination-related activities;
Liaise with UNOPS and coordinate the preparation of COMDEKS Global Workshop, including post workshop report tentatively scheduled to take place in Turkey at the beginning of May 2016;
Develop COMDEKS Annual Report (substantive and financial report) by May 15, 2016;
Liaise and coordinate with COMDEKS Programme Associate (PA) for the preparation of projects’ annual budgets and work plans under the overall supervision of the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs;
Assist the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs and the COMDEKS PA in supervising consultants tasked to deliver publication on community-based landscape governance and draft working document summarizing findings and proposing elements of a tool for landscape governance self-assessment, assisting the consultant in obtaining the necessary information;
Assist the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs and the COMDEKS PA in supervising consultant tasked to deliver COMDEKS Phase 2 publication, assisting the consultant in obtaining the necessary information;
Draft TORs for COMDEKS Terminal Evaluation and assist the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs to organize the final evaluation;
Monitor the implementation of project activities and assume responsibility, when needed, for the smooth functioning of all operational activities related to project implementation;
Other tasks as agreed beforehand with the supervisor.

EU-NGO Environmental Governance Project:

Development of EU-NGO Global Project Brochure, liaise with the designer and ensure final quality of the brochure;
Development of a publication collecting case studies from all participating EU-NGO Project countries;
Liaise and coordinate with Istanbul Regional Hub for the preparation of projects’ annual budgets and work plans under the overall supervision of the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs;
Assist EU-NGO Project Manager in the development of the Annual Report (substantive and financial report) to be submitted to the donor by October 2015;
Draft TORs for EU-NGO Terminal Evaluation and assist the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs to organize the final evaluation;
Monitor the implementation of project activities and assume responsibility, when needed, for the smooth functioning of all operational activities related to project implementation;
Other tasks as agreed beforehand with the supervisor.

Expected Deliverables:

Produce 4 COMDEKS Newsletters to be disseminated by September 2015, December 2015, March 2016 and June 2016 respectively;
Draft COMDEKS Case studies by September 30, 2015;
Produce EU-NGO Global Project Brochure by October 15, 2015;
Develop EU-NGO Annual Report (substantive and financial report) to be submitted to the donor by October 15, 2015;
Produce TORs for Terminal Evaluations by October 15, 2015;
Produce EU-NGOs draft Publication with collection of country case studies for review by UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs by November 30, 2015;
Finalized COMDEKS Case studies as an input to COMDEKS Phase 2 publication by December 31, 2015;
Produce EU-NGOs revised Publication with collection of country case studies by April 15, 2016;
Coordinate (liaising with UNOPS) the preparation of COMDEKS Global Workshop, including post workshop report tentatively scheduled to take place beginning of May 2016 in Turkey ongoing through May 15, 2016 and develop COMDEKS Annual Report (substantive and financial report) by May 15, 2016;
Produce EU-NGOs final publication and ensure final quality of the publication for dissemination by May 31, 2016;
Ensure finalization of projects’ annual budgets by June 30, 2016.

Deliverables will be reviewed by COMDEKS/ EU-NGO Project Manager and UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programs.

Information on Working Arrangements:

The consultant will work from home with possibility of limited mission travel;
The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
Payments will be made upon satisfactory delivery of outputs and submission of a certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Project Manager on outputs delivered.

Travel:

Travel may be required to New York, USA to UNDP-GEF Offices during the period;
Travel may be required for the COMDEKS Global Workshop tentatively scheduled to take place in Turkey at the beginning of May 2016;
Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the COMDEKS/ EU-NGO Project Manager and the UNDP-GEF Global Coordinator of the SGP Upgrading Country Programmes;
The Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;
Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas and security clearances needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements (including travel claims) in line with UNDP travel policies;
All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents. Costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should not be included in the financial proposal.

Payment schedule:

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of the deliverables by the Project Manager as per below percentages:

Draft COMDEKS Case studies and one COMDEKS Newsletter (September issue) by September 30, 2015 – 10%;
EU-NGO Global Project Brochure, EU-NGO Annual Report and TORs for Terminal Evaluations by October 15, 2015 - 10%;
EU-NGOs draft Publication with collection of country case studies by November 30, 2015- 10%;
Finalized COMDEKS Case studies by December 31, 2015 - 20%;
EU-NGOs revised Publication with collection of country case studies and two COMDEKS Newsletter (December and March issue) by April 15, 2016 - 15%;
Preparation of COMDEKS Global Workshop, including post workshop report and develop COMDEKS Annual Report (substantive and financial report) by May 15, 2016 – 10%;
EU-NGOs final Publication by May 31, 2016 - 20%;
Ensure finalization of projects’ annual budgets; and one COMDEKS Newsletter (June issue) by June 30, 2016 – 5%.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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.

Technical Competencies:

Demonstrated ability to coordinate processes to collate information and facilitate discussion and analysis of material;
Demonstrated understanding of UN, including UNDP, development issues and environmental challenges.

Communications:

Demonstrated strong research and excellent writing skills in English;
Demonstrated knowledge of UN terms, language and style;
Strong communication and research skills;
Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse people at Headquarters, Regional Bureaus, Country Offices and field-based.

Professionalism:

Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure;
Demonstrated excellent organizational skills.

Teamwork:

Ability to work well in a team to advance the priorities of UNDP;
Ability to be flexible and respond to changes as part of the review and feedback process;
Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
Focuses on results for the client;
Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in natural/environmental sciences, social sciences with a specialization in environmental management, finance, development, or other closely related field (max 5 points).

Experience:

A minimum of five years of professional experience with the UN system or an international organization, preferably providing program support in the design, administration and implementation of programs that serve local communities (max 10 points);
Good knowledge of environmental governance and civil society participation (max 10 points);
Good knowledge of biodiversity, land degradation, climate change and development (max 10 points);
Familiarity with community-based initiatives is an advantage (max 5 points);
Familiarity with GEF Small Grants Programme, and other UNDP implemented initiatives at the local level is an advantage (max 10 points);
Excellent conceptual, writing, and presentation skills for diverse audiences (demonstrated through publication record). Please provide 1 relevant publication related to this consultancy (ideally on topics related to environmental governance, environment and development, community based initiatives). (max 15 points).

Language:

Excellent command of English required (max 3 points);
Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset (max 2 points).

Evaluation method:

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. Incomplete applications will not be considered;
Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max 70 points] and interview [max 40 points]) will be based on a maximum 110 points. Only the top 3 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 49 points from the review of the education, experience and languages will be considered for the interview;
Applicants obtaining 70% of the combined total technical points (education, experience, languages and interview) will be considered for financial evaluation;
Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum fee, including breakdown per deliverable as outlined above. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of the fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment and breakdown of fees; costs for mission travel should not be included in financial proposal);
Applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.

Documentation to be submitted:

Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) to be downloaded from the below link;
Please provide 1 relevant publication related to this consultancy (ideally on topics related to environmental governance, environment and development, community based initiatives);
Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.

Kindly note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc