UNDP Jobs - 58493- Consultant: Development of UNDG Updated Guidance f

Consultant: Development of UNDG Updated Guidance for Common Country Programming by UNCTs

Location :

Home Based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

10-Aug-2015

Application Deadline :

04-Aug-15 (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

Terms of Reference: http://webapp3-docs.undp.org/procurement_notices/notice_doc_23925_465053331.pdf

The UNDG through its Programme Working Group has been tasked to provide guidance for common country programming by UN Country Teams (UNCTs) that supports the implementation of the post-2015 sustainable development agenda through enhanced integration of planning, programming, and policy support. The guidance will seek to ensure a coherent link between the new agenda and the actions required by UNCTs, and to ensure that they are equipped for implementing the range of interventions that will be required for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Policy and operational guidance for common country programming, such as the 2010 UNDAF guidance and its technical supplements, has been developed and issued by the UNDG in recent years to support UN’s common programming at the country level. The commitment of the UN system to make itself “Fit for Purpose” so as to deliver on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda requires a paradigm shift in the UN development system’s business model for common country programming. While the 2014 Standard Operating Procedures for Delivering as One (and the related integrated support package) provide a set of core operational elements for delivering better results together, there is a need for the updated guidance to align with the SOPs One Programme.

A sustainable development business model calls for a UN system that can:

set policy and operational standards which can be applied with flexibility in diverse national contexts, and respond to the demands of a universal, transformative agenda;
ground its work in cutting-edge analytics and strategies focused on the “dark spots” of inequalities, lack of rights and heightened vulnerability and risk;
nurture open and common systems for the production, sharing and use of high quality data, knowledge and practices across the UN system; and,
effectively partner with those who are engaged in the common sustainable development agenda at the country level.

The updated common country programming guidance will be driven by human rights as a common purpose of the UN system under the UN Charter, providing a set of universally accepted values and principles, including those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Millennium Declaration, as well as the full range of other normative principles guiding the work of the United Nations. The updated guidance will provide policies and tools that enable UNCTs to co-design programmes with stakeholders, facilitate nationally-led, inclusive dialogues, provide a platform for shared capacities and operations to deliver together, while upholding UN norms and standards.

The updated guidance will support the UNCTs in strategically positioning the UN at country level through: providing a structure to pursue operational activities around the overarching goal of eradicating poverty through sustainable development; a deeper integration of human rights and other aspects of the UN normative agenda into the UN’s operational activities at country level; strengthening joint approaches to analysis that integrates development, peace and security, human rights, social, economic, political, humanitarian and environmental trends; and working towards UN teams at country level based on results groups that can draw upon the complementary technical, policy and operational capacities, including enhancing the ability of non-resident agencies to co-locate and more directly contribute to the implementation of the agenda at the country level.

The Programme Working Group has developed a set of parameters for “holistic programming” that lays out the factors that determine and reflect the success of the UNDAF (or equivalent framework) in meeting criteria which reflect guiding norms and programming principles, including the five “elements” of “Fit for Purpose” (universality, equality, human rights, integration and the data revolution). These parameters will provide a basis by which UNCTs can measure progress towards achieving policy coherence through common country programming that underpins the UN’s operational work with UN norms and standards.

Other working groups and task teams of the UNDG are developing guidance and/or support tools on key aspects of UNCTs work, such as for example on mainstreaming SDGs, addressing human rights, capacity development, RBM and joint monitoring and reporting. The Programme Working Group has been asked to coordinate and promote synergies in development of guidance across UNDG working groups.

Duties and Responsibilities

For presentation to the UNDG Programme Working Group:

To draft comprehensive, coherent, flexible and user-friendly guidance for UNCTs on common country programming in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and UN System “Fit-for-Purpose” that guides the UN’s support to national priorities and focuses on all the interconnected dimensions of sustainable development with international human rights underpinning initiatives in all areas;
To review guidance developed by other UNDG working groups to identify linkages with a view to promoting coherence and synergies between UNDG guidance pieces.

Expected Deliverables:

Under the supervision of the co-chairs of UNDG Programme Working Group Task Team on KRA 1, the consultant shall work on the following deliverables:

Phase 1 (August-October):

Prepare a proposal identifying both short- and medium-term changes that are required for the revised common country programming guidance. The proposal will draw upon the findings of the following tasks which will be carried out by the consultant;
Review of existing common country programming guidance to UNCTs, including the 2010 UNDAF guidance package and the 2014 SOPs;
Take stock of UNDAF lessons learned, assessments and innovations undertaken by UNCTs;
Assess how the real time/in–country UNDAF innovations/learnings can be used to inform the substance and form of the revised guidance;
Identify specific areas in the guidance that require self-assessment and adjustment of agency-specific programming procedures in order for them to align with their SOPs commitments;
Identify aspects of current guidance that need to be updated to reflect the parameters developed by the UNDG Programme Working Group;
Identify gaps in the current common country programming guidance that need to be addressed to ensure that UNCTs are equipped to implement the range of interventions that will be required for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by leveraging the normative standards and mandates of the UN system;
Liaise, with support of the Programme Working Group, with members of other UNDG groups and task teams to ensure horizontal consistency and cross fertilization of efforts and deliverables;
Review guidance prepared by other UNDG working groups and identify linkages with common programming guidance.

Phase 2 (October-December):

Propose an outline for revised common country programming guidance;
Assist in preparation of and participate as a resource person in workshop(s) to reach an agreement on the proposed outline of the revised common country programming guidance. The consultant’s presence will be required in New York for 3 days at the workshop;
Draft guidance for initial review of the Key Result Area 1 (KRA 1) Task Team and ultimately the Programme Working Group;
Present the revised draft guidance to the Programme Working Group and UNDOCO;
Incorporate comments and feedback and finalize the updated guidance.

Phase 3 (First Quarter 2016):

Contingent upon the feedback from the end-users of the guidance, the consultant may be required to provide additional inputs to the guidance. A contract amendment for up to a maximum of 20 working days (TBC) will be made to the consultant’s contract accordingly.

Reporting Lines

On substantive matters related to the assignment, the consultant will report to the co-chairs of the Programme Working Group KRA 1 Task Team who will share the information with the PWG. On administration of the assignment and ensuring acceptable final deliverables, the consultant will be accountable to UN DOCO.

Timeframe

10 August 2015 to 30 April 2016: Phase 1 and 2 will be completed within 60 working days. For phase 3, a contract amendment for up to a maximum of 20 working days (TBC) will be made if need determined by KRA 1 Task Team.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Drive for results, accountability, developing professional expertise;
Innovative;
Teamwork;
Communicating for impact.

Functional Competencies:

Applying Technical Expertise;
Planning and Organising;
Excellent writing skills;
Good interpersonal and teamwork skills with ability to work with minimum supervision as well as in a team.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in international development studies, political science or other social science field with at least 10 years of relevant experience.

Experience:

Minimum of 10-year’s professional experience in policy analysis, advice and capacity development;
Excellent analytical and drafting skills (in English);
Demonstrated experience with UN Common Country Programming Processes, especially CCA/UNDAF Guidelines and roll out process;
Excellent knowledge of results-based management and of the normative principles of UN programming (human rights based approach, gender equality, environmental sustainability);
Good understanding of institutional policies and mandates of the UN development system;
Prior experience in developing UN guidelines, policy studies, programming tools and materials, is an asset;
Familiarity with the Zero Draft of the Outcome Document for the UN Summit to Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda and related issues is an asset;
Experience with the UN or other international development agency at the country-level is an asset.

Language:

Excellent communication and writing skills in English language;
Knowledge of another UN language an asset.

Submission of Proposals

Proposals must be received by 4 August 2015 and interested applicants should submit:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references http://procurement-notices-admin.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=58203;
Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
Financial Proposal (lump sum amount) that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs http://procurement-notices-admin.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=58204.

Criteria for Selection:

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. Criteria for Technical Evaluation would be as under:

Qualifications - 10%;
Proposed Work Methodology- 30%;
Relevant Work Experience-30%.

Terms of Reference: http://webapp3-docs.undp.org/procurement_notices/notice_doc_23925_465053331.pdf