Background

UNDP is the UN's global development network advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. In the area of HIV, Health and Development, UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s work leverages the organization’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies.  UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development: (i) addressing the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses; (ii) helping countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Millennium Development Goals; and (iii) supporting countries in effective implementation of complex and multi-sectoral health projects funded by the Global Fund.

The Asia Pacific HIV, Health and Development team is based in the UNDP Regional Hub in Bangkok, Thailand. It seeks to address the development challenges of the HIV epidemic in the region and support integrated, rights-based, multi-sectorial responses that promote the rights of people living with HIV and gender equality, and address the needs of most at risk populations.

The Regional Hub provides technical and substantive support to UNDP Country Offices as well as regional partners. It also addresses sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of inclusive development and health, as well as preventing and responding to gender based violence.

To support implementation of work in these areas, the  Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) will support expertise with a roster of implementation support, specialist support and senior advisory support external experts. Only the applicants who pass all screening procedures will be included in the Technical Experts Roster and recommended for consultancy assignments.

Duties and Responsibilities

To be considered for inclusion in the roster, applications would need to have expertise in one or more of the following areas of expertise:

HIV:

  • HIV related stigma, discrimination, human rights and legal environments;
  • HIV, gender equality and gender-based violence;
  • HIV and key populations (men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex work);
  • HIV-sensitive social protection;
  • Mainstreaming HIV.

Health and HIV:

  • Intellectual property rights, innovation, trade, and availability of affordable medicines and other health technologies;
  • Sustainable financing of HIV treatment;
  • Community Systems Strengthening;
  • Multi-sectoral responses to non-communicable diseases;
  • Universal health coverage and social determinants of health;
  • Governance of health responses;
  • Disability rights.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identify/Expression:

  • Sexual orientation and gender identity/expression and the law;
  • Social and economic inclusion of LGBT people;
  • Transgender rights and health;
  • Intimate partner violence and violence against LGBT people.

Gender Based Violence

  • Prevention of gender based violence (including programme design, implementation and capacity building);
  • Research on gender-based violence, including evaluation research.

Scope of Work:

Tasks assigned in each individual assignment may include one or more of the following:

Policy and Strategy Development:

  • Prepare Policy briefs, Status papers on developmental challenges/issues based on secondary review of existing literature for evidence based advocacy and policy dialogue;
  • Develop guidelines and national and sub-national strategy in the areas of institutional strengthening;
  • Develop institutional and regulatory frameworks to facilitate climate change  and adaptation and disaster risk reduction;
  • Review of policy literature in respect to the subject;
  • Formulation of strategic national and sub-national development policy;
  • Identification of barriers and solutions for proposed interventions;
  • Risk Identification, Mitigation.

 Project Design, Formulation  & other project related functions:

  • Prepare conceptual framework/concept note on new area of work/developmental challenge;
  • Provide Technical assistance in identification of developmental challenges, target areas, beneficiaries and partners and formulation of implementation strategy for UNDP support;
  • Provide technical support in development on new interventions/projects with Implementation (operational plan, monitoring and resource requirement) Institutional and management arrangements;
  • Identify issues, formulate and implement interventions that focus on various activities;
  • Conduct studies on project/program highlights, activities and processes involved;
  • Prepare and review Project documents;
  • Identify areas/beneficiaries and partners; timing, sequencing of activities; mobilization of finance;
  • Prepare project proposals to ensure innovation in concepts, strategies and incorporation of best practices.

Research and Documentation:

  • Undertake secondary research in the new areas of developmental concern based on review of existing literature;
  • Develop research design, research questions and scope of work for undertaking primary research in new areas;
  • Document good practices, case studies, innovations and pilot models for wider dissemination and sharing;
  • Undertake process documentation of models for upscaling.

Capacity Development/Training:

  • Based on capacity assessment, develop Capacity Development Plan to achieve the milestones identified and address the identified capacity gaps;
  • Develop target specific training tools/tool-kits and manuals based on training needs assessment;
  • Design training curriculum, conduct and/or coordinate trainings programmes for various stakeholders;
  • Carry out Capacity assessments of public institutions and government institutions for development of strategic interventions for institutional strengthening;
  • Design and delivery of training tool-kits, products etc.;
  • Conduct and/or Coordinate trainings and workshops.

Knowledge Management: 

  • Prepare  knowledge and communications products related to the projects/programs (Audio, Video and Hard copies);
  • Review of Knowledge products (subject, design and content);
  • Prepare and publish  featured articles and case studies in publications of the UNDP, other pertinent organizations, academic journals;
  • Disseminate knowledge and communications products;
  • Develop literature on best practices and case studies;
  • Contribute to Communities of Practice (CoP) of UN Solutoins Exchange (UNSE).

MIS & GIS:

  • Preparing of Base Line Data (BLD) through primary and secondary data sources;
  • Development of MIS tools for verification and analysis on various activities, developing databases;
  • Conceptualize, design and establish GIS platforms;
  • Management of Knowledge portals and other MIS platforms;
  • Baseline and Client satisfaction surveys.

Monitoring & Evaluation: 

  • Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of national and sub-national policies;
  • Carry out required independent monitoring and evaluation of UNDP projects;
  • Facilitate community and process monitoring;
  • Undertake Baseline and Client satisfaction surveys.

Competencies

Functional Competencies: 

  • Good track record in project management, with UNDP experience being an asset;
  • Understanding of Government functioning and systems;
  • Updated familiarity on, various international projects on across one or more areas of expertise;
  • Familiarity with UNDP ERP would be advantageous;
  • Working knowledge of objectives-oriented project planning, or results-based management;
  • Leadership skills;
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
  • Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
  • Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet;
  • Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills;
  • Positive, constructive attitude to work.

Client Orientation

  • Contributing to positive outcomes for the client;
  • Anticipates client needs;
  • Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
  • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing: 
Developing tools and mechanisms 

  •  Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
  • Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Core Competencies:

  • Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
  • Building support and political acumen;
  • Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
  • Building and promoting effective teams;
  • Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
  • Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
  • Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
  • Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
  • Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
  • Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • An advanced university degree in Public Health, Law, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.

Experience:

Band 1-  Implementation Support:

  • Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 3 years of relevant work experience, or Bachelors Degree in relevant field with minimum 5 years of relevant work experience.

Band 2 - Specialist Support:

  • Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 7 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 3 years of international experience as a requirement.

Band 3 - Senior Advisory:

  • Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 12 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 5 years of international experience as a requirement.

Language:

  • Excellent oral and written English.

Duty Station:

  • Various in the Asia Pacific Region

Travel:

  • In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including economy tickets, lodging and terminal expenses will be reimbursed as per actuals in line with UNDP rules.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Applicants will be screened against qualifications and the competencies specified above.

The inclusion into the Vetted Roster of Experts will be offered to those individual consultants whose offers have been evaluated and determined as:

  • a) Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • b) Meeting requirements across the functional bands in each area of expertise.

Applicants may be requested to participate in a brief interview.

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via the UNDP website. Interested candidates are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described above.

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

Applications should include:

  • A cover letter,
  • Updated CV and;
  • Proposed daily fee.

A brief proposal in response to the below mandatory questions:

  • Q1. Please specify your proposed daily fee in USD (United States Dollar)?
  • Q2  Please specify the area of expertise you are applying for, as mentioned in this advertisement?
  • Q3  How many years of experience do you have in your area of expertise ?

A brief cover letter, clearly identifying the “Areas of Expertise” as mentioned in the section above.

Successful candidates will be included in UNDP RBAP Experts Roster for a period of 5 years. Inclusion in the expert roster does not guarantee a contract with UNDP.

Contracting:

  • When a request for services arises, the roster manager shall Contact the individuals in the specific area of expertise with ToR, location and dates of the assignment seeking confirmation of availability, as well as other costs such as living allowance, travel cost, etc.;
  • The individual selected for the deployment will be contracted as per the UNDP IC modality. The Contract and conditions are available at  http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/operations/procurement.html

 Payment:

Payment(s) shall be made following certification by UNDP that the services related to each deliverable, as specified in the contract, have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified, if any.

Other information:

  • This call for experts is not linked to other UNDP rosters or to a specific UNDP recruitment opportunity;
  • Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are only able to inform the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process;
  • For any clarifications please write to rcb.procurement.th@undp.org.