UNDP Jobs - 59609- Team Leader UNDAF Mid Term Review

Team Leader UNDAF Mid Term Review

Location :

Monrovia, Liberia

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Oct-2015

Application Deadline :

11-Sep-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

9 Weeks

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

9 Weeks

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

In 2012, the Government launched a long-term National Vision (Liberia Rising 2030), which aims to address the socio-political and economic challenges and thereby transform Liberia into a middle-income country. The key aspiration of the Liberia Rising 2030 includes building a strong national identity that unites the population through a shared historical narrative and shared national aspirations.
The Agenda for Transformation (2012-2017) is the vehicle for realizing Vision 2030.

The vision tackles the main challenges for economic and social development, establishing two key objectives:

(i) To create wealth; and
(ii) To increase inclusiveness for a more equal and just society.

The priorities that the AfT identifies are the following:

(1) Peace, security and rule of law;
(2) Infrastructure and economic transformation;
(3) Human development; and
(4) Governance and public institutions.

In Liberia, the incidence of poverty was estimated at 63.8 percent in 2007, with extreme poverty at 47.9 percent (PRS, 2007). Poverty is predominantly a rural phenomenon. The poorest house- holds are those where the head is self-employed in agriculture; poverty tends to decrease as the level of education of the head of household increases. Poverty also is strongly linked to age; young people are generally poorer than adults. The South Eastern and the North Western regions of the country record the highest percentage of people living in poverty.
In 2014, Liberia was struck by the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that led to the loss of nearly 5,000 lives. The disease ravaged the Liberian economy’s productive sectors and its capacity to deliver quality services. The outbreak undermined economic activities and livelihoods throughout the country. Real GDP growth for 2014, which was projected to be around 5.9 per cent fell to a projected 0.7 per cent and is expected to be 0.9 per cent in 2015.

The EVD outbreak’s most severe impact has been on three sectors of the economy—services, manufacturing and agriculture —that accounted for nearly 97 per cent of the employed labor force in 2010.
The outbreak has no doubt exposed the vulnerabilities inherent within the systems. The opportunity to ‘build back better’ was embraced by the Government of Liberia and reflected in the design of a process of stabilization and recovery to accelerate the recovery phase and link it back to the broader vision and aspirations of the Agenda for Transformation. The Government approved the vision of the Liberia Economic Stabilization and Recovery Plan (ESRP) and in parallel launched discussions on the recalibration of the AfT.

The ESRP will seek to achieve the following three inter-dependent strategic objectives: a) Strategic Objective One: Recovering output and growth—The aim is to revitalize growth to pre-crisis levels, while ensuring that it is more inclusive and creates sustainable jobs. This will be achieved by stimulating private-sector growth in value chain sectors that are labour-intensive and have most potential for export (e.g. rubber, oil palm, cocoa, fish and cassava); and improving the infrastructure deficit and associated cost increases caused by the crisis. Liberia’s comparative advantage and potential for diversifying exports makes achieving this strategic objective possible; b) Strategic Objective Two: Strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability—This will seek to increase access to and utilization of quality health and social welfare services delivered close to the communities; and c) Strategic Objective Three: strengthening public finances and ensuring service delivery—the aim of the interventions included in the third strategy is to support public finances and governance, including decentralization processes.
The strategic objectives are fully aligned to and consistent with the objectives of the Agenda for Transformation and they overlap completely in terms of implementation period: 2015-2017.

The success of the recovery trajectory, bringing Liberia back to a steady path of development, will depend in large part on the effective leadership that will ensure focus on priorities, coordination of roles and enhanced resource mobilization. The UN is an important partner in the process of recovery and resilience creation allowing the country to move back swiftly the development agenda as enshrined in the AfT.

Duties and Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities of the Consultancy Team:

Evaluation Team’s responsibility

Organizing the work and preparing an evaluation plan for the team; conducting briefing and debriefing; and facilitating productive working relationships among the team members;
Consulting with MTR Technical Committee and related partners to ensure the progress and the key evaluation questions are covered;
Assuring the draft and final reports ar;e prepared in accordance with these Terms of Reference, especially the checklist for the assessment of evaluation report (annex 3);
Facilitating the meeting to present the mainand recommendations of MTR, and discussing the proposed action plan to implement recommendations including changes in contents and direction of the programme.

Specific tasks of the team leader:

Taking the lead in contacting MTR Technical Committee regarding MTR-related issues and ensure that the process is as participatory as possible;
Organising the team meetings, assigning specific roles and tasks of the team members and closely monitor their work
Supervising data collection and analysis;
Consolidating draft and final MTR reports, and a proposed action plan with the support provided by team members;
Completing the final MTR report, which incorporated comments of the Technical Committee and key stakeholders;
Submitting the draft and final MTR report and a proposed action plan to MTR Technical Committee and the RCO, on schedule;
Presenting MTR results and facilitating the meeting.

Specific tasks of the team member:

Following the tasks assigned by the team leader meeting the MTR working timetable;
Data collection and analysis;
Providing written and verbal inputs to the Team Leader for the development of the MTR reports – drafts and final;
Participating in all meetings as per guidance provided by the Team Leader;
Collecting all comments on the MTR report and participating in the report revision process.

Deliverables:

First draft Report presented to the MTR technical committee within week 6;
Second drat Report, amended to accommodate the comments received from the following stakeholders: (Technical Team/UNCT/IAPT/ RC/RCO/UNMIL), submitted by week 7. The Action Plan to implement recommendations as specified in Annex 3 will be part of the draft;
Presentation of the second draft to participants in the validation Workshop scheduled to take place in week 8;
Final Report inclusive of the Action Plan for implementation of recommendations, addressing the comments received in the course of the Validation Workshop, submitted by the end of Week 9 with no delay.

Competencies

Strong research and analytical skills, communication (oral and written), facilitation and management skills;
Sound leadership and organizational skills;
Thorough understanding of RBM for programme development.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters’ degree in Economics or Social Sciences.

Experience:

At least 15 years’ experience in development programming and management. Results based management and knowledge of the UN architecture and modus operandi will be required;
Sound knowledge and practical experience in programme development, planning and implementation, including experience in the UN development cooperation system, experience in doing UNDAF reviews/evaluation will be an advantage;
Be exposed and have prior experience of working in post- conflict and crisis contexts, preferably in Africa;
Have strong research and analytical skills, communication (oral and written), facilitation and management skills;
Sound leadership and organizational skills;
Experience in the application and implementation of gender-sensitive programmes as well as human rights-based approaches;
A thorough understanding of RBM for programme development.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Criteria for Short listing:

Relevance of education/degree - 20 points;
Years of relevant experience- 70 points.
Adequacy of skills & competencies - 10 points;
Only shortlisted candidates will be forwarded the UNDP Procurement Notice.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis

Award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria;
Technical Criteria; [70 points];
Financial Criteria; [30 points];
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the total rating will be considered for the financial evaluation.