UNDP Jobs - 62000- Research Consultant on Local Elections

Research Consultant on Local Elections

Location :

Home Based, JORDAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Dec-2015

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

150 working days over a period of 8 months (December 2015 – July 2016)

Languages Required :

Arabic 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

The Global Programme for Electoral Cycle Support (GPECS), UNDP’s most important vehicle contributing to the formulation and implementation of electoral policy, consists of country, regional, global and gender components that sustainably support policy development, knowledge management and programme support and that use a process-driven approach rather than an event-driven one. GPECS has also innovated in new areas of demand, including on developing electoral indicators, local elections, media and elections, and youth and gender participation. The overall goal to which GPECS contributes is towards deepening democracy and accelerating human development. In contributing to this larger and longer-term goal, GPECS focuses on the intermediate UNDP Strategic Plan outcome of electoral laws, processes and institutions strengthen inclusive participation and professional electoral administration.

Description of the assignment:

The GPECS Arab regional component, supported through an agreement with SIDA, works towards building coherence in electoral support in the region through dialogue, partnership and initiatives that reinforce participation in local and national elections. The programme also provides technical support to countries across the Arab states on thematic issues of electoral governance and participation including local elections. The Consultant is working closely with the RBAS regional program to strengthen UNDP engagement on local elections in the region. The GPECS Arab States component is seeking a research consultant to conduct research and studies on local elections in the Arab States.

Duties and Responsibilities

GPECS provides global and regional technical assistance to work closely with electoral authorities, civil society organizations, media groups, regional institutions, and international organizations supporting democracy initiatives. This support enhances regional cooperation on broader issues of electoral democracy, increase regional knowledge and know-how on electoral issues, enhance capacities of regional stakeholders around issues of civic engagement and political participation, and promote policies and strategies for a greater and more effective role by women and youth in the transformational process.

The main areas of work are as described below:

Outputs and deliverables

Comprehensive report on the state of local elections in the Arab States Region and how local elections contribute to or stimulated community participation and engagement through elected officials;
Mapping of local elections in the Arab States including local election management and regional stakeholders analysis;
Desk review report of local elections in the Arab States and their state-of-the art to citizen participation, engagement and empowerment, including suggested ways forward to improve this agenda based on concrete identified entry points;
Report on global and regional lessons learned and identification of best practices that illustrate a direct and positive relationship between local electoral processes and increased citizen participation, improved equity in the allocation of public resources and the promotion of local development more broadly;
Document on best practices in local electoral processes in the Arab States and globally including proposition of a south to south local election reference tool to enhance local electoral cycles;
Programmatic action plan for GPECS Arab States engagement on local elections within UNDP’s standard Resource and Results Framework;
PPT presentation to refer the findings of the study during a debrief workshop to the regional election CTAs and Regional Hub staff.

Assignment details:

Conduct a desk survey of the state of local elections in the Arab States Region and to conduct a literature review on local elections and how they have contributed to or stimulated community participation and engagement through elected officials;
Carryout a desk review of local elections in the Arab States and their contribution to citizen participation, engagement and empowerment;
Identify and document global and regional cases and best practices that illustrate a direct and positive relationship between local electoral processes and increased citizen participation, improved equity in the allocation of public resources and the promotion of local development more broadly;
Identify through literature review the best practices in local electoral processes in the Arab States;
Support the development of the local elections component of the GPECS Arab States;
Organize a debrief-workshop presenting and elaborating on the findings and validating entry points for ways forward. The audience of the workshop will be mainly the election CTAs in the region;
Identify synergies with other RBAS regional programmes (including the upcoming on LGLD) and support accordingly the development of technical programmatic notes/documents.

Competencies

Good analytical, and diplomatic skills;
Strong inter-personal skills and a demonstrated capacity to forge effective relations with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds essential;
Ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a team as well as individually;
Excellent attention to detail, a proactive approach to achieving key results, a high level of thoroughness in a complex multitasking environment and a strict adherence to deadlines;
Builds strong relationships, focuses on impact and results;
Comfortable working with senior level management and officials;
Establishes and maintains relationships to understand needs and gain support;
Consistently approaches work with energy and positive, constructive attitude;
Ability to work under pressure;
Proven networking and communication skills;
Computer literacy, including familiarity with spread sheets and power point presentations essential;
Strong knowledge-base of international development issues and ability to synthesize knowledge to drive results;
Knowledge of local governance and local development areas essential;
Knowledge of the main research sources and development partners working on local governance and elections;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree in development studies, human rights, governance and peacebuilding, social sciences, communications, international relations or other development or communications-related area of study.

Experience:

4 years of experience performing research and technical support functions;
Sound knowledge of the political and developmental context of the Arab States in general and in-depth familiarity with specific states will be seen as an asset;
Willingness to travel to different countries in the region to conduct field research;
Experience of working for UNDP an asset, including knowledge of UNDP terminology, language and style.

Language:

Fluent in the English with excellent writing abilities.

Docuemenst to be included when submitting the proposal:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information as one file to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit the required information will not be considered.

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
Two samples of work you consider to be the best and most relevant examples;
Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price;
Signed P-11: including past experience in similar projects and the name and contact details of 3 references. The P11 form can be downloaded at the following web address: http://sas.undp/org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc ;

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Financial Proposal

Lump sum contracts

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in instalments or upon completion of the entire contract).

Payments are based upon completion and acceptance of output, deliverables specified in the TOR. The financial proposal should include a breakdown of this lump sum.

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP does not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening

Applications will be screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

Master’s degree in development studies, human rights, law, governance and peacebuilding, social sciences, communications, international relations or other development or communications-related area of study;
Experience in writing for development-related organizations, research centres, or multilateral institutions required;
Language: Complete fluency in English (written and oral);
Mandatory submission of UNDP Personal History form (P11).

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review:

UNDP will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates by evaluating:

Two samples of work you consider to be the best and most relevant examples;
Competences and qualifications based on the UNDP P11 form submitted by each candidate.

Candidates will be assessed and scored against the following evaluation criteria.

Evaluation of Candidates (max 100 points):

Writing as expressed in the work samples makes complex topics easy to understand with clear, coherent and concise argumentation and analysis 40%;
Relevant experience in writing and /or editing 30%;
Writing illustrates clear understanding and knowledge of the substantive issues covered by UNDP (as set out above) 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Step III: Financial Proposals

Please provide inclusive lump sum based on a daily rate (USD $) to achieve the results defined in the ToR

Step IV Final evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of desk review and financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

Shortlisting/ Desk review 70%;
Financial proposal 30%.