UNDP Jobs - 63134- Consultant – Research, Knowledge Management and Co

Consultant – Research, Knowledge Management and Communication of Results: Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment

Location :

Istanbul Regional Hub, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-Feb-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Estimated March – December 2016

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Approximately 160 working days

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 is committed to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, as outlined in its Gender Equality Strategy (2014-2017), through a diverse range of programming activities and knowledge products and capacity development tools. In the Europe and Central Asia region, the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) supports Country Offices to address gender equality in all thematic areas. As part of this work, the Gender Equality Team in the IRH compiles, analyzes and presents development issues from a gender perspective in ways that can meaningfully inform policy design. Such information is also used to help UNDP provide evidence-based advisory services to advance gender equality in the region.

The Regional Gender Team generates, captures and makes available knowledge, innovation and practice from all possible sources, including current research and innovative knowledge tools to highlight the challenges to gender equality in the region.

The UNDP Regional Gender Equality Team plans to hire a consultant to coordinate the communications, knowledge and research efforts of the gender equality team. The goal is to analyse and present the experiences and results of UNDP work to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment and maximize the public understanding of UNDP contributions to gender equality and its impact on human development at national and regional levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be based in the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, and work under the direct supervision of the Regional Gender Team Leader, and in close collaboration with the Communications team. The consultant’s overall tasks will be to support the work of the regional gender equality team by conducting research and coordinating knowledge and communications efforts. Furthermore the consultant will be supporting the development of knowledge / policy tools and products.

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Design engaging online content (UNDP website, social media);
Support Country Offices in designing content highlighting their programme results in gender equality and better linked to the RBEC’s strategic advocacy goals;
Design and produce the 2015 report on UNDP initiatives and results to promote gender equality in the ECIS region;
Conduct research and contact Country Offices for information to design fact sheets, presentations, briefs on specific development thematic areas related with gender equality;
Update the content on the relevant pages of the IRH website gender equality and women’s empowerment section;
Support in designing and organizing regional learning activities;
Coordinate online knowledge sharing activities (the Gender Equality and Women’s empowerment online space on Yammer and Gender Space on Sharepoint;
Contribute to the organization of regional consultations, workshops.

The timelines and key deliverables are as follows:

Phase I: By end of April:

Engaging online content designed (3information pieces designed);
Presentations on specific gender equality issues (2 presentations designed);
Coordinate organization of regional meeting of practitioners;
Produce a report of the regional meeting of practitioners;
International Women’s Day event organized.

Phase II. By end of July:

Conceptualization of the 2015 Annual Regional Report on UNDP initiatives and results to promote gender equality;
Final draft of the 2015 Annual Regional Report on UNDP initiatives and results to promote gender equality;
Engaging online content designed (4 information pieces designed);
3 information pieces on specific gender equality issues designed.

Phase III. By end of September:

3 information pieces on specific gender equality issues designed;
Engaging online content designed ( 4 information pieces designed);
Development of innovative initiative promoting gender equality and women’s rights (involving one or 2 countries).

Phase IV: By end of December:

Engaging online content designed (3 information pieces designed);
Conceptualization of event and communication activities around the Secretary- General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign (http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/);
Event organized around the Secretary- General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign;
Online and media content around the Secretary- General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign designed and published.

The consultant will be paid a lump sum amount agreed with UNDP Istanbul Hub, in four installments. Payments will be made upon confirmation by UNDP that contract obligations have been delivered in a satisfactory manner. Please note that travel costs related to missions are not included in the fee and will be paid separately as per UNDP rules and regulations.

Payments will be made in four installments as below:

First installment: 25% of the contract lump sum amount will be paid upon timely submission of deliverables defined in Phase 1 and their acceptance by the Regional Gender Advisor. Expected date of payment of first installment - by 30 April 2016.
Second installment: 25% of the contract lump sum amount will be paid upon timely submission of deliverables defined in Phase 2 and their acceptance by the Regional Gender Advisor. Expected date of payment of second installment- by 1 August 2016.
Third installment: 25% of the contract lump sum amount will be paid upon timely submission of respective deliverables defined in Phase 3 and their acceptance by the Regional Gender Advisor. Expected date for the installment- by 1 October 2016.
Fourth instalment: 25% of contract lump sum amount will be paid upon timely submission of deliverables as requested and defined in Phase 4 and their acceptance by the Regional Gender Advisor. Expected date of payment of fourth installment: by 30 December 2016.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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;
Creativity and innovative thinking in responding to challenges and formulating solutions;
Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
Strong research analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in gender studies, social or political science, sociology, communication or related discipline.
Master’s degrees in these areas is considered an asset

Experience:

At least three years of experience in research, data collection and analysis and report drafting
Experience in writing communicative materials;
Knowledge of the challenges related to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ECIS region would be an asset)
Familiarity with UNDP’s policies on gender equality and women’s empowerment would be an asset;
Familiarity with UNDP’s programming work in general would be an asset ;
experience with using online tools, including social media applications and Web 2.0.

Language:

Excellent writing, editing, and oral communications skills in English;

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

The contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only those candidates who obtained at least 70% of points in each step of the process technical (P11 desk reviews and interviews) will be considered for financial proposal evaluation.

Technical Criteria (70% of total evaluation; maximum 35 points):

A: Demonstrated experience in research and drafting reports on the development programming results – max points: 5;
B: Demonstrated experience in writing communication materials – max points - 7,5;
C: Knowledge of the challenges related gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ECIS region – max points: 5;
D: Education – max points - 5;
E: Excellent writing and editing skills –max points 5;
F: Interview (Knowledge of UNDP’s gender equality policies and programming in general) – max points - 7,5.

Financial Criteria (30% of total evaluation; maximum 15 points):

Application procedures:
Qualified candidates are requested to apply online on this website.

The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a link to examples of your work: reports, blogs, stories, presentations. Please add the links to “Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV;
Financial Proposal* - Specifying a total lump sum amount in USD for the task specified in this announcement. Proposal must include all costs incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (travel cost to/from duty station, insurance, etc.) with exception of mission related travel costs. Please note that travel costs related to missions will be paid separately as per UNDP rules and regulations and shall not be included in the Financial Proposal;
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Group all your documents into one single file to upload because the system allows only one attachment.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs