UN WOMEN Jobs - 64021- UN Women - International Consultant to Support Tir

UN Women - International Consultant to Support Tirana Municipality in the Setting up and Operationalization of Women Entrepreneurs Fund

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Home-based with One Possible Mission in Tirana, ALBANIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

15 working days within period March-April 2016

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

Women economic empowerment both through increased access to labour markets as well as enhanced opportunities for women entrepreneurship is a policy area that is gradually gaining attention in government policy as a tool to guarantee consolidation of women’s rights. The centrality of women entrepreneurship is stressed in several documents and strategies elaborated by the Government such as the Business and Development Strategy 2013-2020 and The National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) 2013-2020.

Since 2012 UN Women has worked closely with Ministry of Economic Development Trade Tourism and Entrepreneurship to improve policies and approaches that create a favourable environment for women led businesses including the drafting of the National Action Plan on Women Entrepreneurship 2014-2020 which accompanies the Business and Investment Strategy.

Currently the National Plan of Women’s Entrepreneurship 2014-2020 is in place and endorsed and is being implemented by a series of stakeholders in the country at the central (policy) and local level. UN Women has been instrumental in supporting and advising the Ministry as they established the NAP and is keen to see the Plan implemented. One of the key components of this Plan is also Women’s Access to Credit. On that regard, UN Women is working with MEDTE to push forward the agenda of the National Plan by providing business training, counselling, mentoring, access to credit and capital, and marketing opportunities for women entrepreneurs throughout Albania. Following this approach and with the support of UN Women for the first time in 2015 GoA approved and allocated a 250,000USD fund to support Women Entrepreneurs through interest rates coverage. This was ground breaking recognition and policy support to women led businesses by government.

To continue the momentum and build on the success of the 2015 women specific fund, the Municipality of Tirana will introduce this year a new Competitive Fund for Women Entrepreneurs at the local level and intended for women entrepreneurs operating in Tirana. The fund is intended to support directly various industries of women owned micro- small and medium enterprises as well as encourage women led start up activities. The total fund size is up to 6.000.000 ALL for a period of 1 year with potential replication annually. Applications for funding will be considered on a competitive basis. The objective of the Fund will be to assist a women-led new start-up company, or woman entrepreneur, to investigate the viability of a new growth-orientated business proposition which has the potential to become a High Growth Potential Start-up. These are companies that can develop scalable innovative technologies, products or services and place women in non-traditional sectors. The fund will also provide support to women owned business in rural areas of Tirana Municipality with focus on rural economic activities. In this frame the Municipality of Tirana is seeking the support of an international expert who can bring expertise and knowledge from other countries and practices related to funds establishment and operationalization. The consultant will draft the methodology for the fund operationalization within 2016, including terms of operation procedures for the fund, maximum and minimum funding levels, competition and selection criteria, managing structures and related procedures, eligible costs.

Overall objective

The overall objective of the International Consultant will conceptualize and operationalize the Women Entrepreneurs Fund for Tirana Municipality. In developing the required task the International Consultant will be guided by best practices of other countries that have set up and made functional similar funds, key UN Women documents, including the NAP on Women Entrepreneurship 2014-2020 and in accordance with the existing Legal Basis on which the Fund for Women Entrepreneurship will be administered.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of UN Women National Programme Coordinator on Women Economic Empowerment, and in close cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana, the International Consultant will conceptualize and operationalize the Women Entrepreneurs Fund for Tirana Municipality. In developing the required task the International Consultant will be guided by best practices of other countries that have set up and made functional similar funds, key UN Women documents, including the NAP on Women Entrepreneurship 2014-2020 and in accordance with the existing Legal Basis on which the Fund for Women Entrepreneurship will be administered.

The International Consultant is expected to work closely with UN Women National Programme Coordinator, as well as coordinate very closely with the Municipality of Tirana, deputy Mayor of Tirana.

The international consultant will be supported by a local consultant:

Conduct a desk review on previous and current programs related to fund schemes for women entrepreneurs in Albania;
Conduct meetings with Tirana Municipality representatives and other relevant actors on the envisaged Fund;
Draft the methodology for the conceptualization and operationalization of Women Entrepreneurs Fund for Tirana Municipality;
Prepare related operational plan;
Prepare standard operation procedures for the Fund;
Draft competition and selection criteria; establish scoring for each criteria;
Draft application form;
Establish eligibility criteria for women entrepreneurs and related micro-small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
Establish the Fund’s managing structures, needed human resources and related rules and regulations;
Establish structures for selection, assessment and monitoring of grants;
Establish maximum and minimum funding levels; eligible sectors; eligible costs;
Establish managing structures and related procedures;
Draft a monitoring tool for the fund delivery and quality check;
Conduct specific presentations as requested by Municipality of Tirana and UN Women on the draft products

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

Detailed work plan for the consultancy and description of methodology to be employed;
Final Standard Operation Procedures Manual;
Monitoring Plan;
A final report in English and Albanian on the work progress during whole consultancy.

Competencies

Core values:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

Core competencies:

Communication:

Excellent communication skills, including the ability to pose questions, listen, evaluate and capture opinions, suggestions and comments, both orally and in writing, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different stakeholders.

Client orientation:

Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with national partners and pro-activeness in identifying of beneficiaries and partners’ needs, and matching them to appropriate solutions.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in economics, public finances and related fields.

Experience:

Over 7 years of international development experience with a particular emphasis on women entrepreneurship and women’s access to finance and crediting tools;
Concrete direct experience in building women business support funds/credit lines is a must;
Experience with similar assignments in the region is an asset;
The expert should be proactive and have the ability to discuss openly with all senior officials of Tirana Municipality; other key stakeholders, private sector and development partners;
Strong inter-personal and communications (oral and written) skills, efficiency in a multi-tasking environment;
Ability to work and adapt to a dynamic working environment, judgment, results-orientation, and ability to perform under pressure.
Full working knowledge of English, including excellent drafting and presentation skills.

Language:

Full working knowledge of English, including excellent drafting and presentation skills.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount in US dollars (USD) (15 working days), 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). In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including one tentative missions to Tirana, Albania per diems, and number of working days to be specified for each mission). Given the nature of the work payments will be based upon a) delivery of the services specified in the TORs, and b) certification of performance;
Payment will be made as per the payment schedule in the contract upon (i) satisfactory completion of tasks; (ii) provision of deliverables specified in the ToRs; (iii) submission of and approval of final report; and (iv) submission of the respective time-sheet and invoice.

Evaluation of applicants

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. 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 below defined technical and financial criteria.

Applications will be assessed according to the following technical criteria:

Advanced degree in economics, public finances and related fields (weight 10, max. points 10);
Over 7 years of international development experience with a particular emphasis on women entrepreneurship and women’s access to finance and crediting tools (weight 20, max. points 20);
Concrete direct experience in building women business support funds/credit lines is a must (weight 20, max. points 20);
Experience with similar assignments in the region is an asset; (weight 10, max. points 10);
Strong inter-personal and communications (oral and written) skills, efficiency in a multi-tasking environment and Ability to work and adapt to a dynamic working environment, judgment, results-orientation, and ability to perform under pressure (weight 10, max. points 10);

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. The calculation formula applied is as follow:

p = 30 (µ/z); where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated; µ = price of the lowest priced proposal; z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

Financial Weight 30% Max. Point 30

Application procedures:

Interested individual consultants are requested to apply electronically through the following link: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.cfm no later than February 29th, 2016 and to submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

A Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability including a brief description explaining why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how the assignment will be approached and completed;
P11 including past experience in similar assignment. Can be downloaded at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
Financial Proposal specifying the daily fee and the overall amount in USD for the tasks and anticipated number of days specified in this assignment.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials