Background
Within UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), the Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology (EITT) cluster under the Global Environmental Finance unit is engaged in supporting developing countries to access finance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other sources relating to environmentally sustainable use and supply of energy and promotion of low-emission and climate-resilient urban and transport infrastructure. The value of all UNDP-managed sustainable energy and transport projects currently in planning or under implementation is US$ 600 million across 100 countries. An additional US$ 5 billion?in co-financing has been leveraged for these projects from a range of partners
UNDP provides support to countries’ work in three programming areas: (i) promoting access to clean and affordable energy systems and services; (ii) promoting low-emission and climate-resilient urban and transport infrastructure; and (iii) promoting access to new finance mechanisms, including climate finance.
To facilitate the identification, allocation and designation of the appropriate expertise for the technical, management, monitoring & evaluation (M&E), and support requirements of the client countries, UNDP-GEF’s EITT Team is developing a roster of experts that will consist of vetted capable and qualified individuals who can be called upon to provide specific project design, implementation, management or M&E support to client countries and the global programmes supporting them, guided by UNDP-GEF EITT technical advisors. A screening procedure will be applied to select the prospective applicants who will be registered in the UNDP-GEF EITT Vetted Experts Roster. This roster will be maintained for a period of 3 years. Retention on the roster will be contingent upon continuous delivery of satisfactory services.
Duties and Responsibilities
The applicant will work under the overall technical supervision of a Regional Technical Advisor and/or the direct supervision of a specific national, regional or global UNDP Programme or Project Manager.
The scope of work will vary depending on the assignment but would include one or various of the following deliverables within national, regional and global programmes or projects led by the EITT team in the Global Environmental Finance (UNDP-GEF) unit and Country Offices:
Project and programme design and development:
- Gather data and undertake detailed desktop research;
- Support consultations with government and other project stakeholders and implementing partners, including potentially through mission travel (see below);
- Support discussions and negotiations with potential project partners and project co-financers;
- Conduct logical framework analysis (LFA), theory of change formulation and other methods for project framework development, as the basis of the initial project design (e.g. preparation of a project information form or PIF, or a concept note);
- Undertake background work on policy and institutional reviews, economic assessment, financial analysis and cost-benefit analysis to inform project design;
- Undertake detailed design of priority project components and activities, estimation of quantitative and qualitative project baselines, beneficiaries and estimated impacts, proposed activities, budgets, scheduling, and delineation of responsibilities for implementation of activities and monitoring and evaluation;
- Identify, assess and undertake design of demonstrations/pilot activities and/or full investment projects (where required);
- Identify, assess and undertake design of financial instruments to support project objectives (e.g. revolving funds, feed-in tariffs, carbon finance, etc.);
- Estimation of greenhouse gas emission reduction/sequestration benefits using appropriate methodologies;
- Design of greenhouse gas MRV systems for projects;
- Preparation of full project documents (e.g. GEF CEO Endorsement Requests, Project Documents and equivalents under other funding sources);
Project and programme management and implementation support:
- Serve as resource person in assisting project implementation by conducting capacity development activities planned for technical personnel of project partners and stakeholders;
- Network with and engage key stakeholders during project implementation;
- Provide technical input in preparing and implementing project activities during project implementation, in line with Government, UNDP, GEF and other funders’ technical and operational standards/guidelines;
- Ensure timely and quality implementation of project activities, outputs and results;
- Create and maintain tools and systems to facilitate knowledge creation, knowledge building and communication with/to key stakeholders and beneficiaries.
Monitoring and evaluation / knowledge management:
- Carry out required independent monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes;
- Gender analysis, applying M&E tools (randomized evaluations, community based surveys, etc.);
- Prepare knowledge and communications products, such as featured articles and case studies in publications of UNDP and partner organizations, video productions, press-releases, content for UNDP websites, etc.;
- Support the development of literature on good practices and case studies for dissemination to exchange knowledge and to support dialogue and knowledge events;
- Carry out knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation of effectiveness of national and sub-national policies and strategies;
- Prepare and disseminate knowledge and communications products.
Specialized Technical Support on climate change mitigation policy and finance:
Technical experts:
- Provide specialized support to initiatives supporting countries to implement policy and finance changes to enhance management of programmes and services in the following technical sectors: Energy efficiency, renewable energy programs, transport, waste Management, LULUCF/AFOLU;
Climate change mitigation policy experts:
- Analyze or support analyses of the impacts of subsidies and incentives on climate change mitigation programs, and recommend policy and/or fiscal reforms, using market mechanism such as NAMAs, MRV, SBLs, GHG inventories, sectoral crediting, CDM mythologies, etc.
Financial analysis experts:
- Conduct or support the conduct of economic and financial assessments, including cost-benefit analysis;
- Conduct, or support the conduct of, public and private sector policy, institutional and expenditure reviews, and/or costing exercises;
- Lead or provide technical and political analyses and advice on the assessment of a wide range of financing mechanisms, using non-grant financing tools, multi-variable discounted cash flow modeling, IRR and ERR analysis, quantitative valuation techniques, financing incentive, etc.
The prospective experts who apply for the EITT Vetted Experts Roster should indicate if they have experience and expertise in all or a combination of the above areas of expertise, as related to one or more of the following 7 subject areas:
- Energy policies, laws, and regulatory frameworks;
- Energy efficiency: Please indicate which of the following sectoral expertise areas you are applying to (more than one area can be selected): Buildings, transportation (low-carbon transport, sustainable urban management and mobility), industrial processes, appliances, infrastructure;
- Renewable energy technologies and systems: Please indicate which of the following sectoral expertise areas you are applying to (more than one area can be selected): Solar, wind, thermal, biomass, biogas, liquid biofuels, geothermal, hydropower, waste management;
- Access to modern energy services: Please indicate which of the following sectoral expertise areas you are applying to (more than one area can be selected): Mini-grid, solar home systems, smart grids, sustainable charcoal, other (please specify);
- Land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF);
- Environmental and social assessment (safeguards) and gender analysis in energy projects/programmes;
- Economics & Climate finance instruments: CDM (Clean Development Mechanisms), NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions), INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions), MRV (Measurement, reporting and verification).
The prospective experts who apply for the EITT Vetted Experts Roster should also indicate which of the 6 UNDP locations they have experience in AND would like to work in:
- Latin America & Caribbean;
- Africa;
- Arab States;
- Eastern Europe & CIS;
- Asia & Pacific;
- Global.
In summary, candidates should indicate (see details below):
- Which of the 4 areas of expertise they have experience in;
- Which of the 7 subject areas they have expertise in;
- Which of the 6 locations they have experience in and would like to work in.
Working Arrangements:
- Successful candidates will be included on the UNDP-GEF EITT Vetted Experts Roster for a period of up to 3 years;
- The estimated level of effort will vary according to the requirements of each individual assignment (including whether or not travel is required) and the number of assignments offered to each expert;
- UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of entry into the Roster as this will depend on forthcoming needs and performance appraisals;
- Entry into the Roster is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from sourcing expertise from other rosters, entities or individuals);
- The final nature and scope of each assignment will vary and will focus on particular aspects of this Terms of Reference (TOR) and such details will be included in a separate TOR for each specific assignment;
- If an expert has been involved in the design of a project or programme, s/he will not be considered for implementation or evaluation of said same project as this poses a conflict of interest as per UNDP guidelines;
- The candidate’s financial proposal will specify only the all-inclusive daily fee and payments will be made to the consultant based on the number of days worked payable against assigned deliverables. The stated fee would be the ceiling amount;
- The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under each particular assignment;
- The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, software, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
- Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered.
Travel:
- Most assignments will be home-based and may include mission travel;
- Specific mission travel will depend on the specific assignment and must be approved in advance and in writing by the Supervisor;
- The UN Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
- Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
- Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives, set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;
- Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas and security clearances needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
- The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;
- All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP travel rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies:
- Results-driven, initiative-taking;
- Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines;
- Ability to plan and organize work and establish priorities;
- Remains calm and in control even under pressure, and consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
Client Orientation and Communication:
- Good interpersonal and networking skills;
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations;
- Supports and encourages open communication in the team, and facilitates team work;
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of stakeholders, in a manner that is courteous and professional at all times, employing an appropriate level of formality and diplomacy;
- Ability to follow instructions accurately and also to work under minimum supervision.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s Degree (or higher) in a discipline relevant to Engineering, Energy, Economics, Finance or Environmental Sciences or another other closely related field with a principal focus on energy management, energy systems, renewable energy, sustainable transport, civil engineering and/or climate change mitigation, including ecosystem-based mitigation (LULUCF) [max. 10 points].
Experience:
General applicable to all candidates:
- At least 5 years of working experience in one or more of the seven subject areas [max. 15 points];
- Experience working with international institutions, civil societies and/or governmental authorities, and private sector business [max. 5 points];
- Experience working with and in developing countries [max. 5 points];
- At least 5 years of work experience in one or more of the following UNDP locations: Latin America & Caribbean, Africa, Arab States, Eastern Europe & CIS, Asia & Pacific, global [max. 5 points].
For those candidates applying for assignments related to policy and finance:
- At least 5 years of experience in economics and climate finance instruments at the national and/or international level [max. 10 points].
Language:
- Excellent written and oral skills in English [max. 10 points];
- Proficiency in the following languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Portuguese) is an advantage [max. 5 points].
Evaluation method and inclusion in the Roster:
- Only those applications that are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.
For candidates applying for assignments related to: a) project and programme design and development, project and programme management and implementation, and/or monitoring and evaluation/ knowledge management OR b) assignments related to climate change policy and finance:
- The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max. 55 points] and written test [max. 35 points] will be based on a maximum of 90 points;
- Only the candidates who achieve a minimum of 38,5 points from the review of the education, experience and language will be considered for the written test;
- Candidates obtaining a minimum of 63 points or higher from the combined review of the qualifications and written test and acceptance of UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be included on the roster.
For candidates applying for assignments related to: a) project and programme design and development, project and programme management and implementation, and/or monitoring and evaluation/ knowledge management AND b) assignments related to climate change mitigation policy and finance:
- The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max. 65 points] and written test [max. 35 points] will be based on a maximum of 100 points;
- Only the candidates who achieve a minimum of 45,5 points from the review of the education, experience, and language will be considered for the written test;
- Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points or higher from the combined review of the qualifications and written test and acceptance of UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be included on the roster.
Documentation to be submitted:
Candidates must clearly indicate in a cover/motivation letter the following:
- Expertise Area(s) the candidate has expertise in (select between one and three areas): 1) Project and programme design and development; 2) Project and programme management and implementation support; 3) Monitoring and evaluation/ knowledge management; 4) Specialized technical support on climate change mitigation policy and finance;
- Subject Areas(s) the candidate has experience in one or more of the seven areas mentioned above;
- UNDP Location(s) the candidate has experience in and is seeking to work in (select between one and six locations): 1) Latin America & Caribbean; 2) Africa; 3) Arab States; 4) Eastern Europe & CIS; 5) Asia & Pacific; 6) Global;
- Languages in which the candidate is proficient;
- Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) to be downloaded from the link below;
- Financial proposal: The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee in US Dollars. Such fee would be the ceiling amount.
Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.
Kindly note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach). Incomplete applications will not be considered.
UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.
General Conditions of Contract for the ICs: