UNDP Jobs - 66253- International Institutional Development Expert for

International Institutional Development Expert for Election Management Bodies

Location :

Honiara, SOLOMON ISLANDS

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

13-Jun-2016

Application Deadline :

24-May-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

50 working days - (42 in-country and 8 home-based)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

50 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

The “Strengthening the Electoral Cycle in the Solomon Islands Project” (SECSIP) is jointly implemented by the Solomon Islands Government through the Office of the Electoral Commission (O/SIEC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). O/SIEC is the primary administrative body of all electoral matters, and leads and undertakes the functions of voter registration as well as the conduction of national level elections and by-elections.

UNDP electoral assistance is provided throughout the entire electoral cycle (pre-election; elections/polling and post-election) and designed to support O/SIEC in its core mandate, conducting inclusive and credible electoral processes. SECSIP, funded by the European Union and the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), focuses on the five components capacity development, voter registration, electoral reform, civic engagement/voter awareness and women’s political participation/gender mainstreaming. SECSIP aims to develop synergies and strategic partnerships with a range of national stakeholders from government and civil society to ensure that an enabling environment for credible and inclusive elections is created. The overarching objective is to strengthen the link between the electoral cycle and other key governance processes and institutions, and contribute to social cohesion and the development of a pluralistic society.

In the post-election phase of the 2014 National General Elections (GNE), the Capacity Building Component of SECSIP supported the conduction of three lessons learned exercises/workshops that gathered feedback from O/SIEC staff, registration and polling officials. The 2015 workshops, were conducted in three provinces and served the purpose of reviewing operational, human resource, media/PR, training and logistical aspects of the overall election related procedures and specifically of the biometric voter registration exercise (which was conducted for the first time).

As one of the key recommendations of these workshops, SECSIP will assist O/SIEC to prioritize actions for the streamlining of procedures and for systematically increasing the institutional capacities of SIEC in the forefront of the next electoral cycle. Hence, SECSIP is seeking an international expert, specialized in institutional capacity development within Election Management Bodies, to conduct a baseline study on the current capacities of SIEC and formulate a clear and comprehensive capacity development strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work/Expected Output:

Global objective:

Under the guidance of the Head of Office and Governance Unit Chief and under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) and working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Institutional Development Expert for Election Management Bodies will contribute to UNDP overall electoral support to O/SIEC. The Expert will specifically support SECSIP to deliver under Output 2 ‘Enhanced capacity of the SIEC to manage an electoral cycle’ by assessing the exact needs and priorities in terms of (additional) staffing and current institutional capacity and structure against the background of potential electoral reform (SECSIP Output 4) and the potential merger of SIEC with the Political Parties Commission. (Note: consideration should be given to the envisaged electoral reform process. The consultant is expected to liaise with stakeholders and advisers with respect to the progress made on matters related to the reform which should be reflect this in his/her deliveries. A capacity needs assessment needs to be conducted to support and strengthen O/SIEC (in its current or a newly formed function) for the conduction of the 2018/2019 General Elections. The Consultant shall prepare the “SIEC Capacity Development Strategy” consisting of a Part A; a thorough assessment/baseline study and Part B, a comprehensive Capacity Development Plan. The Consultant is required to conduct in-depth consultations and broad-outreach to stakeholders in order to assure all perspectives and opinions are taken into account. For these tasks, UNDP capacity development tools may serve as a guidance. Consideration should be given to the existing legislative framework, mandates and policies.

Duties and responsibilities:

In detail, the Institutional Capacity Development Expert for Election Management Bodies will focus on two core activities during his/her assignment:

a) Conduct a detailed review of current electoral capacities (of O/SIEC and other entities involved in elections such as provincial governments) against the background of envisaged institutional strengthening before the next general elections and prepare a Baseline Study. This includes:

Identifying relevant stakeholders within public institutions, (such as in O/SIEC, the Political Parties Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Provincial Government and the Parliament, etc.) and within civil society (for instance groups involved in voter education, domestic observation or women’s political participation);
Conducting interviews and focus group discussions with selected stakeholders to discuss current and envisaged operational and managerial capacities of O/SIEC official and other officials involved in electoral related duties; including in terms of inclusion and gender mainstreaming, and the opportunities and challenges for women electoral administrators;
Reviewing relevant documents such as the O/SIEC staffing plan, organigram, job descriptions, lessons learned report of the GNE 2014 and annual SIEC reports; as well as the relevant legal framework for public servants and institutions;
Participating in and/or organizing workshops with selected stakeholders to discuss preliminary findings and ideas;
Drafting an analysis of the capacity assessment (baseline study), which shall serve as the foundation of the capacity building strategy.

b) Develop, in consultation with UNDP SECSIP CTA and ESSP Programme Manager, a comprehensive Capacity Development Plan for O/SIEC. This includes:

Formulating clear recommendations on staffing and the O/SIEC personnel structure based in the prior conducted baseline study, e.g. advising on the revision/extension of the current personnel structure of O/SIEC; including the profiles and numbers of additional staff; the revision of current job descriptions and the development of Terms of References for new positions;
Suggesting methodologies and tools for training and on-boarding of new staff (for instance BRIDGE training modules); and making recommendations for capacity development activities of current staff; including suggestions on advancing women electoral administrators;
Drafting a timeline and proposing a budget for the envisaged capacity development measures;
Organizing a workshop (or other forms of consultations) with key stakeholders to present the overall findings and suggestions; and
Revising the draft Part B ‘Capacity Development Plan’ based on the received input and feedback;
Finalizing the document “SIEC Capacity Development Strategy” (consisting of Part A (Baseline Study) and Part B (Capacity Development Plan), ensuring both parts are coherent and consistent; as well as adding a final summary, introduction, annexes, etc.

Key deliverable:

1. Part A of the SIEC Capacity Development Strategy: A thorough analysis of the current capacities of O/SIEC and relevant entities involved in elections and the envisaged capacities for O/SIEC to manage the next electoral cycle. This written report shall include the findings of the interviews and focus group discussions (e.g. current strengths of O/SIEC and future challenges to address); an analysis of the reviewed legal background and lessons learned from the last GNE regarding existing and needed capacities; as well as a brief reflection of gender mainstreaming entry points in SIEC;.

2. Part B of the SIEC Capacity Development Strategy: A detailed Capacity Development Plan. This written report shall include a suggested staffing plan, including job descriptions (terms of reference) for new positions; clear recommendations on training and on-boarding for current and proposed new staff, including methodologies and tools; and a draft budget and timeline for the outlined capacity development measures. (The final document is supposed to be one coherent, comprehensive report, consisting of the two parts (plus introduction, summary, etc.)

Competencies

Organizational competencies and attitudes:

Demonstrable capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a highly pressured environment;
Excellent self-organization; drafting and communication skills;
Displaying inter-cultural sensitivity;
Excellent oral and written English skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications:

Master degree or equivalent in Political Science, Law, Public Administration or related field;