UNCDF Jobs - 70125- UNCDF MM4P Administrative Support Consultant

UNCDF MM4P Administrative Support Consultant

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

Brussels, BELGIUM

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

11-Mar-2017

Application Deadline :

31-Jan-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

12 months

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

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs). With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. This last mile is where available resources for development are scarcest; where market failures are most pronounced; and where benefits from national growth tend to leave people excluded.

Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) is a programme launched by UNCDF in partnership with the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation. MM4P provides support to branchless and mobile financial services in a select group of LDCs to demonstrate how the correct mix of financial, technical and policy support can build a robust branchless and mobile financial services ecosystem that reaches low income people in LDCs.

MM4P is currently present in Benin, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia and planning an expansion into Myanmar.

MM4P requires a consultant to support the decentralisation of its management structure from a single Project Management Unit (PMU) based in Brussels to a network of project locations including Benin, Malawi, Nepal, Liberia, Laos PDR, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia as well as launching new programme operations in Myanmar. The assignment entails:

Evaluate operations and closure phase 2014-2016 in Malawi and Liberia: The Malawi and Liberia projects are currently under review and scheduled to be closed in Q3 2017; the local team is only technical and administrative and operations support is provided remotely. The consultant is expected to monitor any requests and act as liaison with the operations team in Brussels and will be required to assist PMU with the project closing.

Support continued operations in Benin, Senegal and Zambia (2014-2019): The Benin and Senegal projects are fully staffed since mid-2016. The project team assistant in Zambia is still under recruitment which is expected to be finalised in Q1 2017. The consultant will be required to help PMU build the capacity of the Zambia team and backstop operations in Q1.

Support continued operations in Uganda after the programme expansion to 2017: MM4P Operations in Uganda were formally decentralised in Q1 2015 but this process was halted after the dismissal of the former local operations assistant; the team was re-staffed in summer 2016 but the team´s capacity is still not up to the required standard, the staff lacking training. The consultant will be required to help PMU build the capacity of the Uganda team and backstop operations in Q1.

Support continued operations in Laos and Nepal until 2017: MM4P Operations in Laos and Nepal are shared with National Implemented Programmes. This requires MM4P to support Laos and Nepal for all international operations including strategic procurement and missions. MM4P funds for Nepal come to an end on Q3 2017 and the project is due a donor audit in Q1 2017, the consultant will be required to assist PMU with the project closing.

Assist the launch of operations in Myanmar: MM4P is currently preparing to launch operations in Myanmar in 2017. Currently there is no operations infrastructure in Myanmar and thus the consultant will be required to support MM4P´s PMU to set up the project infrastructure in this country.

Support the Project Management team in the decentralization of operations to local offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct responsibility of the UNCDF Operations Analyst, the Consultant will specifically provide:

Evaluate operations and closure phase I (2014-2016) in Malawi and Liberia:

Liaise with country teams, asses their needs and support the operations team in Brussels managing the requests from Malawi and Liberia until the programme closing in September 2017;
Support the team in the management of the project files in Malawi and Liberia;
Ensure that all files and reports are in order for the project closure.

Deliverables:

Updated Malawi and Liberia file maps;
Updated transaction reports from 2012 to 2017;
Project closure report.

Support continued operations in Benin, Senegal and Zambia (2014-2019):

Liaise with the Zambia country team, asses their needs and support the operations team in Brussels managing this requests, until an admin assistant is hired and trained in Q1 2017;
Support the training of the Zambia operations staff as well as implementation of all relevant MM4P processes and procedures until an admin assistant is hired and trained in Q1 2017;
Assist the teams of Benin and Zambia in preparing the 2017 audit for the Master Card project, including internal audit and management of the project file for the audit.

Deliverables:

Training of Zambia staff completed;
Updated Zambia, Benin and Senegal file maps;
Preliminary audit report draft;
Updated transaction reports from 2014 to 2017.

Support continued operations in Uganda after the programme expansion to 2017:

Build project, administrative and operations capacity of the Uganda project team until this team can act independently;
Liaise with the Uganda country team, asses their needs and support the operations team in Brussels managing the requests;
Support the Uganda project team in project closure for 2017 and request for extension in 2018 including internal audit and management of the project file for the audit.
Support the Uganda country team in procuring new premises, scheduled in Q2 2017.

Deliverables:

Training of Uganda staff completed;
New MM4P Uganda office set up;
Updated Uganda file maps;
Updated transaction reports from 2014 to 2017;
Project closure report.

Support continued operations in Laos and Nepal until 2017:

Liaise with the Nepal and Laos country teams, asses their needs and support the operations team in Brussels managing this requests for international procurement and strategic procurement (via Long Term Agreements).

Deliverables:

Support PMU in achieving the procurement needs in Laos PDR and Nepal´s 2017 AWPs;
Updated Nepal file maps;
Updated transaction reports from 2012 to 2017;
Project closure report.

Assist the launch of operations in Myanmar:

Build capacity project, admin and operations of the Myanmar project team, until this team can act independently;
Support the Myanmar project team in setting up and managing their project file.

Deliverables:

MM4P Myanmar office set up completed Q2;
Training of Myanmar staff completed Q3;
Create Myanmar file maps.

Support the Project Management in the decentralization of operations to local offices.

Support the Brussels project management team in building the administrative capacity of the field offices;
Assist the Brussels team in preparing the 2017 audit for the Master Card project, including internal audit and management of the project file for the audit;
Support the Brussels team in the procurement and transition of new premises scheduled for September 2017;
Assists the MM4P field team travel arrangements. This will include the roll out of the on line travel module in Q1 and Q2 2017;
Support to the organization of common services with UNDP country offices;
Administrative support for events organized locally.

Deliverables:

Assist the PMU in sourcing 4 new LTA for DFS in Q2 2017;
Preliminary audit report draft for MCF completed;
Updated transaction reports from 2014 to 2017;
New MM4P office set up in Q3;
Roll out of the on line travel module completed in Q1 for Brussels and Q2 -Q3 for field offices.

Competencies

Strong ability to communicate and function effectively in local/international/multicultural environment;
Fundamental knowledge of public procurement processes, methods and procedures;
Data gathering and implementation of management systems;
Maintains effective client relationships.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Secondary Education, preferably with specialized certification in Management, Accounting or Finance or related field.

Experience

5 years of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national or international level.
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems is required.
Experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning Software (i.e. ATLAS, Oracle or similar) is required.
Experience with international public procurement and finance procedures is required.
Experience in corporate training and capacity building is desirable.
Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable.

Language requirements:

Fluency in English and French;
Excellent writing skills in English.

Timeline, duration of assignment, duty station and expected places of travel:

Timeline: 12 months starting 11 March 2017
Location(s): Brussels, Belgium
Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: 264 days

This is a national consultant position. Applicants that are not nationals of the requested duty station will have to prove their residence status. Please note that consultants residing in the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses.

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Operations Analyst.
Payments will be made on periodical basis in accordance with number of days worked and upon satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the direct supervisor.
Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

Application:

Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions. The best proposal that will be awarded the contract shall be selected through the following method:

Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, which assigns the weight distribution between the technical and financial proposals as set out in the RFP. The weight distribution shall be 70% technical and 30% financial.

All applications must contain the following information:

Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to the TOR;
Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
Curriculum Vitae;
Completed and signed P11 - Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc);

Signed financial proposal for the full months assignment outlining:

Total professional fee;
Other professional expenses (such as insurance, taxes, etc.);

The financial proposal form is available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916)

Evaluation:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening
Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x (Step II: Shortlisting (20 points), Step III: Interview (80 points) = 100 Points)
Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% = Step IV.

Step I: Screening:

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review/interview:

UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate them.

As applicable, only the first top 4 ranked applicants achieving 70% of the points at this stage shall be invited for an interview.

Step III: Interview:

A competency-based interview shall be conducted for the candidates. The maximum score for the interview is 80 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Step II (20 points) + Step III (80 points) will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step IV: Financial Evaluation:

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

Award Criteria:

The contact shall be awarded to the best applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as: responsive/compliant/acceptable and having received the highest combined weight (technical proposal & Interview) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Please note that UNCDF cannot guarantee residence permits or visa´s for consultants. Consultants are responsible for securing their work documentation. In the case of national consultants, applicants that are not nationals of the duty station requested will have to prove their residence status.

Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Please not that in such case the company institution will be asked to issue an RLA http://www.undp.org/content/dam/vietnam/docs/Legalframework/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement.doc.

Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

(Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA): A legal instrument between UNCDF and a Company/institution, according to which, the latter makes available the services of an individual delivering time-bound and quantifiable outputs that are directly linked to payments. An RLA is governed by the provisions of this policy.)