Background

UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2014-2017) is designed to help individuals and countries alike build resilience to internal and external shocks. This helps reduce risks, prevent crises (whether from man-made or natural causes), avert major development setbacks and promote human security. In this regard, UNDP focusses on two critical issues: a much stronger ability to prepare for and deal with the consequences of natural disasters, especially as they are exacerbated by climate change; and a rapid and effective recovery from crises in those cases where prevention has fallen short. Policies and capacities are needed for comprehensive national and regional responses to natural disasters to minimize adverse development impacts and accelerate rebuilding.

One focus area for UNDP is on what happens before disasters strike. This includes supporting a range of issues: disaster risk assessments that consider geophysical, weather, climatic and other hazards (including those that are low intensity but high frequency); policy and planning frameworks that integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation; and preparedness for disaster management and recovery including, for example, innovations to manage risks through insurance and resilient infrastructure.

The other major focal area for UNDP is on what happens after a disaster strikes. This includes the preparation of post-disaster recovery and reconstruction plans and programmes that are inclusive of and accountable to displaced populations, women and other vulnerable groups. This is reinforced through assistance for better coordination and implementation of early recovery programmes with a focus on local economic conditions, addressing the needs of groups in danger of exclusion.

In order to ensure continued support to our initiatives in Africa, UNDP RSCA invites candidates to send their applications for inclusion in a Vetted Roster of external experts. The process of including candidates in the Expert Roster is described in the latter sections of this advertisement

Duties and Responsibilities

Tasks assigned in each individual assignment may include one or more of the following:

Policy and Strategy Development:

• Prepare Policy briefs, Status papers on developmental challenges/issues based on secondary review of existing literature for evidence based advocacy and policy dialogue;
• Develop guidelines and national and sub-national strategy in the areas of institutional strengthening;
• Develop institutional and regulatory frameworks to facilitate climate changeand adaptation and disaster risk reduction;
• Review of policy literature in respect to the subject;
• Formulation of strategic national and sub-national development policy;
• Identification of barriers and solutions for proposed interventions;
• Risk Identification, Mitigation;
• Formulate strategic national and sub-national development policy and regulatory frameworks;
• Identify barriers and solutions for proposed interventions;
• Identify risks and develop mitigation/management strategies.

Project Design, Formulation  & other project related functions:

• Prepare conceptual framework/concept note on new area of work/developmental challenge;
• Provide technical assistance in identification of developmental challenges, target areas, beneficiaries and partners and formulation of implementation strategy for UNDP support;
• Provide technical support in development on new interventions/projects with Implementation (operational plan, monitoring and resource requirement) Institutional and management arrangements;
• Identify issues, formulate and implement interventions that focus on various activities;
• Conduct studies on project/program highlights, activities and processes involved;
• Prepare and review Project documents;
• Identify areas/beneficiaries and partners; timing, sequencing of activities; mobilization of finance;
• Prepare project proposals to ensure innovation in concepts, strategies and incorporation of best practices;
• Develop work plans and budget;
• Review project documents or other project related documents, including reporting documents for quality assurance;
• Conduct gender analysis/assessment to ensure gender mainstreaming and empowerment through all UNDP interventions;
• Prepare project proposals to ensure innovation in concepts, strategies, theory of change, results-orientation using logframes, and incorporation of best practices;
• Develop work plans and budget;
• Review project documents or other project related documents, including reporting documents

Research and Documentation:

• Undertake secondary research in the new areas of developmental concern based on review of existing literature;
• Develop research design, research questions and scope of work for undertaking primary research in new areas;
• Document good practices, case studies, innovations and pilot models for wider dissemination and sharing;
• Undertake process documentation of models for upscaling;
• Financial and economic modelling;

Capacity Development/Training:

• Based on capacity assessment, develop Capacity Development Plan to achieve the milestones identified and address the identified capacity gaps;
• Develop target specific training tools/tool-kits and manuals based on training needs assessment;
• Design training curriculum, conduct and/or coordinate trainings programmes for various stakeholders;
• Carry out capacity assessments of public institutions and government institutions for development of strategic interventions for institutional strengthening;
• Design and delivery of training tool-kits, products etc.;
• Conduct and/or Coordinate trainings and workshops.

Knowledge Management:

• Prepareknowledge and communications products related to the projects/programs (Audio, Video and Hard copies);
• Review of Knowledge products (subject, design and content);
• Prepare and publishfeatured articles and case studies in publications of the UNDP, other pertinent organizations, academic journals;
• Disseminate knowledge and communications products;
• Develop literature on best practices and case studies;
• Contribute to Communities of Practice (CoP) of UN Solutions Exchange (UNSE)

Monitoring & Evaluation: 

• Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of national and sub-national policies;
• Carry out required independent monitoring and evaluation of UNDP projects;
• Facilitate community and process monitoring;
• Undertake Baseline and Client satisfaction surveys;
• Evaluate technical bids.

Competencies

To be considered for inclusion in the roster, applicants would need to have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR);
• Climate science and policy;
• Mainstreaming of DRR and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)in development planning;
• Urban Risk Reduction;
• Early Warning System;
• Hazard and Risk categorization;
• Vulnerability Assessment;
• Capacity Building and Training Needs Assessment in Disaster Risk Reduction;
• Review and Preparation of Disaster Management/ Sectoral Plans;
• Community Based Resilience Building platform;
• Programme Monitoring and Evaluation in the (related) areas above.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Degree in Disaster risk planning, climate change, preparedness, management, response or recovery, early warning systems, climatology, engineering, public administration, economics or a related field

Experience:

Following a vetting process, the successful candidates would be placed in one of the following bands:

• Band 1, Implementation Support: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 3 years of relevant work experience, or Bachelors Degree in relevant field with minimum 5 years of relevant work experience;
• Band 2, Specialist Support: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 7 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 3 years of international experience as a requirement;
• Band 3, Senior Advisory: Masters Degree in relevant field with minimum 12 years of relevant work experience, out of which minimum 5 years of international experience as a requirement;
• Demonstrated experience in research, analysis, policy support, programme and project development, project management, knowledge management, and/or monitoring, reporting and evaluation;
• Proven experience working with a wide variety of development actors including governments, international development organizations (including United Nations agencies), donors and other funding agencies, private sector entities, and/or civil society organizations including community groups, academia and the media;
• Previous work experience in Africa is an asset.

Language:

• Oral and written fluency in either of the following languages: English, French, Portuguese  and/or Spanish 

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Stage 1:- Establishing a Roster :

• All applicants will be initially screened against the minimum requirements as specified above  and those meeting the minimum requirements will be long listed.

• Long-listed applicants will be evaluated through a Desk review and/or interview against the following criteria based on evident in the submitted application:

  • Demonstrated expertise in a minimum of two of the interrelated areas of expertise listed above - 40 points;

  • Demonstrated specialised experience (as applicable) in policy and strategy development, programme/project design, management, capacity development, knowledge management, research and documentation and monitoring and evaluation aspects required for fulfilling the consultancy successfully – 30 points;

  • Demonstrable professional qualifications in DRR, Climate change and social development studies – 10 Points;

  • Experience in working with UN agencies and UNDP in particular, in the African region on DRR, Climate Change, environment and social development, policy and strategy development and implementation and related projects and programmes for requisite duration (Band 1, Band 2 or Band 3) – 10 points

  • Demonstrated language skills: and ability to write reports, presentations and briefs – 10 points.

Only those candidates who obtain a total technical score of 70 and above will be included in the roster.

Successful candidates will be included in UNDP RSCA Experts Roster for a period of 5 years, in one of the “bands” indicated above. However, the addition of an individual in the Roster does not guarantee a contract with UNDP.Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

Stage 2: - Evaluation and call off mechanism for specific assignment /Contracting/:

When a request for services arises, the roster manager shall contact the individuals included in the specific area of expertise with ToR, location and dates of the assignment seeking confirmation of availability, as well as other costs such as living allowance, travel cost, etc. The daily fee quoted by the individual during this application process shall remain as the ceiling fee and cannot be increased upwards for any offered individual assignment(s).Consultants that confirmed their availability for Specific assignment will be evaluated in one of the two evaluation criteria that shall be clearly indicated in the respective assignment ToR.

Lowest price and technically compliant offer:

When using this method, the award of a contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as both:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and;
• Offering the lowest price/cost.

"Responsive/compliant/acceptable” can be defined as fully meeting the TOR provided.

Cumulative analysis:

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made 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.
  • Technical Criteria weight; [To be determined]
  • Financial Criteria weight; [To be determined]
• Only candidates obtaining the minimum point specified on the assignment ToR  would be considered for the financial evaluation;
• The individual selected for the deployment will be contracted as an Individual Contractor to the UNDP;
• The Contract and its terms and conditions are non-negotiable.

Travel:

• For each assignment UNDP shall reimburse cost of travel from the place of domicile of the individual to the place of assignment (most direct economy fare). This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources;

Applications should include:

• A cover letter, clearly identifying the “Areas of Expertise” as mentioned in the competencies section above;
• Updated P11 and Personal CV , indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Daily professional Fee.

Payment:

Payment(s) shall be made following certification by the hiring UNDP Office that the services related to each deliverable, as specified in the contract, have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified, if any.

Other information:

• This call for experts is not linked to other UNDP rosters or to a specific UNDP recruitment opportunity;
• Interested individual can submit the above documents ( Cover letter including daily Professional fee, CV & P-11)  in one of the following two addresses;
  • UNDP Jobs site OR at;
  • Procurement.rsca@undp.org;

• Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are only able to inform the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process

Interested candidates are stongly advised to carefully review this advertisement, the procurement notice and ToR and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications required. All relevant information including ToR & Procurement Notice can be found ( in English, French and Portuguese ) on :http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=35153

For any clarifications please write to:- rsca.icroster@undp.org.