Background

The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS), based in New York, serves as the headquarters for UNDP’s work in the Arab region, which comprises country-level operations through 18 offices in Arab countries, including the occupied Palestinian territory and the Regional Hub in Amman, which provides technical and advisory services to our country-level operations and manages UNDP’s Regional Programme (RP) for the Arab States.

Through several regional projects, the Regional Programme generates and avails development knowledge, experience and expertise to countries across the region; supports the creation and development of inter-country structures and networks (governmental and non-governmental) to address shared challenges at a sub-regional and regional levels; facilitates inter-country collaboration on cross-border issues, such as trade, environment and migration; advances regional dialogue, and experience exchange on development issues that may be sensitive where regional level advocacy may enable country level engagement and action, such as with efforts to fight corruption and exclusionary practices targeting certain groups; and promotes experimentation and innovation to help overcome institutional, financial and knowledge barriers that may be too high for an individual country to surmount.

Currently UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme comprises ten (10) projects and initiatives, namely, 1) Arab Human development report; 2) Arab Knowledge Project; 3) Arab Development Portal; 4) Aid for Trade Project; 5) Anti-Corruption & Integrity Project; 6) Promoting Social Cohesion Project; 7) Climate Resilience (including water, energy, and disaster resilience); 9) Crisis Warning & Response Project; 10) Women in the Public Sphere Project. The projects and initiatives are mostly based in Beirut, alongside a Management Support Unit that serves the entire Regional Programme.

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme Coordinator, and in close working relationship with the Regional Communication Advisor, the individual will research, design, manage and start implementation of a communications strategy for UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme to help its projects and initiatives achieve their objectives, increase the standing and awareness of UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme’s work with key partners and the public, through multiple channels, with a special focus on outreach to regional and global media, traditional and new (online).

The individual will develop the communications strategy for the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme, in line with the overall UNDP corporate communications strategy at global and regional levels. S/he will also develop communication products linked to the priorities of each of the Regional Programme’s projects and initiatives to help position UNDP in key development areas across the region, highlighting key contributions of the projects and initiatives.

The individual will work closely with the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme Coordinator and the Regional Communication Advisor, and the dedicated teams of each of the regional projects and initiatives, consulting as needed with the UNDP-RBAS Hub senior management and to advise and provide technical support on communication initiatives, media relations and project-related external communication and advocacy and to support resource mobilization and partner/donor relations initiatives

Duties and Responsibilities

The individual will develop and launch a communication strategy (detailing key target audiences, messages, channels and modes of outreach, visibility initiatives, etc.) to enhance and showcase contributions of the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme – and its projects and initiatives — to UNDP’s overall positioning in the region. S/he will provide guidance on developing, and here possible, will directly produce, related key communication products (human stories, feature stories, documentary, infographics, etc.) and will review the many existing elements of the online presence of the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme, and suggest means to streamline and strengthen them, as per UNDP communication policy and requirements.

Task 1: A UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme Communications Strategy for 2017 and Beyond

• A systematic stock-taking inventory of current communication outlook of all project/initiatives under the UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme, detailing for each, priority partners and audiences, key accomplishments and comparative advantages that should be highlighted, current communication activities, etc. (month 1);
• A well-developed communication and outreach strategy based on RP’s needs, future development plans, strategic partnerships and resource mobilization strategies as well as, UNDP’s corporate communications strategy and regional priorities (month 2);

Task 2: Key communications products that operationalize the strategy

• Well designed and codified Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and work arrangements that streamline communication related work between all individual projects/initiatives, regional programme management and corporate communication levels (regionally and HQ) to support the communication products on a systematic and continuous basis (months 2 and 3);
• A set of longer-term communications products that tailor agreed messages to key audiences in accordance with UNDP established templates, formats and other quality criteria (month 3);
• Provision of advice and technical support to all individual projects/initiatives on project-related communication products, activities and initiatives fulfilling immediate needs during the time span of the consultancy (months 1, 2 and 3);
• Identification and development of new and creative opportunities to raise awareness about Regional Programme priority areas, especially harnessing the capabilities of new and social media platforms (months 2 and 3);
• Facilitation of production of a video documentary featuring key messages of the regional programme to be utilized in the upcoming new regional programme formulations.

Task 3: A streamlined communication function for the Regional Programme, with clear responsibilities resources and terms of references

• An analytical assessment, in terms of efficacy, sufficiency and potentials to maximize collective benefits, of all communication assets, resources and capacities[ currently available within the Regional Programme and/or its individual projects and initiatives, (month 1, synchronized with 1.1);
• Advice to UNDP-RBAS Regional Programme on the optimal way to employ/deploy current communication assets, resources and capacities, whether there is a need to augment them, and required (re-)arrangements (re-structuring, re-organization, re-engineering relationships) to maximize collective benefits (month 2);
• If deemed necessary, based on 3.1 & 3.2, to augment current capacities, assists in the procurement and/or recruitment, the required professional services and/or staff and other expertise necessary to implement the communication strategy on longer-term basis (months 2 and 3).

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’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.

Functional

• A demonstrable knowledge/understanding of the current political and development context of the Arab region;
• Time management and organizational skills, with the ability to undertake multiple tasks and deliver under pressure;
• Excellent writing and communication skills;
• Excellent team-building/engagement and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Capacity to interact with senior officials and credibly influence senior decision makers in UNDP Programme countries and other international development organizations;
• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality reports and knowledge products;

Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to provide credible leadership;
• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broaderstrategic overview and corporate vision;
• Demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing theanaly-sis/resolution of complex issues;
• Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills with proven track record of mature judgments;
• Abilitytoconceptualizeandconveystrategicvisionfromthespectrumofdevel-opment experience.

Managing Relationships

• Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational management skills;
• Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring andde-veloping staff;
• Excellent negotiating and networking skills with strong partnerships in academia, tech-nical organizations and as a recognized expert in the practice area;
• Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills and ability toaccept accountability for management of large volume of financial resources.

Managing Complexity

• Ability to address global development issues;
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of development cooperation with the ability to support the practice architecture of UNDP and inter-disciplinary issues;
• Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broaderstrategic, policy and operational objectives;
• A sound global network of institutional and individual contacts.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;
• Provides constructive coaching and feedback;
• Demonstrates a strong capacity for innovation and creativity in providing strategic policy advice and direction.

Judgment/Decision-Making

• Mature judgment and initiative;
• Proven ability to provide strategic direction to the project implementation process;
• Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues andchallenges, uses diplomacy and tact to achieve result.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, social sciences, international relations or related fields.
• Work Experience
• At least 7 years of progressively professional experience in journalism, providing communications support at the national or international level;
• At least 3 years of experience with managing online communication platforms and web-based systems;
• Past service/experience in the UN system is desirable.

Language Requirements

Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of French an asset.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

• The individual is required to exhibit his or her full-time commitment with the UNDP-RBAS
• S/He shall perform tasks under the general guidance of the Regional Programme Coordinator and in close coordination with the Regional Communication Advisor at UNDP Regional Hub in Amman;
• The supervision will include approvals/acceptance of the outputs as identified in previous sec-tions. The supervisor will approve the deliverables/outputs for payment upon their technical clearance by the Regional Communication Advisor;
• The individual is expected to liaise and collaborate in the course of performing the work with other consultants, stakeholders and UN colleagues;
• S/He will report to the Regional Programme Coordinator and consult with the regional Com-munication Advisor on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment. Reports shall be prepared by the expert on the basis of specific requirements;
• The individual is required to maintain close communication with the UNDP-RBAS on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress. In the event of any delay,
• S/He will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly. Delays that would affect the flow of the collaborative work and the delivery of outputs on schedule will lead to termination of contract;
• Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, re-views or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work

DURATION OF THE WORK

The duration of the work is expected? to ?be 60 working days over a period of 3 calendar months from contract signature date.

DUTY STATION

The expert will be stationed in Amman (Jordan) throughout the assignment.

TRAVEL PLAN

Part of this assignment may require the expert to travel to different Arab and non-Arab Countries in line with the preliminary travel plan/schedule hereunder. Any change to the preliminary travel plan/schedule hereunder, in such cases, UNDP will cover travel costs in accordance with corporate regulations and rules.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit the required information will not be considered.

• Duly accomplished using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Technical Proposal (A half page technical proposal detailing how they will approach the assignment, prioritizing activates to meet the deliverables as set above in the most efficient and effective manner);
• Sample of previous work (communication strategy including SWAT analysis and developed products as in press releases, human interest stories & online presence);
• Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided in section D. The terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consummables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

All necessary information including: Complete Procurement Notice, The Selection Criteria, and Annexes are found on the following link under Procurement http://procurement-notices.undp.org/

Interested candidate shall apply the CV/P11 to Job advertisement website, hence consultant should submit to e-mail:proc.contract.rscjo@undp.org not later than 2nd April, 2017. The following documents are:

• CV/P11
• Confirm availability and financial proposal;
• Half page technical proposal; and
• Brief description of why you consider yourself as the most suitable for the assignment;

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Interested candidates should provide all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based lump sum amounts for requested services followed by cost break down of number of working days* professional fees and travel fees including (Tickets, living allowances…etc.)

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Applications will be first screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum requirements will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, social sciences, international relations or related fields;
• At least 7 years of progressively professional experience in journalism, providing communications support at the national or international level;
• Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Arabic

Shortlisted Candidates will be then assessed and scored against the following evaluation criteria:

Technical evaluation Criteria max 100 points (Weighted 70):

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, social sciences, international relations or related fields (30 points);
• At least 7 years of progressively professional experience in journalism, providing communications support at the national or international level (30 points);
• At least 3 years of experience with managing online communication platforms and web-based systems (20 points);
• Sample of previous work (communication strategy including SWAT analysis and developed products as in press releases, human interest stories & online presence) (20 points);

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation

For those offers considered in the financial evaluation, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points.??The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula:(PI / Pn)* 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Step II: Final evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of desk review and financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Technical Criteria weight:[70%]
• Financial Criteria weight: [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.