UNDP Jobs - 71548- Local Consultant-Institutional Reform and capacity

Local Consultant-Institutional Reform and capacity building: Records and information Management in Provincial Offices (North, South and East)

Location :

Freetown, SIERRA LEONE

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

17-Apr-2017

Application Deadline :

07-Apr-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 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 Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) took the pioneering stance in public sector reform, entailing revamping records management reforms, and refurbishing the records office thereby improving work environment and enhancing capacity building and storage for records and documentation center. Pillar 7 of the Agenda for Prosperity emphatically notes that information governance accelerates efficient public sector reform and good governance.

As part of UNDP’s continued support to the Ministry especially in strengthening capacity for taking strategic leadership in the decentralization and local governance issues in Sierra Leone, it provided funding to support the Ministry in ensuring that there is effective and efficient records and information management system. As partner in development, UNDP recognizes the Ministry’s vision for an effective information governance system which is the bedrock for efficient administration, economic development and for protecting justice system and human rights issues.

The MLGRD and UNDP are with the view that information created should be identified (mapped) classified and protected with technologies, and believes that with a holistic approach the Ministry will be capacitated to resolve the challenges connected with accessing the required information on all matters under its portfolio, at the right time and with the least possible cost.

Modern transformative principles stress on holistic approaches to development so that meaningful progress can be achieved. This fact was recognized by the Director of Decentralization Secretariat at a forum when he emphasized that “classroom type of training can be lopsided, but records management infrastructural reforms and capacitating Local Councils was more transformative”. The Ministry, through the tangible intervention of UNDP has accomplished establishing sound records infrastructure at Ministry headquarters in Freetown.

A restructured records office required sustained effort for strengthening the gains achieved. This has been consistently pursued. For instance, there has been mandatory oversight and monitoring in the form of regular spot checks for effective service delivery so as to avoid collapse of the gains attained so far. Most often, gains attributed to public sector reform initiatives dissipate and eventually collapse due to ineffective staff capacity, lack of elements of change management and guidelines and procedures are continually compromised and flouted.

Through UNDP intervention, the Ministry has made tremendous strides towards providing strategic direction, and demonstrated assertiveness in achieving the following targets in the performance tracking table:

established and operationalize effective paper based records management systems
acquired electronic equipment and server to introduce Local Area Network (LAN) and institutionalize ministry-wide including shared networks with regional offices so that information can flow urgently without using external paraphernalia such as radio networks
trained staff to use IT for modern office use and records and information management for capturing and securing digital records for public access

Milestones 1: Centralized filing system was introduced and institutionalized. The Records Office Procedures Manual and the Records Management Guidelines was reviewed and approved by Ministry stakeholders for adoption.

Milestones 2: For maintaining payroll integrity, personnel files were reviewed for completeness with verifiable employment records of all staff on the nominal list of personnel in the Ministry. The “master personnel files” at the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) were assessed to match the “working files” held in the Ministry and gaps identified were completed with the required employment records.

Milestones 3: A digitizing project was launched and documents relating to amalgamation and information on legitimacy and rights to the throne of paramount chiefs, chiefdom administration during colonial era were digitized. The digital records are saved on desktops in the records office and also on back up devices. There are plans to upload the data on the server and eventually on the Ministry’s website.

Milestone 4: Records office and secretarial staff and senior records users and creators were trained to use IT for modern office and records management and for accessing documents accommodated in the records office.

This is significant records management system and the benefits should be strengthened, sustained and replicated to the three-regional headquarters: Bo for the South, Kenema for the East and Makeni for the North.

Duties and Responsibilities

Review the existing records and filing systems in the Regional Offices; collect, collate and organize existing records, classify and map records created according to subject and functional areas, determine the retention value of records in consultation with users, and recommend appropriate measures for inactive records.
Working in consultation with the IT Officer at central level, review and set-up computerized records management systems in the Regional Offices and the linkages with paper, and make appropriate recommendations
Recommend and help establish sound Records and Information Management Policies, Processes and Procedures that resonate with existing standards and guidelines for managing records in the public service.
Provide essential induction in Records Management to key staff of the Regional Offices in order to ensure sustainability of the procedures implemented
Review the legislative and regulatory framework for Records Management and Archive administration in the public service.
Review Institutional arrangements including records storage capacity in MDAs
Assess the capacity of systems and procedures capable of capturing, maintaining and providing access to records as evidence over time
Assess staff capacity to manage government records in both paper and electronic environments
Assess physical facilities/location (defining the required building, which should be capable of supporting professional workflow and of protecting and preserving paper and electronic records)
Develop recommendations on short and long-term options for records management and Archives.

Minimum requirements for the final report will include:

Present draft report to major stakeholders for validation, using Microsoft Power Point
Incorporation of relevant information from the validation meeting into the final document
Submit three bounded copies of the final report (formatted and edited in standard desktop publishing writing style) and an electronic copy, saved in Microsoft WORD to the MLGRD and UNDP Country Office

Key Results Expected

A Records Management Policy with attendant Guidelines and Manual
Lists of inactive records at regional offices submitted for review and approval for transfer to the National Records Centre
Accessioned and organized paper-based records at Regional Office levels
Clear, simple and effective systems for managing active paper and computerized records at Regional Office levels
An induction on RM policies and procedures for key staff at the Regional Offices.
A comprehensive consultancy report for the MLGRD and UNDP

Competencies

Ability to prepare concise user-friendly reports on records management;
Excellent writing skills in the English Language;
Good analytical and organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

An advanced degree (Masters) in public administration and management studies or equivalent.

Experience:

Not less than 8 years post qualification experience and 5 of which should have been in management or institutional development;
A track record on successful design, organization and facilitation of training on records management and ICT application (prior engagement with Government agencies will constitute an asset).

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Interested Individual consultants must submit the following documents/information:

Technical Proposal

Explaining why He/She is the most suitable for the work;
Provide a brief methodology (max 2 pages) on how they will approach and conduct the work;
Completed P11 form-http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc;
Detailed achievement based CV.

Financial Proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount for the 30 working days (including travel cost, Daily Sustenance Allowance and the number of anticipated working days). Payments are based upon delivery of the services as follows:

1st installment-20% upon submission of acceptable work plan/ inception report;
2nd installment-30% upon submission of draft report to MLGRD and UNDP;
3rd and final payment 50% upon submission of the approved final report.

Evaluation of Criteria and Weight

The International Consultant will be evaluated against a combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum score is 100% out of a total score for technical criteria equals 70% and 30% for financial criteria.

The technical evaluation will include the following:

Background and Education-10%;
Technical approach, methodology and work plan demonstrating a clear understanding of the TOR-20%;
Substantial professional knowledge and experience in developing records management system -30%;
English language fluency in both oral and written and previous experience working with international and national organizations-10%.

Please note that the online system will only allow you to upload one document, therefore the technical and financial proposal are to be attached to the CV and uploaded together at once.