Historique

UNDP works in more than 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

Inclusive growth, better services, environmental sustainability, good governance, and security are fundamental to development progress. We offer our expertise in development thinking and practice, and our decades of experience at country level, to support countries to meet their development aspirations and to bring the voices of the world’s peoples into deliberations.

Today, the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia faces a variety of challenges.  UNDP helps countries pursue a development response to all citizens, to ensure that economic growth benefits everyone, including those at greater risk of exclusion (ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, rural populations, women and young people). Through investments in improved care of natural resources, we support a sustainable balancing of human and environmental priorities.

This includes:

• Promoting human development and tackling the drivers of social exclusion to ensure that Roma and other disadvantaged groups are not left behind;
• Integrating the Millennium Development Goals into national development strategies and transitioning to post-2015 development framework of the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Promoting social protection systems to extend greater protection to the poor and at-risk groups from major natural, economic, and conflict-related shocks;
• Policy design and monitoring that enables trade and productive capacities that are diversified, add value, and help create employment and livelihoods;
• Sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services for expanded employment and livelihoods.

Since 1991, the Europe and Central Asia region has seen falling labour market participation rates; rises in unemployment; a growth in informal and precarious work; persistent gender segregation in the labour market; an increase in inequalities and the „working poor“; as well as a surge in migration by men and women. Although economic growth rates recovered and remained reasonably buoyant since the early 2000s, the patterns of growth have not been „job-rich“. The private sector remains relatively weak in many countries of the region, with relations between private and public sectors often ambiguous, and concerns remain regarding both the regulatory and enabling environment for entrepreneurship and business. The public sector remains a source of formal but low-wage employment for many, with a concentration of women in low-paying jobs; while subsistence rural farming has provided a safety net for others, and migration has provided the safety valve for mounting supply-side pressures on the labour market. Growth has moreover been natural resource intensive, and – despite some reductions – remains energy and carbon intensive.

Patterns of „jobless growth“, and environmentally unsustainable growth, are not unique to the Europe and Central Asia region: indeed they are the subject of policy debate globally. Growth patterns which are inclusive and sustainable are a core element of the Sustainable Development Goals currently being debated by UN member states. (Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all).

Devoirs et responsabilités

The consultant will be based full-time in the Istanbul regional Hub and will be part of the Sustainable Development Team.  The consultant will report to the Team Leader, Sustainable Development but work on a day-to-day basis with the Programme Advisor responsible for employment and social protection.

The consultant is expected to lead on the development of several outputs related to employment and social inclusion in the ECIS region.

This will include undertaking the following tasks:

Literature and project review – this will include the mapping of employment and livelihoods and social protection polices and projects being undertaken in the ECIS region and amalgamating the breadth of work which has been conducted by UNDP.  It will also include some review of policies which influence national priorities and approaches including the Europe 20/20 strategy and others as required.

Analysis – the consultant will be expected to analyse trends in the region in terms of employment and livelihoods with a specific emphasis on implications for country-based policy options.  Hence some specific emphasis on inclusive labour markets, and the extent to which existing labour market institutions and policies are capable of reading out to youth, some sections of the female population,  and hard to employ groups is an expected focus of the work.  The consultant will also need to apply some analytical skills to looking at, and documenting the links between social protection and employment policies in the various countries of ECIS.

Future trends – based on the analysis undertaken at the regional level the consultant should provide some assessment of the possible trends in employment and social protection especially within the ECIS region, and link these to expected growth patterns, and the employment implications of transitioning to more energy efficient and greener growth patterns.

Report writing and case studies – the consultant will be expected to prepare a number of specific deliverables (as per below) and therefore should have proven experience in the subject area.  The reports will be used for various audiences and as inputs to HQ and regional products and the consultant will be expected to liaise with UNDP country offices as required.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Provide a written report on the mapping of country office programmes and projects in the area of jobs and livelihoods/ inclusive labour markets, and with an analysis of the key areas of engagement.  This should be completed within the context of the Regional Hub ongoing efforts on sub-regional conferences supporting employment and social inclusion.

This will include sub-outputs on:

• Country case studies (up to four which may feed into a HQ strategy on jobs and livelihoods);
• Country employment and social protection profiles for all countries of the region (using template provided by the sustainable development team);
• Preparing inputs for the sub-regional Tbilisi meeting on employment and livelihoods (planned for 27-30 October), and a detailed write-up of outcomes of the meeting;
• Support the development of a tool kit or similar knowledge product on youth employment in Western Balkans, as well as a compendium of UNDP supported interventions on youth employment.

The consultant will be expected to develop a background paper on the links between trade and employment in Central Asia which will form the basis for a sub-regional conference in spring 2016.

The consultant will also be expected to finalize an issues paper on social protection in Central Asia and expand this to an ECIS regional paper reflecting UNDPs niche within the social protection area in the region.

The consultant will be expected to prepare outputs that will feed into several corporate strategies including on; a) jobs and livelihoods; b) social protection and c) trade.

Timeline and payment

The assignment will begin in September 2015 and is expected to be completed over a period of four months. The position is full-time based and located in the Istanbul Regional Hub. The consultant is expected to produce the deliverables mentioned above within the time period of the consultancy.

Compétences

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to human development principles and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Shares knowledge and experience;
• Provides helpful feedback and advice;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Functional Competencies:

• Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals in a timely manner;
• Generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
• Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence;
• Displays strong analytical skills;
• Demonstrates extensive research planning and implementation skills;
• Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master, preferably PhD) in Economics, Development Economics or related disciplines.

Experience:

• Experience (at least 5 years) working in the Europe and Central Asia region, in the above mentioned areas;
• A proven research record on relevant issues such as employment, inclusive growth and poverty reduction;
• A proven ability to deliver quality research and reports in a timely fashion.

Languages:

• Excellent English language written communications skills.

Evaluation of Applicants

Applicants will be evaluated according to a cumulative analysis reflecting the combination of their qualifications and financial proposal. The contract will be awarded to the applicant whose offer has been evaluated and assessed as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11 desk reviews and interviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
• Only the highest ranked candidates found qualified for the job based on the P11 desk review will be invited for an interview.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated on the basis of submitted materials through combination of technical and financial criteria. 

Technical Criteria: 70% of total evaluation (max. 35 points):

• Criterion A: Educational and related background (max. 5 points);
• Criterion B: Previous work experience in issues concerning employment, social inclusion and poverty reduction, preferably in the region (max. 10 points);
• Criterion C: Proven research record in employment, poverty and inequality particularly in the region (max. 10 points);
• Criterion D: Proven ability to produce clear and cogently written research reports (max. 10 points).

Financial Criterion: 30% of total evaluation (max. 15 points).

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• A cover letter explaining why the applicant is the most suitable candidate for the advertised position (please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application);
• A completed P11 form, including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank forms can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV;
• A brief methodological description attached to this application of how you would approach and conduct the work; and
• A financial proposal*—specifying a total lump sum in USD amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount based on the number of anticipated working days.  The consultant should include in the financial proposal costs for travel to and from the duty station Istanbul only.  UNDP will be responsible for costs associated with any required travel to countries in the region which will be agreed with HQ, regional and country offices in due course.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). 

Payments will be made upon confirmation by UNDP of satisfactory delivery of the contract obligations. 

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.