Background

UNDP Timor-Leste issues non-staff Service Contracts to project personnel. Service Contractors are recruited from the local labour market upon request from the UNDP development programmes and projects and UN agencies. Service Contractors are expected to return to the local labour market upon completion of the assignment with UNDP.
 
In January 2008, UNDP HQs has revised the service contract (SC) guidelines, part of which, a new remuneration methodology has been introduced. On the basis of the new methodology which facilitates a consistent approach in the pay levels for service contract holders with comparable work in the local labor market, the UNDP Timor-Leste conducted a salary scale survey for SC in 2008. As the new survey is due in 2009 and a consultancy service is needed to survey/review the local labour market and advise UNDP on the comparative scale of remuneration and benefits for certain job functions identified by UNDP.

Duties and Responsibilities

Activities and Expected Outputs

Phase 1: Identify employers, collect and analyze data and construct the salary scale

  1. Review the suggested methodology for setting the salary scale, including the job types for which the scale has to be set. UNDP CO will provide the benchmark terms of reference in the 11 grades and six occupations.
  2. Provide a list of employers which may be considered for the SC Remuneration Survey. UNDP will revise and approve the list within one week from its receipt. All employers where data is sought should have established remuneration ranges which clearly distinguish pay for levels of responsibility.
  3. The survey model for collecting local market information should include a sample of eight employers (the list of comparators should include at least eight employers to be survey, of which six should be retained). In all instances no less than two thirds of the sample must be drawn from public and not-for-profit sector (including bilateral donors and NGO community), and the rest from the private sector.
  4. Collect compensation information from additional employers recommended by the UNDP CO for possible inclusion in the SC Remuneration Survey. UNDP CO will provide the employer contact and the Consultant shall collect the necessary information from each of these employers.
  5. Match terms of reference based on the benchmarks provided by UNDP. The following four factors should be evaluated in establishing SC TOR matches: Structure, Content, Progression, and Qualifications.
  6. The Consultant shall collect data from employers using the UNDP Survey Questionnaire form and conduct face to face interviews, and analyze in accordance with UNDP methodology, and will include all typical allowance and benefits that are found in the local labor market.
  7. When the information from all eight potential employers is complete, UNDP CO will make the selection of at least 6 retained employers for inclusion in the SC Remuneration Survey Analysis (2/3 from public and not-for-profit sector and the rest from private sector)
  8. The Consultant shall present analysis to UNDP CO and make recommendation on the salary scale with market position of 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 75th percentile and establish the final remuneration with target of the fiftieth percentile of the surveyed employers.
  9. The recommended remuneration scale should integrate SC jobs into five broad bands: SB1, SB2, SB3, SB4 and SB5:

Contribution value  : SC Levels:  Services Bands
Substantive Innovation : SC-11: SB-5
Adaptive Delivery : SC-10
Analytical :  SC-9 :  SB-4
Basic Conceptual Comprehension:  SC-8    
Integrated Service Execution :  SC-7 :  SB-3
Comprehensive Process Support : SC-6   
Specialized Process Support  :  SC-5
Basic Process Support :  SC-4 :  SB-2
Repetitive Support  :  SC-3    
Mechanical Operations :  SC-2 : SB-1
Physical Operations : SC-1

10.  Set the new remuneration scale following the below three-step process:

  • Aggregate Terms of Reference (TOR) data to band level
  • Smooth the raw band data to provide for an internally consistent yet market influenced progression between bands
  • Set the minimum/maximum span of remuneration for each band

Phase 2: Classify the existing TORs based new salary scale

        11.  The Consultant shall review the current TORs of all SC holders and create generic job descriptions at each band.

        12.  Classify the current TORs based on the newly set salary scale.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to complete and submit the deliverables specified below according to the time schedule.

The consultant shall note that clearance from the Project Committee is required before starting a new project milestone as detailed below. Each deliverable shall include all the required supporting documentation.

All the deliverables shall be delivered in one original hard copy, and one electronic soft copy, preferably in Microsoft Word and Excel format, where applicable.

One week after start of consultancy Submission of the first report to UNDP consisting of:

  • A list of recommended employers with their contact information (minimum of eight comparators in which at least two thirds are from public sectors).
  • Summary of data collected from the selected organizations showing TOR matches and the valuation of their remuneration package.

Two weeks after start of consultancy  Submission of the second report to UNDP consisting of:

  • A table showing the average of all organizations by each benchmarked TORs, and the calculation of minimum, maximum, midpoint, 25th, 40th, 60th and 75th percentile remuneration per each benchmarked TOR.
  • A summary table of organization practices on total remuneration, number of employees, turnover rate and review date of the scale.

Three weeks after start of consultancy  Submission of final report to UNDP consisting of:

  • Service Contract remuneration scale with 3 versions targeting market position at 40th, 50th, and 60th percentiles.
  • All the documents used during the salary survey.
  • Submission and presentation of the final report to UNDP.
  • Generic SC TORs classified based on the new SC salary scale.

Provisional approval of submitted reports shall take place at each of the defined milestones shown in the delivery schedule above (to be agreed with the Consultant at the start of the project). It is expected that such approval shall not exceed 3 days from the notification of the completion of a specific milestone.

On submittal of the final report, the Project Committee shall respond within five working days and its decision may either be:

  1. Approval, or
  2. Approval with reservations upon which the Consultant shall reply within five working days under penalty of rejection,
  3. Rejection with clear justifications

Competencies

  • Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills;
  • Strong negotiating and managerial skills to be able to work both independently and as a member of a team;
  • Excellent networking with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships;
  • Cross-cultural management experience and sensitivity;
  • High level planning, organisational and time management skills, including flexibility, attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure to meet changing deadlines
  • Well developed interpersonal skills , including the ability to liaise effectively at senior levels
  • Analytical and problem solving skills of a high order, including the ability to formulate recommendations and policy advice desirable
  • Demonstrated capacity to work both independently and in a team environment

Required Skills and Experience

Individual Consultant wishing to be considered for the services described herein should have the following qualifications:

  • Education background: Advance degree in Management.
  • A Degree and/or specialized training in Human Resources Management would be an advantage.

Professional experience:

  • at least 5 years experience in conducting salary surveys, job matching, and construction of salary scale
  • familiar with the post conflict country labour market
  • familiar with UN jobs in development projects

Technical capacity:

  • Proven track record of similar assignments with other UNDP/UN Agencies Country Offices or the region.

Language Requirements

  • All requested reports/deliverables shall be written in English.