UNCDF Jobs - 9574- Consultant: Consultancy for Development of a Proje

Consultant: Consultancy for Development of a Project Document for the Malawi Decentralized and Governance Programme II

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

Lilongwe, MALAWI

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-May-2009

Application Deadline :

14-Apr-09 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SSA

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 Working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 working days between May and June 2009

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 United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) was founded in 1966 as an independent instrument of the United Nations with a special mission among others to assist developing countries in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of loans and grants. UNCDF makes investments in the Least Developed Countries ( LDCs). These investments are designed to help the LDCs reduce poverty and achive the objecticves of the Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs and the Millenniun Development Goals (MDGs). UNCDFs investment capital is flexible, high-risk, and innovative , and its development approach seeks the long-term development of human, instututional and financial capacity in the poorest countries. UNCDF currently invest in 36 of the 50 LDCs, as at 2007 including 16 in Southern and Eastern Africa Region of which 12 are Conflict or post-conflict countries.
UNCDF’s Local Development Programmes (LDPs) support national decentralisation strategies in the LDCs and seek to improve social services, governance and pro-poor economic infrastructure at the local level by providing technical assistance and investment capital directly to local authorities.

UNCDF’s Local Development practice area has gained increasing attention in recent years for a variety of reasons, such as the realisation of the need for building capacity at sub-national government levels for the effecient delivery of social services and local infrastructure. In this area UNCDF offers a unique mix of cutting edge technical expertise and investment capital, while fostering coherence and harmonization through the participation in Sector Wide Approaches .
UNCDF and UNDP have been supporting the Government of Malawi to implement its decentralization policy through the LGDMSP – Pilot (1996-2001) and the Malawi Decentralisation and Governance Programme II (2002-2008). The MDGP I administratively came to an end in May 2008 against the planned ending for December 2007. The necessary extension was to respond to some observations made by the End of Project evaluation report that included ensuring smooth completion of pending activities. However, the UNCDF and UNDP together with the Government of Malawi, taking cognizance of the gains from MDGP I and the notable gaps associated with the decentralization process saw the need to develop a third phase for the decentralization programme in Malawi thus commissioned the development of a Concept Paper in August 2008.

The Concept paper which dwell on the evaluation of the two earlier progammes concluded that the decentralization process in Malawi still require massive technical support. The analysis from the concept development process concluded that while the previous UNDP and UNCDF interventions focused on policy development and capacity building the link with implementation and service delivery was very week. While the capacity at the national level is thus relatively adequate that at the delivery level at the district is very basic and incapable of driving the required development momentum at the local level.

Further the existing fiscal and resource transfer mechanism to the districts are inefficient unpredictable and therefore do not provide the basic resources to respond to the minimum prioritized needs from the prepared district plans. There is thus a general planning fatigue which makes a systematic response of the districts to the national development planning process, the MGDS impossible. The Concept Paper also clearly established that the districts require a systematic resource transfer system as well as the strengthening of the local economies for them to generate the additional resources for the provision and sustenance of the required services.

The situation thus practically requires the creation of formidable links between policy and capacity especially that at the district level for them to effectively plan taking into consideration the MGDS and establish local development environment that will facilitate local agriculture production, diversification, processing and marketing.

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities

The expected task from the Consultant is thus:

To critically appreciate the Concept Paper finalized in December 2008, and update in the view of the reviewed UNDAF targets and performance for the year in respect of Outcomes 1 and 5.
Prepare a corresponding Project Document for the Concept Paper in close collaboration with the Project partners: GoM (Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of National Planning and Development and Ministry of Finance) UNDP, ILO, UNICEF, UN-HABITAT and Interested Development Partners (WB, GTZ, JICA, AfDB etc), especially with respect to the geographical focus of the project as well as relevance to national priorities.
The development of the Project Document must also have a principal consideration for the attainment of the MGDS in Malawi, The MDGs, the National Decentralization Plan, and the strategic focus of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to promote Local Economic Development in Malawi.
Field visits should be made to confer with some Local Authorities especially in some of the proposed districts in the Concept Paper to bring empirical realities to bear on the project design. The project document must be developed in a participatory manner, to ensure clarity amongst the project partners and stakeholders especially on their roles and responsibilities and the expected project outcomes.

Proposed Work Process

The project formulation is to be done through a participatory process that will ensure consensus and agreement on the specific problems to be addressed and the objectives and strategies for addressing them.
Upon commissioning, the mission will be briefed by UNCDF/UNDP who will also supervise the assignment on a daily basis. The mission team will be expected to study the listed documents.
The mission will hold consultations with relevant stakeholders and officials at national and district levels cutting across the four stakeholder groups of public officials, development partners and the private sector and Civil Society.
The team will present the draft Project document to an internal UNCDF/UNDP/MOLGRD meeting for quality assurance.
A validation meeting will be held with a wider constituency of stakeholders to consider the proposed interventions. Participants will include representative from the central ministries, agencies and Local Government officials, Civil Society, NGOs and the Development Partners.

Output

A technical Project Document based upon the updated Concept Paper containing the list of content indicated below :

Executive Summary – one page
Situation analysis – and rationale for the project / logical framework one to two pages
Overall Objectives, Strategies, including lessons learnt and the proposed Joint Programme – optional pages
Geographical Scope and basis- one page
Results framework (outcome, output activities, indicators , results), – optional pages
Management and coordination arrangements – optional pages
Fund management arrangements – optional pages
Feasibility, risk management and sustainability of results – one page
Strategy for policy/impact replication
Accountability, monitoring, evaluation and reporting –optional pages
Exit strategy
Legal context or basis of relationship – one page.
With an operational plan and budget

Impact of Results

Outcome indicators :

Intended Outcome is to partially fulfill the Malawi UNDAF Outcome 5 in response to facilitating the decentralization process in Malawi:
The project which is jointly implemented by Government of Malawi, UNCDF and UNDP- Malawi, will results in the identification of policy, capacity development and investments gaps with respect to the decentralization and local development process and facilitate the implementation in a more systematic manner
It will also develop the needed capacity of local institutions to plan, mobilize resources and implement sustainable local development projects in a more inclusive and pro-poor focused manner thus significantly contributing to the achievement of the MDGs in Malawi.

Competencies

Technical/Functional:

Substantive knowledge and understanding of local development and decentralization through government reform
Substantive knowledge of local government as a functioning development agency
Sound experience of developing policy and subsequent programmes for Decentralization and Local Development
Ability to carry out research, to contribute to the formulation of policies, institutional capacity development and guided investment for effective local services delivery

Managerial:

Ability to build and lead teams effectively, mentoring team members well, inspiring confidence in others; managing matrices fluidly by encouraging inter-agency collaboration.
Build strong relationships with both internal and external actors; - cultivate productive relationships with donors, partners and other important institutions and individuals in the private sector.
Strong oral and written communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A minimum of Masters Degree in Development Planning, Economics, Social Science, Public Administration or any subject of relevance.

Experience:

The International Consultant to undertake the development of the Project Document for the Malawi Decentralised and Governance Programme II must have the following qualifications:

10 years of proven experience in Research and Consultancy in the areas of Development Planning and Implementation, Project Development and Management, Local Development Management and any other relevant areas
Be conversant with the UN system especially in the development of Joint Programmes and Results-Based Management Framework.
Be conversant with the two earlier programmes supported by UNCDF and UNDP in Malawi LGSMP and MDGP I
Ability to appreciate and understand the Millennium Development Goals and its application in Malawi
Be very conversant with the operations of the District Assemblies in Malawi
Knowledge of the decentralisation process in Malawi, and familiarity of the National Decentralisation Plan and the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluent English.

Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CVs indicating references and requested daily fees (in US$). The application must be received by the deadline 14th April 2009.

All further enquiries should be directed to:

Kodjo E. Mensah-Abrampa                                  Ulrik Kristensen                                            Bill Chanza
Regional Local development Adviser                 Regional Portfolio Specialist                     Programme Officer, Malawi
Kodjo.mensah-abrampa@undp.org                  Ulrik.kristensen@undp.org                         bill.chanza@undp.org