Background

In Asia and the Pacific, the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus is placing significant pressure on countries’ health systems significantly straining the already fragile health facilities of developing nations as they reach capacity limits.
With an increased risk of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, Lao PDR may face significant challenges based on the existing health capacity. To support Lao PDR, the Government of China (GoC) is collaborating with UNDP with the provision of bilateral technical and financial assistance to five countries (Lao PDR Nepal, Myanmar, Philippines, Cambodia).
UNDP China engaged a team of experts from the Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of People’s Republic of China (MEESCC) and Tsinghua University /Basel Convention Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific (THU/BCRC China), with hands on knowledge of COVID-19 medical waste management in the epicenter of China. These experts played a key role in assessing the medical waste management capacities, current conditions and the prevention needs in the five project countries.
This regional project aims to strengthen the cooperation between project countries in the region and develop capacities and resources of Lao PDR stakeholders, namely Ministry of Health (MoH), pilot provincial focal department, health facilities (hospitals), and rural and remote communities, in four strategic areas:

-Improving the medical waste management capacity technically and operationally to prevent the further containment of COVID-19 and to respond the increasing medical waste and enhancing the technical capacities of health care workers and service providers to treat medical waste.

• Providing advocacy, information sharing, and communication supports on COVID-19 to the poor population and vulnerable groups (including women headed households, persons with disabilities) to ensure they are not left behind and can equally benefit from response, recovery and resilience building interventions for staying safe and healthy.

• Provision of capacity development on technical training materials and courses on general health precautionary measures to health care professionals, local government staff and others that carry out related medical waste handling services.

• Share practices and experiences at the regional and global level for future responses and preparedness for related pandemics.

A further important lesson from China will be on how best to impart information to the general public. The best time to inform people about the disease is before the epidemic. People need access to the latest updates on government announcements; this includes learning to wash their hands often, to avoid touching their face and what to do if symptoms appear. Also, awareness needs to be raised on the issues related to medical waste at the community level.
In Lao PDR, access to information and communication channels to express opinion can restrict people from participating in the process and being informed. This is most evident in rural populations, particularly illiterate ethnic communities in remote areas living below the poverty threshold. This is partly being addressed by UNDP’s on-going support for the Community Radio network (9 districts in 6 provinces) which has proven to be an effective communication tool for the target populations.
In line with above, UNDP is seeking an experienced local community coordinator with a strong background in community communication and information circulation.
The individual consultant will work with relevant government and development partner officials to ensure the ethnic Community Advocacy & Communication, to prepare advocacy material and coordinate overall advocacy & communication work. Materials will be produced based on WHO’s guidance, central government announcement, and local government announcement.
This position is welcomed to sit intermittently at MICT office and MOH office depend on the practical work require with potentially travelling to the field

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the local consultant will work towards the outcome of the project and undertake the following tasks. Specific duties include:
• Coordinate with Ministry of Health (MoH), World Health Organization (WHO) to collect correct information on COVID-19 preventions together with MICT to prepare advocacy and dissemination continually of important and correct information to the society over all.
• Ensure information on COVID-19 prevention measure that produced by MoH are properly disseminated to vulnerable group, women and ethnic group via community radio, Lao National Radio and other existing media channels.
• Attend meeting, workshop and training that organized by MoH, WHO and MICT to take note and share to the project.
• Design, co-conduct training and workshop related to COVID-19 prevention for local staff and volunteers based on the request of MICT and MoH.
• Travel to the assigned radio stations and other target locations regularly to monitor the radio programmes broadcasted as authorized by the Project Manager

• Liaise with youth media, MICT Lao media and another existing media channel to promote advocacy in target villages
• Design different advertisement: radio advertisement spot (voice record), poster, cartoon, handbook, brochure and others appropriate material that could be used for advertisement through media such as: Community radio for development in 9 districts of 6 provinces Lao youth radio, Lao National Radio, Loudspeaker and other online media.
• Submit monthly and annual report of the project activities to the project manager.
• Collect data and evidence that can be used to monitor and measure the success of the project based on the advertisement spot through radio, social media and other media following the project indicator.
• Provide other support to the Project Manager and UNDP as required.

Management and Implementation Arrangements:

• The consultant will report to MICT and project management team, the National consultant will be responsible all tasks mentioned above.
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment.
• The consultant is responsible for providing their own laptop computers and mobile phones for use during this assignment; the consultant must have access to reliable internet connection
• Payments will be made upon submission of deliverable, detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor
• Project will pay for transport and DSA during trips/field missions

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:
• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values including working in a culturally diverse environment;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Demonstrates ability to function in a team environment and shares knowledge and experience.

Functional Competencies:
• Fluency in Lao and English is required, a good working knowledge of Chinese a plus;
• Ability to present coherent and convincing positions both in writing and orally;
• Strong ability to take initiative to move complex processes forward to achieve articulated results, work at varying levels and on different initiatives simultaneously;
• Disciplined and organized with the ability to multi-task;
• Demonstrable networking capability, interpersonal skills and strong ability to promote teamwork;
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and personal conduct;
• Flexible to changing working conditions and willing and able to travel for work purposes;
• Able to prioritize and meet deadlines;
• Excellent analytical thinking skills;
• Professional facilitation and presentation skills;
• Ability to coach, mentor and influence people.

Required Skills and Experience

Enthusiastic Lao national with experience in community development.
• Upper secondary School qualifications are preferred but not required. Alternatively, 3 years of work experience with the community.
• Excellent on communication and liaison skill
• Promotes a learning environment, encourages the development of competencies among partner and the community
• Good networking, organization and team skills
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Interest in promoting volunteerism and advocacy
• Experience and knowledge on public health is advantage
• Women candidates and candidates with an ethnic group background are particularly encouraged to apply.

Requirements for submission of proposals:

All interested and qualified National Individual Consultant should apply on-line using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/jobs.html  or

In order to make your submission, please read the relevant documents available at the links below:

1. TOR (Annex I)
2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II;
3. OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III
4. P11 Form

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Technical Proposal

            (i)  Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

1. P11 Form  Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;
2. Financial proposal:  Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable. Please use this template OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III

Instructions for on-line submissions:

Step 1:Please prepare all required documents electronically;

Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;

Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

Note:  Any request for clarification must be sent in writing before the submission deadline to the following emails:                               

surith.sengsavang@undp.org with copy to varany.khanthavong@undp.org