Background

The Joint Programme 'Strengthening Resilience of Pacific Island States through Universal Social Protection’ is a UN joint initiative to be implemented in four Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) with funding from the UN SDG Fund. Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau are highly vulnerable to shocks due to their geography, small populations, size of the economy and exposure to climate change and extreme weather events.

Social Protection (SP) is relatively novel in the four PICTs, and existing SP initiatives are fragmented and limited in scope. The Joint Programme’s objective is to develop universal, evidence-based, nationally owned SP systems and introduce SP floors to help accelerate SDG progress through integrated programming and Leaving No One Behind.

In line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the outcomes of the UNDP Pacific Strategy 2018-2022, the Joint Programme will work through five strategic interventions that will lead to all families benefiting from universal SP systems; data and evidence; public finance; institutional coordination and information management systems; and partnerships and outreach. These interventions are critical in leading to the development and strengthening of a coherent SP policy framework in all four countries which will support their combined 250,000 households either directly or indirectly. Inclusive SP systems will include fiscally sustainable social insurance schemes for the active population seeking or holding jobs, self-employed or voluntarily contributing, non-contributive social welfare in the form of child allowance, social safety nets and social services for all people in need as well as labor market interventions to facilitate access to jobs and incomes. SP will be evidence based (including using digital data and innovative data systems), developed and implemented through participatory consultations, have equitable financing mechanisms, forge strong partnerships with stakeholders including faith, community-based organizations, and the private sector, induce smarter institutional coordination, bolster capacity for implementation, and expand outreach. The 2 ½ year SP Joint Programme is implemented by five Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs), UNDP as the lead/convening agency, ESCAP, ILO, UNESCO, and UNICEF.

The joint programme has four outcomes, all of which UNDP will be contributing to:

• Outcome 1: Universal, inclusive & equitable SP systems Leave No One Behind. Introduction of SP floors and design of contributive and non-contributive schemes to respond to multidimensional vulnerability.

• Outcome 2: SP floors are efficiently and effectively administered (financial management, institutional framework and capacity, evidence-based planning drawing on robust information management systems). Digital data and information management systems in all four countries will strengthen integrity of the SP system, keep SP equitable, responsive, and geared to inclusive distribution of resources while increasing efficiency and effectiveness of delivery set up. Data innovation will be used including through the mechanisms that the Pacific Pulse Lab will develop to measure poverty and address vulnerability of 250,000 people in the four countries.

• Outcome 3: Financial inclusion enables low transaction cost transfers of SP benefits. Payment system for all benefits through banks and involving mobile banking will be designed. Individual accounts will also collect remittances. Monthly revenues will be used to guarantee borrowing for small business start-ups. Efficiency gains due to low transaction costs will be an indirect benefit.

• Outcome 4: Increased resilience as disability, gender, youth, and climate related contingencies are being mainstreamed. While SP floors will be developed, emphasis will be placed on labour market integration of job seekers including persons living with disabilities, school dropouts, women, and youth more generally. Also, as natural hazards and other climate change-related risks impact the poor more significantly, recognizing the solidarity nature of the SP systems, specific benefits will be designed to help individuals and households recover from disasters

Owing to its wide scope that spans life-cycle vulnerabilities, the proposed SP floors are expected to improve Human Development indices, reduce inequalities, and support skills development and employment generation. Income security will reduce poverty and hunger, minimize inequalities, and ensure equitable access for all to basic services. Inclusive, rights-based SP floors will empower women, remove discrimination in access to basic services and facilitate access to decent work for all including persons living with disabilities, school dropouts, youth, and women.

The UN Resident Coordinator will assume the overall coordination of the Joint Programme.

UNDP is recruiting a Social Protection Specialist for the Social Protection for Resilience Joint Programme to provide technical guidance and support to its UNDP component and support the  implementation of the project in Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

UNDP’s component under the Joint Programme will be directly implemented. The Social Protection Specialist (SPS) will be responsible for providing technical advice and overall technical support to ensure the quality  of UNDP’s activities as per the approved Joint Programme document.

The SPS will report directly to the Assistant Resident Representative for Governance and Poverty Reduction in the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO). S/he will provide technical guidance and advice to the MCO team, the Project Coordinator, and where required the Joint Programme Steering Committee and Country Technical Committees. S/he will ensure the coordination, quality and coherence of technical inputs delivered by other consultants hired under the UNDP programme component.

The scope of work for the SPS will include the following to produce the deliverables:

1. Provide technical advice to ensure coordinated and effective implementation of the Joint Programme:

• Providing technical advice (TA) and strategic policy guidance to UNDP and the UNDP Programme Coordinator,

• Give input and guide development of technical training packages for all target groups and stakeholders, and provide a peer review function; this may include delivering selected training events,

• Develop Terms of Reference for consultants; participate in the recruitment and selection; and provide technical peer support to consultants,

• Advise the Programme Coordinator in coordinating the work of consultants, helping to ensure the  timely delivery of expected outputs, and ensuring coherence and synergy among the various activities undertaken by consultants,

• Provide guidance to ensure that technical contracts meet the highest standards.

2. Technical Advice for Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Provide technical guidance to the responsible Government for the Social protection floors to use reliable baseline data for the selection of beneficiaries,

• Provide technical advice to the Programme Coordinator in reviewing the M&E Framework and monitoring tools for the project and monitoring the technical quality of project M&E systems (including AWPs, indicators and targets),

• Provide technical support to the Programme Coordinator in the review of the Project Results Framework, as required per country discussions and follow-up, as needed,

• Provide technical assistance and inputs to the Programme Coordinator in the preparation of regular and periodic technical reports and reviews, in line with the requirements outlined in the Joint Programme document,

• Provide guidance and technical inputs to the Programme Coordinator in the preparation of reports requested by donors, UNDP and Government entities,

• Provide technical guidance to the Programme Coordinator, project staff and Government counterparts in the areas of project management and planning, management of activities, monitoring, and impact assessment,

• Provide advice on best suitable approaches and methodologies for achieving project targets and objectives, suggest mitigation measures where appropriate.

3. Relationship building

• Identify strategic opportunities for the project to achieve greater development impact through partnerships building and adaptive programming,

• Liaise with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other groups to ensure effective coordination of project activities and potential leverage of additional resources,

• Engage in and contribute to policy dialogues with the Governments and other stakeholders in the four countries.

4. Knowledge Management and Communications

• Provide technical advice and inputs to the Programme Coordinator in the development of a knowledge management, communications and awareness raising strategy and action plan.

• Extract, document and share technical lessons learned from programme implementation

• Provide technical inputs into the development of an exit and sustainability strategy for the Joint Programme upon its completion.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;

• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;

• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent inter-personal and teamwork skills, networking skills, and proven ability to work well in multicultural environments;

• Strong analytical skills and critical thinking skills;

• Excellent facilitation and presentation skills;

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with various partners including government, civil society, the private sector, UN agencies; development partners; and communities;

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills and ability to foster relationships with key stakeholders;

• Ability to work under pressure, effectively coordinate others and meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of work;

Required Skills and Experience

Evaluation criteria: 70% Technical, 30% financial combined weight:

Technical Evaluation Criteria will be based on the information provided in the CV and the relevant documents must be submitted as evidence to support the above required criteria [maximum 100 points]. Only the candidates that have achieved a minimum of 70 points (70% of 100 points) will be deemed  technically compliant and considered for the interview assessment;

• Minimum Master’s degree in Political science, Sociology, Economics, Law, Public administration, Social Policy and/or related Social sciences; (10)

• At least 7 years of work experience at national level in social protection, social sciences, sociology, development economics, poverty reduction, and/or labour market and skills development at theoretical and practical level in the field; international experience will be an added advantage (25)

• Experience in providing policy and programming advise in the area related to Social Protection, Social Security, Welfare and Well-being; (15)

• Substantial experience in research related to social protection, poverty reduction, analysing poverty and vulnerability, etc.; (10)

• Relevant work experience in the Pacific Islands is a strong advantage (10);

• Relevant work experience in developing countries in a multi stakeholder environment with a development organization, government, civil society, private sector, or a research/academic institution (20);

• Sound understanding of project results-based management would be an asset (5);

• Proficiency in English and Samoan (5).

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DOWNLOAD the full Terms of Reference and templates from the UNDP Procurement website link https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=89264.  Use the templates for submission as incomplete proposals will not be considered.