UNDP RECOVERY PROGRAMME OFFICER FOR TONGA


Location : Nukualofa, TONGA
Application Deadline :23-Jun-22 (Midnight New York, USA)
Additional Category :Climate & Disaster Resilience
Type of Contract :Individual Contract
Post Level :National Consultant
Languages Required :
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)		18-Jul-2022
Duration of Initial Contract :6 months
Expected Duration of Assignment :6 months

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

BACKGROUND

UNDP is recruiting a National Consultant to be based in Tonga to undertake the function of a Recovery Programme Officer in response to a massive volcanic eruption in January 2022 some 65 kilometers from the main Tongan island of Tongatapu which resulted in a tsunami that affected a high proportion of the population of Tonga, impacting housing, livelihoods, infrastructure and agriculture to some degree, for around 80% of the total number. Following the tsunami, an extensive outbreak of COVID-19 led to a total lockdown of the country which, in combination with a state of emergency and a nightly curfew, severely restricted movement. Nevertheless, emergency response measures were initiated to support the immediate needs of people following which attention has turned to the provision of recovery, to restore lives and livelihoods, to build back better and to strengthen resilience as a contribution to risk- informed development.

 

UNDP’s recovery strategy has the objective of promoting a risk-informed recovery process focusedon restoring and improving the social and economic fabric of Tonga (building back better) while establishing the basis for more resilient development with strengthened anticipatory governance capacities. UNDP has an active involvement in delivering development on the ground in Tonga through established projects and these provide the platform for its recovery support to Tonga following the volcanic eruption and tsunami. UNDP’s recovery strategy is built around the provision of more immediate, short-term inputs such as livelihoods support and restoration of social welfare services followed by more extensive recovery actions focusing on the restoration of community infrastructure and ecosystems, renovation of housing and settlements and support to governance systems. UNDP works closely with and is guided by national and local government departments, international partners, NGOs and CBOs. Its recovery strategy is for three years with an estimated budget of USD $4 million.

 

The situation in Tonga has been complicated by an extensive outbreak of COVID-19 which spread rapidly in the country once humanitarian assistance started to arrive. The country has spent an extensive period in lockdown as a result of COVID-19 which it is only now emerging from. Contact with communities affected by the volcano and tsunami has been very limited until recently and assessment data is now becoming available. The IC (National Consultant) will be expected to support the IC (International Consultant) who will lead UNDP’s recovery programme in Tonga, supporting the coordination of the different components and liaising closely with Government of Tonga, UNDP project areas and the Resident Co-Ordinator’s Office among others.

 

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Guided by UNDP’s established Recovery Strategy for Tonga and by the objectives and outcomes of UNDP’s development portfolio in Tonga, the IC (National Consultant) will be expected to work alongside the IC (International Consultant) to:

  • Supportthe sound strategic direction of the UNDP Recovery Strategy, based upon the existing and emerging recovery and development priorities of Government of Tonga, multi-stakeholder assessments of recovery needs and identification of opportunitiesfor and coope ration with UN and other agencies and IFIs. The Recovery Strategy should be aligned and coordinated with other CO programmes and those of other UN agencies to exploit potential synergies and encompass the needs and priorities of women and other vulnerable groups producing results that can be tracked, monitored and reported on.
  • Assist the management and coordination of the UNDP Tonga Recovery Operation to ensure quality delivery in the design and formulation of ongoing recovery activities, effective monitoring and evaluation and adjustment of programme priorities and the preparation and dissemination of reports on activities, outputs and outcomes, including reports to donors.
  • Provide support to the development of strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation for

the Recovery Programme with cooperation from the relevant departments of the UNDP Office for the Pacific through ongoing assistance to the partnerships and resource mobilisation strategy, promotion and coordination of partnerships particularly with Government of Tonga institutions and agencies but also with UN agencies, IFIs and multi and bi-lateral donors.

  • Contribute to strategic advice and capacity development and facilitation of knowledge sharing, to advocate for support to the strengthening of national recovery and DRM capacity, to promote international best practice on and lessons learned from recovery practice globally, to contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice and to support the capacity development of UNDP country office staff and other stakeholders.

 

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The IC (National Consultant) is expected to provide the following deliverables:

 

 

Deliverable

 

Estimated Duration                     to Complete

 

Target                   Due Date

 

To Be Reviewed By

 

 

Delivery 1 - Progress/monitoring report on the implementation of UNDP Recovery Programme for Tonga including minutes of coordination meetings and strategic updates. Support to review and finalization of project proposal for donor consideration.

Three weeks

24th July 2022

Project Manager/IC (International Consultant)

 

 

Delivery 2 - Second progress/monitoring report on the implementation of UNDP Recovery Programme for Tonga, to include minutes of coordination meetings, strategic updates, knowledge products and reports briefing to donors.

One-and-a-half months

8th September 2022

Project Manager/IC (International Consultant)

 

 

 

Delivery 3 - Third progress/monitoring report on the implementation of UNDP Recovery Programme for Tonga, to include minutes of coordination meetings, strategic updates, knowledge products and reports updates on additional resourcing to donors having approached formally three development partners.

One-and-a-half months

24th            October 2022

Project Manager/IC (International Consultant)

 

 

Delivery 4 - Final narrative report on the implementation of UNDP Recovery Programme for Tonga with an assessment of lessons learned, recommendations for future programming and guidelines for the ongoing recovery process including the integration of recovery into ongoing risk- informed development and resilience strengthening.

Two months

10th December 2022

Project Manager/IC (International Consultant)

 

 

Institutional Arrangements

  • The IC (National Consultant) will report through the IC (International Consultant) to the Team Leader of UNDP’s Resilience and Sustainable Development Programme in the Pacific Office in Fiji who will be overall Project Manager.
  • Weekly progress reports will be submitted by the IC (National Consultant) to the IC (International Consultant).
  • The IC (National Consultant) is expected to promote strong collaboration and cooperation with the Government of Tonga and its agencies and ministries and to work closely with UNDP projects based in the Pacific Office in Fiji, with other UN agencies implementing recovery, with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, and with affected communities, NGOs and CBOs.
  • The IC (National Consultant) will be expected to consult with specific UNDP project areas, as appropriate, for additional support and knowledge from across the Pacific Region.
  • Government of Tonga, together with UNDP, will provide office space for the IC (National Consultant) and contribute local travel and workshop costs, etc.

Duration of the Work

  • The duration of the contract is 6 months. Work is expected to commence on 1st July 2022 and to be completed by no later than 31st December 2022, which is the final date for the expenditure of UNDP TRAC funding.
  • UNDP will require 2 weeks from delivery to review each deliverable and provide feedback.
  • Prompt implementation of the project is necessary to support a recovery process which is already underway, to ensure the maintenance of momentum and to expedite the need for TRAC expenditure to be completed in a timely manner.

Duty Station

  • The IC (National Consultant) ’s duty station will be Nuku’alofa, Tonga, with missions to other communities and islands as deemed appropriate.

Competencies
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities and skills;
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
  • Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
  • Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Comprehensiveness knowledge of disaster risk management in Tonga;
  • Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
  • Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Positive, constructive attitude to work;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.


Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in economics, planning, development, science, social science, environmental management, disaster risk management or similar.

Experience

  • Minimum number of 5 years of work experience in development and or within government or community organizations’, preferably in risk informed, development-based disaster risk management
  • Extensive working experience in Tonga or other Pacific Island Countries.

Language requirements

  • Fluency of English and Tongan language is required

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

  • Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
  • Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
  • Technical proposal, including a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.
  • Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II

Incomplete and joint proposals may not be considered. Consultants with whom there is further interest will be contacted. The successful consultant shall opt to sign an Individual Contract or a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) through its company/employer with UNDP.

  Annexes

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to pts.fj@undp.org

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