Background

UNDP is the lead UN agency on gender and climate change working across a range of advocacy and programming activities at the global, regional, national, and community level. As part of these efforts, UNDP is the fund manager for an umbrella programme on “Gender Responsive Climate Change Initiatives and Decision-making“. The programme comprises three projects each implemented by a different partner organization: the Women’s Environment and Development Organization, WEDO; the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN; and UNDP, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme.
 
These projects have been running since 2008 and have succeeded in shifting the gender and climate change paradigm. Through a coordinated partnership approach, they have ensured that gender equality principles are integrated more fully into the outcome documents of UNFCCC negotiations, as well as the operations of major climate funds. They have provided technical expertise and recommendations to over 100 governments; trained nearly 500 national gender and climate change experts from more than 100 countries; and have integrated gender concerns into national climate change policies and programmes across several countries.
 
The umbrella programme is made possible through contributions of the governments of Finland and Denmark to the UNDP Gender Thematic Trust Fund. Funding is entering its third phase in 2012 and will continue through 2014. This umbrella programme is one of the main programming vehicles for the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA).
 
UNDP is also implementing a number of related programmes and projects on adaptation, mitigation, energy, women’s green business and related sustainable development themes. As part of preparations for Rio+20, UNDP is providing an ongoing series of advocacy and technical inputs to the Rio draft negotiated text; the UNDP flagship report on Rio; a series of thought papers and a guidance note for country practitioners on gender and sustainable development.
 
To support UNDP’s work in these areas of gender equality, climate change, and sustainable development, achieving the goals of the Gender Equality Strategy, UNDP is seeking to retain the services of a senior climate change and sustainable development gender consultant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Director of the Gender Team, and in close collaboration with other members of the environment, poverty and governance clusters, the consultant will be responsible for the following:
 
Deliverable 1: Draft and initiate strategic 2 year work plan for Phase 3 of the Global Gender and Climate Change Alliance (GGCA) project (1 June 2012)
  • Advise on strategic focus for Phase 3 of the GGCA project at the global, regional and national level in line with country-level demand and UNDP and donor priorities;
  • Advise on specific inputs to 2-year work plan for GGCA project;
  • Liaise with regional and country offices and GGCA partners to agree on and initiate work plan by 1 June;
  •  
Deliverable 2: Draft and implement work plan to integrate gender equality principles into Rio+20 preparations and follow up action
 
  • Provide substantive advice and strategic inputs on each Rio+20 zero draft the UNDP flagship report; the volume of thematic thought papers being commissioned by the Gender Team; and the global e-discussion synthesis on gender, growth, and sustainable human development;
  • Advise on and implement work plans for a high level side event at Rio+20;
  • Support specific requests by country offices and regional centers to integrate gender concerns in their climate change and sustainable development work; 
  • Provide advice to the Director of the Gender Team on the strategic direction for the gender team’s work in the field of Gender, Equitable, Growth, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development, and the post-2015 MDG Framework. 
 
Deliverable 3: Draft a guidance note on gender and sustainable development (30 September 2012)
  • Provide substantive advice and strategic inputs to the drafting of a guidance note on gender and sustainable human development drawing on the outcome document of Rio+20, the UNDP flagship report, the Rio +20 thought papers, the global e-discussion and related resources.
  • Produce concept note, initial annotated outline, including suggested case studies, and first draft
  • Integrated comments from Gender Team, other UNDP offices, sister agencies, and key CSOs.
 
Travel
The consultant may be required to travel for specific tasks and UNDP will arrange the travel in accordance to UN rules and procedures. 

Competencies

Technical
  • Prior experience developing policy analysis and policy advocacy especially in the area of gender equality, climate change, energy, economics and/or sustainable development.
  • Understanding of the links between sustainable development, social, and gender issues.
  • Ability to prepare succinct, analytical publications and reports.
  • Excellent analytical, writing, presentation, and communications skills.
  • Strong Excel and related financial skills.
  • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English.
 
Leadership
  • Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills;
  • Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development experience;
  • Knowledge and expertise in UNDP’s programming processes;
  • Proven ability to lead a practice area and drive for results with a strong knowledge of results-based management and budgeting.
 
Managing Relationships
  • Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational skills;
  • Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff;
  • Excellent negotiating and networking skills;
  • Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills.
  • Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives;
  • A sound global network of institutional and individual contacts.
 
Knowledge Management and Learning
  • Ability to strongly promote knowledge sharing and knowledge products and services;
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with others in own unit and across boundaries; acknowledge others' contributions; promote collaboration and facilitate teamwork across organizational boundaries;
  • Open to new ideas; shares own knowledge; applies knowledge in daily work; builds partnerships for learning and knowledge sharing;
 
Judgment/Decision-Making
  • Mature judgment and initiative;
  • Proven ability to provide strategic direction in practice area;
  • Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues and challenges.
                       

Required Skills and Experience

  • Master’s degree or above in sustainable development, climate change, economics, sociology, gender equality, or a related field.
  • At least ten years of experience in an international development project context working on issues of gender equality and related themes including climate change, energy, environment, economic policy and sustainable development.
Evaluation of Applications:
Method: Cumulative analysis
 
When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
  1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
Technical Criteria weight: 70%
Financial Criteria weight: 30%
 
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 (70%) points on technical part will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
 
Criteria for technical evaluation:
 
  • Experience with gender and sustainable development themes (30)
  • Experience coordinating development initiatives with a range of multilateral, bilateral, and civil society partners (10)
  • Proven analytical, writing, presentation, and communications skills, including in the area of gender and human development (30)
Financial evaluation:
The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal: p = y (μ/z),
 
where:
 
p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
μ = price of the lowest priced proposal
z = price of the proposal being evaluated
 
Other Considerations:
UN Personal History form (UN PH11) can be downloaded from: http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.docx