Background

Roma inclusion is both, a national and pan-European challenge and UNDP as international organization faces to be one of the key players of the Roma inclusion process in Europe. The dual layer organizational structure of UNDP combines the network of CO-s to implement country-specific projects, and the Bratislava Regional Centre to provide comprehensive and consistent conceptual framework and support. Being part of UN system makes UNDP and its work impartial and equally trusted by governments, international organizations and the Roma civil society too.

The substantive sources of UNDP are rooted in the strong record of sustainable and realistic approach to Roma inclusion. Namely:

• The first UNDP Roma report, “Avoiding the Dependency Trap” drew attention to the need to address the systemic causes of Roma exclusion and go beyond plain human rights rhetoric.
• The second Roma report promoted a results-focused approach to Roma inclusion pioneering in working on quantitative data and monitoring. The data collection done in 2004 made possible constructing baselines for the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative.

UNDP has broad expertise in actual implementation of projects on the ground with wide range of partners at CO level. This network can be used in the future as knowledge and experience base and an implementation infrastructure of big-scale regional endeavors.

UNDP’s conceptual approach is built around the idea of area-based development and human development context. It consistently defines the issue of Roma inclusion and the proposed solutions not in terms of ethnicity but rather in the context of multiple deprivations faced by different individuals and groups. Those deprivations correlate with group identity but are not primarily driven by that identity (this is why although the majority of Roma are vulnerable, not all Roma are vulnerable). The practical implications of this approach mean that Roma exclusion can be successfully addressed in territorial context, addressing all people living in the most disadvantaged regions. This will most often cover groups with a Roma majority.
UNDP is among the few international players that has the courage to present the challenge of Roma exclusion in its complexity and multidimensionality raising the issue of the complex web of interests involved. Roma exclusion is not just a matter of ignorant racist prejudice and human rights abuse; it’s a complex combination of ignorant racist prejudice and objective outcomes of daily interactions between Roma and non-Roma that reinforce those prejudices and prepare the ground for human rights abuse.

UNDP BRC plans drafting a number of regional projects with individual country components testing practical interventions at community level, addressing various challenges of poverty reduction, social inclusion, and other areas of work through tangible projects implemented with partners at community level. They would also build on existing local-level networks that have been created on the Western Balkans, in the Cserehát project in Hungary and in various projects in Slovakia.

In 2013 UNDP initiated a regional project “Regional support facility for improving stakeholder capacity for progress on Roma inclusion” to provide national governments (central and local), civil society and other stakeholders with the operational support needed to build capacity for Roma inclusion in Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo (as per UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)), Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova, Turkey). UNDP sees this objective as critical in terms of these governments’ EU membership preparations.

The initiative has three components: (a) Supporting national stakeholders in operationalizing the national Roma integration strategies, in order to strengthen their implementing infrastructure at central and local levels; (b) Supporting the establishment of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks, including data collection for results-oriented progress monitoring; and (c) Facilitating the exchange of experience, mutual learning from successes and failures, and mainstreaming working approaches to Roma inclusion at local level. 

“Area-Based Interventions for making the most of EU Fund for Sustainable Housing and Inclusion of disadvantaged Roma in pilot areas in Romania & across the border to Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey” project builds upon many years of UNDP expertise in the area of poverty reduction and Roma inclusion in the ECIS region, as well as Roma-targeted area-based-development projects at the local level in Cserehat, Hungary (2005-2010) and in Cluj, Romania (2012). The project relies also on the committed involvement on a national level through the UNDP offices in the 4 countries (Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, and Turkey). It is being implemented as part of the wider Regional Support Facility regional project.

The project aligns closely with Making the Most’s (MtM’s) mission to make the most of EU funds for Roma inclusion — by holding as its prime objectives the forging and enhancement of processes and replicable models of social inclusion and desegregation through integrated local development and housing improvement, thus creating an opportunity for Roma communities in critical sites to absorb EU funds for inclusion.

Goals of the project:

The project’s activities aim at:

• Establishing local Social Inclusion Strategies and development initiatives that directly engage the participation of and benefit the most excluded Roma groups;
• Fostering delivery of public services through facilitating partnership of local authorities with civil society partners; 
• Supporting municipal management in desegregation, inclusion and poverty reduction through strengthening of organizational capacity and technical expertise of local and regional development actor;
• Increasing the absorption capacity of the development stakeholders of Roma inclusion;
• Share in the vision of MtM of the critical importance of public reform and management for a more just and equal society.

Objectives:

• Ensure the sustainability of the overall “ABD for Inclusion” initiative and its results in Cluj and generate new strategic partnerships and projects in the wider Cluj Metropolitan area;
• Multiply the “ABD for Inclusion” model in Braila and Galati cities and contribute to the establishment of necessary conditions to implementation of the model in Bucharest 2nd and 3rd districts and other interested cities in Romania;
• Contribute to setting up of necessary conditions on national level to localizing the EU 2020 Roma Inclusion strategy in Romania;
• Contribute to set up of conditions for the further scaling up of implementation of the EU Roma Strategy at the local level in Central-Eastern Europe and the Balkan region, especially in Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Assistant will work in close collaboration with UNDP BRC and Romanian Country Office. S/he will report directly to the Local Project Coordinator and the Project Manager, providing regular feedback on activities carried out and recommends followup actions to ensure the effective implementation of the project by performing, but not limited to, the following duties:

• Keep records and file all documents related to planning and generation of projects and strategic concept notes; ensure maintenance of a filing system, reports and other documentation  (approximately 30 working days);
• Prepare memos and relevant materials for regular coordination meetings with the local counterparts in Cluj; (approximately 20 days);
• Provide administrative support for monitoring and evaluation (approximately 15 days);
• Assist the Project Coordinator in preparing narrative and financial reports to be submitted to the Steering Committee (approximately 15 working days);
• Assist in arranging logistical arrangements for trainings, workshops, study visit and other related travels of the project team in Cluj (approximately 10 working days);
• Maintain close working relationship with the local Project Team in Braila/Galati (approximately 15 days);
• Participate in clarifying and implementation of quick actions to meet urgent needs and build self-confidence in the target group (approximately 10 working days);
• Coordinate the collection of timesheets and reporting documents of the Cluj Project Team and other local project experts and control number of working hours in keeping with the project requirements (approximately 15 working days);
• Make sure that all reporting deadlines are met on time; keep a calendar of all relevant events, reports to be submitted (approximately 15 working days);
• Any other activities and assistance which may reasonably be required (maximum 15 working days);
• No travel outside of Cluj is expected.

Output and deliverables:

• Installment No. 1 – Contribution provided to setting up all necessary Project Conditions, e.g. create and maintain the project filing system, basic administration etc.) – Submitted short report on the administrative activities – estimated in early August 2013;
• Installment No. 2 – Coordination provided to the local stakeholders and local community groups meetings of the project teams – Submitted short report on activities in July - estimated in early September 2013;
• Installment No. 3 – Contributed to timely and accurate dissemination of project related information to the target group and local stakeholders and ensured participation of the target group in the different project activities - First report on the inputs – estimated in early October 2013;
• Installment No. 4 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in early November 2013;
• Installment No. 5 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in early December 2013;
• Installment No. 6 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in mid-December 2013;
• Installment No. 7 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in end of January 2014;
• Installment No. 8 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in end of February 2014;
• Installment No. 9 - Provided administrative support to the implementation of programme activities – Submitted report on the inputs  - estimated in end of March 2014;
• Installment No. 10 – Contributed to ensuring proper implementation of the Pata Rat community made ‘Urgent Needs Plan’ by monitoring and facilitating 'quick actions', and the installation and functioning of the mobile social centre in Pata Rat – Submitted report on the inputs - estimated in end of April 2014;
• Installment No. 11 - Contributed to the preparation of the final report and of knowledge products (contributed to all relevant data collection and other materials needed)  - estimated in end of May 2014.

The above mentioned activities shall be performed under supervision of the Local Project Coordinator and Programme’s Project Manager for ABD Interventions on Roma Inclusion.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

• Excellent administrative and communication skills, both written and oral;
• Experience with database management systems;
• Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team under demanding circumstances;
• Timeliness and reliability of delivery;
• IT literacy, familiarity with e-presentation techniques; Proficiency in using computer applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet and e-mail), experience in handling of web based management and reporting system;
• Ability to work under pressure with tight deadline;
• Friendly attitude;
• Basic experiences in financial administration.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Possess a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited relevant educational institution in fields related to Social or Economic Sciences.

Experience:

• Prior knowledge and at least one year of working experience in the ABD for Inclusion is a must;
• Minimum two years of experience in an administrative position, including basic financial administration;
• Minimum two years of experience in providing project assistance;
• Familiarity with local development projects or projects involving Roma communities will be considered as a significant plus;
• Knowledge of social networking solutions and ability to relate and work with people in disadvantaged communities;
• Experience on working with international organization;
• Knowledge of existing Roma integration strategies both at European and national level;
• Proficiency in using computer applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet and e-mail), experience in handling of web based management and reporting system, good reporting and presentation skills.

Language skills:

• Fluency in Romanian language and in English is a must; including excellent writing skills.

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications (desk review) and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• a) Responsive and
• b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11 desk reviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 56 points:

• Criteria A (Prior knowledge and at least one year of working experience in the ABD for Inclusion) – max points: 10;
• Criteria B (Minimum two years of experience in an administrative position, including basic financial administration) – max points: 20;
• Criteria C (Minimum two years of experience in providing project assistance) – max points: 10;
• Criteria D (Familiarity with local development projects or projects involving Roma communities) max points: 8;
• Criteria E (Language skills) – max points: 8;

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 24 points.

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
• Financial Proposals specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days and any other possible costs).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

FC: 30000