UNDP Jobs - 71325- International Consultant

International Consultant - Territorial partnerships

Location :

Brussels, BELGIUM

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

19-Apr-2017

Application Deadline :

30-Mar-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

three (3) months

Languages Required :

English Spanish

Expected Duration of Assignment :

three (3) 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

Since 2005, the UNDP ART Global Initiative (Territorial Partnerships for Implementing the SDGs at Local Level) promotes sustainable human development at the local level by strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders and by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and expertise between territories. Within an evolving development landscape ART capitalizes on the complementarities of actors at the local level and puts in place multi-level governance systems for sustainable human development. Furthermore, the Initiative contributes to local economic development (LED) while tackling inequality and exclusion and ensuring that development benefits all.

ART also acts as an entry point for all international cooperation actors interested in harmonizing their respective actions in support of national policies for sustainable and local human development. Building on the practices of the last decade, in 2015, the UNDP ART Initiative has launched a Hub for territorial partnerships, within UNDP Brussels, in order to support the implementation of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. Through this Hub, UNDP aims to harness the potential of LRGs and other social and economic actors of the territories as development partners and to promote the principles of development cooperation effectiveness locally. To date, ART has facilitated scores of alliances between LRGs, their associations and other local agents, through a network of development partners from Europe and around the world. More than ever, these partnerships are vital to address the challenges associated to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Decentralized development cooperation has indeed gained recognition as a means to establish and further decentralized governance, promote local and national development as well as consolidate stable territorial partnerships.

Spain has traditionally been a key donor for UNDP ART, both through bilateral contributions from the Agency International Development (AECID), and through decentralized cooperation partners. Spanish partners and UNDP have worked together and achieved important results in the framework of the past MDGs and the promotion of local governance and local development at local, national and global levels.

Spain has, undoubtedly, a long tradition and experience with regards to decentralized cooperation, with a wide array of institutions (mainly Municipalities, Provinces and Regions but also Associations thereof and Funds) involved. The expansion and scope of Spanish DC in the last 20 years can be considered a remarkable case within the European context. In budgetary terms, it represented, at certain points, more than 15% of the total of Spanish Official Development Assistance (ODA). Another significant player in development have been the NGOs, who have traditionally implemented large shares of bilateral ODA.

A considerable number of Spanish LRGs who are at the same time UNDP’s decentralized cooperation partners are putting considerable effort in landing the 2030 agenda within their own territories, as well as looking forward to have the new agenda also inform their development cooperation initiatives. UNDP is one of the lead agencies supporting countries in implementing the SDGs through the UNDG MAPS approach. At the local level UNDP has a long-standing track record in promoting the localization of the agenda, including the fostering and promoting of an international alliance to localize the 2030 agenda.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultancy will aim at promoting the localization of the SDGs through strengthening the partnership between UNDP and possible national and local level partners in Spain. A special emphasize will be put on stimulating the participation of Spanish partners in the UNDP led alliance to localize the SDGs thereby supporting international dialogue and advocacy, as well as concrete partnerships and territorial development based local development initiatives in partner countries.

Specific outputs, activities and deliverables:

The consultant will work under the supervision of the UNDP ART International Coordinator that will provide guidance and feedback at all stages.

In line with the ART Initiative AWP 2017 the expected activities and deliverables are the following:

1. Capitalize and revitalize the partnership between UNDP and Spanish (bilateral and decentralized) cooperation partners, and facilitate their harmonization and alignment towards UNDP’s work on local governance/ local development/ localization of the SDGs.

Responsibilities:

Present and promote UNDP’s work on local governance/ local development/ localization of the SDGs – an in particular ART / Hub for Territorial Partnerships- among Spanish development cooperation actors;
Mobilize partner networks around UNDP’s global effort to localize the SDGs;
Promote the Virtual Platform for the Localization of the SDGs and facilitate the involvement and contribution of Spanish development cooperation actors;
Support the organization of related meetings, events and/or missions;
Support the elaboration of documentation and outreach material in close collaboration with the team in Brussels.

Deliverables

Mapping of Spanish development cooperation actors and action plan to foster their engagement in UNDP’s global effort to promote LG/LD and localize the SDGs;
Increase of the number of Spanish development cooperation actors contributing to UNDP’s global effort to localize the SDGs;
Meetings, events and/or missions organized as necessary.

2. Foster the integration of Spanish development cooperation actors within UNDP Local Governance /Local Development programmes as well as the UNDP global programme for localizing the SDGs:

Responsibilities

Facilitate contacts and build partnerships between Spanish partners and UNDP local governance/local development programmes;
Facilitate knowledge sharing and partnership building between Decentralized Cooperation actors and their counterparts at local and national level in other countries;
Liaise with UNDP Programmes to ensure that those partnerships result in concrete development initiatives at country level;
Assist in the coordination, organization, facilitation and follow up of meetings, events and/or field visits and other forms of technical cooperation.

Deliverables

Awareness on UNDP’s global project for localizing the SDGs raised with Spanish partners;
New partnerships between Spanish partners and UNDP local governance/local development programmes facilitated;
New Spanish decentralized cooperation partners integrated within the UNDP Local Governance /Local Development programmes;
Meetings, events and/or missions organized as necessary.

3. Mobilize development cooperation partners towards the process of the 4th World Forum of Local Economic Development (Cape Verde, October 2017).

Responsibilities:

Present and promote the 4th World Forum of Local Economic Development -and preparatory events- among Spanish development cooperation actors;
Identify interested partners and facilitate their participation in the events;
Facilitate the contact between Spanish DC actors and LG/LD programmes.

Deliverables:

Spanish development cooperation actors actively participating in the 4th World Forum of Local Economic Development -and preparatory events.
Speakers and territories’ experiences identified to participate in the Forum;
Meetings, events and/or missions organized as necessary.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional competencies:

Knowledge of local governance processes;
Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Ability to work in a team;
In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues including gender equality and empowerment issues, as well as a good knowledge of the inter linkages between the social, economic, environmental and cultural dimensions of sustainable development.
Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills;
Openness to change and ability to receive / integrate feedback;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master degree in a relevant discipline, such as International Relations, Development Studies, Social Sciences, etc.

Experience:

At least 10 years of relevant work experience in development cooperation;
Work experience in Spanish bilateral and decentralized cooperation actors;
Thorough knowledge of the role and mechanisms of key and strategic decentralized cooperation actors, networks and associations;
Sound knowledge of the concepts and related principles of Local Governance, Local Development and Sustainable Developments Goals;
Previous work experience in UNDP is a distinct advantage;
Knowledge of the ART methodology and approach is a distinct advantage;

Language:

Fluency in spoken and written Spanish and English is a must; knowledge of Portuguese a distinct advantage.

Application Submission Process:

The application is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications:

Step 1: Submission of Technical Proposals:

Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP Job Shop (Please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all documents in one file):

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position;
A brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (Please paste the letter and the brief methodology into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application).
CV and Personal History Form (P11), 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 (the template can be downloadedhttp://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc).

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal

Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.be@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780. The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal* for ART INITIATIVE-Territorial partnerships by 30th March 2017. Proposals to be received after the deadline will be rejected. To assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel related expenses, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal.

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, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). The cost of the assignment shall be linked to the deliverables specified above and reflected in the Section B. of the Financial Proposal template.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Application Evaluation Process:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable;

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

Only highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job based on the P11 desk review will be invited for an interview.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

Financial Criteria weight: [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 70% on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 100 points:

Criteria A – Evaluation based on the following qualification (max points: 80):
Proven networks in the Spanish cooperation (max points - 30);
Proven experience in resource and partner mobilization in response to territories’ demands (max points - 30);
Proven practical experience on the areas of Local Governance, Local Development and Sustainable Developments Goals in developing countries (max points - 20);

Criteria B – Evaluation of the brief description of Approach to Assignment (max 20 points)

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

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