Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s Global Development Network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in over 170 countries, employing participatory approaches to developing local solutions to national and global development challenges. UNDP’s core vision is to help countries achieve simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion.  We do this through three main areas of work which are: (1) sustainable development (2) inclusive and effective democratic governance, and (3) climate and disaster resilience.

Addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment is a key aspect of UNDP’s approach to achieving its core vision. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment are seen as goals in their own right and are also central to the achievement of UNDP’s development mandate. UNDP is guided in its work by its Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017 which details how UNDP works towards gender equality in each of the goals and key results set out in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017.

In this regard, as part of the climate change work UNDP has been supporting at the national level through the Low Emission Capacity Building Programme (LECB Programme) and building on its previous support to better integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into national climate change actions, UNDP is currently assisting countries in mainstreaming gender equality into the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) planning and implementation process.

163 Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) had been submitted, representing 191 Parties to the UNFCCC.  Several Parties integrated gender equality into their INDCs at different levels, and at least 65 countries have considered gender as part of their national priorities either within the adaptation and/or mitigation areas of work.  Following COP-21, attention has turned from developing and submitting INDCs to preparing for effective implementation of the contributions.  UNDP plays a central role in building countries’ capacity to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), given its previous INDC support experience, its technical expertise in related areas, and its on-the-ground presence in over 170 countries.

UNDP would like to engage a junior consultant to carry out a number of tasks under the Gender Responsive NDC Component as described within this TOR.

 

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Policy Specialist Environment and Climate Change, Gender Team and the Programme Specialist, Low Emission Capacity Building Programme, from now on referred as the Gender Responsive NDC Component team, the junior consultant is expected to perform the following tasks:

Scope of work

Provide support to the Gender Responsive NDC Component team on communications, knowledge management, organization, content development and data tracking, and monitoring and evaluation.

Policy/Programme support

  • Conduct research on gender/climate change/DRR/energy issues, including information gathering at the country level;
  • Assist with the review of progress reports from 10 countries under the Gender Responsive NDC Component;
  • Assist with the development, review and management of relevant communications and documents under the Gender Responsive NDC Component;
  • Assist with the preparation and analysis of charts, briefing notes, etc. to support corporate reporting;
  • Assist in liaising with key organizations and country partners when needed to follow up on progress or specific activities;
  • Support logistics for/participation in various international events;
  • Support administrative tasks related to procurement;
  • Other duties as requested.

Knowledge Management

  • Support the Gender Responsive NDC Component team to develop capacity building material, such as webinars, assist with building online communities and resources (yammer groups), and other key knowledge networks/platforms on gender and climate change/NDCs planning and implementation actions;
  • Support the Gender Responsive NDC Component team on communications work, including drafting of talking points, press releases, preparing PowerPoint presentation, compiling communications materials for advocacy and outreach, including on UNDP’s public website and social media platforms (preparing tweets), blogs and video messages related to the work under the Gender Responsive NDC Component and/or capacity building materials;
  • Conduct focused literature review and research related to climate change and gender equality;
  • Map, define, gather and organize key data related to actors and potential partners;
  • Develop and document good practices and lessons learned on gender and climate change/NDCs within selected 10 countries as well as from across the UNDP portfolio on climate change;
  • Collect and analyze key data related to NDCs, climate change actions under the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC, gender equality and other related topics;
  • Assist with organizing and promoting learning and knowledge events.

Competencies

Corporate

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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 favouritism;

Technical

  • Knowledge of gender mainstreaming and climate change;
  • Data management and quality assurance;
  • Excellent overall computer skills, including social media, Twitter, etc.

Professionalism

  • Works toward creative solutions by analysing problems carefully and logically – inspires and fosters innovation;
  • Has a dynamic, positive and adaptive attitude towards work-related challenges, bringing innovative and effective solutions to them;
  • Facilitates meetings effectively and efficiently;
  • Resolves conflicts as they arise;
  • Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
  • Highly organized, detailed oriented.

Communication

  • Writes and presents clearly and convincingly.

Client Orientation

  • Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients.

Required Skills and Experience

Required skills and experience:

Education:

  • A Master’s degree in sustainable development, environmental management, social/political sciences, international relations, gender or development policy or other related expertise areas.

Experience:

  • One year of experience through a combination of employment, internships and/or apprenticeships with gender mainstreaming;
  • One year of experience through a combination of employment, internships and/or apprenticeships with content development, conducting research, summarizing material, data tracking and/or literature review;
  • Computer literacy, including MS Office, and the Internet is a must;
  • Experience with the UN system through a combination of employment, internships and/or apprenticeships or a related organization is an advantage;

Language requirements:

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language.
  • Spanish or French will be considered an asset.

Duty Station, Travel and Administrative Arrangements:

  • The Consultant will be supervised by and report to the Policy Specialist Environment and Climate Change, Gender Team and the Programme Specialist, Low Emission Capacity Building (LECB) Programme
  • The Consultant will be requested to work from the UNDP HQ office;
  • The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
  • The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone)
  • Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered
  • Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the Gender Responsive NDC Component team;
  • The Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
  • The selected candidate is responsible for ensuring that s/he has the necessary vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
  • The selected candidate is responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
  • Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;   
  • The incumbent will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies; 
  • All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be arranged according to UNDP entitlements and travel policy.Costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should not be included in financial proposal.

Application Procedure:

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

  • Online application with brief description of why the Offeror considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references.
  • Applicants must submit a writing sample (i.e., brief article or blog. No longer than 2 pages/1,200 words). Provide link to the sample or scanned copy.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

  • The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum daily fee. Payments are based upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.
  • The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; air travel and living allowances in NY; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
  • In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP will not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
  • If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Criteria for technical evaluation (70 points maximum):

  1. Relevance of Master’s degree to the position (i.e. sustainable development, environmental management, social/political sciences, international relations, gender or development policy or other related expertise areas) – 20 points
  2. Relevant experience with gender mainstreaming – 20 points
  3. Relevant experience with content development, conducting research, summarizing material, data tracking and/or literature review – 10 points
  4. Experience on working with social media platforms – 5 points
  5. Previous work experience with the UN system – 5 points
  6. Excellent written communication skills in English – 5 points
  7. Knowledge of Spanish and/or French – 5 points

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

K. Financial evaluation - Total 30% (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

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):