UNDP Jobs - 75850- Programme Support Consultant

Programme Support Consultant

Location :

home-based with mission to Istanbul, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

29-Nov-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated 8 January 2018 - 29 June 2018

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately up to 100 working days

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

The UNDP-GEF Unit is based in the Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and is responsible for providing leadership, technical support and implementation oversight to the delivery of GEF Trust Funds. The Unit is organized into a number of substantive technical teams with staff located in both HQs and UNDP's Regional Service Centers in Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Panama, and Bangkok, and with a decentralized structure in terms of financial, operational, and budget managements with authority delegated to respective managers located in HQ or in the region.

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP-GEF (Global Environmental Finance) Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) responsible for climate change mitigation in the Europe & CIS region who are based in the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and following the guidance of the corresponding Regional Team Leader (RTL), the Programme Support Consultant will facilitate the effective delivery of UNDP-GEF's portfolio in Europe & CIS region by providing support and oversight throughout the development, implementation, monitoring/evaluation and closure of UNDP-GEF and UNDP-GCF projects. This includes effective portfolio data management and monitoring, to maximize Country Offices' (CO) timely compliance with UNDP and GEF/GCF requirements. The Programme Support Consultant shall provide support to both UNDP Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) projects in the Europe & CIS region.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Programme Support Consultant will work in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and Project teams in the CO and UNDP-GEF HQs global team/staff to resolve complex programme-related issues and to ensure a consistent quality service delivery.

Support to management and oversight of project processes

Examine, review, process and records incoming documents relating to project portfolio;

Organize and update project records, as necessary, in PIMS+ and any other reporting mechanism;
Consults and supports project development and implementation and all related operational and financial aspects;
Consults compliance with UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules, the Internal Control Framework, UNDP and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) operational and financial guidelines
Assists with facilitation and oversight of program implementation and development, including processing of approval letters, assistance with technical and financial clearances, securing relevant signatures, and ensuring quality assurance within digital project files;
Provides quality control and corrective/anticipatory feedback regarding project submissions, contributing to quality and accuracy of project proposals and documents.

Monitoring and evaluation

Supports COs on the Delegation of Authority (DOA) process and clearances, including financial and technical clearance, in a timely manner;
Supports submission of Annual Work Plans for approval and Authorized Spending Limit (ASL) issuance;
Supports reviewing projects' annual and multi-year work plans in a timely manner, consults compliance with Donor requirements in terms of budgeting and identify irregularities;
Collects and provides inputs for regional portfolio analysis.
Assists COs in completing budget revision processes in time
Ensures that the mid-term and final evaluations of GEF and GCF projects are carried out in a timely manner;
Ensures that the UNDP management responses to mid-term reviews and final evaluations are carried out in a timely manner;

Financial support

Provides correct and updated inputs for UNDP-GEF database (PIMS+)
Monitors project delivery and submission of progress reports and budget revisions for the region, identify reasons for shortfall in delivery and alert RTAs of any projects with concerns;
Assists with regional portfolio management, including tracking of standard project related management actions, monitoring and evaluation requirements and progress reports (TPR/APR, PIR) including processing of required documentation and maintains the electronic project data base fully updated
Advises on the deployment of the funds and the project closure, as well as the preparation of the quarterly reports flagging to the RTA any discrepancies, need for action, or progress in disbursement and carry out a financial follow-up,
Tracks project development and/or implementation progress against established time-frames for project maturation and/or the attainment of implementation milestones as indicated in project annual work plans, recommends courses of action as appropriate and brings to the RTAs’ attention all technical issues that require attention/resolution;

Country Office and Regional Coordination Capacity Support

Manages information flow among COs, RCUs and HQs;
Advise, provide guidance and training on UNDP-GEF programming and regulations, facilitate understanding of the GEF project cycle, as well as, the development and implementation of projects funded by the GEF.
The consultant´s main outputs per year will include:
Record and update all 52 pipeline and under-implementation projects in the UNDP-GEF project database (PIMS);
Review for data completeness and finalization of 8 PIF, EA and CEO approval requests, including Project Documents;
Secure the finalization and signature of 8 PIF/EA-approved and CEO-endorsed projects;
Review and analyze 38 AWPs to ensure ASL is allocated;
Follow-up and collection of supporting documents for 12 operationally and financially closed projects.

Key performance indicators

All pipeline and under-implementation projects are recorded and updated in the UNDP-GEF project database (PIMS+);
Project Identification Form (PIF), Project Preparation Grant (PPG) and Chief Executing Officer (CEO) approval requests, including Project Documents, are reviewed for data completeness and finalization;
The finalization and signature of PIF-approved and CEO-endorsed projects are secured;
Annual Workplans (AWPs) are reviewed and analyzed to ensure Annual Spending Limit (ASL) is allocated;

Institutional arrangements:

The Consultant will be home based with the exception that 1 mission is required
The Consultant will be required to undertake one mission of 4 working days to Istanbul, Turkey which should be carried out at the start of the assignment in January 2018.
The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
The consultant will be supervised by the Regional Technical Advisors responsible for climate change mitigation in the Europe & CIS region
The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station and must have access to a reliable internet connection.
Irrespective of his/her location, the consultant is expected to be available for skype/phone meetings and be in reliable email contact at least 8 hours/day (from 9am to 18pm which includes one hour for lunch) during the regular business hours of the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub
Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed timesheet and a certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor on days worked (with a “day” calculated as 8 hours of work) and outputs delivered.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

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.

Functional Competencies:

Client Orientation

Maintains relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
Proven networking, team-building, communication, conflict resolution and organizational skills.

Knowledge Management and Learning

Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more areas, acts on learning plan, and applies newly acquired skills;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Team Work, Communication, Development and Operational Effectiveness

Ability to work in teams;
Ability to work under pressure, to prioritize and to show a spirit of initiative;
Excellent time management, monitoring and evaluation skills;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Demonstrates initiative and self-motivation to work independently, as well as, cooperative and collaborative spirit to work in a team;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
Ability to manage conflict;
Demonstrated informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Natural Resources Management or other closely related fields;
Certification in Business or Public Administration, Finance or related area and in project management would be an advantage.

Experience:

At least five years of experience in financial resources management, budget management or a project management support functions;
Experience with a UN Agency, UNDP and/or GEF processes, project oversight and/or management is an advantage;
Experience with using tools and methodologies to follow-up on projects and project cycle management;
Experience at the national or international level with organizations that manage grants is a plus;
Mastery in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, as a minimum; database management as a plus);
Experience with Capacity Development and National Communications project cycle work is an advantage (max.5 points).

Language skills:

Fluency in written and spoken English;
Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset.

Evaluation of Applicants

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

responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
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 - max. 65 points:

Criteria A - Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Natural Resources Management or other closely related fields (max. 7 points)
Criteria B - Certification in Business or Public Administration, Finance or related area and in project management (max. 5 points)
Criteria C - Experience in financial resources management, budget management or a project management support functions (max.10 points);
Criteria D - Experience with a UN Agency, UNDP and/or GEF processes, project oversight and/or management (max.10 points);
Criteria E - Experience with using tools and methodologies to follow-up on projects and project cycle management (max.8 points);
Criteria F - Experience at the national or international level with organizations that manage grants is a plus (max.5 points);
Criteria G - Mastery in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, as a minimum; database management as a plus) (max.5 points);
Criteria H - Experience with Capacity Development and National Communications project cycle work is an advantage (max.5 points)
Criteria I - Fluency in written and spoken English (max.5 points);
Criteria J - Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset (max. 5 points).

Financial Criteria - max. 35 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://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
Financial Proposal* - specifying a) total amount for professional fee for tasks specified in this announcement and b) mission related costs for mission to Istanbul, Turkey (including i) travel costs and ii) per diem for 4 days).
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, personal security needs 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://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

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.