Background

The Regional Bureau for Arab States of the United Nations Development Programme has an office located in Beirut (Lebanon) which serves as a platform for operation for the Regional Programme projects and/or activities that are implemented across the Arab countries.

The Management Support Unit (MSU) provides management, coordination, monitoring and oversight roles to all UNDP-RBAS’ Regional Programme Division projects and/or activities that are implemented across the Arab countries; from basic information management and administrative duties to complex business activities.

Under the general guidance of the Results and Resource Management Specialist and the direct supervision of the Project Management Specialist, the consultant will be responsible for undertaking programme and/or project management tasks.

The consultant is responsible to abide by security policies, financial rules and regulations, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNDP.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the compliance of all project implementation actions and activities with organizational rules, regulations, policies, strategies and internal control mechanisms and the achievement of results according to the guided principles of results based management (RBM);

• Provide substantive, financial and administrative support to the projects implementation, including reports on operations and administration, challenges and delivery;

• Provision and preparation of administrative and operational reports including financial component;

• Participate in analyzing the business processes mapping and operating environment and contributes to internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Finance, Human Resources Management, Procurement, Logistical and ICT services. In this regard, the Consultant will identify possible opportunities in tandem with CO Lebanon and RBAS Regional Hub in Amman forthe outsourcing of Operational activities or the engagement of collaborative processes that reflect substantial cost reductions and efficiency improvements;

• Review request for the procurement of goods and services required by the programme to ensure the proper accounting of expenses and the adherence to programme’s approved work plans;

• Guide the preparation of contracts for goods and services for the Regional Programme;

• Oversee the travel arrangements of the staff proceeding on official missions as requested by the CTAs, including ensuring that proper financial arrangements and related communication with UNDP CO. Beirut are in place;

• Provide substantive inputs in the preparation of “Requests for Proposals” (RFP) required as per the approved annual work plan in collaboration with the UNDP-RBAS Regional Hub in Amman, UNDP CO Beirut and any other UNDP office as deemed necessary.

• Collaborate and coordinate with the CTAs and the Regional Programme Management inthe preparation of the overall and individual office plans in terms of personnel, administration and budget activities;

• Facilitate the Regional Programme Office lease, parking, other amenities and general maintenance services, dealing directly with the lessor.

Expected outputs and deliverables:

Institutional Arrangement

• The consultant is required to exhibit his or her full-time commitment with the UNDP-RBAS;
• The consultant is required to coordinate with UNDP-RBAS Regional Hub in Amman and UNDP CO Beirut;
• S/He shall perform tasks under the general guidance of the Results and Resource Management Specialist and direct supervision of the Project Management Specialist. The supervision will include approvals/acceptance of the consultant’s scope of work identified in previous sections;
• The individual is expected to liaise and collaborate in the course of performing the work with other consultants, experts, researcher, donors, stakeholders and UN colleagues;
• S/He will report to and consult with the Project Management Specialist and the Results and Resource Management Specialist on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment. Reports shall be prepared by the consultant on the basis of specific requirements;
• The individual is required to maintain close communication with the UNDP-RBAS on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress. In the event of any delay, S/He will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly. Delays that would affect the flow of the collaborative work and the delivery of outputs on schedule will lead to termination of contract;
• Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, reviews or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work.

Competencies

Corporate:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’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.

Functional:

• Background knowledge about the SDGs, United Nations and UNDP;

• Demonstrates ability in conducting creative-thinking and innovation learning events;

• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills;

• Flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks and work under pressure;

• Excellent computer skills especially Word, Excel and Power Point;

• Knowledge of Atlas is an asset;

Leadership:

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to provide credible leadership;

• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broaderstrategic overview and corporate vision;

• Demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing theanalysis/resolution of complex issues;

• Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills with proven track record of mature judgments;

• Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development experience.

Managing Relationships:

• Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational management skills;

• Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff;

• Excellent negotiating and networking skills with strong partnerships in academia, technical organizations and as a recognized expert in the practice area;

• Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills and ability to accept accountability for management of large volume of financial resources.

Managing Complexity

• Ability to address global development issues;

• Substantive knowledge and understanding of development cooperation with the ability to support the practice architecture of UNDP and inter-disciplinary issues;

• Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broaderstrategic, policy and operational objectives;

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;

• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;

• Provides constructive coaching and feedback;

• Demonstrates a strong capacity for innovation and creativity in providing strategic policy advice and direction.

Judjement/Descion making

• Mature judgment and initiative;

• Proven ability to provide strategic direction to the project implementation process;

• Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues andchallenges, uses diplomacy and tact to achieve result.

   

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualification:

• Bachelor in Business administration, international relations or other relevant fields.

Work Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience;
• Experinece in project management, preferable in areas directly relevant to this programme as described above;
• Previous experience working for the UN is a plus.

Language Requirements

• Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Arabic is required.

Duration of the work:

The duration of the assignment is expected to be 264 working days for over period of 12 months from contract signature date.

Duty Station:

• The consultant will be stationed in Beirut, Lebanon at the Regional Programme’s office;
• Part of this assignment may require the expert to travel to different Arab and non-Arab Countries. In such cases, UNDP will cover travel costs in accordance with corporate regulations and rules.

Financial Proposal:

• Interested candidates should provide daily fees for requested services with detailed breakdown (consultancy fees * number of working days). Payments shall be made to the consultant based on the submission of a duly certified Certification of Payment (CoP).

Scope of price proposal and scehdule of payments:

The consultant will be paid based on Deliverables/Outputs requested over the contract period, subject to the submission of Certification of Payment (CoP) duly certified and confirmation of satisfactory performance of achieved work (deliverables/outputs). Payment shall be process after satisfactory Completion of 1 month of work (up to 22 WD/month) and submission of progress reports.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging. Living allowances and terminal expenses should be agreed between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed upon UNDP rules and regulation.

Documents to be included when submitting teh proposals

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit the required information will not be considered.

• Duly accomplished using the template provided by UNDP;

• Personal CV or 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;

• Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  Consultant to provide professional fees for 22 working days in a month for over period of 12 months. If there is any travel during the contract period, it will be covered by unforeseen travel.

   If an 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 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. 

   

  All necessary information including: Complete Procurement Notice, The Selection Criteria, and Annexes are found on the following link under Procurement http://procurement-notices.undp.org/

  Interested candidate shall apply the CV/P11 to Job advertisement website, hence consultant should submit to e-mail:  proc.contract.rscjo@undp.org not later than February 21, 2018. The following documents are:

   

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;

• CV/P11

• Financial Proposal

Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Applications will be first screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Bachelor in Business administration, international relations or other relevant fields.

• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience;

• Previous experience working for the UN;

• Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Arabic is required;

Shortlisted Candidates will be then assessed and scored against the following evaluation criteria.

Technical evaluation Criteria max 100 points (Weighted 70):

• Bachelor in Business administration, international relations or other relevant fields (20 points);

• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience (25 points);

• Proven relevant experience in project management, preferable in areas directly relevant to this Programme as described above (25 points);

• Previous experience working for the UN (20 points);

• Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Arabic is required (10 points);

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation

For those offers considered in the financial evaluation, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points.                 

The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (PI / Pn)* 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Step II: Final evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of desk review and financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

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; and

• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

Financial Criteria weight:  [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.