UNDP Jobs - 77717- International Consultant to conduct PFD Mid-Term R

International Consultant to conduct PFD Mid-Term Review

Location :

Home residence with travel to Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan (total 5 days)

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

30-Mar-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

April -May 2018 (Up to 20 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

Please note!

Your Proposal (max 10 MB) preferably to be submitted by email to: procurement.kz@undp.org with the indication of Ref.2018-0009 in the subject line not later than 30 March 2018.

For detailed information on the position and the package of documents to be submitted, please refer to the Procurement Notice and Terms of Reference and this link.

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing or by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail dina.khassenova@one.un.orgcopying meruyert.bolyssayeva@undp.org

Background:

The Partnership Framework for Development (PFD) sets the strategic vision and direction for the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Kazakhstan during the period 2016-2020, and is the result of a consultative process with the Government and other partners. It analyses how the United Nations system can continue to most effectively coordinate its activities in response to national priorities, while serving as an easily accessible overview of United Nations goals and activities in Kazakhstan.

Having reached the midpoint of the current PFD, the UNCT and the Government of Kazakhstan have agreed to conduct a Mid-Term Review to assess the progress made on the results of the PFD during 2016-2018; to assess whether PFD is effective as a tool to support achievement of national priorities and to enhance coordination and harmonization among all UN agencies; to ensure improvements in performance and results in the remaining period of the PFD cycle by identifying implementation challenges and ways to overcome them; and to provide lessons learned.

Objectives of the Mid-Term Review (MTR)

Since the PFD was signed in 2015, some important developments have taken place domestically and globally, including the launch of nationalization of the SDGs, that would warrant a strategic review of the priorities, outcomes and targets stated in the PFD document. Such review might well lead to adding objectives, reviewing others or assigning them lesser priorities and provide a new sense of direction for future activities to align PFD more closely with current national development priorities. The MTR will also review implementation of Human Rights Based Approach, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, RBM, environmental sustainability and capacity development as five UN Programming principles and cross-cutting approaches.

The main objective of conducting the MTR is to assess the current PFD, by looking mainly at four components:

To assess the relevance of the current PFD outcomes and how the current PFD is contributing to the national priorities of the country;
To review main PFD outcome achievements, challenges and obstacles of the PFD implementation;
To provide recommendations to the UN System for the second half of the PFD cycle and revision of PFD Results Framework;
To analyse PFD outcomes with state strategies, sectoral documents and UN agencies’ strategies; and identify gaps in coverage, especially in relation to coverage outlined in the post-2015 agenda.

As such, the review is considered a stepping stone towards the final evaluation, which will serve as an analytical tool, in preparation for the next PFD cycle.

Expected Results of the MTR

Strategic review of the outcomes and targets stated in the PFD document;
Review implementation and develop recommendations on further institutionalization of Human Rights Based Approach, Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE), Results Based Management, environmental sustainability and capacity development as five mandatory principles for UN programming and according to corporative policy and tools in this areas: UN System Wide Action Plan on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, UN Gender Scorecard, UN System Wide Action Plan on youth and others;
Develop recommendations that will strengthen the UN‘s contribution to national priorities;
Analyze cooperation with national stakeholders, e.g. Governmental institutions and NGOs, in PFD implementation;
Make suggestions on enhancing ownership, from both the Government and other national partners;
Propose new partnership opportunities;
Identify implementation challenges and ways to overcome them;
Provide lessons learned to date which can support in the next half of the current PFD cycle and used for final PFD evaluation;
Review the overall PFD management and operating (RGs) system, including design and overall functioning of the M&E system and use of data in decision making;
Review the progress of operational implications on the UN programmes delivery and develop recommendations on the business processes harmonization and simplification through business operations strategy operationalization, in close consultations with the OMT.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be engaged in the following stages:

Collection of reference material and desk review: The UNCT members will provide the assessments, evaluation reports, mid-term progress reports, surveys, studies that are relevant for the consultant’s review.
Inception report: The consultant will develop an inception report, incorporating a methodology, timeframe of the MTR process and draft outline of the report and introduce to UNCT for approval.
Country visit and interviews: The consultant will visit the country and conduct interviews with the UNCT, government and other beneficiaries (1 week)
Drafting the preliminary findings: The consultant will produce draft MTR for the UNCT’s feedback.
Final Report: After reviewing the feedback received from the UNCT, the consultant will produce final MTR.

Detailed information on the SOW and the deliverables is in TOR.

Competencies

Professionalism

Good knowledge of the UN system and UN common country programming processes (CCA/UNDAF);
Specialized experience and/or methodological/technical knowledge, including data collection and analytical skills, mainstreaming HRBA and gender to programming,;
Results Based Management (RBM) principles, logic modelling/logical framework analysis, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and participatory approaches.

Communications

Good communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to write reports, conduct studies and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in social science, economics, or related field.

Experience

10 years of the relevant professional experience; previous experience with CCA/UNDAF evaluations and/or reviews.
Practical experience in the CIS region and/or knowledge of the development issues in Middle Income Countries is an asset.

Language Requirements

Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of Russian or Kazakh is an asset;
Excellent report writing skills as well as communication skills.

Other attributes

An understanding of and ability to abide by the values of the United Nations;
Awareness and sensitivity in working with people of various cultural and social backgrounds.

Reporting Arrangements

The successful candidate will report to the UN Resident Coordinator.

Application Procedure: Only full submitted application will be considered!!!

The proposal of the candidate must include:

Achievement-based CV and/or P11 (UNDP format)
Brief proposal addressing the requirement (Methodology)
Financial proposal (daily rate has to be mentioned)

Important Note! The applications (max. 10 MB) preferably to be sent to: procurement.kz@undp.org indicating Ref.2018-0009 in the subject line of your e-mail.