UNDP Jobs - 78461- Individual Consultant for Technical Guidance and A

Individual Consultant for Technical Guidance and Advisory Services for Regional-level Support for Arab States, Europe, and the CIS, and Follow up on Strategic Partnerships with the focus on Green Economy

Location :

Home-based with possible missions

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

08-May-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated May 2018 – April 2021

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

up to 249 full 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

Considering the realistically ambitious development agendas of Arab States region and the Eastern Europe and CIS region as well as a highly competitive development assistance environment, South-South Cooperation is considered as a complementary means in broadening opportunities for creating partnerships and coalitions among various development stakeholders in the two regions. It is in this context that triangular cooperation is gaining additional importance. Serving as a potential bridge between the North-South, South-South Cooperation systems, and building on the principles of South-South Cooperation, such as non-conditionality, national ownership, and equality, triangular cooperation provides all the actors involved with a unique opportunity for a transformational change in the ways that challenges are addressed in the regional development context.

In the Nairobi outcome document, Member States encourage Southern “centers of excellence, as well as regional and sub-regional economic groupings, to establish closer links among themselves, with the support of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation (currently referred to as the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation – UNOSSC).

On the basis of the above, the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation aims to systematically provide the Member States in the Arab region, and in the Eastern Europe and CIS, including the governments, civil society, academia and the private sector, as well as the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes active in the two regions with the support in advancing their respective South-South Cooperation agendas by providing access to a number practical service lines. UNOSSC support is based on the complex of advisory modules, as well as in piloting specific project initiatives on South-South Cooperation that can be used as a basis for testing such modules in specific areas of development.

Type of Contract: IC (Individual Consultant) - The offered assignment will be implemented through individual contract designed as the framework long-term agreement as the indicated services are needed on an intermittent and repetitive basis. The individual contract designed as the framework agreement does not form a financial obligation or commitment from the UNDP/UNOSSC at the time the Individual Contract is signed. Financial commitments will be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the Individual Contract, through the call-off in the standard one-page service request form accompanied by the issuance of a purchase order.

Duration: estimated May 2018 – April 2021, up to 249 full working days, given that 8 working hours - whether within one or several days - constitute a full working day.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Chief, Division for Arab States, Europe and the CIS of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, the incumbent is responsible for provision of technical guidance and advisory services for regional-level support for Arab States, Europe, and the CIS, and follow up on Strategic Partnerships with the focus on green economy. More specifically, the incumbent will:

As an overall guiding framework for the provision of technical guidance and advisory services under the TOR and as a group of deliverables in itself:

With a view of ensuring relevance and responsiveness of services provided, regularly acquaint herself/himself with the standards, norms and principles of South-South Cooperation described in relevant guiding policy documents, including: Nairobi Outcome Document and other relevant documents, Strategic Framework of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation currently in force, Recent decisions of the UN General Assembly’s High-level committee on South-South Cooperation, Framework of operational guidelines on United Nations support to South-South&Triangular cooperation, Regional Strategic Approach on advancing South-South & Triangular Cooperation for development in the Arab States, Europe and CIS
In line with the range of overall priorities identified by the supervisor, as well as based on the requests from/consultations with relevant stakeholders vis-à-vis concrete tangible outputs expected as a result of provision of the incumbent’s services in line with the given TOR, proactively recommend proposed scope of works and concrete tangible deliverables on a monthly basis and seek comments/endorsement from the supervisor in the form of request for services under the LTA subject to the supervisor’s decision on the relevance/efficiency of the proposed activities and other considerations (this deliverable is only expected 30 calendar days after the date of first request for services under the LTA).

In the part of the TOR related to the Regional-level Support for Arab States, Europe and the CIS, provide needs-based response aimed at sensitization of respective regional institutions and government counterparts on concrete practical benefits of South-South & Triangular Cooperation approach as a complement (and not a substitute) to traditional North-South approach to development Cooperation, and aimed at raising the profile/positioning of respective countries as potential providers of certain technical expertise. To this end:

Provide regional oversight in the implementation of regional and national-level stock-taking on trends and opportunities for South-South & Triangular Cooperation; provide substantive inputs and ensure production of stock-taking reports (Target deliverable: 1 regional and 6 national-level stock taking reports)
Promote the idea of and provide advisory support in elaboration of dedicated regional and national-level programme initiatives in support to South-South & Triangular Cooperation, possibly as joint UN programmes and used as platforms to mobilize partnerships around priorities of the participating countries in the region related to advancing South-South Cooperation model (Target deliverable: 1 regional and 6 national-level programme initiatives)
Provide coordination support to the regional team in catalyzing creation/institutional development of government structures in charge of coordination on South-South & Triangular Cooperation, if need be provide regional-level coordination support in designing coordination boards on SS&TC and establishing cross-linkages at the regional level; assist respective government agencies in drafting presidential decrees/declarations on respective countries’ stances towards South-South & Triangular Cooperation as well as assist in elaboration or review of respective national/institutional strategies and funding mechanisms (Target deliverable: 4 national agencies supported with concrete policy decisions/documents produced)
Contribute to the organization of semi-annual regional coordination and knowledge exchange workshops for regional intergovernmental, governmental and institutional focal points on South-South & Triangular Cooperation (Target deliverable: 8 regional workshops)
Support the organization of regional- and national-level information mechanisms for regular assessment of regional and national capacities and needs and linked to regional online mapping portal (Target deliverable: 200 solutions documented)
Respond to urgent ad-hoc requests from client countries, UN RC offices in these countries, and the regional inter-governmental networks, including substantive reviews/inputs to strategic policy documents aimed to mainstream South-South and Triangular Cooperation where relevant.

In the part of the TOR related to the Follow up on Strategic Partnerships with the focus on Green Economy:

Promote the idea of and provide advisory support, in close coordination with the World Green Economy Organization’s (WGEO) team, in the organization of the events during the World Green Economy Summit and the Global South-South Development EXPOs focused on South-South & Triangular Cooperation in Green Economy; focus on strategic partnership mobilization in cooperation with WGEO, and resource-mobilization in support of the promotion of the green economy agenda (Target deliverable: at least six strategic partnerships events)
Promote, in close cooperation and coordination with WGEO, the online mapping platform by offering responsive demand-driven service in documenting successful green economy mechanisms and solutions to government institutions, international organizations, and globally-recognized centers of excellence (Target deliverable: 120 solutions documented)
Develop, in close coordination with the WGEO team the joint WGEO-UNOSSC communications strategy, including: Tailor made elements of strategy aimed at various target audiences/stakeholder groups, including but not limited to: host government, government institutions, both at national and sub-national levels, UN, IFIs, and other international organizations, private sector, academic institutions, youth groups, and other civil society organizations; Key messages developed for each target audience, and preferred communication channels;
Create, regularly expand, and maintain up-to-date database of contacts structure by various stakeholder groups (ongoing stakeholder mapping);
Support, in close coordination with the WGEO team, the development of narrative reports on the joint UNOSSC-WGEO activities and results, including annual and quarterly reports, targeting various stakeholder groups; establish and implement the system aimed to optimize the reporting process by capturing information in a structured and timely manner on an ongoing basis;
Produce communication and promotional materials, regularly and steadily expand and maintain the social media presence for the UNOSSC-WGEO partnership;
Provide coordination support in the production of the quarterly green economy magazine;
Monitor and support the production of the Annual Global Green Economy Report, provide all relevant advocacy and communications support as may be required;
Provide support in organization and coordination of joint UNOSSC-WGEO events, including conferences, round tables, workshops, and trainings, support any other knowledge sharing and advocacy activities as may be required.

Provide any other work inputs as may be required in the framework of provision of Technical Guidance and Advisory Services for Regional-level Support for Arab States, Europe, and the CIS, and Follow up on Strategic Partnerships with the focus on Green Economy.

Prepare (on months when services are requested under the LTA and delivered) concise one page service delivery reports outlining concrete tangible deliverables relevant to the overall priorities identified as well as key activities that have not yet led to concrete results but are essential for future success.

Competencies

Professionalism – Shows pride in work and achievements; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.
Teamwork – Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity, including gender balance.
Communication - Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and respond appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience, demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Client Orientation – considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from the clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identified clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Technological awareness – keeps abreast if available technology; understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; activity seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
Demonstrated ability to assess, plan, coordinate and monitor related activities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University degree (at least at the level of Master’s degree) in economics, development, law, international relations, environment, or another relevant field is essential, advanced university degree is an asset.

Working experience:

Minimum of 5 years of highly responsible experience in the development field including policy development, programme planning and management.
Prior experience of at least 1 year in the field of South-South and Triangular Cooperation, preferably with one of the United Nations institutions or another international organization, national governments, or other relevant stakeholders is a considerable asset.

Languages:

Fluency in spoken and written English, good command of Russian or Arabic is an asset.
Knowledge and experience in the use of standard office software (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets).

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 interviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only top 4 candidates who will obtain min. 70% of points in desk review will be invited for interviews and written test. Only candidates who will obtain min. 70% of points in overall technical evaluation will be invited for financial proposal evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

Criteria A: (desk review) number of years and quality of working experience in the field of development including policy development, programme planning and management – max points: 5
Criteria B: (desk review) type and quality of working experience in the field of South-South & Triangular Cooperation – max points: 5
Criteria C: (desk review) experience with United Nations institutions or another international organization, national governments, or other relevant stakeholders – max points: 5
Criteria D: (interviews) experience in the field of South-South & Triangular Cooperation – max points: 5
Criteria E: (interviews) experience with United Nations institutions or another international organization, national governments, or other relevant stakeholders – max points: 5
Criteria F: (written tests) results of the written test where analytical skills of candidates relevant to the assignment will be assessed – max points: 10

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 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* - The financial proposal shall indicate the hourly fee in the US Dollar equivalent.
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...) except for the costs related to the mission travel. Mission-related costs shall be calculated as per UNDP rules and regulations and paid for separately.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP/UNOSSC 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.