UNDP Jobs - 78758- International Consultant for the Preparation of a

International Consultant for the Preparation of a Strategic Note/Framework of the Inclusive and Sustainable Development and Resilience Unit (ISDRU)/ UNDP

Location :

Home-based with travel to Asmara, ERITREA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jun-2018

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

25 Working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

2 Months

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

Eritrea has diversified eco-geographic zones with a significant diversity of fauna and flora both in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems and its economic growth depends heavily on these environmental and natural resources with more than 75 per cent of the population remaining dependent on them for income generation.

Despite their importance, critical challenges remain, threatening the sustainability of the environment and natural resources. They are under immense pressure resulting from unsustainable harvesting and use of natural resources, land degradation, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, unsustainable land management practices and loss of biodiversity. The environmental challenges are further exacerbated by climate change manifested in recurring drought, depletion of groundwater, and flash flooding.

Moreover, Eritrea is prone to natural disasters such as drought, floods, earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Drought is the most common hazard affecting livelihoods in large areas in the country. Further, the majority of households affected by fragile livelihoods are female-headed.

All of these combined can seriously undermine the country’s sustainable development goals including poverty eradication. With increased threats and effects of climate change, the Government recognises the critical and urgent need to protect and manage the environment and its natural resources as key to Eritrea’s economic and social development.

UNDP is a strategic partner of the GoSE and through this partnership, UNDP has continued to provide strategic support to respond to the environmental challenges, including environmental protection and conservation measures, the formulation and implementation of different national environmental policies and legal frameworks, as well as preparation and implementation of action plans.

UNDP will continue supporting interventions that strengthen upstream level capacities in bio-diversity conservation (terrestrial and marine) and sustainable land management, including land tenure. This will be combined with local level capacity support to improve land use and reduce land degradation and desertification. In addition, UNDP will continue its support to the country to enhance resilience and disaster risk management at the national and community level by integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation measures into local development plans and enhancing early warning systems.

Within the SPCF (2017-2021) framework and under the Environmental Sustainability, resilience and disaster risk management pillar, UNDP will provide technical and financial support to the GoSE framed through the following broad strategies:

Ecosystem based environmental and natural resources management:

Enhance the capacities of the national and local agencies responsible for management, conservation and sustainable use of diverse ecosystems.
Support capacity building of national agencies for policy formulation and implementation to enhance the productive capacities of environmental and natural resources.
Promote an integrated approach at the landscape level, embracing ecosystem principles including livelihood objectives in the management of ecosystems.
Promote mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment into environmental and natural resources management.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation
Promote the mainstreaming of climate change considerations into national and sector development policies and plans, as well as in development planning at district and community levels.
Strengthen institutional and technical capacities for effective climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Disaster risk management

Support the development of policy, legislative and institutional frameworks and practices informed by an understanding of disaster risk in all its dimensions of exposure, vulnerability and hazard characteristics.
Enhance disaster risk management at the national, sub-national and community levels.
Promote the mainstreaming and integration of gender-responsive disaster risk reduction considerations into national and local frameworks, laws, regulations and public policies, and development planning at all levels.
Strengthen early warning systems at all levels.
Support sustainable use and integrated natural resource management approaches that incorporate disaster risk reduction for improved livelihoods.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the DRR(P) and direct supervision of the ISDRU programme specialist, the International Consultant will lead, guide the process and develop the five-year strategic Note of the UNDP/ISDRU.

More specifically, the scope of work the International Consultant will include but will not be limited to the following:

Undertake a desk review of all main documents, guidelines, literature and doing preparatory work (Annex2 provides a partial list of documents to be reviewed);
Review the Common Country Analysis (2007, 2016); SPCF/UNDAF, CPD and the Country Portfolio Evaluation, and all other relevant programme/project evaluations and other relevant documents;
Hold discussions with the staff of the ISDRU, the Senior Management and other key staff of the CO to build a common approach to the assignment;
Prepare an Inception Report based on the findings highlighted during the desk review and present to ISDRU and Senior Management;
Prepare and submit to ISDRU a detailed methodology and work plan for completing the assignment through the Inception Report;
Conduct fieldwork in selected project areas to draw lessons from the ongoing projects;
Provide an assessment of the prevailing context in the country in terms of economic, environmental issues, policy and planning frameworks, policy drivers, key institutions, and governance processes;
Analyse the institutional, economic and social factors in the country;
Conduct a comprehensive situational analysis and lessons learned of environmental challenges, environmental sustainability, poverty environment nexus;
Undertake situation analysis, including identification of constraints and opportunities for sustainable development;
Conduct an institutional analysis to identify the roles, responsibilities and structure of relevant institutions responsible for implementing the projects in order to identify challenges and opportunities within institutions that may positively or negatively impact implementation;

Identify and analyse institutional incentives, opportunities and obstacles that influence in environment and natural resources related programme management and implementation, taking into account the range of relevant institutions, legislation, policies and plans, and key stakeholders;
Establish a clearly articulated theory of change for the strategic note 2017-2021 outlining the casual analysis in order to understand the ways the casual relationship between the results of the Pillar2-Outcome4 and to make explicit both the risks and assumptions that define the relationship;
Analysis of a situation and context that needs change, and the identification of the desired change. This involves a thorough context analysis drawing on data and evidence from the Common Country Analysis (CCA);
Identify the assumptions that underpin each step in the causal pathway/ sequence of change;
A matrix/diagram and narrative summary capturing the theory of change in the context of designing a poverty-environment, gender, disaster risk and climate change adaptation mainstreaming into the Unit’s development programme;
The theory of change is expected to promote the following vital analysis:
- Connecting a number of linked projects and programmes into a coherent and strategic whole to enhance linkages and integration across important institutional and thematic sectors, thus contributing to breaking down sectoral silos;
- Identifying incremental and concrete steps towards achieving long-term change defines clear increments of change over time without losing sight of the long-term objective to be achieved;
- Continuous re-examination of assumptions that underlie a project or programme and identification of what is needed to advance along a non-linear, causal pathway that are critical to programme/project success;
Design appropriate metrics using the Theory of Change model to best align with identified strategic priorities;
Conduct alignment of the Strategic Note/framework with the UNDP Strategic Plan (2018-2021), SPCF/UNDAF (2017-2021), CPD (2017-2021);
Define mission, vision, and objectives of the Unit (ISDRU);
Review exiting Unit’s organizational structure;
Outline Unit’s monitoring and evaluation, communication and resource mobilization guidelines/strategy;
Design a mechanism for an enhanced collaboration between the two programme Units (ISDRU and SGU) within UNDP to harness the technical expertise and resources of the Units for a better synergy;
Plan and facilitate a workshop to prioritize strategic directions/area of development interventions of the Unit;
Plan and facilitate a workshop and consultations to discuss and analyse the key thematic issues for the strategic note, including a prioritization workshop to conduct the problem analysis, formulate the Theory of Change (ToC) and the RRF;
Consolidate all feedbacks and comments into a draft and finalized Strategic Note document, including analysis and the presentation of metrics using a Theory of Change model;
Finalize the Strategic Note plan based on the final feedback/inputs by the ISDRU and UNDP CO;
Submit the draft strategic note to the ISDRU and UNDP CO for review and approval;
Produce deliverables in accordance with the requirements and timeframes of the Terms of Reference;
Perform any other activities that may add value to the delivery of the strategic note/plan;

Competencies

Substantive knowledge in UN practice areas required, including Inclusive and Sustainable Development, Strategic planning;
Knowledge of the UN role and UN programming at the country level including UNDAF/SPCF processes and extensive work in the M&E would be an added advantage;
Knowledge of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development;
Participatory approaches in conducting assessments and facilitating strategic planning processes;
Proven excellent communication and facilitation skills;
In-depth knowledge and skill of the Theory of Change approach and building organizational balanced scorecards;
Proven ability to deliver quality output including reports writing and making presentation under tight deadlines;
Knowledge and understanding of UN system and familiarity with inter-governmental processes;
Excellent communication skills in English, especially writing excellence.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or above) in environment, natural resources, social sciences, international relations, international law, public policy, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience:

At least 8 years of professional experience, at an international level, in policy analysis, designing and facilitating strategic planning processes and developing strategic notes/plans for development; experience in organizational and change management an advantage;
Experience of strategic note/document for at least two developing countries;
Prior experience drafting SPCF/UNDAF or UNDP country programme or UN Agency country programme document would be an asset;
Demonstrable experience in formulating high quality project proposals related to the relevant subject of the consultancy;
Demonstrated experience in data analysis and writing high quality reports and analytical papers;
Hands-on working experience on the development issues and context in the Horn Africa and or/Sub-Saharan Africa/African countries would be the asset;
Previous experience working with the UN system and UNDP is considered a significant asset;
Demonstrated experience in supporting similar kind of strategic planning exercises with proven experience on providing technical support with a facilitation role.

Language:

Fluent in English.