As the largest single operational and financial UN player in the field of environmental sustainability, UNDP is widely recognized as a global leader in supporting governments to sharpen policy, access finance and develop capacity for the management of biodiversity and ecosystems for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Under the Strategic Plan covering the period 2018-2021, UNDP’s work in Ecosystems and Biodiversity (EBD) has as an overall strategic objective to maintain and enhance the goods and services provided by biodiversity and ecosystems in order to secure livelihoods, food, water and health, enhance resilience, conserve threatened species and their habitats, and increase carbon storage and sequestration. The value of all UNDP-managed biodiversity and ecosystems projects currently in planning or under implementation is US$1.6 billion, with UNDP supporting over 130 countries to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other vertical funds’ grant finance for biodiversity conservation, combating Land Degradation, Sustainable Forest Management, and ecosystem based mitigation and adaptation, and to combine this with domestic and bilateral sources of finance.  Through this project portfolio UNDP provides support to countries’ work in three programming areas: (i) Integrating biodiversity and ecosystem management into development planning and production sector activities; (ii) Unlocking the potential of protected areas, including indigenous and community conserved areas to contribute towards sustainable development; and (iii) Managing and rehabilitating ecosystems for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Support to countries in project cycle management is coordinated through the UNDP-GEF Directorate at UNDP Headquarters in New York, with Regional Coordination Units (RCU) – in Istanbul (for Arab States and Europe & CIS), Addis Ababa (for Africa), Panama (for Latin America and the Caribbean) and Bangkok (for Asia Pacific) - that work with the Regional Bureaux to provide support to countries. A team of Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) in each RCU provides technical advice and support, and assistance with project development and implementation, in a number of interrelated GEF focal areas including Ecosystems and Biodiversity.

The EBD Team has a growing body of global work funded by bilateral donors and partners, including the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), Green Commodities Programme, and Nature for Development Programme.  It houses the Secretariat for the Jaguar 2030 Committee to foster regional collaboration for the 18 jaguar range countries, as well as, the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products.   Furthermore, the EBD team will host the Secretariat for the Lion’s Share Fund established in partnership with advertising and commodities companies.  The Fund provides grants to transformative and collaborative initiatives around the world for wildlife conservation.

UNDP would like to engage a junior support consultant to carry out a number of tasks supporting the global and regional work of the EBD team, linking them with the portfolio of UNDP-supported GEF-financed national projects, as described within this TOR.

The consultant will provide support to the Senior Technical Advisor for Ecosystems and Biodiversity for the Lion’s Share Fund, GEF portfolio management, monitoring and evaluation, as well as, advocacy, communication and knowledge management work.

Scope of work:

1. Support coordination of the capitalisation phase of the Lion’s Share Fund, liaising with the Fund Secretariat staff within the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO), and founding private sector partners;
2. Provide support to the Secretariat for the Steering Committee and Executive Board of the Lion’s Share;
3. Support the Secretariat for the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products closely coordinating with the member agencies, namely UNEP, CITES Secretariat, UNODC, UNDPI, UNDPA, UNDESA, UNDPKO;
4. Support the Secretariat for the Jaguar 2030 Committee comprising jaguar range countries and of supporting NGOs;
5. Support the Senior Technical Adviser in the EBD global portfolio development, monitoring and management, as well as, new strategic partnership development, global portfolio level communication and advocacy through organisation of campaigns and development of products and planning, and execution of events related to international days such as the World Wildlife Day and World Tiger Day;
6. Support the Annual Project Implementation Report (PIR) process through: (i) Review and finalisation of each APR/PIR Excel spreadsheet for quality and completeness of information collected through the 2016 PIR process, including the following: project progress; project risk (number, type, description and response); financing and co-financing; outcomes (general for all projects, specific outcomes for each OP); and, lessons learned. The PIRs should be finalized with due consideration to the PIR quality evaluation criteria, which will be provided; (ii) Liaising with the relevant Country Office, project team and/or RTA as directed, to support correction and completeness of each PIR; (iii) drafting of an assessment of the accomplishments, lessons learned and specific recommendations to improve portfolio monitoring and project performance; and (iv) development of project communication pieces and contributions to the overall UNDP-GEF Performance Report. 

Anticipated Key Deliverables (year 1):

• Work plan approved and initial contacts made for the EBD Project Implementation Reports by 30 August 2018;
• EBD Project Implementation Reports successfully completed and submitted to the GEF Secretariat by 30 September 2018;
• The Lion’s Share Steering Committee fully constituted and the initial investment strategy drafted by 30 October 2018;
• The Lion’s Share Executive Board fully constituted and the first investment strategy fully approved by 30 November 2018;
• CBD COP side events successfully completed by 30 November 2018;
• Quick win grants for the pilot phase of the Lion’s Share identified and released by 30 December 2018;
• GEF Jaguar 2030 regional project proposals finalized by 30 January 2019;
• The Lion’s Share Secretariat fully established and full funding windows announced by 30 February 2019;
• World Wildlife Day Official Commemoration Event at UN successfully held, and related communication and outreach activities coordinated resulting in a range of communication products; by 30 March 2018;
• The first transformative partnership project document drafted and peer reviewed. UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products meeting organised; by 30 April 2019;
• A range of communication products produced on the Lion’s Share, Jaguar 2030 Work for the International Day for Biological Diversity, World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, etc; by 30 May 2019;
• The Lion’s Share fund fully operationalized and the first Annual Report drafted and peer reviewed; by 30 June 2019;
• EBD Project Implementation Reports successfully drafted; by 30 August 2019.

Payment Schedule:

• Work plan approved and initial contacts made for the EBD Project Implementation Reports: 4 %;
• EBD Project Implementation Reports successfully completed and submitted to the GEF Secretariat: The Lion’s Share Steering Committee fully constituted and the initial investment strategy drafted: 8%;
• The Lion’s Share Executive Board fully constituted and the first investment strategy fully approved: 8%;
• CBD COP side events successfully completed: 10%;
• Quick win grants for the pilot phase of the Lion’s Share identified and released: 8%;
• GEF Jaguar 2030 regional project proposals finalized: 8%;
• The Lion’s Share Secretariat fully established and full funding windows announced: 8%; 
• World Wildlife Day Official Commemoration Event at UN successfully held, and related communication and outreach activities coordinated resulting in a range of communication products: 8%;
• The first transformative partnership project document drafted and peer reviewed. UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products meeting organised: 10%;
• A range of communication products produced on the Lion’s Share, Jaguar 2030 Work for the International Day for Biological Diversity, World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, etc.: 8%;
• The Lion’s Share fund fully operationalized and the first Annual Report drafted and peer reviewed: 8%;
• EBD Project Implementation Reports successfully drafted: 4%.

Information on Working Arrangements:

• Estimated level of effort including travel days: 220 days per year;
• The initial contract would be for one year with an option for renewal in the subsequent year dependent on demand for services and satisfactory performance evaluation;
• The consultant will report to, and be directly supervised by, the EBD Senior Technical Advisor;
• The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection at home;
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones;
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Senior Technical Advisor Ecosystems and Biodiversity on outputs delivered.

Travel:

• International travel may be required, which in total will not exceed three weeks’ travel in a 12-month period;
• Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the STA EBD;
• The Advance and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• The consultant is responsible for ensuring that s/he has the necessary vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
• The consultant is responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives, set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;  
• The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies; 
• All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.  Costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should not be included in financial proposal.

Corporate:

• 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.

Technical:

• Good computer skills, including use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
• Experience in handling data;
• Experience in working with social media, e.g. Facebook, Twitter.

Professionalism:

• Works toward creative solutions by analysing problems carefully and logically;
• Has a dynamic, positive and adaptive attitude towards work-related challenges;
• Facilitates discussions and meetings effectively and efficiently;
• Resolves conflicts as they arise;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Highly organized, detailed oriented.

Communication:

• Writes and presents clearly and convincingly.

Client Orientation:

• Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients.

Education:

• Bachelor´s Degree in environmental management, biology, economics, social/political sciences, international relations, development studies, economics, administration & management (max 5 points).
• Master´s Degree in environmental management, biology, economics, social/political sciences, international relations, development studies, economics, administration & management would be a plus (max 5 points).

Experience:

• One year of relevant on-the-job experience (including internship, university fellowship, volunteer or paid experience) in the field of environment and development and other work for social and environmental goods (max 10 points).
• Experience in conducting research, summarizing material and meeting outcomes in EBD-related fields, and preparing draft inputs to written/oral communications pieces. Please send at least two recent pieces of written work prepared such as technical report, conference report and/or communication pieces (max 15 points);
• Experience in organisation of international meetings, events, partner coordination, and logistics planning (max 15);
• Previous experience with UNDP or a related organization is an advantage (max 5 points);
• Previous experience with GEF-funded projects is an advantage (max 5 points);
• Computer literacy, including MS Office, Internet (max 5 points).

Language requirements:

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language (max 5 points).

Evaluation method:

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
• Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications will be weighted at 50% and the financial offer will be weighted at 50%;
• The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max 70 points] and interview [max 60 points]) will be based on a maximum 130 points. Only the top 3 candidates scoring 49 points or higher from the review of the education, experience, language criteria will be considered for the interview;
• Applicants obtaining 42 points or higher from the interview will be deemed technically qualified and considered for financial evaluation;
• Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
• The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum fee, including breakdown per deliverable as outlined above. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of the fee (including number of working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment and breakdown of fees);
• The applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and who has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract. 

Documentation to be submitted:

Kindly note you can upload only ONE document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).  Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11);
• Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application;
• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment to be downloaded from the UNDP procurement site;
• Applicant must submit two recent pieces of written work prepared by him/herself such as technical report, conference report and/or communication pieces.

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc

Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment:

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=48168