N.B.

Applications through UNDP jobs will not be accepted, only to the procurement.cv@cv.jo.un.org email address.

Interested candidates are required to read the Procurement Notice for Individual Consultants and its related documents, which are available in the following websites:

• UN Cape Verde website,www.un.cv, under the section Anúncios;
• the UNGM website at www.ungm.org; and
• UNDP Procurement website at http://procurement-notices.undp.org

Background:

The Office of Cabo Verde is the only UN Joint Office set up in the world, bringing together UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF under the same administrative arrangement, with a single Representative, and a common team of professionals. Building on the expertise of those agencies, within a pilot Delivering as One UN Programme, the office provides important learning opportunities and the possibility to capitalise on the value added of the three agencies, in the service of the country’s priorities.

The Programme "Plateforme pour le Développement local et Objectifs 20/30 au Cabo Verde", is a joint effort of the Government of Cabo Verde and UNDP, financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The Programme "Plateforme" uses the SDGs as a bridge to link national (mainly sectoral) policies to integrated local strategies and solutions. In 2017, the Government launched its Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development, outlining the country development strategy for the next 4 years through sectoral programmes linked to each SDG. In order to bridge the national policies with local strategies, the Programme “Plateforme” is accompanying 9 municipalities of Cabo Verde to develop strategic plans that align both municipalities’ and islands’ priorities with the Government programmes. It is doing so by using the SDG localisation process as a means to define and push decentralisation reforms.

Each municipality takes therefore the lead to achieve their priority SDGs in line with their strategic plans. Local governments drive the process through local platforms, which constitute the first ever open space for dialogue: elected officials share their vision and plan together with the private sector, civil society and the decentralised services of the state. This local multi-actor and participative approach is used to prioritise strategic projects and to elaborate multi-level strategies across levels of governance for their actual implementation.

Decentralisation Fund financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg:

The Decentralisation Fund is part of the 4th Indicative Programme of Cooperation (ICP IV) signed by the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and the Government of Cabo Verde. The ICP defines the strategic lines of collaboration between Luxembourg and Cabo Verde.

In the current ICP 2016-2020, the support to the decentralisation process and local development represents one of the priority areas.

The support to the decentralisation process is being channelled through two initiatives within the ICP. The first one is the Programme “Plateforme” and second one the Decentralisation Fund.

The Decentralisation Fund aims to finance local development projects in all the Municipalities of Cabo Verde.  Municipalities and  associations/NGOs associated to Municipalities will be invited to present proposals to be financed according to selection criteria for the projects.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in agreement with the Government of Cabo Verde has decided to entrust UNDP with the responsibility for managing the Decentralisation Fund.

The total amount for the Decentralisation Fund is 3.500.000 euros made available to all 22 municipalities of Cabo Verde. Of that amount, 500.000 euros will finance projects of the 9 pilot municipalities of the Programme “Plateforme” and the remaining funds (3.000.000 euros) will finance projects of the 22 municipalities of Cabo Verde.

The process of the elaboration of the guideline shall be inclusive, meaning that they should be elaborated in compliance with national institutions.

In order to support the municipalities to duly understand the functioning and how to apply to the Fund, the consultant will be responsible for the elaboration of the guidelines of the Decentralisation Fund by following the steps described below:

1. Organisation of both national and local meetings with key stakeholders for discussing the guidelines of the Fund. The Programme “Plateforme” will be responsible for organising local meetings with representatives of Municipalities and for furnishing strategic advice to the consultant for the preparation of the meetings. In order to have a successful discussion, the consultant must ensure the involvement of a broad range of local actors (i.e. representatives of local associations, NGOs,communities, private sector, sectoral services, etc)

2. Working in close cooperation with projects’ territorial focal points (UNVs and gender and planning specialist)

Take stock from the implementation of local impact projects in 8 Municipalities.

8 impact projects for the pilot municipalities of the Programme “Plateforme” have been approved by its steering committee in February 2018. A HACT assessment has been carried out in each municipality in order to assess municipalities’ capacities to manage UN funds. The HACT assessment of the municipalities has allowed UNDP to transfer the funds directly to the municipalities by opening specific bank accounts for the impact project.  This is a key element that needs to be taken into consideration for the design of the implementation modality of the Decentralisation Fund.

The consultant accompanied by UNDP will organise monitoring visits to certain municipalites in order to assess the implementation of the projects and taking lessons learnt that will feed the guidelines of the Decentralisation Fund.

The guideline document must contain:

1. The specific objectives of the Fund, depending on the economic, social and cultural context in Cabo Verde at both national and local level. In doing so, the consultant should take into account certain elements, including: a) focus on community empowerment; b) Poverty-targeting mechanisms designed to ensure that poor communities benefit substantially; c)Direct financing of community projects; d) Rapid and traceable disbursement procedures in line with UNDP procurement processes and regulations; e) An operational manual that codifies processes and procedures for Fund activities and prescribes roles for the different institutions involved;

2. Mainstream gender, environment, youth employment and good governance

3. Terms of reference of the proposal selection committee (main institutions, regularity of the meetings, objectives, results, organization of the meetings).

4. Selection criteria for the projects. Scoring shall be based on proposals’ impact on poverty reduction, the local community, SDG alignment, partnership development, resource mobilisation, gender equality, the environment. Moreover, proposals shall also be scored according to their technical quality and long-term impact. The selection criteria must be very clear and straightforward in order to allow local actors to easily understand how to submit projects to the Fund.

5. Description of projects’ characteristics: Project document template including a section that covers the selection criteria. The project document template will also define the language in which the requests will be submitted. Define properly the role of all project stakeholders involved in the project implementation. Description of the institutions that are eligible to submit proposals to the Fund.

6. A clear mechanism for follow up and monitoring of the projects’ implementation by the steering committee.

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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 favoritism.

Functional Competencies

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on environmental issues;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, ?technical information to technical and general audiences;
• Skill in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations;
• Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others;
• Skill in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise.

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.

Education:

• Advanced university degree in the field of social sciences or equivalent; (Phd, MsC or Bachelor’s Degree)

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in areas that allow an applied knowledge of local development and SDGs localization;
• Good knowledge of the fields of Local economic development LED and of the Art Initiative;
• Experience in formulation of local strategic plans;
• Work experience in working with SCO, Local Governments and territorial cooperation.
• Excellent writing skills, information analysis, indicators and quantitative data;
• Good knowledge of Small Island Development States reality.

 Language

• Fluency in Portuguese and French language.