UNDP Jobs - 86859- CARD Team Leader

CARD Team Leader

Location :

Sukhumi, GEORGIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

28-Aug-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Up to 102 working days between 1 October 2019 and 30 April 2020

Languages Required :

Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

The main objective of the Joint EU-UNDP Rural Development Programme – Phase II (ENPARD III – Abkhazia component) aims to enhance the resilience of rural communities in Abkhazia through a bottom-up, integrated, gender-sensitive and environmentally sustainable approach to agriculture and rural development.

The proposed initiative will be complementary and build on the results obtained under the previous phase of intervention (ENPARD II Abkhazia Component), which was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Action Against Hunger (AAH) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

The overall objective of the proposed project is to promote inclusive and sustainable growth, creating employment and livelihoods for the poor and excluded in Abkhazia. The project aims to bring changes through 3 specific objectives:

To strengthen Abkhazia-wide coordination platform on agriculture and rural development;
To enhance competitiveness of agriculture and improve rural economic diversification;
To improve environment and sustainable management of natural resources.

This project is implemented within the framework of the ENPARD. It’s is a European Union Programme, which aims to promote inclusive growth and stability in the neighbourhood (including e.g. Moldova, Armenia). It recognizes the potential importance of agriculture in terms of food security, sustainable production and rural employment. Within the ENPARD framework, this project will take stock of best practices and lessons learned across Europe over the past decade, in particular the LEADER concept adopted by EU countries. For the Abkhazia component, ENPARD III is aiming to support small-scale agricultural development and the diversification of the rural economy, with a view to improving living conditions and access to basic services in rural areas.

The “Center for Agriculture and Rural Development” (CARD) was established in 2017 to coordinate rural development initiatives across all 7 districts of Abkhazia and provide technical, consultative and referral support and coordination services to beneficiaries and rural communities. It is currently staffed by four full-time experts in agronomy, agro business, livestock, and legal advisory.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of CPR Team Leader of UNDP and with direct supervision from the ENPARD Project Manager and in close coordination with the project teams of ENPARD and the staff of the CARD, the Team Leader will:

Ensure that the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development is well managed with clear objectives, work plans, and relevant targets:
- Ensure timely preparation, update and implementation of annual and detailed implementation work plans, and other related documents for timely commencement and implementation of the CARD activities. Provide as required substantive input to the ENPARD project activities (CARD component);
- Coordinate and supervise the work of CARD team members, to ensure timely implementation of CARD activities, including reporting on progress vis-à-vis planned activities and expected outputs, forward planning of CARD activities and budget expenditures, activity scheduling, monitoring of work/results and reporting;
- Support the preparation of the terms of reference for external consultants and local experts as required.
Provide assistance to local communities, including LAG members, residents of rural communities, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to enhance livelihoods of rural residents:
- Provide technical support to ENPARD community sub-grantees, CARD clients, and other ENPARD beneficiaries through development and/or coordination of participatory consultation process with farmers and other rural inhabitants based on relevant best practice examples;
- Supports CARD experts in identifying advisory needs of local communities in terms of strategic planning, local development, economic development and other;
- Support conceptualization, and roll out of activities aimed at promoting the participation of farmers in initiative groups and develop a robust process for monitoring the implementation of the activities of CARD from a perspective of sustainable agriculture;
- Together with the Community Coordination Specialist works to strengthen linkages between CARD supported initiative groups to the work of the LAGs.
Contribute to CARD analytical works and knowledge management:
- Facilitate in collection, analysis and interpretation of data in the field of agriculture and rural development in Abkhazia. Contribute to drafting and reviewing of documentation (reports, surveys, project documents, electronic sources), as well as best practices that may be relevant to ENPARD focus. Ensure availability of an up-to-date information on all critical issues related to the CARD activities;
- Build trusted relations with project partners and beneficiaries, including key partners and stakeholders at the regional and district levels. Establish and maintain dialogue with regional and local (where appropriate) institutional stakeholder, NGOs, and communities to provide knowledge and understanding, providing an accurate reading of the CARD mission;
- After clearance and in consultation with the ENPARD Project Manager, represent CARD during the public events, PR and media activities, ensure the proper communication of CARD results through UNDP communication channels and in accordance with the EU visibility guidelines;
- Prepare updates to the Project Manager with situation analysis in the field of agriculture, local and rural economic development, when required.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Act as a team player and facilitate team work;
Ability to manage conflicts at workplace and with partners/stakeholders;
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
Informed and transparent decision making.

Functional competencies:

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple priorities;
Able to think quickly, assess a situation and make a sound decision;
Ability to prepare and follow a delivery schedule;
Ability to follow standard safety procedures and regulations;
Willingness, enthusiasm and ability to meet the assigned tasks on time.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Sciences, Management, Social Sciences, Economics, Business Administration, or related field; an advanced degree (master’s degree or equivalent) would be a strong asset.

Experience:

At least 5 years of relevant working experience in managing teams, organizations or project components;
At least 1 year of relevant working experience in delivering capacity development and/or advisory services; knowledge of agriculture in Abkhazia with a particular focus on communities, rural development and advisory services to farmers would be a strong asset;
Proven experience in successfully building partnerships with external stakeholders;
Proven organizational and communication skills, ability to work in a team;
Experienced and advanced user of computers and office software packages.

Language Requirements:

Good oral and written communication skills in Russian;
Knowledge of Abkhaz is a strong asset. Knowledge of English is an asset.

Evaluation:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Cumulative scoring analysis, against combination of technical and financial criteria. Technical evaluation stage encompasses desk review of offers and interviews. Offerors not meeting any of minimum technical qualification requirements will be automatically excluded from the list of offerors for further technical evaluation. In addition, offerors not meeting Language requirements will as well be disqualified.
Maximum obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria (desk review and interview) equals to 70 points (70%) and for financial criteria 30 (30%). Offerors who meet language requirements and pass 70% of maximum obtainable scores as a result of desk review (i.e. 40 x 70% = 28 points) will be considered as short-listed Offerors, and will be invited to the interview. Those offerors passing 70% threshold of maximum obtainable scores as a result of the technical evaluation (desk review and interview), i.e. obtain minimum 49 points will be shortlisted and requested to provide financial proposal.

Financial Proposal:

Short-listed Offerors will be requested to provide financial proposal. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount (with indication of specific sub-components of the payment, including daily fee, travel costs, living allowance etc.), and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include a breakdown of all cost components required to perform the deliverables identified in TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.
Maximum 30 points will be assigned to the lowest price offer. All other price offers will be scored using the formula (inverse proportion): Financial score X = 30* the lowest price offer.

Deliverables:

In collaboration with the ENPARD Project Manager, ensure that the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development is well managed, with clear objectives, work plans, and relevant targets as exemplified by an annual work plan and quarterly work plan revisions;
Carry out/participate in at least 30 meetings with partners and beneficiaries at district level;
Hold at least 20 meetings with CARD experts;
Conduct written and verbal assessments of farming enterprises and large household businesses agriculture business plans, and support with one-on-one consultations on agriculture technology, and available extension services;
Prepare strategic notes on agriculture production and distribution.
Lead the production of at least 7 regular market analysis (one per district in Abkhazia).

Payment Modality:

The consultant shall be paid on a monthly basis upon submission of monthly progress reports, time sheets and certification of satisfactory performance by the ENPARD Project Manager. It is expected that the consultant will work on average 17 working days per each month of the contract.