Background
The ART Initiative – Hub for Territorial Partnerships is a UNDP’s global project that is geared at harnessing the potential of territorial partnerships through a variety of modalities, such as Decentralized Cooperation, South-South and triangular cooperation to localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ART is therefore offered as an entry point to the multilateral sector for international cooperation actors interested in harmonizing their respective actions in support of national and sub-national policies for sustainable and local human development.
ART aims at strengthening and expanding the existing alliance between UNDP and Decentralized Cooperation partners in support of the implementation of the SDGs at local level. It also seeks to strengthen the potential and role of Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) as development partners and to promote the principles of development cooperation effectiveness. Over the years, the initiative has contributed to demonstrate that regional, municipal and local authorities, together with other local governance stakeholders, have a key role to play in promoting sustainable development and making the SDGs part of national and local development strategies and policies.
In this context, the initiative would like to hire a consultant that can provide technical support for the implementation of initiatives promoting SDG localization and can lead the knowledge and communication activities related to these initiatives. The incumbent is expected to work in close collaboration with all members of the ART team. The individual must be self-motivated, with the capacity to take initiatives. He/she must have a good sense of self-organization and flexibility. With excellent communications skills, he/she should be able to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Consultant will work under the overall supervision and guidance of the ART Global Initiative International Coordinator and in collaboration with the ART team. He/she will provide general support to strengthen partnerships between the ART Initiative-Hub for territorial partnerships and UNDP local governance and local development programs with decentralized cooperation actors, in the framework of the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals, and will manage knowledge management and communications components of the ART Initiative.
For this purpose, he/she will be assigned a set of responsibilities and tasks that will include:
Provide programme and policy support:
- Support programmatically UNDP’s local governance and local development programmes on the areas of decentralized cooperation partnerships, multilevel governance mechanisms, territorial approach and SDG localization;
- Provide thorough analysis and research in order to consolidate and further develop coordination with decentralized cooperation partners (including local and regional governments and associations thereof) and UN Agencies to further the localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs;
- Support the alignment of decentralized cooperation partners (including LRGs and associations thereof and other actors) and mobilize donors in support to the SDGs’ localization and related integrated LGLD processes in partner countries;
- Provide technical support throughout project development and complete related assignments within the context of the SDG localization agenda;
- Prepare various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, sections of reports, inputs to publications, etc. related to UNDP’s Hub for territorial partnerships and local governance and local development programmes as well as global development dialogues and processes (promotion of the process for SDGs’ Localization, organization of the World Forums of Local Economic Development, etc.).
Deliverables:
- UNDP LG/LD programmes supported;
- Contributed to the elaboration of project proposals, reports and related documents;
- Analysis and research on SDG localization developed and provided;
- Decentralized cooperation partners aligned and harmonized towards UNDP country programmes;
- Background papers, sections of reports, inputs to publications elaborated, as requested.
Facilitate knowledge management and building:
- Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to territorial partnerships, localization of the SDGs and local governance and local development activities and initiatives;
- Manage knowledge management platforms and other web-based information management systems;
- Contribute to corporate knowledge management initiatives and represent UNDP ART in such initiatives;
- Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Deliverables:
- Mapping of country experiences and best practices;
- Contributed to the elaboration of at least two knowledge products;
- Contributed to the elaboration of reports and systematization of experiences;
- Several contributions to corporate initiatives and CoP.
Design and execute communications, outreach and advocacy activities:
- Continually innovate, create and/or update web pages and sections, as well as social media pages to reflect UNDP’s priorities, initiatives, knowledge products, flagship initiatives and latest information on ART’s areas of work, and to provide staff and public at large continuous access to up-to-date information;
- Draft, elaborate, update, enhance and maintain communication material ensuring a well-structured, easy to read and high quality written and visual content;
- Support the development of pro-active communication strategies related to UNDP’s Hub for territorial partnerships and LGLD programmes and initiatives, with a view to enhance LGLD resource mobilization efforts.
Deliverables:
- Social media and other web pages updated;
- Newsletters and other communication materials developed to ensure the promotion of ongoing initiatives (e.g. World Forum of LED, SDG localization related activities, etc.);
- Documents, presentations and briefings elaborated and kept updated;
- Ensured the presentation and promotion of the results of ongoing development cooperation projects through various communication tools.
Liaise with UN and other partners to promote collaboration and strengthen partnerships:
- Mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with LRGs, their associations and other decentralized cooperation entities and provide substantive inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives on local governance and local development and the SDG localization agenda
- Support the coordination of the Hub for territorial partnerships with relevant UNDP bureaus to promote and support the implementation of the SDGs at local level.
- Liaise with UNDP HQs, Regional Hubs and Country Offices in order to strengthen relations and share information in the areas related to the SDGs’ localization.
Deliverables:
- Strengthened the collaboration with global associations of LRGs;
- Facilitated the dialogue and collaboration with UNDP regional bureaus/centers and other offices;
- Dialogue and relations with HQs, regional hubs and COs maintained.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional Competencies:
- Ability to work in a team;
- In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues including gender equality and empowerment issues, as well as a good knowledge of the inter linkages between the social, economic, environmental and cultural dimensions of sustainable development;
- Strong interpersonal skills, communication skills;
- Openness to change and ability to receive / integrate feedback;
- Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advance degree in relevant fields, such as Development Studies, International Development, Political science or others.
Experience:
- At least 5 years of relevant work experience in development cooperation;
- Exposure to KM/communications as well as programming activities on local development;
- Work experience in working with local governments and their associations;
- Work experience in dealing with decentralized cooperation actors;
- Thorough knowledge of the role and mechanisms of decentralized cooperation actors, networks and associations;
- Sound knowledge of the concepts and related principles of LGLD;
- In-depth understanding of the SDG localization concept;
- Previous work experience with the United Nations, UNDP in particular, is a distinct advantage.
Language:
- Fluency in English, Spanish and French.
Application Submission Process
The application submission is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications:
Step 1: Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job website (please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all documents in a single file).
- Personal History Form (P11), indicating all past experience of similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional referees (the template can be downloaded from this link): http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
- An updated curriculum vitae
- Letter of interest
- Short methodological approach on how the consultant envisions to carry out this consultancy.
Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal
Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in EURO or US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.be@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780.
The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal/ART Initiative – Programme and Knowledge Management - deadline 6th February 2020. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal. No travel expenses, except the one (or two) mission mentioned in the ToRs, will be involved as this is a home-based assignment.
Application Evaluation Process
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will 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 technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
- Technical Criteria weight: [70%]
- Financial Criteria weight: [30%]
Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 100 points:
- Candidate demonstrates full understanding of ToR - 10 points
- Candidate has work experience in KM/communications as well as programming activities on local development – 20 points
- Candidate has relevant experience in local governance, local development – 15 points
- Candidate has in depth knowledge of SDG localization process – 15 points
- Candidate has experience in liaising with local governments and their associations – 10 points
- Candidate’s experience in working with the United Nations system - 10 points
- Interview – 20 points
Only Individual Consultants passing the first technical evaluation will be interviewed.
Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – maximum 30 points:
The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
p = y (µ/z), where
p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
z = price of the proposal being evaluated
UNDP will apply a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores. Please go the following link for the General Conditions of Individual Contracts:
UNDP retains the right to contact references directly.
Payments will be made only upon confirmation by UNDP that contract obligations have been delivered 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.
Accessibility
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.
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.