Background

In March 2019, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Cainiao 4PX group - the logistics arm of the Alibaba Group- have signed a three-year Public Private Partnership (PPP) to accelerate the uptake of e-commerce among Cambodian businesses and improve e-commerce logistics solutions in Cambodia, for both domestic and cross-border trade, under the project name “Connect Cambodia.”

One of the core objectives of this PPP is to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to successfully complete their digital transformation, from being exclusively offline, to offer online options, to integrate payment solutions in their online offer and to appear on major B2C and B2B marketplaces.

While having this development project on the ground to directly support the sector, UNDP also joint hand with MoC to support Cambodia e-commerce ecosystem development through the partnership on the project “Go4eCAM”, which aims at providing the necessary conditions for SMEs to grow digital and to gain access to much-needed finance. The objective of the project is to increase economic opportunities for Cambodian SMEs to participation in the Digital Economy.

To ensure effective engagement, UNDP is currently looking for an international expert having in-depth experience on e-commerce, to play a role as the E-Commerce Technical Advisor.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the scope of the assignment, the E-Commerce Technical Advisor will support UNDP Cambodia in setting the direction and providing the guidance and high-quality technical inputs related to ecommerce.

S/He will be responsible for providing strategic advice and support to UNDP in quality planning, implementing and managing the delivery of activities to make sure meaningful action on the ground for both projects, and as well as in strategic engagement with e-commerce ecosystem.

In addition, S/He will provide advisory support to the Country Office in exploring innovative solutions to the current projects that UNDP Cambodia is working on and to the emerging issues that would be of interest to potential donors and other stakeholders.

The scope of work shall include: 

1. Setting strategic management directions for the effective implementation of the project and guide the project team to achieve the annual targets.

   1. Analyzing the ecommerce sector developments in Cambodia;

   2. Liaising with stakeholders to identify opportunities where UNDP can add value;

   3. Identifying potential partners for project scale up, partnership, and implementation;

   4. Making recommendations where necessary, i.e. for project planning, implementation, and monitoring to ensure successful project completion.

   5. Advising innovation approaches in project concepts/implementation to scale up the project implementation and outcomes;

       

2. Leading the project stakeholder mobilization and management for project visibility and upscaling. The consultant will provide policy and partnership advise to UNDP and the project team to ensure efficient stakeholders engagement, and

   1. Providing high quality technical inputs and assistance to UNDP and its partners on matters related to ecommerce sector, such as logistic solution, e-payment solution, and capacity building and digital training;

   2. Conducting the reviews of implementation of projects and programmes;

   3. Reviewing necessary documents (report or studies) and providing advices.

   4. Leading and organizing stakeholders’ meetings or workshops as needed;

   5. Assisting in proposal preparation for resource mobilization;

1. Engaging in other relevant tasks as identified during the exercise of the assignment.

   1. Documenting and synthesizing key lessons/insights from engaging with various stakeholders throughout lifetime of projects;

   2. Refining strategies and approaches for working with strategic partners, including identifying new opportunities/partners, new barriers, and solutions/innovations;

   3. Supporting the development of the key projects and other relevant projects;

   4. Contributing to project implementation to ensure target outputs are delivered;

   5. Reviewing and contributing to the interim and final project reports;

A separate ToR will be developed for the specific services needed within the scope of the LTA. The consultant shall ensure confidentiality of all the information received during the assignment.

The contractor will be paid on a lump sum basis as per agreed per assignment/ToR. 

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Innovation Outreach and Partnerships: Ability to establish and cultivate institutional alliances around new ways of working and new approaches to development.

• Networking Skills: Builds internal and external partnerships and alliances for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and services for mutual benefit. Builds partnerships for business development opportunities and positions UNDP as a partner of choice.

• Communicates with Impact: Highly effective written and oral communication skills. Communicates complex topics simply but without losing important nuance and meaning. Understands how to frame messages in a compelling way for a target audience, and articulates these messages credibly, powerfully, and with confidence. Makes a positive impact in all forms of communication. 

• Strategic analysis and creative problem solving: Advanced analytical, problem solving skills are essential for this role. S/he is able to challenge mind-sets and think outside the box, as well as improvise in dynamic situations. Exhibits original and innovative thinking in his/her work. Demonstrates strong development and business insight and sees the big picture.

• Knowledge and expertise: Knowledgeable of business, economic, digital economy principles, and technology trends influencing the intersection of private, public, finance and development sectors.  Applies well-informed perspectives to identify new growth opportunities, address partnership dynamics, and shape innovative yet pragmatic business plans that drive tangible organizational growth and sector impact.

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;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree, in international trade, business administration, economics, trade and development or related field

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of practical experience in international trade, services trade in Asia/Pacific LDCs as well as on matters concerning e-commerce, trade in services, trade facilitation among other relevant works;
• Experience in advising LDC government on trade development, trade policy and e-commerce policies and strategies
• Experience in the areas of trade-related technical assistance projects targeting economic development, in Asia.,
• Expertise and proven track record in trade related technical assistance project formulation, management and monitoring;
• Expertise and proven track record in facilitating and conducting Public Private Partnership dialogue;
• Prior experience of UNDP programming, policies and operational practices;
• In-depth understanding of Cambodia e-commerce and digital economy eco-system

Language Requirement: Excellent written and oral English

Interested offeror must  read  the Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice, which can be viewed at https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=63933 for more  detail information about term  of references, instructions to offeror, and to download the documents to be submitted in the offer through online.

UNDP reserves right to reject any applications that is incomplete.

Please be informed that we don’t accept application submitted via email.

Interested Offerors are required to submit application via UNDP jobsite system as the application screening and evaluation will be done through UNDP jobsite system. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file. Your on­line applications submission will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e­mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Interested individual offeror must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Proposal:

(i) Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work

(ii) Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work (if applicable)

2. Financial proposal

3. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references

Any request for clarification/additional information on this procurement notice shall be communicated in writing to UNDP office or send to email pheara.lek@undp.org and cc procurement.kh@undp.org . While the Procurement Unit would endeavor to provide information expeditiously, only requests receiving at least 5 working days prior to the submission deadline will be entertained. Any delay in providing such information will not be considered as a reason for extending the submission deadline. The UNDP's response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted in Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice page as provided above. Therefore, all prospective Offerors are advised to visit the page regularly to make obtain update related to this Individual Consultant (IC).