Kindly note that this is a re-advertisement of National Expert to develop the security plan for Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). The applicants who have applied in the initial announcement do not need to re-apply.

Reconciliation in Western Balkans has stalled and is being superseded by mounting ethnic divisions and polarization in the region, pointing specifically to denial of the past inflammatory discourse and ethnic segregation in education. Assuming that the (re)establishment of economic and social ties would suffice for the (re)building of relationships between formerly conflicted parties in the post-Yugoslav space is mistaken. With the recent history of massive and widespread human rights violations, it will only be the proper outcomes of the transitional justice mechanisms coupled with peace and dialogue that can substantially contribute to progress in reconciliation.

The UN supports the improved social cohesion and reconciliation across the Western Balkans. The project aims to achieve this goal through providing support to RYCO, as a mechanism, which is endorsed by governments and citizens alike. The project will support RYCO to work in partnership with civil society, education systems and schools, grass roots, youth institutions and youth in general for the consolidation of RYCO as a regionally owned mechanism with the capacity to promote reconciliation, mobility, diversity, democratic values, participation, active citizenship and intercultural learning. The expected outcome of this project is: Social Cohesion and Reconciliation – as measured by increasing embracing of diversity, attitudes of tolerance and reduced prejudice and discrimination by youth – is enhanced across the Western Balkans.

To achieve its outcome, the project will target youth[1], youth organizations and schools in WB as well as RYCO and will be achieved through the implementation of diverse activities along three main outputs:

Output 1: Capacities of schools to access and use RYCOs resources to undertake intercultural dialogue in the WB6 will be strengthened. The project will contribute towards enhancing the regional cooperation among youth institutions (mainly schools) and increase the introduction and use of topics on intercultural learning such as peace building and conflict resolution. The project will enable sharing of best practices on inclusive education and peace building transformative pedagogies, facilitates school exchanges and increase the capacities of schools to embrace the above principles.

Output 2: Capacities of youth groups and grassroots organizations to access and use RYCOs resources to engage in peacebuilding and social cohesion activities in the WB6 will be strengthened. Also, RYCO will be supported to increase its reach out to grassroots organizations and youth in the region, and to ensure that young people with fewest opportunities have access and participate in reconciliation processes and benefit from opportunities provided by RYCO. Empowerment of young girls will have a special focus in the activities under this component.  The long effects of sexual and gender-based violence, during and after the conflict can have lasting and harmful effects. It can dissuade young girls from attending schools and not participate fully in the life of the communities. The project will enhance the important role that young women should adopt in the peacebuilding process including empowering young girls to equally participate in peace building and become decision makers and actors in all areas. The project activities will also sensitize young male actors in accepting girls as equal partners in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. Mainstreaming gender in training conducted by the project will include among other topics, codes of conduct and response to Gender Biased Violence. Promoting tolerance and understanding within and out of marginalized groups through communication channels will help address the conflict-related issues that these groups face as a result of the tensions in society, which add up to their unfavorable discriminatory situation. It will also contribute to increasing tolerance towards groups/ethnicities seen as different further away, and thereby, contribute to peace and reconciliation.

Output 3: RYCOs capacities to enhance sustainable regional cooperation, peacebuilding and reconciliation amongst youth, through its small grants’ facility will be strengthened. Being a new institution and operating in a volatile environment, RYCO will be supported to strengthen its internal capacities and systems and will be enabled to achieve its mission. Considering that one of RYCO’s main tools to achieve its mission is through financial support to regional projects and initiatives, its grant facility system will be upgraded and strengthened through a tailor-made approach. RYCO will be equipped with effective tools to Monitoring and Evaluation, making it possible for it to measure the impact of its interventions. Finally, RYCO will be supported with an increase of human resources, especially in view of its Monitoring and Evaluation.

Output 4: Opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds to identify common peace and security priorities and enter in constructive dialogue with their peers across divides will be created, confidence in and dialogue with decision-makers will be enhanced, and youth capacities to become actors for change will be strengthened. Under this heading, the project will conduct youth-led action research and make available regionally comparable, youth-focused conflict analysis and evidence base on youth perceptions on sustaining peace, as well as trainings on peacebuilding, leadership and advocacy and national and regional policy consultations. Moreover, RYCO, PBF projects and other peacebuilding actors’ evidence-base to engage young women and young men from diverse backgrounds to advocate for peace and social cohesion and participate in policy dialogues will be enhanced.  

The overall project is implemented with the joint participation of three UN Organizations of UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA and in close partnership with RYCO, with UNDP the leading UN Organisation for the overall implementation and coordination of the joint project.?The implementation of this activity will be guided by UNDP and in close cooperation with RYCO.?

[1] Defined for the purposes of this intervention within the scope of adolescents (14-18 y/a) and  youth (18-30 y/a), in accordance with UNICEF standards and official youth strategies of the participating countries.

Scope of the assignment

The overall project is implemented with the joint participation of three UN Organizations of UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA and in close partnership with RYCO, with UNDP the leading UN Organisation for the overall implementation and coordination of the joint project.?The implementation of this activity will be guided by UNDP and in close cooperation with RYCO.?

RYCO, the main implementing partner in the joint UN project, is a new entity established three years ago. RYCO Head Office (HO) is located in Tirana, while the organization has six Local Branch Offices (LBO) located in Albania, Kosovo[1], Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Serbia.

Through this project, UNDP aims to support RYCO’s institutional capacity building, among others, to support RYCO to have a secure working environment and facilities. For this purpose, UNDP is looking to engage a national expert who will support RYCO to develop a security plan of action for RYCO HO, with clear timelines for implementation and the respective costs. The security plan will be developed in close consultation with RYCO staff in HO, and if relevant in LBOs. The expert will be responsible to develop the security plan, based on recommendations that UNDSS have provided to RYCO.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNDP Project Coordinator and in close cooperation with RYCO responsible staff.

The overall objective of the assignment is to develop a security plan (with accompanying documents and procedures) for RYCO Head Office with clear timelines for implementation and costs involved.

List of documents:

• Security plan
• Fire safety plan
• Evacuation plan
• List of equipment with technical specifications required for security purposes
• Other documents identified by Security plan

Deliverables, timeline and payment schedule

Specific tasks include the following with the timelines indicated:

Deliverable 1 - Collect the relevant information from RYCO responsible staff; literature review including UNDP safety and security guidelines and recommendations provided by UNDSS to RYCO (one day - by 30 April);

Deliverable 2 – Draft the security plan (and accompanying documents) for RYCO office with clear timelines for its implementation (four days - by 15 May);

Deliverable 3  – Reflect the input and comments of RYCO office in the draft security plan (and accompanying documents) and submit the finalized documents (two days - by 30 May);

Deliverable 4 - provide one day training to RYCO staff in HO about safety from natural and/or man-made hazards (one day- by 30 June).

[1] For the UN, all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). For RYCO, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with Security Council Resolution 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Corporate Competencies:

• 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;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;

Functional Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in team;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities;
• Strong organisational, coordination and time management skills;
• Ability to organise tasks independently and assume responsibility;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

Education: 

• Master’s degree in security, policing, military or similar.

Experience: 

• At least five years’ work experience required in designing and/or developing guidelines on safety and security;
• Demonstrated experience in providing safety and security training;
• Experience working with UNDP/UNDSS is an asset.

Language skills:

• Excellent oral and written proficiency in English required.

Evaluation of Applicants 

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. 

The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: 

a) Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and 

b) Having received the highest score out of a predetermined set of weighted technical (P11 desk reviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.  

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation 

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation

Criteria A (Master’s degree in security, policing, military or similar) – 15% of the points;

Criteria B (At least five years’ work experience required in designing and/or developing guidelines on safety and security) –15% of the points;  

Criteria C (Demonstrated experience in providing safety and security training) – max points: 15% of the points;  

Criteria D (Experience working with UNDP/UNDSS is an asset) – max points: 10% of the points;  

Criteria E (Language skills) – max points: 15% of the points;   

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation 

Application Procedure

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form...  www.un.org.al/sites/default/files/IC_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx
• Latest personal Curriculum Vitae (CV) including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, including past experience from similar projects or completed and signed UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SC) and Individual Contracts (IC) – Blank form Download here.
• Financial Proposal in ALL - specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek
  http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc (The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable -qualitative and quantitative- deliverables . Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount-including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).- Please note that with regard to travel component you may provide an average estimated travel cost for one circuit with and without accommodation.
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Merge your CV or P11, Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

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.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.