UNDP Jobs - 90942- Chief Technical Advisor: Integrated climate-resili

Chief Technical Advisor: Integrated climate-resilient transboundary flood risk management in the Drin River basin in the Western Balkans (Drin FRM project) (IRH)

Location :

Home-based with missions

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

09-Apr-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated March 2020 – 31 March 2021

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

app. 70 consultancy days

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

UNDP is launching implementation of a new Adaptation Fund-funded project “Integrated climate-resilient transboundary flood risk management in the Drin River basin in the Western Balkans (Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia)” (hereinafter Drin FRM Project). The project aims to assist the riparian countries in the implementation of an integrated climate-resilient river basin flood risk management approach in order to improve their existing capacity to manage flood risk at regional, national and local levels and to enhance resilience of vulnerable communities in the Drin River Basin (DRB) to climate-induced floods. The following results shall be achieved: (i) Improved climate and risk informed decision-making, availability and use of climate risk information;(ii) Improved institutional arrangements, legislative and policy framework for climate-resilient flood risk management (FRM), and development of climate change adaptation (CCA) and FRM strategy and plans at the basin, sub-basin, national and sub-national levels; (iii) Strengthened community resilience through improved flood management, through implementation of structural and non-structural measures and enhanced local capacity for CCA and FRM.

Outcome 1 of the project is aimed at achieving an improved climate and risk informed decision-making, availability and use of climate risk information. Key to the strategic management of climate-induced flood risk is to have appropriate density and frequency of monitoring of important hydrometeorological variables. Given the importance of accurate historical hydrometeorological records in the assessment of flood risk, it would be important to ensure that the hydrometric network is spatially optimized and centrally managed, and that data is made available to all flood management practitioners.

Outcome 2 is aiming at improved institutional arrangements, legislative and policy framework for FRM, and development of climate change adaptation and flood risk management strategy and plans at the basin, sub-basin, national and sub-national levels. The Adaptation Fund (AF) project will consolidate and extend current flood risk management efforts by DRB countries through the establishment of a dedicated coordination mechanism on flood risk management with the necessary political support and resourcing from the Riparian countries to comprehensively address missing formalized and effective cooperation on FRM.

Outcome 3 of the project will secure strengthened resilience of local communities through improved flood forecasting and early warning, implementation of structural and non-structural measures and the strengthened capacity for CCA and FRM at the local level.

Objective of the assignment
The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will be responsible for providing overall technical advice to the Project. He/She will render technical support to the Project Manager, project staff, Project Board and government counterparts. The Chief Technical Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the Regional project Manager and with the guidance from UNDP IRH Regional Technical Advisor and Energy and Environment Team/Cluster Leads at the beneficiary Country Offices.

With support of the Project Manager and National Coordinators in the beneficiary countries, the CTA will ensure all necessary advisory support in order to smoothly implement the project and also provide guidance on the implementation of the Project activities as well as for the parallel co-financing initiatives.

Duty Station:
Home based with six missions to Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia .

Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Technical Advisor will provide technical overview, guidance and leadership for all technical aspects of the Project and ensure technical activities align with project strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities will include:

Overall technical guidance to the project, oversight over technical resources and review and certification of all technical deliverables;
Quality control of interventions, and support the Project Manager in the coordination of the implementation of planned activities under the project as stipulated in the project document/work plan;
Ensuring that technical contracts meet the highest standards - provide input into development of Terms of Reference for sub-contracts, consult selection process, recommend best approaches, provide technical peer function to sub-contractors; provide training where necessary;
Assisting the UNDP and Project Management Team in monitoring of project indicators and targets against Results and Resources Framework (RRF) and recommend adjustments as necessary;
Documenting lessons from project implementation and make recommendations to the Project Board for more effective implementation and coordination of project activities;
Assisting Project team in establishment of Advisory Technical Working Groups;
Support and lead project Inception Phase. Responsible for the development of the detailed methodology, detailed costed 5-year work plan, identification of key experts and development of experts ToR. Support to the PM in production of the inception report.
Coordination and sequencing of tasks from a technical perspective and application of Project’s approved Technical Methodology;
Establishing technical standards, and ensuring that established technical standards are applied;
Necessary guidance/advice to project staff, experts and national partners, assist in resolution of technical issues/problems and ensure technical tasks among experts are coordinated;
Interface between project management, technical team and key stakeholders;
Review and clearance of all technical deliverables for the project, including overall responsibility for project technical reports;
Liaison with government stakeholders in all Riparian countries;
Hands-on support to the PMU, project staff and other riparian government counterparts;
Preparation of Adaptation Fund project Performance Reports (PPRs) – review, technical inputs, quality control, validation;
Review and technical advice on the development of annual work plans, procurement plan, major project revisions, identifying project risks and elaborating relevant management responses;
Input to results-based evaluation process, including mid-term and terminal evaluation of the project;
Preparation of Terms of Reference for consultants and sub-contractors, and assistance with the selection process as necessary;
Interaction with and guiding the work of international consultants (including developing the TORs, reviewing and certifying deliverables), including Chief Engineer for Component 3 to ensure that implementation of structural measures is aligned with the other project components;
Liaison and coordination with the DCG Expert Working Group on Floods.

Timing and travel: The Consultant will be engaged under the Individual Contract. The engagement will be app. 70 working days.

Six missions are envisaged under this assignment (up-to 25 days), including two missions to each of the beneficiary countries of Albania (Tirana) (11 days), Montenegro (Podgorica) (7 days), North Macedonia (Skopje) (7 days). As necessary, any local travel to project sites outside of the capitals will be arranged by the hosting country offices and covered separately.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and International Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. Approval of the IRH CDT Team Leader is required prior to planning of the trips and relevant logistics.

Reporting and delivery of outputs

CTA should provide the following reports according to the UNDP format:

Completed time sheets and his/her mission reports;
Vision of the assignment to be prepared in cooperation with the Project Manager; The CTA will prepare an scoping report which details his/her understanding of the consultancy work and how he/she will deliver on the assignment. The report should include the scope of work, workplan and a timeframe and is expected after one week of his/her first mission;
Progress reports after every mission or major activity undertaken by the CTA;
Project Inception Report
Reviewed and updated 1st PPR. (with inputs from project team)
Final compiled report, including lessons learned which incorporates the comments.

Timeframe - Deliverable - Payment schedule

15 April 2020 - CTE Scoping Report and 1st mission report - 20% of the total contract value
15 July 2020 - Project Inception report, including technical TORs for activities to be commissioned in 2020 and updated Work Plan with the CTE inputs - 20% of the total contract value
15 October 2020 - Project Progress Report with CTE inputs, mission report/s - 20% of the total contract value
15 January 2021 - Progress report, including CTE recommendations for the 2021 Work Plan - 20% of the total contract value
31 March 2021 - Final report including lessons learned and recommendations and TORs for activities to be commissioned in 2021 - 20% of the total contract value

Reporting language:

Deliverables will be delivered in English.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Strong interpersonal skills;
Ability to work independently and in teams;
Ability to provide quality assurance and attention to detail;
Excellent communication skills.
Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds

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;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict
resolution skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Water Resources Management, Flood Risk Management, Hydrology, or Water Resources engineering; PhD in same fields will be considered as advantage;

Experience:

At least 10 years of relevant work experience, with proven record of the works in climate resilient flood management or water management projects;
Experience in 3 similar projects addressing climate resilient flood risk management or water management in last 7 years;
Work with UN/UNDP will be considered as advantage;

Language skills:

fluent English writing and speaking skills.

Evakuation of applications
Individual consultant 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: responsive/compliant/acceptable, and having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (CV/P11 desk reviews and interviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates who receive min 70% of points in desk review (Criteria A-E) will be considered for interviews. Only candidates who receive min 70% of points in technical evaluation (Criteria A-G) will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 70 points:

Criteria A – (desk review) Advanced university degree in the fields related to Water Resources Management, Flood Risk Management, Hydrology, or Water Resources engineering – up to 10 points;
Criteria B – (desk review) Experience with providing technical advice on climate resilient flood risk management and water management – up to 15 points;
Criteria C – (desk review) Experience with supporting water management, flood risk management or climate change adaptation projects in ECIS countries and/or EU – up to 20 points;
Criteria D – (desk review) Methodology on the approach to conduct the work – up to 10 points;
Criteria E – (desk review) At least two samples of the similar assignments delivered by the applicant – up to 10 points;
Criteria F – (interviews) Fluency in English: up to 5 points.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 30 points.

Application procedure:
The application submission is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications.

Step 1: Interested candidates must include the following documents when submitting the applications (Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF attachment as the system only allows upload of one document):

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the assignment
Filled P11 form or CV including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc);
At least two samples of the similar assignments delivered by you
Brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and requested to provide a financial offer.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations 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
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
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.