Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which  includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

The NCE Team has specialized technical and policy advisory teams in based at the UNDP Headquarters in New York and also in Regional Hubs in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Arab States and Latin America and the Caribbean working on catalyzing environmental and climate finance for climate-resilient, sustainable development. To achieve this, NCE Team works closely with UNDP country offices to develop country capacity to put in place the right mix of regulatory and financial incentives, remove institutional and policy barriers, and create enabling environments that attract and drive public and private sector investment into sustainable development.  In doing this, the NCE Team assists partner countries to access, combine, and sequence resources from a wide range of funds, financial instruments, and mechanisms.  

With its technical focus, the NCE technical teams are led by a Principal or Senior Technical Advisor (PTA/STA) and Regional Team Leader being the team leader within each region.  Each team leader supports and guides a team of Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) or Specialists (RTSs).  As well as being a member of a technical team, each RTA/RTS is also a member of a regional team, which consists of RTAs/RTSs from all technical teams working together under the leadership of a Regional Team Leader. The regional teams are based in regional hubs from where they support UNDP’s country offices and partners in their region. 

Based in the UNDP Addis Ababa Regional Service Center for Africa (RSCA), the Africa NCE Team provides support to 45 countries in the region. UNDP environment vertical fund supported projects and programmes are designed to help countries achieve outcomes outlined in UNDP’s Strategic Plan, UNDP country programmes, UNDAFs (United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks) and the GEF Focal Area Strategies. The team also provides technical support to the Regional Bureau for Africa’s programming priorities in the areas of natural resource governance, climate change adaptation and mitigation and affordable and sustainable energy, as articulated in the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa.

BPPS and the RBA Regional Service Center in Addis Ababa would like to engage a junior consultant to carry out a number of tasks supporting the work of the Africa NCE Team in Addis Ababa with the UNDP-supported environmental vertical fund portfolio, as well as, the team’s support to the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa.  Additionally, the consultant would support the process of coordinating the team’s contributions to the RBA Regional Programme on specific aspects of the UNDP Strategic Offer in Africa and the UN Regional Review, Re-profiling, and Restructuring of UNDS Regional assets in Africa, in particular as it relates to the UN Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) and Opportunity/Issues Based Coalitions (O/IBCs).

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives Of The Assignment

The consultant will augment the capacity of the NCE team to manage the Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE) portfolio and respond to the RSCA requests for support for non-vertical fund technical advisory requests, particularly related to the implementation of the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa. The consultant will support the NCE Team to efficiently and effectively manage the portfolio and quickly handle and process support to the RSCA.

Scope Of Work

The consultant will provide portfolio management support to the NCE Team, working directly with the Regional Team Leader in collaboration with the Coordinator of the RBA Regional Programme, to ensure that the two teams are able to efficiently and effectively respond to requests for support to the RSCA on all issues related to the implementation of the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa, UN Regional Review process and particularly on the RSCA’s immediate needs related to the UNDP COVID-19 Response.

Under the direct guidance and supervision of the Regional Team Leader for NCE Team and the Coordinator of the RBA Regional Programme, the consultant will support the following areas of work:

Nature, Climate and Energy Fund portfolio management support (20%):

• Support the RTL – Africa (NCE Team) to coordinate communication between HQ and RBA COs on NCE portfolio management issues;
• Support the RTL - Africa (NCE Team) to facilitate discussions and mapping of the contribution of the NCE Africa portfolio to RBA Regional Programme objectives, strategy and workplans and establish M&E and Reporting protocols to ensure visibility of the NCE portfolio in contributing to RBA Regional Programme objectives;
• Support the RTL – Africa (NCE Team) to consolidate and update a database, central depository and master list for NCE Africa team’s KM products, meeting notes/minutes, manuals and guidance notes, TORs and expert list, consultant evaluation reports, focal point/country coverage lists, training materials, SOPs etc., for efficient and effective management of the NCE portfolio in the Africa region.

Management and coordination of technical inputs to the RSCA related to UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa and UNDP COVID-19 Response (80%)

• Support the RTL – Africa (NCE team) and the Coordinator of the RBA Regional Programme, to coordinate the technical contributions to the development of the Implementation Plan for the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa;
• Support the RTL – Africa (NCE team) and the Coordinator of the RBA Regional Programme,  to coordinate the technical contributions to the RBA Regional Director’s support to the AU through the UN Regional Collaborative Platform’s Opportunity and Issues Based Coalitions (O/IBCs), specifically for OIBC 5 on Fostering action on climate change, strengthening natural resources governance, building resilience to climate related disasters and enabling energy transitions for sustainable development and OIBC 6 on Towards Peace, Security, And The Respect Of Human Rights;
• Support the RTL – Africa to coordinate the NCE team’s technical contributions to the RSCA Crisis Management Support Group (CMSG) workplans and requests for inputs;
• Support the RTL – Africa to coordinate the NCE team’s technical contributions to the RSCA Inter-practice Coordination Group (IPCG) workplans and requests for inputs.

Deliverables & Payment schedule

1. Work plan and approach submitted to the NCE RTL and the Coordinator, RBA Regional Programme, Addis Ababa RSCA, Addis Ababa; 5days through May 31, 2020, payment 10%
2. Compilation of sample TORs and CVs on NCE thematic areas of work for inclusion into the RSCA’s COVID-19 Standby Crisis Preparedness, Response and Recovery Team in the Africa region; 7day through June 10, 2020, payment 10%
3. Complete mapping of and workplan for UNDP’s programmatic support to the AU, REC and sub-regional strategies related to the proposed work plans of the Opportunity and Issue Based Coalitions (O/IBCs); 5 and 6; 30days through July 15, 2020, payment 20%
4. Complete mapping of UNDP RBA capacity for implementation of NCE-related (Natural Resources Governance, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Affordable and Sustainable Energy) and Peace and Security Strategic Impact Areas of the UNDP’s Strategic Offer in Africa; 30 days through August 31, 2020, payment 20%
5. Complete review and mapping of the NCE portfolio to determine linkages and contributions to the RBA Regional Programme objectives and identification of entry points for enhanced collaboration and joint programming; 20days through September 30, 2020, payment 10%
6. Consolidated and updated database, central depository and master list for NCE Africa team’s KM products, meeting notes/minutes, manuals and guidance notes, TORs and expert database, consultant evaluation reports, focal point/country coverage lists, training materials, SOPs etc. 40 days through December 11, 2020, payment 30%

Information on Working Arrangements

• The consultant will be Initially home-based, with posibility of  travel to UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; once travel restrictions are lifted and it is deemed safe to travel.
• The consultant will report to, and be jointly supervised by, the Regional Team Leader for NCE and the Coordinator of the RBA Regional Programme;
• The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop, and mobile phone and service plan.  UNDP will provide a workstation, reliable internet connection, and office landline; 
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones; and
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor/s on days worked (with a “day” calculated as 8 hours of work) and outputs delivered.

Travel to join duty station:

• If feasible and when it is safe to do so, the consultant will be expected to travel to join the duty station (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia);
• Any necessary travel must be approved in advance and in writing by the Supervisors;
• The BSAFE course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• 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; 
• Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
• The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;
• All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations for consultants.  Costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should not be included in financial proposal.

Competencies

Corporate:

• 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.

Technical:

• Computer literacy, including MS Office, Internet

Functional:

Communications

• Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism

• Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
• Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

Teamwork

• Works well in a team;
• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
• Focuses on results for the client;
• Welcomes constructive feedback

Required Skills and Experience

Education (Max 10 points):

• Bachelor´s Degree in environmental management, biology, economics, international relations, development studies;
• Master´s Degree in Ecology, environmental management, natural resource management, biology, energy, economics, international relations, development studies will be considered a plus.  

Experience:

• Two years’ relevant ‘on-the-job’ experience (including internship, university fellowship, volunteer or paid experience) in the field of environment and development and other work for social and environmental goods (Max 25 points);
• Experience in conducting research, summarizing material and meeting outcomes in nature, climate and energy related fields, and preparing draft inputs to written/oral technical pieces (max 25 points);
• Experience in organisation of international meetings, events, partner coordination and logistics planning (max 15);
• Previous experience with UNDP, other UN or international organizations, or donors is an advantage (max 5 points).

Language requirements:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (pass/fail).

Evaluation method:

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
• Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
• The technical criteria (education, experience, language) will be based on a maximum 80 points;
• Only the top 3 candidates scoring 56 points or higher from the review of the technical criteria will be considered for financial evaluation;
• Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
• The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive lump-sum fee.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment);
• The applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and who has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract. 

Documentation to be submitted:

• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) and/or CV including Education/Qualification, Professional Certification, Employment Records /Experience;
• Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application;
• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment to be downloaded from the UNDP procurement site.

Kindly note you can upload only ONE document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF or Word file to attach).  File size cannot exceed the maximum limit of 10MB

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants: P11 link .

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs: GTC link

Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/search.cfm (reference no 65786)