Background

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 requires enterprises and investors to manage their impact to mitigate or minimize negative externalities and use their capabilities to drive positive change. To enable different organizations to play their respective roles in advancing the Global Goals, we need widely agreed standards for what constitutes ‘good’ impact measurement and management practice in relation to the SDGs. As more and different actors enter the field, we need standards that set expectations for good practice and accountability and processes for assurance of practice.

SDG Impact, an initiative of UNDP, seeks to catalyze financial investments from the private sector that advance the SDGs. As interest grows among private sector actors to align investment activity with the SDGs, there is a demonstrated need for unifying standards, tools, and services that can be relied upon by investors to support a process of targeting, measuring and achieving development outcomes. SDG Impact is working to eliminate barriers and drive more integrity for SDG-enabling investment at scale by developing a set of products to empower investors with clarity, insights and tools to authenticate their contribution to the achievement of the SDGs.
About UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 176 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results. UNDP, as an integral part of its mission to fight poverty and improve the lives of people around the world, is committed to being open, transparent and accountable.
Business Case
MARKET DEMAND: As interest grows among private sector actors to align their investment activity with the SDGs, there is a demonstrated need for unifying standards, tools, and services that can be used and relied upon by enterprises and investors to support a process of aligning with and achieving development outcomes.
VALUE PROPOSITION: UNDP is positioned well to offer services to capital providers to help increase the volume of SDG-enabling investment, by virtue of UNDP’s technical knowledge and capabilities, extensive geographic reach, and credibility as a neutral partner in pursuit of global development objectives.
CATALYTIC IMPACT: By becoming the standard-setting body for SDG-enabling investment and offering tools and services to deepen engagement with private sector actors to meet that standard, UNDP can help to catalyze much-needed private capital and direct it towards the achievement of the SDGs and help connect impact driven activity with investment to significantly enhance progress toward development goals.
Context and opportunity
There is a growing trend towards analyzing businesses and investments based on their contributions towards the SDGs. Currently, however, much of the focus is on a couple of positive, intended outcomes and aligning and mapping current activities to the SDGs rather than making different decisions.
Good impact measurement and management (IMM) practices are fundamental to these efforts. IMM is the process of measuring, managing, and communicating the positive, negative, intended and unintended social, environmental and economic impacts of enterprises and investors activities on people and the planet with a view to increasing the positive and reducing the negative impacts. Through robust and consistent impact measurement and management practices, enterprises and investors can better understand the positive and negative effects of their investments and activities, set goals to adapt processes, and ultimately, improve outcomes.
There are a range of current efforts among different actors to encourage more private capital to be directed toward achievement of the SDGs and to promote impact measurement and management. This makes it a timely to launch SDG Impact practice assurance standards which codify the core elements of good impact management practice to support SDG-enabling outcomes and help the market make informed decisions about whether and how their investments and activities contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. These standards are being prepared as a transparent, competitively neutral public good, freely available for all to use to promote market development, trust and confidence and ultimately to drive more capital to where it is needed most.
As the UN’s implementing arm of the SDGs, UNDP is well-positioned to provide standards and guide the accompanying certification for what constitutes SDG-enabling impact management practice.
UNDP’s SDG Impact team is looking for a proactive, motivated, purpose driven and focused project manager with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience to support the design, consultation, and roll-out of SDG Impact’s practice assurance standards. The ideal candidate will have skills and experience in finance and/or strategy and working knowledge of the SDGs and developments impact measurement and management.
This is a high visibility corporate priority project As part of a small, dynamic team this role has significant responsibility and engagement with stakeholders and experts within and external to UNDP. This is an opportunity to be part of delivering and ambitious and fast-paced environment making a global difference to the pace and effectiveness with which resources are deployed toward meeting the SDGs.
SDG Impact’s Three Service Areas:
1. Impact management 
SDG Impact Management Standards: Developing a set of global practice assurance standards for how investors and enterprises manage and measure their impacts on the SDGs.
Online training program on SDG impact management and measurement, the SDG Impact standards and Seal.
SDG Impact Seal: The standards will be codified into a scoring system and provide the basis for a global certification Seal, which will certify that enterprises and investors have processes in place to define, manage and measure their impacts on the SDGs. A process for accrediting independent certifiers will be created who will be responsible for the certification process.
2. Impact Intelligence - SDG investment opportunities and impact data:
SDG Investor Maps: UNDP Country Offices will lead research and preparation of market intelligence for private sector investors to translate country level SDG gaps and priorities into private sector investment opportunities. The Maps will provide investors with insights into local market conditions, local SDG investment opportunities that
This market intelligence will provide data that helps highlight the business opportunity as well as the expected development impact of such investments.
3. Impact Facilitation - investor forums and policy dialogues:
Based on the impact market intelligence, SDG Impact will facilitate investor forums to increasing SDG enabling and aligned private sector investments in the country. Public-private policy dialogues will be convened to identify recommendations to improve the enabling environment for SDG aligned investments.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

Scope of Work and Responsibilities:

  • Map interoperability of existing impact principles generated by members of the Impact Management Project structured network complemented by the SDG Impact Practice Assurance Standards.
  • Map other relevant standards to which intended end users are subject and ensure the SDG Impact Standards are not inconsistent or conflicting.
  • Identify industry participants who will pilot the SDG bond and PE standards.
  • Coordinate and oversee the pilot testing of the SDG bond and PE standards, including tracking and reporting on progress and feedback.
  • Coordinate with the standards team on stakeholder engagement and organize the virtual consultations
  • Manage the partnership with Duke University for the design of a comprehensive modular on-line IMM training program.
  • Coordinate and support the design and delivery strategy of a training curricula to build IMM among UNDP Country Offices.
  • Manage the relationship with Iseal Alliance and technical expert who will guide on the design of the assurance, certification, and claims processes developed for the governance of the Standards and SDG Impact Seal

Expected outputs and deliverables:

  •  Report on:

(i) mapping of existing principles generated by IMP
(ii) mapping of other relevant standards

  •  Monthly status reports and recommended actions on:

(ii) stakeholder engagement plan, reference group formation and pilot testing,
(iii) on-line and Country Office training design and implementation, development of the governance process of the standards and Seal, and procurement plan.

Competencies

Functional

  • Self-starter, proven ability to work independently and in an entrepreneurial setting;
  • Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under pressure and short deadlines;
  • Good interpersonal skills and able to coordinate well with UNDP partner agencies;
  • Proficiency in Excel, Word & PowerPoint;
  •  Strong communication and presentation skills;
  • Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in and outside UNDP; and
  • Respectful of the mandates and roles of different partners, particularly government supported institutions and is able to build and sustain productive and mutually beneficial partnerships.

Core

  • Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status
  • Works collaboratively with colleagues and other stakeholders to pursue common goals
  • Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organized and easily understood manner
  • Remains calm, composed and patient, regardless of his/her own state of mind in the face of conflict

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

  • Master's degree in finance, economics or other related areas, or MBA.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 8 years of experience in finance or related practice area. Required
  • Working knowledge of impact management principles, practices, standards and Relevant experience and understanding of impact management and its implementation to direct investments as well as the interface between ESG and SDGs. And An understanding of the Impact Management Project’s shared logic for impact measurement and management. Desirable.
  • An understanding of the Impact Management Project’s shared logic for impact measurement and management is desirable.
  • Good project management skills, with proven track record of success in developing client relationships and execution of client engagements; strong sense of service to clients. Desirable
  • Knowledge of international economic development arena and commitment to sustainable development. Desirable

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
  • Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset

Application Procedure
The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

  • A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references; and
  • Max 5 pages Methodology on how the Offeror will conduct the work including a Work Plan and approach in delivering the required outputs within the assignment period; and

Note: Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document. Should the application miss any of the referenced documents the application may be directly disqualified.
Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.?

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

  • The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7-hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).
  • The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
  • This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel. 
  • In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual 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.
  •  If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process
Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below. Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Desk Review

  • Criteria 1. Relevance of previous experience in finance additional to the minimum required. Weight = 10 %; Maximum Points: 10; (Candidates who have only 8 years of experience will obtain a maximum of 5 points; between 9 and 10, 8 points; 10 or more than 10, 10 points points) Additional experience will be an advantage.
  • Criteria 2. Relevant experience and understanding of impact management and its implementation to direct investments as well as the interface between ESG and SDGs. And An understanding of the Impact Management Project’s shared logic for impact measurement and management. Desirable. Weight = 15 %; Maximum Points: 15;
  • Criteria 3. Good project management skills, with proven track record of success in developing client relationships and execution of client engagements; strong sense of service to clients Weight = 10 %; Maximum Points: 10; and
  • Criteria 4. Quality of methodology on how the Offeror will conduct the work including a Work Plan and approach in delivering the required outputs within the assignment period. (Clarity of methodology, understanding of the assignment, proposed timeline, accuracy, use of technical language…etc will be assessed) Weight =15 %; Maximum Points: 15

Interview

  • Criteria 5. Interview: Weight = 20 %; Maximum Points: 20.

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three technically qualified candidates for interview. Interviewed candidates must obtain at least 50% of the total of points obtainable during the interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (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
 
Contract Award
Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement
The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of Director SDG Impact and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.
The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

  • Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the technical  manager.
  • Payments to the consultant will be based on the all-inclusive professional daily fee.

    Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

    Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

    Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

    Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

    Annex 4 – RLA Template

    Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

    The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.