UNDP Jobs - 92327- Trust Funds Consultancy

Trust Funds Consultancy

Location :

New York offices (home-based during COVID-19, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Aug-2020

Application Deadline :

08-Jul-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months (with possibility of extension subject to business needs, availability of funds and satisfa

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

6 months (with possibility of extension subject to business needs, availability of funds and satisfa

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

The UNOSSC, hosted by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is responsible for supporting intergovernmental political process in South-South and triangular cooperation and mainstreaming South-South and triangular cooperation across the UN system and assisting developing countries in strengthening their capacities to manage, design and implement South-South and triangular cooperation policies and initiatives through the identification, sharing, and transfer of successful Southern generated-development solutions.

Among its various functions, UNOSSC acts as Fund Manager and provides support to implementation across four South-South cooperation trust funds, namely:

• The India-UN Development Partnership Fund (India-UN DPF) is a dedicated facility established in 2017 within the United Nations Fund for South-South Cooperation (UNFSSC). It supports Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world, with a focus on least developed countries and small island developing states.

• The India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund), which became operational in 2006, to support developing countries on a demand-driven basis address their development challenges. The IBSA Fund implements, through partnerships, replicable and scalable projects that can be disseminated to interested developing countries as examples of best practices in the fight against poverty and hunger.

• The United Nations Fund for South-South Cooperation (UNFSSC), which was established in 1996, to promote, support and implement South-South cooperation. It constitutes a core element of the United Nations system support to Member States in their strategy to engage partners and mobilize resource for the joint implementation of innovative and transformative South-South Cooperation activities. In recent years approx. 35 partners, mostly Member States, contributed to the UNFSSC through dedicated facilities, to support UNOSSC’s platforms for South-South Cooperation or for initiatives of particular relevance to the South.

The Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation (PGTF), which was established in 1983 and is managed by UNOSSC on behalf of the Group of 77 and China (G77). PGTF provides catalytic financial support for cooperative projects carried out by three or more developing-country members of the G-77

UNOSSC intends to actualize and revamp various systems and communication tools that support trust funds management and communications. These include: websites, dashboards, a new digital platform, automated reporting and management tools, and a re-conception or refreshing of various communication channels and products. These efforts will ensure that UNOSSC Trust Funds appear dynamic, up to date, and at the forefront of communication technologies and media

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the Chief, Programme Support Unit, but supporting the entire Funds Management team, the Trust Funds Consultant will perform the following tasks:

· Update and refresh the trust funds websites, including support to conceive dynamic contents, draft new text, facilitate the production of info-graphics, source and curate materials such as videos, testimonials, etc.

· Support the redesign of new communication products and expansion of communication channels, including:

- Contribute to the production of 2020 communication products, including reports, videos, brochures, exhibitions, case studies/stories, briefings, webinars, policy papers, photo-series and knowledge products;

- Facilitate a strategy for social media presence, including piloting and rolling-out;

- Propose innovative communication ideas and products.

· Clear the backlog and update the contents of dashboards, including:

- as repositories of official documents and communications;

- financial figures;

- focal points contact details;

- various key project details;

- status and issues tracking.

· Contribute to the design of automated trust fund management tools, including:

- outline trust fund workflow and design specifications;

- online project reporting tools that enable UN partners to upload to UNOSSC’s system; and

- internal project tracking tools;

- data migration, population, system testing, and partner learning/user support.

Key Deliverables include:

Updated and refreshed trust funds websites, including dynamic contents, new text, info-graphics, and materials such as videos, testimonials
New communication products and expanded communication channels: All Trust Funds have refreshed 2020 Communication materials, specifically: An IBSA Fund annual report and video, a UNFSSC annual report, India-UN Fund annual report and video, a PGTF report, Facebook and Twitter accounts are created for the Funds and populated with contents from projects through a strong social media outreach.
New/to be designed IT tools and automations for the management of UNOSSC Trust Fund are rolled-out. Where necessary, data and contents are migrated. Where applicable, partners were trained on how to use uploading tools and are using UNOSSC Funds Management systems recurrently;

Competencies

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.

Functional Competencies

Communication: Communicates effectively with staff at all levels of the organization and is comfortable in handling external relations at all levels; outstanding writing and oral communication skills; sensitive and responsive to culture diversities.

Professionalism: Capable of meeting deadlines, managing tasks simultaneously; Able to complete tasks accurately and thoroughly, with great attention to detail; Exercises the highest level of responsibility and is able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner; Ability to work with accuracy under pressure and with minimum supervision.

Teamwork: Works well in a team to service all of the Policy Team and UNOSSC as a whole; projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks to create an enabling environment for policy research and analysis; Focuses on result for the clients and responds positively to feedback.

Technical Skills: Able to conduct thorough qualitative and quantitative research, able to synthesize and summarize extensive research material into succinct briefings, able to draft communications and outreach materials for senior management; excellent computer, writing and oral skills.

Knowledge Management and Learning: Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office; can draw on in-depth knowledge on development cooperation issues and global governance and strong analytical skills; Provides high-quality policy analysis on international development issues; actively develops deep understanding and experience in one or more knowledge areas, including process and/or substantive knowledge

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

At least Master’s degree or equivalent in Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences or a related discipline required

Experience:

At least 5 years of relevant work experience in providing programme, project management, and/or communications support in development cooperation is required;
Experience on preparing communication products, such as reports, brochures, or videos is required;
Proficiency in Excel is desired;
Experience and expertise regarding global development issues (especially on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and development cooperation) based on previous work experience in a multilateral institution is desired;
Experience designing online systems or automation tools is desired.
Knowledge of relevant UN, and UNDP corporate processes especially on procurement, contracting, report submission would be an asset.

Language:

Fluency in English language required (Oral and written) and excellent writing skills required

EVALUATION METHOD

The award of the contract shall 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 pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria: weight 70% (desk review and interview)

* Financial Criteria weight 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Technical Evaluation (700 points, Weight 70%)

All applicants will be initially screened against the minimum qualification requirements as specified above.

Responsive candidates will then be further evaluated against the following criteria

Criterion 1. Experience and expertise regarding global development issues (especially on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and development cooperation) based on previous work experience in a multilateral institution; (Maximum of 100 points) (2 years of experience: 50 points; 3-6 years of experience: 70 points; more than 6 years of experience: up to 100 points)
Criterion 2. Expertise working with Excel (Maximum 100 Points) (proficiency: up to 80 points, advanced professional skills: up to 100 points). Candidates are asked to provide excel certifications if available otherwise the evaluation of this criterion will be based on the information provided in the CV with regards to Excel
Criterion 3 Experience designing online systems or automation tools; (Maximum 100 Points)
Criterion 4. Knowledge of relevant UN, and UNDP corporate processes especially on procurement, contracting, report submission; (Maximum 100 Points)
Criterion 5. Relevance of the experience designing knowledge products. (Maximum 100 Points)

The maximum points that can be achieved in the desk review is 500 points

Only the top three technically qualified applicants (obtaining a minimum of 350 points (70% of points obtainable in the desk review) will be considered for an interview.

The total obtainable score on the interview is 200 points bringing the total points for the technical evaluation to a maximum of 700 points. Candidates obtaining less than 140 points during the interview (70% of points obtainable during the interview) will be disqualified.

Only those candidates who obtain a total technical score of 490 points and above on the technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation and will be asked to submit a financial proposal.

Financial evaluation (300 points, Weight 30%)

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

For the General Conditions of contracts for the Services of Individual Contractors, see http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.

Note: only shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a financial proposal. Please do not include your financial proposal in your technical application package.

The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee, take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; 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.

In response to the announcement by New York local authorities that all United Nations non-essential workforce must stay home in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, the consultant is expected to telecommute (from the country of residence at the moment of application) until the situation allows for the deployment in New York HQ Offices. As such, shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit two different all-inclusive professional daily fees: home-based and office-based (based on a 7 hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).

Both home-based and office-based all-inclusive professional daily fees will be considered during the financial assessment and will have an equal impact on the evaluation’s result. The most competitive financial proposal for each of the categories (home-based and office-based) will be awarded a total of 15 points.

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

Application Procedure

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

1. CV/P11 Form

2. Motivation letter indicating why you are a good fit for the position

3. Excel certifications (if any)

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

Work arrangement

The UNOSSC will provide office space and internet facility, the contractor is expected to bring his/her own laptop and mobile phone and meet local communications costs

While telecommuting from country of application, the consultant is expected to be available during New York business hours

Schedule of Payments:

Payment will be made upon submission of a certificate of payment request, and a progress report, at a schedule agreed based on deliverables, indicating outputs achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.
Any official mission travel expenses will be duly paid for directly by UNDP and should not be included in the price proposal.
The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Institutional Arrangement:

The consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.
When the deliverables are carried out from NYC offices, UNOSSC will provide the following office facilities: a) office space/access to UNDP premise; b) office telephone and internet connection;
The consultant will engage with the Supervisor on daily basis;
The consultant is expected to work during New York business hours during telecommuting.

Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

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