Background

As the largest single operational and financial UN player in the field of environmental sustainability, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is widely recognized as a global leader in supporting governments to sharpen policy, access finance and develop capacity for the management of biodiversity and ecosystems for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Under the Strategic Plan covering the period 2018-2021, UNDP’s work in Ecosystems and Biodiversity (EBD) has as an overall strategic objective to maintain and enhance the goods and services provided by biodiversity and ecosystems in order to secure livelihoods, food, water and health, enhance resilience, conserve threatened species and their habitats, and increase carbon storage and sequestration. The value of all UNDP-managed biodiversity and ecosystems projects currently in planning or under implementation is US$1.6 billion, with UNDP supporting over 130 countries to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other vertical funds’ grant finance for biodiversity conservation, combating Land Degradation, Sustainable Forest Management, and ecosystem based mitigation and adaptation, and to combine this with domestic and bilateral sources of finance.  In addition to the country portfolio, EBD team has a growing body of global work funded by bilateral donors and partners, including the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), Green Commodities Programme, Nature for Development Programme. 

In 2018, UNDP joined the multi-partner initiative PANORAMA – Solutions for a Healthy Planet, as a co-coordinator for its Protected Areas thematic community. PANORAMA is an initiative to document and promote examples of inspiring, replicable solutions across a range of conservation and sustainable development topics, enabling cross-sectoral learning and inspiration. PANORAMA allows practitioners to share and reflect on their experiences, increase recognition for successful work, and to learn with their peers how similar challenges have been addressed around the globe. The initiative is governed by a Steering Group (SG) comprised of all partner organizations (IUCN, GIZ, UNDP, UNEP, Rare, GRID-Arendal and IFOAM) and supported by a PANORAMA Secretariat jointly hosted by IUCN and GIZ.

With financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), a PANORAMA programme has been created to strengthen the PANORAMA initiative, which improves the global learning from successful practices among practitioners and decision-makers in the context of biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation around the world.

The programme’s key outputs include:

1. A strengthened PANORAMA Secretariat ensures a strategic coordination and sustainable growth of the evolving initiative.
   • The PANORAMA Secretariat provides strong and efficient internal coordination and advances business planning for the partnership.
2. PANORAMA provides improved accountability of its contribution to global biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation to a sustainably growing community of users at practical and policy level.
   • Improve tracking and demonstration of PANORAMA ´s impact on the ground as well as in the policy arena.
   • Strengthen strategic communication, promotion and outreach of PANORAMA to become increasingly known and used in the global development and nature conservation community.

Through investment in core functions, including partnership coordination and business development, the programme will better enable PANORAMA to expand its global support of practitioners and decision-makers. Investment in strategic development will result in better demonstration of PANORAMA ´s impact on the ground, as well as, in the policy arena, and will make the initiative increasingly known thanks to strengthened strategic communication, promotion and outreach. The target group of this programme is the growing community of PANORAMA users that are engaged and connected practitioners, across sectors and geographies.

Duties and Responsibilities

The PANORAMA Project Coordinator consultant will provide support to the UNDP’s Principal Technical Adviser (PTA) for Ecosystems and Biodiversity and to the PANORAMA Secretariat (currently hosted by GIZ and IUCN) on management and implementation of the BMU-financed PANORAMA project, including financial and progress reporting, monitoring and evaluation, communications, knowledge management, safeguard and due diligence, and maintaining partner relationships related to the PANORAMA: Solutions for a Healthy Planet Platform.

Scope of work:

1. Project Management and Coordination (30%)

• Support the PTA with the management of the overall conduct of the project and monitor progress against the approved workplan, providing quarterly updates to the Steering Group;
• Support management of the responsible party agreements, including preparation and execution of financial transfer and project related documentation filing and management in close collaboration with UNDP programme support unit staff and PTA;
• Review annual budgets and project expenditure reports, and note any discrepancies or issues;
• Liaise and follow up with the responsible parties for implementation of project activities in matters related to project funds and financial and progress reports;
• Consolidate financial progress reports submitted by the responsible parties and prepare and submit project financial and progress reports to the Steering Group and UNDP on a quarterly basis;
• Collate annual financial and progress reports based on reporting by the responsible parties for UNDP clearance and submission to the BMU;
• Coordinate evaluation and audit of the project and ensure timely and quality report submissions to BMU;
• Monitor project progress and participate in the production of progress reports (including annual reviews) ensuring that they meet the necessary reporting requirements and standards;
• Ensure project compliance with the UNDP social and environmental standards and the overall safeguard system;
• Support the compilation of final reports to the Project Donor in consultation with the Steering Group and the PANORAMA Secretariat;
• Prepare revisions to the multi-year project workplan, as well as, annual and quarterly plans, if required by the Steering Group.

2. PANORAMA Secretariat Support, Solution Generation and Facilitation of Uptake (40%)

• Support organization of the Pathfinder Awards including development of call documents, management of selection process, and organization of award ceremony working closely with the PANORAMA Secretariat;
• Provide support for partnership development to ensure the linkage between PANORAMA and relevant institutions and frameworks;
• Support PANORAMA’s participation in key nature related conferences and meetings including participation in high level events and in hosting, and participating in, side events;
• Support the PANORAMA Secretariat including note taking and dissemination and coordination between PANORAMA partners; and
• Support generation of new solution cases from the UNDP portfolio, liaising closely with UNDP staff including regional staff, country offices, project staff and counterparts.

Anticipated key deliverables:

An indicative list includes:

• High quality annual project review and financial reports;
• High quality quarterly update reports submitted to the Steering Group;
• Project safeguard system analysis reports, partner due diligence reports;
• Successful organisation of various events related to PANORAMA during global events;
• Successful launch and execution of the Pathfinder Award, including a formal presentation event;
• Increased flow of solutions to the PANORAMA platform;
• Technically cleared policy documents including guidance notes and discussion/position papers, linking PANORAMA and relevant UN Frameworks.

Key performance indicators:

• Effective, timely, high-quality, and often independent support;
• Number of analytical reports, briefs, etc. produced and approved by the PTA for the Steering Group;
• Number of solutions uploaded from Pathfinder Award submissions;
• Number of strategic documents which the consultant led and/or significantly contributed to;
• Number of international events in which PANORAMA is featured.

Information on Working Arrangements:

• The overall objective of this Framework Agreement is to facilitate and expedite the process by which the Nature, Climate, and Energy (NCE) cluster in BPPS can engage the services of a PANORAMA Project Coordination Consultant;

• Estimated level of effort (including travel): approximately 180 days per year.  Maximum working days over the three-year period would be 521 days; 
• UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the Framework Agreement as this will depend on forthcoming needs and availability of resources;
• The Framework Agreement to be signed will be for a fixed all-inclusive daily fee;
• Once the Framework Agreement is signed, if there is a specific assignment, the focal person in the NCE cluster would contact the Consultant by email informing of the specific deliverables, and timeline;
• The consultant must advise within 48 hours whether s/he is available to deliver the requested service;
• Thereafter a Purchase Order will be raised. Financial commitments will only be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the Framework Agreement through the transmitted purchase order;
• IC as a Framework agreement is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from entering into another such agreement with another individual or entities);
• The consultant will work from home with a limited amount of official mission travel not exceeding 20 days’ travel in a 12-month period;
• 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 working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
• The consultant will engage with the Supervisor by email and Skype on an as needed basis. In addition, the consultant will also engage with other UNDP colleagues based in NY, relevant regional hubs, country offices, and PANORAMA partners (including Secretariat and Steering Group);
• 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 where applicable;
• Payments will be made upon submission of a time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Principal Technical Advisor on days worked (with a “day” calculated as 8 hours of work) and satisfactory delivery of outputs.

Travel:

• International travel may be required.  2-4 missions are estimated per year, with expected mission duration of approximately 5 days per mission. Exact locations to be determined and discussed upon commencement of each specific assignment;
• Any necessary mission travel must be approved in advance and in writing by the Principal Technical Advisor;
• The BSAFE course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;
• The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;   
• All related travel expenses will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.  Costs for mission travel should not be included in financial proposal.  

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Technical/Professionalism

• Demonstrated ability to think logically and design projects and programmes according to a theory of change, logical framework or other scheme which designs outputs in support of broader outcomes and overall objectives;
• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work with quickly and accurately while under pressure and within short deadlines;
• Able to work independently and remotely with minimal supervision;
• Capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time.
• Excellent computer literacy especially with Excel, PowerPoint, data management and analysis software

Communications

• Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse people within UN Agencies, Partner Organizations, and Donor Agencies.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in environmental or natural science, geography, natural resource management, development, economics, international relations, or other closely related field (max 10 points).

Experience  

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience including project and portfolio support and coordination, data tracking and knowledge management including analysis and synthesis of project data and information (max 10 points);
• Demonstrable experience in procurement, project management and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and/or knowledge of project environment and social safeguard (max 10 points);

• Working experience in organization of international meetings, events, partner coordination, and logistics planning would be desirable (max 10 points);
• Working experience in compiling technical reports and communication pieces (max 5 points);
• Working experience in an international organization is an advantage, as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices (max 5 points);
• Working experiences with/in developing and mid-income countries would be desirable (max 5 points).

Languages

• Excellent verbal communication and writing skills in English (Pass/Fail);
• Working knowledge of other UN languages an advantage (max 5 points)

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 technical criteria will be weighted at 70%, and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
• The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max. 60 points] and interview [max. 40 points] will be based on a maximum 100 points;
• Only the top 3 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 42 points from the review of the education, experience and language will be considered for the interview; 
• Candidates obtaining 28 points or higher on the interview will be deemed technically qualified and 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 daily 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 number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment); 
• The top applicant receiving the highest combined score and who has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract. 

Documentation required

• 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.

Links

UNDP Personal History form (P11): P11 form.

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs: IC -GTC.  

YOUR APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITED THROUGH UNDP eTENDERING SYSTEM  

LINK -https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=67209

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED HERE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

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