UNDP Jobs - 93664- Consultancy – Core Government Functions and Resear

Consultancy – Core Government Functions and Research Specialist

Location :

Home-based (during COVID-19 response) and Office-based New York HQs, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

05-Oct-2020

Application Deadline :

14-Sep-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

250 working days within 12 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

250 working days within 12 months (with possibility of extension for up to an additional 12 months

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 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 Crisis Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery.

As a part of the Core Government Functions and Local Governance (CGF-LG) team in the larger Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions Team (CPPRI), the Consultant will be part of UNDP’s contribution to the UN conflict prevention and peacebuilding offer through their support to building and strengthening responsive, accountable, resilient, inclusive and functional core governance institutions at the national and local levels in different development settings with a focus on countries impacted by transitions, fragility and conflict.

Reporting to the Core Government Functions and Local Governance Team Leader in New York, the Consultant will provide research, policy and programming support to the CGF-LG team on multi-level and inclusive governance innovations on enabling core government institutions at national and local levels to effectively respond to the ever-increasing demand for accessibility and quality services. S/he will support the collaborative process of policy development in the Responsive Institutions thematic area. S/he will work with policy specialists on Core Government Functions and Local Governance in HQ, with a primary focus on countries impacted by transitions, fragility and conflict. S/he will also help the team collaborate with other teams across UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN), Regional Hubs, Country Offices and Global Policy Centers, supporting the development of substantive approaches, products and tools on responsive, accountable, and effective institutions to support policy and programming services to UNDP Country Offices.

The Consultant will also provide technical support to the team in advancing the UNDP-World Bank partnership on Strengthening Responsive Centers of Government in Fragile and Crisis-affected Contexts, including the adapted joint offer for the COVID-19 response in fragile and crisis-affected settings.

Duties and Responsibilities

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

1. Substantive delivery of technical assistance to country offices and policy development and programme support to HQ team

Provide substantive support to the joint UNDP-World Bank Initiative on Strengthening Responsive Centers of Government in Fragile and Crisis-affected Settings;
Provide policy advisory and programming services to UNDP COs that respond to country needs for the restoration of core government functions, including local governance in fragile and crisis-affected settings including through the provision of capacity building and backstopping to COs and UNCTs; as requested by the Crisis Bureau and in agreement with the Team Leader for Core Government Functions and the Head of
Help strengthen strategic partnerships with UN entities; IFIs such as the World Bank; leading think tanks, academic and research institutions, and government/non-governmental bodies.

2. Substantive development of research and knowledge exchange from across UNDP’s network of expertise

Manage the development and implementation on flagship research on the future of governance considering COVID 19 in three areas: 1) inclusive governance; 2) innovation and 3) multilevel governance;
Support the development of joint research/ tools with partners on COVID 19 response by governments and the challenges it poses to governance;
Support development of core governance functions policy guidance and related knowledge and research materials as part of programming and implementation of the Global Core Government Functions Project;
Support the roll out of the Centre of Government guidance and contribute to any supporting tools and guidance necessary;
Manage the roll out of the Local Governance and Sustaining Peace training and any supporting tools or training modules;
Contribute to knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic area, ensuring that knowledge sharing and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools;
Help enable South-South and TrC facilitation of exchanges and experiences sharing where valuable at the country and regional levels in the thematic area.

Outputs

2 research papers completed
Joint research with the world bank on core government functions
Programming support in at least two country offices based on demand
Roll out plan for center of governance guidance developed and executed
Online core government function portal developed

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 favoritism.

Technical:

Knowledge of center of government, public financial management, aid management, local governance and/ or civil service issues and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations in post-conflict contexts
Knowledge of Crisis Governance concepts and principles, including governance in recovery and peacebuilding contexts and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Professionalism:

Excellent organizational skills and ability to work effectively in teams, delivering through and with others;
Self-management, including conflict management/negotiating skills.

Communication:

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to foster networks and partnerships;
Excellent negotiating and communication skills and ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners (public, private, academic, civil society, business community leaders)

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

At least Master's degree, preferably in international development, international affairs, public administration, public policy, development economics, or other relevant field, or extensive compensating experience in public sector governance reform/public administration reform/restoration of core government functions required.

Experience:

A minimum of 10 years of relevant policy, research and programming experience in international development, public sector governance, peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive analysis (national or multilateral, including UN), required;
At least five years’ experience working on complex core governance functions and local governance issues in fragile and crisis-affected contexts, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations in different development situations required;
Experience in international organizations, HQ and/or field required, preferably UNDP;
Experience of carrying out research in a think tank or university setting required;
Experience of working in politically complex settings with demonstrated strong intellectual and operational capacity in providing and coordinating advisory services to stakeholders in government required;

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

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

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

In response to the announcement by the Governor of New York 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 will 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).
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.

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 separate instructions 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%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (70 points):

Criteria 1: Relevance of experience (minimum 10 years) in policy, research and programming experience in international development, public sector governance, peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive analysis (national or multilateral, including UN) (at least five years’ experience working on complex core governance functions and local governance issues in fragile and crisis-affected contexts); Maximum Points: 10;
Criteria 2: At least 3 years of relevant experience in international organizations, HQ and/or field required, preferably UNDP; Maximum Points: 10;
Criteria 3: At least one years’ Eexperience of carrying out research in a think tank or university setting required; Maximum Points: 10;
Criteria 4: At least 5 years of experience working in politically complex settings with demonstrated strong intellectual and operational capacity in providing and coordinating advisory services to stakeholders in government required; Maximum Points: 10;
Criteria 5: Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset; Maximum Points: 5; and
Criteria 6: Interview: Maximum Points: 25.

Only the top three candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (31.5 points) of the maximum obtainable points for Desk Review (70 points) shall be considered for the interview.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (X points) of the maximum obtainable points for the interview (X points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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

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.

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 _the Team Leader for Core Government Functions and Local Governance and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

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 manager. Payments to the consultant will be based on the all-inclusive home-based professional daily fee while telecommuting. Effective from the first day of deployment in New York City offices, payments to the consultant will be based on the all-inclusive office-based professional daily fee. Should the deployment not be carried out to adjust to potential recommendations made by New York authorities regarding COVID-19, the all-inclusive home-based professional daily fee will be considered during the entire assignment.

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.

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.