Background

Duties and Responsibilities

The role in a nutshell 

Our Alliance is looking for two excellent team players that creatively co-lead our digital engagement efforts, at global, regional and national level. This includes, crucially, our member countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. One of the two positions is more focused on Africa and the other one has a global scope, working across all regions.

Under the supervision of the Head of Communications, the consultants will work very collaboratively with the Alliance’s Regional and Country Leads, the Digital Payments Innovation Hub, other key colleagues, as well as members and partners.

Our team needs strong strategists and writers who understand the role that digital payments play in igniting progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A core function of the role is designing and implementing innovative and well-targeted digital communications strategies, on social media and beyond, seeking new opportunities for effective engagement and creating cogent content.  

The consultant is also expected to provide support to broader communications and advocacy strategies and plans.

Expected Output, Activities and Deliverables

Output 1. Co-lead the design of a bold 2021 Better Than Cash Alliance’s Digital Communications Strategy, by working closely with key colleagues at national, regional and global level. The strategy should:

• Serve the Alliance’s strategic goals sitting across advocacy and advisory services. The latter includes tactics, tools and platforms to effectively disseminate content to support our new learning agenda. This focuses on equipping our members with practical tools on how to accelerate their transition from cash to digital payments.
• Identify and segment the Alliance’s key audiences, which include governments from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, global brands and international organizations.
• Set targets, alongside a strong monitoring and evaluation protocol, including data analytics to re-shape and optimize the strategy and specific campaigns to drive further engagement.

Throughout 2021, the consultants are expected to keep the strategy updated by identifying new opportunities for digital engagement, keeping abreast of new trends in the digital communications space.

Deliverables:

• Workplan that reflecting the design approach for the 2021 Better Than Cash Alliance’s Digital Communications Strategy
• Co-developed 2021 Better Than Cash Alliance’s Digital Communications Strategy

Output 2. Co-lead the implementation of the 2021 Better Than Cash Alliance’s Digital Communications Strategy by:

• Managing the Alliance’s social media channels on a daily basis. This includes boosting followers and engagement on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other relevant channels that the consultants might advise to use. In this regard, the consultants are expected to develop target lists for effective engagement.
• Undertaking research to identify and engage with new tools and platforms to help advance the Alliance’s mandate. These could include blogging platforms, channels such as WhatsApp or e-blasts through Mailchimp.
• Working closely with the key colleagues and members on content creation. Draft and edit a wide range of communications materials, including social media posts, comment pieces, presentations, newsletters and other innovative learning products.
• Working closely with key colleagues to identity key learning resources from external sources to share with our members.
• Collaborating with members and partners around key moments by developing strong social media packages with key messages and visuals.
• Conceptualizing, drafting and coordinating the development of innovative visual assets such as infographics and animations with colleagues, vendors and partners.
• Helping maintain updated content on our website by creating content, sourcing and posting.
• Increasing social media usage by colleagues, by providing training and suggesting sample posts.
• Monitoring the Alliance’s mentions on media and social media and inform the Head of Communications on possible risks for the organization.
• Submitting evaluation reports on the impact of the Alliance’s communications activities on social media and other digital platforms, analyzing data to continue innovating and improving to drive engagement.

Deliverables:

• Workplan containing detailed implementation approach
• Daily news monitoring, sourcing and daily management of social media channels, notably Twitter, Linked and Facebook, including content creation and increased reach and engagement.
• Hyper-targeting social media lists for relevant countries and type of audiences
• Provide quarterly social media statistics and a set of recommendations for improvement of digital communications efforts.

Output 3. Provide broader support on communications and advocacy

• Work with colleagues to help implement communications and advocacy strategies and plans at regional level and in key countries. This includes advising on messages and providing support around events and webinars, for both government and corporate initiatives, as well as those related to humanitarian sector actors.
• Work with colleagues to help identify other communications and advocacy opportunities at global, regional level and national level.

Deliverables:

• Workplan containing the component for communications and advocacy supports

Provide communications and advocacy support to initiatives at country, regional and global level, across government, corporate and international organization audiences, including being proactive on opportunities and maintaining our event tracker up to date.

Institutional Arrangement

The consultants will work under the supervision of the Better Than Cash Alliance’s Head of Communications, working closely with other key colleagues across the globe.

Duration of the Work

The assignment will have an initial duration of twelve months/220 working days. An extension of another one (1) year is possible depending on performance, continued need for the services and availability of funds. The performance control/monitoring mechanism will be applied from the start date.

Duty Station

1. Home-based, with one of the two positions being based in Africa (ideally, Kigali or Dakar).
2. If there is any approved travel, UNCDF will pay separately travel expenses (economy airfare, terminal expenses and per diems which include hotel and food expenses) according to standard UN rates provided by UNCDF official travel agency, and based on evidence of approved and actual travel.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Payments will be made on a monthly basis based on the reception and validation of the following deliverables. Disbursement of payments should be approved by the Head of Communications.

Competencies

Core competencies

• Demonstrates ethics and integrity.
• Demonstrates political acumen and calculated risk taking.
• Impeccable diplomatic skills and knowledge of protocol.
• Builds own competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation.
• Creates and promotes open communication.
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.
• Conducts fair and transparent decision making.
• Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability.
• Shows strong corporate commitment.

Functional Competencies:

Professional

• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.
• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives.
• Makes effective use of UNCDF’s and other Better Than Cash Alliance member resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships.
• Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations.
• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking.

Technical

• Demonstrates strategic thinking, creativity and innovation; positive, proactive, “can do” approach.
• Ability to listen and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues, members and partners.
• Ability to work independently, being pro-active and taking the initiative and smart risks, but also able to identify threats in the use of social media and other digital platforms.
• Ability to translate complex policy ideas and technical concepts into plain and snappy language.
• Seeks and proposes opportunities for advancing the Better Than Cash Alliance’s mission.
• Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities.
• Demonstrates and shares detailed technical knowledge and expertise.
• Ability to juggle competing priorities, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, international relations or a related field.

Experience & knowledge 

• At least five years of successful experience in designing and implementing innovative digital engagement strategies at international and/or national level in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America. This should include experience with:
  • Social media channels, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, data analytics and monitoring tools;
  • Other tools and tactics to effectively share learning content with governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America, companies and international organizations.
• At least five years of experience in writing and editing outstanding communications products, including social media posts, newsletters and comment pieces.
• At least three years of experience providing support on advocacy and communications towards governments, companies, large international organizations, including donors.
• Knowledge and passion on how digital financial inclusion and digital payments help advance progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals is required. This includes good understanding of key actors, opportunities and challenges.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural environment is highly desirable.  
• Basic skills in graphic design and video editing are an advantage.

Languages

• Excellent writing, editing and verbal skills in English is required.
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal skills in either French or Spanish would be considered a strong asset.

Application

The following documents are requested:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive daily fee. If an 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 UNCDF under 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 UNCDF. Template for this is available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.

Technical Evaluation

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria will be shortlisted and proceed to the technical evaluation:

•  At least a bachelor degree in communications, journalism, international relations or a related field.
• At least five years of successful experience in designing and implementing innovative digital engagement strategies at international and/or national level in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America. This should include experience with:
  1. Social media channels, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, data analytics and monitoring tools;
  2. Other tools and tactics to effectively share learning content with governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America, companies and international organizations.
• At least five years of experience in writing and editing outstanding communications products, including social media posts, newsletters and comment pieces.
• At least three years of experience providing support on advocacy and communications towards governments, companies, large international organizations, including donors.
• Knowledge and passion on how digital financial inclusion and digital payments help advance progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

The technical evaluation will consist of below two parts, and only the candidates who pass the written test will be invited for the interview

• Written test (total points:50 points, passing score: 35 points)
• Interview (50 points)    

Shortlisted candidates will be evaluated based on UNDP’s cumulative analysis method. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract shall be made to the consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable vis-à-vis the requirements of the TOR and the project operating environment; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (70%) and financial (30%) criteria.

The formula for the rating of the proposals will be as follows: 

Rating the Technical Proposal (TP): 70%

TP Rating = (Total Written Test and Interview Score Obtained by the Offer / Max. Obtainable Score for TP) x 100

TP Passing Score = 70% * Max. Obtainable Score for TP

Rating the Financial Proposal (FP):  30%

FP Rating = (Lowest Priced Offer / Price of the Offer Being Reviewed) x 100

/ma

Total Combined Score:

(TP Rating) x (Weight of TP, e.g. 70%)

              + (FP Rating) x (Weight of FP, e.g., 30%)                       

Total Combined and Final Rating of the Proposal