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. Working in support of the Regional Bureaus, the GPN also aims to provide rapid and integrated support to UNDP country offices, combining policy advice, technical expertise, financial resources, agile tools and procedures, and partnerships. Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis and fragility-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery and lead corporate support in response to crisis.

Support to country operations is coordinated by the Country Support Management Team (CSMT), working closely within the GPN, with the GPN Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement Team, the GPN SDG Integrator Team and GPN technical teams. The overall goal of the CSMT is to ensure strong, coherent and coordinated support to country offices (COs), as it relates to crisis and fragility, within the full spectrum of the GPN’s service offer. The CSMT steers the effective interaction of GPN Teams, Regional Bureau/Regional Hub and CO counterparts for integrated country support. It ensures that UNDP corporate support is provided before, during and after crises (in line with UNDP Standard Operating Procedures during the response phase). The CSMT aims to provide regular analytical updates in consultation with Regional Bureaus to support early warning and early action. It also supports and coordinates the GPN crisis response capacity and takes the lead in a UNDP-wide approach to strengthen UNDP capacity in preventing, preparing for, responding to and recovering from crisis.

UNDP COVID-19 Webinars, a key medium of communication throughout all of UNDP, was created in March 2020 by CSMT, as an internal communication tool to aid in the UNDP’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Webinar is a way to share knowledge around COVID-19 response and inspire colleagues across the globe to seek synergies across UNDP’s units and Country Offices. The webinar topics span across the entire work of the UNDP, including that of all Country Offices. The webinars occur three days a week and last approximately 30 minutes each.

UNDP will engage a Consultant to support CSMT operations and logistics, administrative, events/meetings organization and travel functions. In addition, the Programme Support Consultant will be responsible for all phases of the COVID-19 webinar production, including but not limited to Pre-production, communication and logistics, promotions, hosting of the live production, post-production, and dissemination.

The consultant will work as part of the Country Support Management Team, within the Crisis Bureau at UNDP Headquarters in New York and will report to the Country Support Management Team Leader. The consultant will also work closely with the SURGE Academy Project Manager, the Deployments Communication and Outreach Consultant, and the IDA Communications Consultant. 

The Consultant will:

1. Process and support operations and travel logistics for the CSMT
2. Coordinate, host, and manage the day-to-day organization of the UNDP Webinar series
3. Provide administrative support to CSMT

1. Process and support operations and travel logistics for the CSMT

• Manage virtual or in-person (when relevant) logistics for set-up, execution of events and meetings for the CSMT
• Liaise closely with the relevant operations unit to support staff and consultants receive airfare and DSA, and required visas;
• Process travel claims (F10/ER) of all above-mentioned UNDP and non-UNDP travelers;
• Follow-up with HQ operations and travel support units to ensure that approvals of all related requisitions, POs and vouchers from HQ, RH and Country Offices are issued in a timely basis,
• Maintain an updated and shareable mission plan in the relevant corporate format
• Maintain an updated Travel Finances Tracking table
• Provide other Operations support as needed

2. Coordinate, host, and manage the day-to-day organization of the UNDP Webinar series

• Identify future webinar topics
• Facilitate communications between all webinar guests and moderators through Email and Microsoft Teams
• Manage the webinar calendar
• Organize and run all webinar prep calls
• Act as host for each webinar on Zoom; run all presentations and visuals when applicable; facilitate the Zoom chat box during the webinar
• Publish banners and announcements on Microsoft Teams
• Upload videos to all libraries in a timely manner after each webinar
• Publish the recording, the ppt and other resources on Microsoft Teams
• Prepare the Q&A from the chatbot to be shared with the presenters
• Aid in the evolution of the UNDP COVID-19 Webinar as it becomes a permanent knowledge-sharing tool within the UNDP; Work with the Head of CSMT to strategize and implement new aspects of the webinar as it evolves into a new form within the Communities of Practice within UNDP

?3. Provide administrative support to CSMT

• Liaise with the ICT for email creation requests (follow-up, troubleshooting, etc)
• Produce and distribute note to files, memos, minutes of meetings related to procurement process or any other related processes;
• Coordinate the participants lists for trainings and workshops organized by the SURGE Academy and CSMT at large: send registration form, follow up for submission of documents registration, draft Invitation Letters and Release Agreements for SURGE advisors, follow up the signature process, et.c
• Electronically file all relevant documents in Sharepoint/MS Teams libraries
• Set up meetings and calendar invites for the CSMT
• Support the internal communication in the team and prepare minutes of the meeting and share with the team

Deliverables:

The following deliverables/actions will be provided on an ongoing basis:

• Provide timely operations and logistics support to CSMT
• Organize webinar schedule and calendar
• Three well-executed webinars each week
• Bi-weekly Travel Finances Tracking table
• Bi-weekly mission plan
• Provide timely administrative support to CSMT

• 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;
• Strong organizational and administrative skills;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and record-keeping skills;
• Experience working collaboratively in a team structure in a multicultural environment; and
• Ability to work under minimum supervision and tight deadlines.

Education

• At least a bachelor’s degree in communications, public policy, business or another relevant field, required.

Experience 

• 1 - 2 years of administrative and operational management experience
• Demonstrated client-facing roles and strong communication skills (required)
• Demonstrated experience in office management and logistics (required)
• Experience in digital communications; (required)
• Experience facilitating Zoom Webinars (desirable)
• Expertise in leveraging internal communication tools to promote events and build brands (required)
• Understanding of crisis response, the humanitarian system and development (desirable)
• Demonstrated experience in using the MS Office 365 Suite (required)
• Demonstrated experience in developing, producing, and editing videos, infographics, informercials, interviews, and other similar communications products; (desired)
• Networking and partnership development skills; (desirable)

Languages 

• Fluency in oral and written communications and presentation skills in English, required

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):

• Criterion 1.  1 - 2 years of administrative and operational management experience (Maximum of 20 points)
• Criterion 2. Computer proficient and well versed in the use of the online communications technologies such as Zoom, MS Teams etc., Excel and Word (Maximum of 20 points)
• Criterion 3. Experience with internal and external communications, experience with organizing webinars and using social media for outreach (Maximum 20 points)
• Criterion 3. Demonstrated client-facing roles and strong communication skills (Maximum of 10 points)

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. Shortlisted candidates will also be invited for an Interview. This interview will not be scored.

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.