Background

According to the latest UNESCO data (2012) only (95.5%)[1] of the Albanian population (25+) completed primary (ISCED 01) education, leading to roughly 14,000 people potentially illiterate. The total of unemployed in Albania are 172,700 individuals according to the LFS elaborated by the National Institute of Statistics (NB: the total population is 2.8 million, and the total workforce 1.3 million). In June 2019, a total of 72,700 individuals were registered in the National Employment Services (NES), most of them in the urban areas. Out of these some 1,800 are illiterate (with no educational certificate whatsoever) registered adult (29+) jobseekers; some other 2,450 (29+) only completed primary education (ISCED 01) and additional 3,500 (30-39) completed lower secondary education (ISCED 02) but are reported to lack both professional skills the other soft and technical skills indispensable to obtain a job. In addition, poor primary education provided in some remote areas, does not guarantee learning outcomes, even when a certificate was obtained. These roughly 7,750 vulnerable, low educated registered jobseekers are among the most difficult unemployed to activate, they are currently not supported at all by Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs) or targeted services.

The “Supported Continuous Unemployed Learning” (SCUL) project, financed by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI), implemented jointly by the National Agency for Employment and Skills and UNDP Albania, aims to contribute to the active participation of vulnerable low qualified jobseekers to the society and their transition to the labour market through the provision of quality, flexible, targeted trainings on basic skills. The action is expected to have an impact on the literacy ratio in Albania (95.5% in 2012). The action is fully in line with the National Employment and Skills Strategy (NESS 2019-2022), the long-term programmatic document with which the government of Albania committed with its citizens in promoting sustainable growth through social and economic inclusion.

Currently in Albania very limited targeted support is provided to low skilled unemployed people. The whole intervention is conceived as a capacity development project at the institutional level. Most of the deliverables provided under the project will lead to the establishment of a structure to support this target group. The intervention follows an integrated approach, both in the analysis of target group, its needs (educational and socio-economic) and in the service delivery. The ratio is that employment services complement other social services; the development of specific procedures to support the target group will include references to other social institution in charge of complementary services. This approach is expected to create bridges between different key-actors in the provision of social service, with the long-term ambition of building an integrated case management system.

The ambition of this intervention is to establish a structure and enhance the capacities to address the specific needs of the target group, building on which, hopefully, trigger systemic upskilling mechanisms in the longer term, progressively reducing the size of the group and facilitate its transition towards the labour market. The intervention aims to achieve the following outputs:

Output 1: Vulnerable jobseekers are referred to tailored basic learning provision or other social services

Output 2: Low skilled job seekers benefitted from quality, flexible, targeted trainings on basic skills

Output 3: Training provision is constantly improved based on collected evidence.

The project has started its implementation in 2020, and its second work package (WP2) will focus on conducting an in-depth analysis of the target group, which will help on identifying specific sub-groups based on criteria other than age and educational attainment. The analysis will dig into demographic characteristics, social-economic factors, geographical provenience, the need for complementary health care or social services. Ideally, a sectoral approach will be included in the target group analysis, matching the data extracted by the NES registry with potential and features of specific economic sectors and regions, giving to the project a glimpse of foresight vision. Considered that multi-dimensional nature of vulnerability, the quantitative analysis will be supported by qualitative insights, based on counselling techniques, interviews and map of aspirations for specific individuals. As such, the SCUL project is seeking to engage two national experts to conduct the review, who will be working jointly, in close cooperation with the UNDP and the NAES team, mainly in Tirana, but also by engaging with the direct beneficiaries in the selected municipalities.

[1] http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx7queryid = 168#

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of the assignment

With the guidance of the Programme Specialist, under the supervision of the Project Manager, and in close cooperation with the second national expert engaged for this assignment, the lead researcher is expected to carry out the tasks described below:

• Conduct a desk review of all the relevant legal and administrative framework, research and other resources provided by the project team. Propose and agree on the work plan for the implementation of the assignment.
• Propose a detailed research plan and methodology to address research requirements. Develop and consult the proposed research methodology, working jointly with the qualitative research expert.
• Utilize the data collected from the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES), Employment Offices, as well as other relevant institutions to conduct detailed quantitative/statistical analysis of the aimed targeted group.
• Draft a detailed research report including data and information generated from the quantitative and qualitative analysis on the situation, size, social and demographic characteristics of low qualified adults in Albania and integrate generated data from the qualitative analysis. The report will include tailored recommendations for upskilling needs of the target group, will identify the available services and programmes offered and possible gaps to be filled. In addition, the report will also provide recommendations on the indicators utilized to identify this target group in the future, possible to be integrated in the profiling methodology utilized by the Employment Offices.
• Organize and contribute to a validation workshop to collect feedback and suggestions on the direction to follow for the development of effective services, programmes and procedures on specific sub-categories of low-educated jobseekers.
• Finalize the research report, reflecting the recommendations collected during the validation workshop. will provide suggestions on the direction to follow for the development of effective procedures on specific sub-categories of low-educated jobseekers.

Deliverables

Competencies

Competencies and Critical Success Factors

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgement;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Act as a team player and facilitate team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Informed and transparent decision-making.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong communication skills (written, spoken, composing, presentation) and ability to share expertise for capacity building;
• Excellent skills in using statistical software;
• Solid experience in carrying quantitative research, using advanced statistical analysis methods and providing evidence-based policy advice; preparing reports to publication standards; develop data visualization;
• Political and cultural sensitivity and commitment to UNDP’s development objectives in the country.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social science, economics, statistics, or other related field combined with relevant working experience.

Work Experience

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in the field of ssocial sciences, economics, or statistics.
• Prior solid experience in working with research projects and utilizing qualitative research techniques.
• Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP or other UN agencies is desirable.

Language

• Full working knowledge of English and Albanian is essential.

Evaluation Procedure

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in the field of sociology, economics, or statistics – max points: 15

Criteria B: Educational background– max points: 10

Criteria C: Prior solid experience in working with research projects and utilizing qualitative research techniques and Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP or other UN agencies is desirable – max points: 25

Criteria D: Technical Proposal outlining the proposed methodology for carrying out the qualitative analysis – max points: 20

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure 

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. 

The application should contain: 

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form. Download Here (kindly use FireFox Browser)
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download Here (kindly use FireFox Browser)

• Financial Proposal in ALL*- specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek for the tasks specified in this announcement. The attached template may be used - Download Here (kindly use FireFox Browser) Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). 

• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 
• Technical proposal – specifying the methodology which the consultant will employ to conduct this assignment.

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application. 

How to Submit the Application: 

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below: 

• Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs); 
• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded; 
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement); 
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;” 
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above); 

• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system. 

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

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.