UNDP Jobs - 102015- Lead Consultant on Improvement of Regulatory Envir

Lead Consultant on Improvement of Regulatory Environment of the Online Vocation Education and Training

Location :

Yerevan, ARMENIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Oct-2021

Application Deadline :

10-Oct-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months (estimated 45 days)

Languages Required :

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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 Armenia “Strengthening Stability and Resilience of the Bordering Communities in Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik and Syunik Regions” Project represents a joint UNDP-UNICEF effort to advance stability and safety in the bordering communities of Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions, directly affected by Nagorno Karabakh (NK) conflict. The project will implement activities to deliver transformation at institutional (local governments, CSOs, businesses) and human development levels (skills, services, behavior). The Project will provide evidence-based interventions, addressing conflict entailed instability and vulnerabilities in the remote and isolated bordering communities to enhance human wellbeing with specific focus on the most unsafe families and groups.

In the field of skills development the Project (3rd phase) is addressing challenges of preliminary and middle-level of professional education based on the results of the Rapid Assessment of vocational education and training institutions (VETIs) across 3 target regions entitled «Adjustment to «New Normal» of VETIs and Policy Makers» conducted during the 2nd phase of the Project across 3 target regions.

The results of the Rapid Assessment fed national agenda of the VET development as well as channeled Project’s funds of the 3rd phase to the implementation of a number of targeted initiatives derived from the main findings of the Rapid Assessment on «Adjustment to «New Normal» of VETIs and Policy Makers».

One of the important recommendations of the Rapid Assessment fully supported by the RA Ministry of Education Science, Culture and Sport is establishment of an Interagency Working Group to address existing gaps in the legal environment of online middle and preliminary levels of professional education.

Duties and Responsibilities

The subcomponent of the Project on improvement of legal/regulatory environment for online TVET will be implemented by Interagency Working Group, which should be chaired by a Lead Consultant on Improvement of Regulatory Environment of the Online Education in the VET system.

In close consultation with the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport it was decided to address the following normative gaps related to the online VET:

Develop a regulation/instruction on how to organise vocational education and training education online;
Review the Government decree on the exiting list of occupations allowed to teach online and introduce updated list of occupations subject to online education.
Improve a regulation on operation of Education Information Management System and on deployment of Education State Administrate Register (database) for VET sector.

A Lead Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the "Strengthening Stability and Resilience of the Bordering Communities in Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik and Syunik Regions" Project Coordinator and in cooperation with Working Group members as well as other consultants.

A Lead Consultant will be responsible for the following:

Organise and chair WG technical meetings involving relevant stakeholders and explain the agenda on the meetings for the improvement of online regulatory environment for VET system
Conduct desk review on the identified gaps
Run consultations on the range of topics to be covered
Produce an intermediate base-line report on the selected areas to be addressed
Share main findings with the WG members, discuss further steps to be accomplished
Participate, where possible, in the process of collecting data in cooperation with corresponding agencies responsible for the areas to be covered
Produce draft normative materials and circulate them among WG members for review and comments
Run a validation workshop to present the results to agree with policy makers and stakeholders
Develop 3 final documents addressing identified gaps
Produce a final report on the assignment completion

Expected deliverables:

Description of deliverables	Delivery date
1. Intermediate base-line report on the selected areas to be addressed is prepared	October 30, 2021
2. Draft normative materials addressing 3 identified areas are prepared and circulated among WG members for review and comments	November 30, 2021
3. Final documents addressing gaps in the 3 identified areas are discussed and finalised	December 15, 2021
4. Final report on the assignment completion developed	December 30, 2021

Payment terms

Payment will be made in the following installments upon completion of the tasks under each output and approval of deliverables by the UNDP country office:

Deliverables 1 and 2 – 40 %
Deliverables 3 and 4 – 60%

Competencies

Good knowlage and understanding of online education challenges in Armenia and working experience to address them
Strong analytical skills
Strong partnership and team-working skills and focus on results
Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage set priorities

Required Skills and Experience

Eduaction:

Advanced degree in social sciences, education, and related field

Experience:

At least 3 years of experience in online education
Experience of managing successfully education projects
Experience in implementation of education policy engagements

Language Skills:

Excellent written and oral Armenian language skills
Good command of English and Russian languages

CANDIDATES WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING METHODOLOGY:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants' technical qualifications, experience and financial proposal.The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as technically responsive/compliant/acceptable to the requirements of the ToR and received the highest cumulative (technical and financial) score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 70 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 30 points.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION.

Financial Proposal and Availability form: OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP (A total lump sum option is applicable for this assignment)
CV shall include Education/Qualification, Processional Certification, Employment Records /Experience

General Conditions of Contract is available here: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

Note: Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents that should be included in the application in one single PDF file and upload it).