UNDP Jobs - 83793- Public Relations Consultant for the Design and Del

Public Relations Consultant for the Design and Delivery of Training on the Role of Local Government Public Relations Officers in Local Development Processes

Location :

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

22-Mar-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

March - April 2019

Languages Required :

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Maximum 7 working days

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

Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to contribute to strengthening of local development management (LDM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) through proactive engagement of Public Relations (PR) officers in local governments (LGs) in local development processes. In this regard, one (1) local consultant – PR expert will be engaged to design and deliver training on the role of PR in local development processes (hereinafter the Consultant).

Objective

This consultancy will contribute to increasing knowledge of PR Officers in 33 LGs on their role within development planning and management processes at the local level. Moreover, the consultancy will promote wider PR, media, citizens and public engagement in the local development processes.

Background Information

The consultancy is planned within the Integrated Local Development Project (ILDP), a joint project of the Government of Switzerland and UNDP, that aims at introduction of a systematic approach to development management, which includes strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategy realization. The project is implemented in partnership with the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, the FBiH Ministry of Justice, the RS Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government and both Associations of Municipalities and Cities (AMCs).

As part of its activities at the local level, the ILDP will offer capacity development to selected LG employees that discharge PR functions in 33 partner LGs, so as to enable them to timely and adequately support/inform media, citizens and general public on the matters of local development planning and management. The training will hopefully contribute to greater public attention to governments’ performance in the area of local development and the effects that local interventions have on citizens and the most vulnerable population groups.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant is expected to design and deliver one-day training programme to LG employees responsible for PR in 33 ILDP partner LGs. The training will include: i) brief overview of main local development management processes, including strategic planning, implementation and reporting on results; ii) importance, roles and functions of public relation officers in development management processes; iii) and practical skills to adequately prepare PR outputs (along the annual cycle) for media, citizen and general public. An introduction to local development management processes will be prepared and delivered by the ILDP, while the Consultant will be responsible for covering practical aspects of the roles of PR officers in those processes.

More concretely, the Consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:

Task 1 – Design of Training Programme on the Role of LG PR Officers in Local Development Processes

The training programme will consist of two parts, where the first part will be short introduction with a focus on local development management processes (to be prepared and delivered by the ILDP), while the second part will more broadly elaborate on the importance of public relations in those processes. More concretely, the second part of the training programme will aim to develop capacities of the LG PR employees to organise, collect, process and prepare relevant PR outputs on local development management that are to be provided to media, citizens and general public. The training will place particular focus on PR “when and how” (e.g. timely planning of PR outputs/activities in line with the LDM annual cycle; preparing PR outputs to be based on the accurate and official facts and figures but tailored to be brief, sufficiently informative and easily understandable). Also, during the training participants will discuss typical PR outputs (i.e. brief reports, press releases, infographics, information events plan, promotion and campaigns plans, etc.), while the group exercises are envisaged to discuss typical mistakes that are common in the process of preparation of such outputs. Lastly, the training will elaborate standard LG PR channels, including LG web and social networks for wider outreach of media, citizens and general public.

Training materials should include relevant PR examples, tools/check lists, inputs for group exercises and training presentations. In addition, ILDP will contribute to preparation of PR outputs related to LDM based on the publicly available materials on web pages of LGs in BiH and nearby EU countries.

As part of the preparation for this task, the Consultant will be provided with the existing training materials, in order to familiarise himself/herself with the LDM system in BiH and the roles of media, civil society organisations, citizens and other actors in LDM processes.
Prior to initiation of the training programme design, the ILDP will organize a brief introduction meeting to familiarise the Consultant with specifics of the requested training programme. Following the introductory meeting the Consultant will prepare a brief training design concept, highlighting the main training building blocks, envisaged training delivery dynamic and exercises. The training design concept will be submitted for ILDP review and approval prior to the design of a training programme.

Task 1 is expected to be completed by the end of March 2019 with estimated level of effort of 5 days.

Task 2 – Delivery of Training Programme on the Role of LG PR Officers in Local Development Processes

The one-day training programme will be delivered to 30-40 LG employees responsible for Public Relations, organised in two groups separately, with up to 15-20 participants per group. Tentative training delivery locations are: Sarajevo and Banja Luka.
The introductory part of the training on LDM processes will be delivered by ILDP, while the second part of the training will be delivered by the Consultant.

Training sessions are envisioned to ensure close interaction and knowledge-sharing with the training group/s. During the training workshop, various training modalities will be used, in accordance with the adult learning principles, to ensure that the training is practical, interactive and relevant for the challenges faced by the trainees in their everyday work. The training programme will also consist of small group practical work to ensure interactive and interesting sessions.

A training evaluation questionnaire will be provided to the Consultant by ILDP in order to be administered at the end of the training to collect information of training participants perceptions/recommendations.

Logistic and administrative support for the training delivery will be ensured by the ILDP team.

The Consultant will take care of his/her travel arrangements, while the ILDP will be responsible for the overall training logistics.

Task 2 is to be completed by mid- April 2019, with estimated level of effort of 2 days.

The entire service will be delivered in the languages of BiH peoples.

Deliverables/outputs

Task 1 – Design of Training Programme on the Role of LG PR Officers in Local Development Processes:

Training concept outline prepared and endorsed by the ILDP; Training programme designed and approved by the ILDP - 5 work days, 30 March 2019, 72%;

Task 2 – Delivery of Training Programme on the Role of LG PR Officers in Local Development Processes:

One-day training programme delivered to 2 training groups; Training evaluations administered within task 2 submitted to the ILDP - 2 work day, 15 April 2019, 28%;

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:

Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;
Generates ideas and seizes opportunities to support corporate strategic objectives.

People Skills:

Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds;
Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behavior;
Respects individual/cultural differences; utilizes diversity to foster teamwork;
Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.

Partnering and Networking:

Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
Ability to work as a member of a team as well as work autonomously.

Results-Orientation:

Plans and ensures quality results to meet established goals.

Communication:

Formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
Shares information openly with co-workers and partners while using discretion to protect confidences;
Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.

Job Knowledge and Expertise:

Strong analytical skills;
Advanced writing skills,
Progressive knowledge of strategic planning at local and higher levels and the related methodologies;
Strong facilitation and coordination skills;
Substantive knowledge on security issues and activities with an emphasis on local communities;
Executes day-to-day tasks systematically and efficiently;
Initiative and sound judgment.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

University degree in journalism, public relations or related field.
Advanced degree will be considered as an asset;

Experience:

At least 5 years of relevant experience in media/public relations in BiH or European Union countries;
Proven record of covered and published media/public relations topics/stories related to national, regional and local development, economy and/or citizens’ engagement in national, regional and local decision making and community development;
Proven record of technical assistance/training for media/public relations related to their roles/functions in national, regional and local development processes;
Fluency in languages of peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Long/Shortlisting Criteria (Rating based on Qualifications):

Relevant Education - Weight: 7%, Maximum points: 10 (5 points allocated for BA/BSc degree; + 3 points for MSc/MA; + up to 2 points for PhD);
Relevant professional experience- Weight: 10.5%,Max points:15 ;
Fluency in English and the official languages in BiH - Weight: 3.5%, Max points: 5;

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

Rating based on Qualifications - Weight: 21%, Max points: 30;
Proven record of covered and published media/public relations topics/stories related to national, regional and local development, economy and/or citizens’ engagement in national, regional and local decision making and community development (at least 3 examples submitted) - Weight: 24.5%, Max points: 35;
Proven record of technical assistance/training for media/public relations related to their roles/functions in national, regional and local development processes - Weight: 24.5%, Max points: 35;

Financial criteria: Weight: 30%

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight-70%
* Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

1. Proven record of covered and published topics/stories related to economy, business and/or analyzes citizens involvement activities in society, about people in the local community’s processes with 3 concrete examples

2. Completed and signed the Offeror’s template Confirming Interest and Availability (please follow the link: https://popp.undp.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/UNDP_POPP_DOCUMENT_LIBRARY/Public/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx&action=default);

3. Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references;

4. Financial proposal which will separately specify professional fee, indicating number of anticipated working days, travel costs (air-ticket or use of private vehicle), living allowance, and all other applicable costs.

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.