Background

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has corporate responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogue initiatives, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to provide high quality, technical support to UNDP Country offices for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programme support activities.

To implement its mandate, number of BPPS staff and consultants travel to various duty stations to support country offices and their counterparts. BPPS also convenes number of global and regional gatherings where participants attend from all over the world.

All requests for travel funded from BPPS budgets (excluding Vertical Funds) are entered in the Bureau Travel Management System (BTMS), for approval by the budget owner and the supervisor.? Once

official travel fare has been computed and the itinerary confirmed by the traveler, a travel request is created in Atlas and submitted for approval to travel.desk@undp.org.? BTMS serves as the interface between BPPS requesters and BMS approvers who provide travel support services to BPPS.

As per travel policy, travel claims must be submitted and settled within 2 weeks after completion of travel.? Back to Office Reports (BTOR) have to be prepared and uploaded to BTMS. Despite of continuous monitoring and follow up on timely submission and settlement of travel claims, currently there is a backlog of travel claims accumulated that requires dedicated surge capacity to follow up and clean.

Addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment is a key aspect of UNDPs approach to achieving its core vision. In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in UNDP’s Strategic Plan, gender equality is both a goal in its own right and an essential catalyst to progress across all development outcomes. UNDP is guided in its work by its Gender Equality Strategy, which details how UNDP works towards gender equality in each of the goals and key results set out in the UNDP Strategic Plan.

The Gender Team of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) is the institutional anchor of UNDP’s work on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Gender Team provides policy advice and technical support to all of UNDP’s Bureaus and leadership on how to mainstream gender across all areas of their work. The Gender Team works to implement gender equality as a core objective of UNDP through a two-pronged approach (i) mainstreaming gender in all core practices; and, (ii) dedicated interventions that empower women and promote gender equality. In addition, the Gender Team is responsible for all corporate planning, for supporting corporate programming, reporting on gender and for supporting Senior Management in ensuring accountability for gender mainstreaming. Finally, the Gender Team supports the Administrator and senior management in addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment in their convening and representational function.

The BPPS is seeking to engage the services of a consultants to provide administrative and operational support and collaborate on the settlement of pending travel claims in BPPS and organization of two important and large events, the Gender Seal Workshop in October 2019, (venue TBD), the GBV and SDGs event in Cape Town in October 2019 and assist with travel and procurement processes.

Management Arrangements:

The assignment will be implemented under an individual consultancy arrangement. The consultants will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the BPPS Operations and Finance Advisor (for Deliverable 1) and Head of Gender Team (Deliverable 2) and will be commissioned to satisfactorily fulfil the deliverables as indicated in this job description. On the first deliverable, the consultant 1 will work with BPPS staff in all clusters, consultants and meeting participants. On the second deliverable, the consultant 2 will work in collaboration and guidance with the programme associate, project staff of the Gender team at UNDP Headquarters, country office and regional levels, as well as, BPPS Operations Specialist, other BPPS Clusters, UN agencies, and relevant stakeholders.

Duty Station, Travel and Administrative Arrangements

The consultancies are office and home-based assignments in New York, USA (UNDP Headquarters). The Consultants will be given access to relevant information and data necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment.? The Consultants should have her/his own laptop and software to be used. UNDP will provide access to communication facilities (emails, access to internet, etc.) at no cost to the consultants.

The work on and acceptance of deliverables will be preceded by agreement with the BPPS SSM and Gender Team staff on the outline of each deliverable.? Payment to consultants will be based on the accepted deliverables and based on actual number of worked days.

The consultants are not expected to undertake any missions or travel.

Duties and Responsibilities

Deliverables:

The consultants are expected to produce the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1 (Consultant 1): Support in the settlement of pending Travel Claims (BPPS and CB). - Up to 115 working days)

• Review BPPS and CB travel records Atlas data and identify travels with pending or no travel claim status.

• Follow up with respective BPPS and CB teams, staff, consultants and meeting participants on the submission of travel claims with all relevant background supporting documentation.

• Follow up with respective travel approvers in BPPS, CB and BMS on timely approval of travel claims and expense checklists in full compliance with UNDP travel policy.

• Recommend actions on closure of outstanding travel claims, when traveler is not available, based on the review of background information.

• Ensure there are no pending travel claims for BPPS and CB teams.

Deliverable 2 (Consultant 2): Support all aspects of Event Organization (BPPS Gender Team) - Up to 65 working days

• Provide administrative and logistic support to the gender team in organizing all aspects of the events, keeping track and following up on all related actions

• Support in arranging participants’ travel requests, including timely follow-up action on security clearance, F10 claims, as appropriate, ensure preparation of the necessary documentation, entries in ATLAS, BTMS and collaborating with Travel Unit as needed.

• Prepare relevant financial authorizations to FOs as applicable

• Keep track record (in excel) of travel schedules, travel authorizations and travel claims

• Provide support related using ERP System (ATLAS), issue eRequisitions and payments receipts

• Liaise with SSM and procurement colleagues in obtaining necessary clearances, and approvals if/as needed.

• Prepare draft memos and note to the files for the procurement of goods/services

• Ensure timely preparation and submission of requests and payments to Finance, and keep track records in excel of processed items and regular updates

• Scan and ensure proper digital filing of all Unit documents that must be retained in support of corporate policies as established by the team

• Collect and disseminate information related to the events as applicable

• Provide any related administrative support as it may be required by the team

Competencies

Core competencies

• Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work
• Leadership - Ability to persuade others to follow
• People Management - Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Communication -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Delivery - Ability to get things done

Primary

• Organizational Skills - Demonstrated capacities to perform multiple tasks, in multi-cultural environment and dealt with confidential matters
• Office Administration - Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs
• Reviewing and reporting - Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting report identifying key actions
• Development and Operational Effectiveness - Programme management skills and communication skills
• Research - Knowledge of analytical tools and methods for undertaking substantive research on various policy related issues

Secondary

• Knowledge Management - Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge
• Risk Management - Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize action around mitigating them.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• High School Diploma. Possession of a technical certification on travel, logistics and event management will be an advantage

• First Level University Degree, in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related fields is an asset

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible operational support covering the following areas: administration, operations, travel, procurement, programme management services preferably in international organizations and multi-cultural environments is required

• Experience and knowledge of PeopleSoft/Atlas Finance applications with particular focus on Procurement and T&E Modules, Project Management is required

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages such as MS Word, Excel or other relevant programs); advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages is required

• Experience working in an international organization, preferably in UN/UNDP systems is desirable

Language:

Fluency in English, both oral and written, is a requirement (excellent writing skills).

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;

   

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7-hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month). As partially home based, traveling to the duty station to be included in the all-inclusive daily fee.
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract. As the two consultancies are a combination of Home - and Office-based assignment, traveling to the duty station will also be included in the all-inclusive daily fee.
• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

• If the 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 UNDP under a 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 UNDP.

  The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates

Important: By applying to the assignment applicants agree to be considered for any of the above assignments.??

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):

• Criteria 1. Possession of a technical certification on travel, logistics and event management will be an advantage, OR first Level University Degree, in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related fields is an asset; Maximum Points: 15;
• Criteria 2. Minimum 3 years of demonstrated relevant experience in travel, logistics, event and procurement management is desired; Maximum Points: 40;
• Criteria 3. Expert knowledge and experience using Travel Module of Atlas, application of UN and UNDP policies and procedures on travel and procurement is desired; Maximum Points: 15;

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.

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.

Institutional arrangement

The consultants will work under the guidance and direct supervision of BPPS Operations and Finance Advisor (for Deliverable 1) and Head of Gender Team (for Deliverable 2) and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

The Consultants will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.

• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.