Antecedentes
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 Response Unit (CRU) 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.
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 Gender Team is seeking to engage the services of a consultant to provide programme and administrative support. The consultant will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Director and will work in close collaboration with the operations and project staff at UNDP Headquarters, country office and regional levels.
Management Arrangements:
The assignment will be implemented under an individual consultancy arrangement. The consultant will work under the guidance and supervision of the Director and will be commissioned to deliver the above-mentioned deliverables. The consultant will also work in close collaboration with other members of the Gender team, BPPS ROM Operations Specialist, other BPPS Clusters, UN agencies, and relevant stakeholders.
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 Response Unit (CRU) 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.
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 Gender Team is seeking to engage the services of a consultant to provide programme and administrative support. The consultant will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Director and will work in close collaboration with the operations and project staff at UNDP Headquarters, country office and regional levels.
Management Arrangements:
The assignment will be implemented under an individual consultancy arrangement. The consultant will work under the guidance and supervision of the Director and will be commissioned to deliver the above-mentioned deliverables. The consultant will also work in close collaboration with other members of the Gender team, BPPS ROM Operations Specialist, other BPPS Clusters, UN agencies, and relevant stakeholders.
Deberes y responsabilidades
SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK
Deliverables:
The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:
Deliverable 1: Effective support in managing project resources, budgets and expenditures for the Gender Team (6 Months from Start Date)
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Review, research, and verify a variety of data and reports for accuracy and conformity with financial regulations.
Present thoroughly researched information for planning of financial resources, containing analysis of the financial situation.
Proactively help project teams to manage budgets, including undertaking and submitting budget revisions with relevant documentation for approval.
Prepare authorizations for allocation of funds to UNDP Regional Services Centers and Country Offices to enable financial transfers/allocations, provision of COAs, or other actions as needed to ensure smooth allocation processes.
Monitor/track delivery of the projects by maintaining a “shadow” budget.
Prepare financial reports as needed for submission to donors, partners, etc.
Provide analysis and coordination support on cost-sharing agreements and any other financial agreements with donors and implementing partners, including following up with donors on status of contributions and uploading agreements to BPPS portal.
Take corrective actions and resolve issues on exceptional transactions, including budget errors, as well as un-posted/unapproved transactions.
Provide support for meeting UNDP financial deadlines and help the team to plan proactively.
Deliverable 2: Efficient general operations and administrative support to the (6 Months from Start Date)
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Process the unit’s official mission travel requests, including timely follow-up action on medical/security clearance, claims, signatures as appropriate and ensure preparation of the necessary documents in ATLAS, collaborating with BMS Travel Unit as needed.
Follow up with staff to submit F10 claims timely in Atlas.
Organize and prepare agendas and minutes of unit meetings and track follow-up actions.
Provide administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, country/region specific meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences, retreats and any other special events organized by Unit.
Provide support to HR processes including submission of relevant documentation for creation of new positions, contract extensions, change of COAs, and other HR related matters.
Act as absence management focal point and leave monitor for the team.
Serve as the Unit’s liaison person for all interactions with ROM on all programme and operational support.
Deliverable 3: Effective and quality procurement processes undertaken by the team (6 Months from Start Date)
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Provide support to all aspects of the programme/projects and operations, as required, through ATLAS and all aspects of the procurement planning and requisitioning in accordance with established procedures.
Support all procurement processes, including the recruitment of consultants and experts through preparation of TORs.
Liaise with the appropriate procurement colleagues in obtaining necessary clearances, as well as preparing CAP and ACP submissions as needed.
Prepare draft (standard) contractual documents for the procurement of goods/services.
Provide assistance to project level procurement activities including, printing, editing, design services and others.
Ensure timely preparation and submission of requests for payment to Finance.
Assist project managers in managing contracts for the service providers (for publications, consultants, venues), ensures effective contract management and their successful closure.
Follow up on requested e-requisitions and ensure their valid status (ensuring that they are approved and budget checked).
Keep up to date with new releases vis-à-vis ATLAS and UNDP regulations, and exchanges information.
Familiarize with UNDP procurement policy procedures.
Deliverable 4: Maintain unit’s portfolio documentation (6 Months from Start Date)
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Follow the established filing and archiving standards and procedures for the Bureau, organize, update and maintain all project/programme-related documents.
Scan and ensure proper digital filing of all Unit documents that must be retained in support of corporate policies.
Collect and disseminate information related to thematic area, including inputs for donor reports and provides information when requested from various sources;
Assist in maintaining and updating a full inventory of MOUs, consultants, service contracts, and ensures monitoring of compliance with corporate approvals (head of the office, committee reviews, others).
Competencias
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
- < > -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform< > - Ability to get things done
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
- < > - Knowledge of analytical tools and methods for undertaking substantive research on various policy related issues
Financial Reporting and Analysis - Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner
Partnerships/Relationship Management - Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships
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.
Habilidades y experiencia requeridas
Academic qualifications:
At least First Level University Degree, preferably in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related fields.
Possession of a specialized certification in Accounting and Finance, or Project Management and/or Procurement is an asset.
Part-qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have an advantage.
Experience:
Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible operational support covering the following areas: finance, accounting, project management, procurement services preferably in international organizations and multi-cultural environments is required.
Experience and knowledge of web-based enterprise resource planning software, preferably PeopleSoft/ATLAS Finance applications with particular focus on Grants, Project Management, Procurement and T&E Modules (UNDP Headquarters travel management system) is desired.
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 desired.
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):
Online application with brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and
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).
- 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; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; 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.
- 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.
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% (700 points):
Progressive responsible experience in finance and accounting or project management – 200 points
Relevant experience in planning for and managing logistics and travels for the events - 100 points
Experience in managing procurement processes and contracts - 100 points
Experience and/or knowledge of UNDP/UN rules and regulations, particularly on operations and finance, and usage of UNDP’s ATLAS system – 150 points
Interview – 150 points
Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three shortlisted candidates for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
The technical evaluation will be based on the following criteria with the corresponding points (out of a total 700 points):
Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.
Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 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 consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Director and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.
The Consultant 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.
- Payment will be made upon submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating outputs achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.
Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):
Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs
Annex 2 - IC Contract Template
Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions
Annex 4 – RLA Template
Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org
The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.