Antecedentes

Data revolution is an essential cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with data considered to be one of the fundamental pillars of the accountability framework of the Agenda. However, online access to quality data in the Arab region remains difficult. Data and knowledge resources on development issues in the Arab region are often outdated, unreliable, and fragmented across multiple international, regional and local sources. When available, access to credible and official data is burdensome. By having access to and effectively using data, individuals, firms and communities in  the Arab region can become more actively and meaningfully engaged in rethinking development policies, taking fact-based positions, or leading on entrepreneurial initiatives, thereby contributing to  the sustainable development of their countries and regions. 

The Arab Development Portal (ADP) is an initiative of the Coordination Group of Arab, National and Regional Development Institutions (CG) to create a knowledge platform to promote timely and high-quality knowledge and advance data-driven analysis and debates, advocacy and policy-making in the Arab region.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) launched                the ADP http://arabdevelopmentportal.com on 25 April 2016, as a bilingual data warehouse and knowledge platform offering data and knowledge on 14 development topics in the Arab region based on national and international sources. The primary target audiences for the ADP include decision-makers in the public sector, private sector, academia, media and civil society with an active interest in development efforts in the Arab region.

Leveraging on big data technology, the ADP data portal was revamped in March 2018 to enhance the research experience of users enabling them to search for, visualize, extract, share and therefore analyze and create content based on official statistics. The ADP has also expanded its database to enhance its thematic coverage of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and launched the first regional SDGs Tracking Tool] in the Arab region, offering a multi-level SDG monitoring framework based on the global indicators, but also on national indicators and targets identified in national development plans of Arab countries. ADP currently offers data users a multi-source and bilingual database hosting 14 thematic topics and more than 6,500 unique indicators accessible through advanced data browsing and visualization options.

[1] The ADP SDGs Tracking Tool is a regional platform that attempts to simplify the seemingly complex nature of the SDGs monitoring framework, it offers (1) a quantitative analysis facility and data visualization tool that offers multi-country comparison and automatically show benchmark and target values/years (if available) and (2) a report builder that generates two types of automated reports.

Deberes y responsabilidades

The Arab Development Portal (ADP) Project at UNDP is looking to recruit a “Senior Editor and Digital Content Specialist” to play a key role in producing high-quality and aggregated content on the economies of the Arab region or on the region as a whole to be posted on the portal and social media platforms, while reaching out to online influencers, expanding the stakeholders’ base and contributing to the organization of a high-level policy forum.  The consultant will:

• Co-lead the development of the ADP Quarterly Newsletter and Annual Review Report (around 4 pages) in close coordination with the ADP Project Manager:

• Propose design and content;
• Draft Q3-2019 Quarterly Newsletter and Annual Review Report for 2019 (statistical input to be provided by the ADP research team);
• Draft a short documentation that includes systematic guidelines on how to produce the Quarterly and Annual Review newsletters and report;
• Design and implement a dissemination strategy that targets 70 influential experts/media outlets concerned with or disseminating knowledge on the economies of the Arab region.

• Contribute to the organization of the High-Level Policy Forum:

• Draft a concept note for the ADP High-Level Policy Forum and develop a detailed agenda and a list of suggested speakers (at least 6):
• Reach out to media partners and speakers;
• Produce media and digital content (including a press release and news article that highlights the discussions and conclusions, script of short promo spot highlighting recommendations and discussions, and related content);
• Proactively identify trending stories and pitch story ideas for blog topics (> 20 topics);
• Identify and reach out to new bloggers (>15 bloggers) and network of online influencers (targeting at least 70 Twitter accounts) concerned with development.

Competencias

IV. Key Competencies:

• Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Functional
• Excellent writings skills
• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks and work under pressure;
  • Knowledge Management and Learning
• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Judgment/Decision-Making
• Mature judgment and initiative.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

• The individual is required to exhibit his or her full-time commitment with UNDP-RBAS during the number of working days specified in the contract;
• S/He shall perform tasks under the general guidance and direct supervision of the ADP Project Manager. The supervision of the Project Manager will include approvals/acceptance of the outputs as identified in the previous section;
• The individual is expected to liaise and collaborate in the course of performing the work with other consultants, suppliers and UN colleagues;
• The individual is required to maintain close communication with UNDP-RBAS on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress. In the event of any delay, S/he will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly;
• Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, reviews or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work.

DURATION OF THE WORK

The duration of the work is expected to be 50 working days from contract signature date, over a period of 6 months.

DUTY STATION

This is a home-based assignment.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR

I. Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, journalism or communications or any other related field.

II. Work experience:

• Minimum 7 years of previous working experience in journalism and writing features related to the Arab region and/or global economy.
• Previous experience working for the UN is an advantage.
• Previous relevant experience in demonstrating ability in editing a comprehensive regional report.

RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit the required information will not be considered.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, including references to how she/he will approach and complete the assignment.

Interested candidates shall submit above documents to the Job Advertisement Website: https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.cfm  as one document not later than 29 June 2019.

Interested candidates can find Procurement notice, letter of confirmation of interest and availability and P11 http://procurement-notices.undp.org/

Please do not submit financial proposal in this stage.  Financial proposal shall be requested from Candidates who are considered technically responsive

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Applications will be first screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum requirements will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

1. Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, journalism or communications or any other related field.
2. Minimum 7 years of previous working experience in journalism and writing features related to the Arab region and/or global economy.
3. Language proficiency in English.

Technical evaluation Criteria max 100 points (Weighted 70):

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, journalism or communications or any other related field (30 points);
• 7 years of previous working experience in journalism and writing features related to the Arab region and/or global economy (30 points);
• Language proficiency in English (10 points);
• Previous relevant experience in demonstrating ability in editing a comprehensive regional report; (20 points).
• Previous experience working for the UN (10 points).

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation

For those offers considered in the financial evaluation, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula:

(PI / Pn)* 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Step II: Final evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of the desk review and the financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

Financial Criteria weight: [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER

This selection criteria will follow the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%; using the following evaluation criteria