Background

UNDP’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is fundamentally rooted in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, especially its principles of Equality and Non-Discrimination. It is also a key driver in the delivery of UNDP’s mission to “to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions”. To achieve this mission, UNDP developed the People for 2030 Strategy (“People for 2030”) which aims to progressively transform UNDP’s culture and capacity to deliver more and better results – enabling the organization to successfully deliver its mission.

People for 2030 includes a commitment to strengthening a future-ready and inclusive workplace, focusing on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). To support these efforts BMS/OHR is launching a flagship “Speak Up Culture” initiative.  

The efforts UNDP is investing in further diversifying its already global and multi-cultural workforce will be enhanced through this initiative. In building diverse teams, psychological safety, trust and belonging become paramount. When diverse opinions, experiences and knowledge can be leveraged without fear, more personnel will feel empowered to share alternative and innovative perspectives that benefit the organization, enabling better service delivery and building stronger partnerships.

UNDP’s Speak Up Culture initiative will introduce and catalyze the key cultural elements that will strengthen UNDP as an inclusive workplace. The introduction of Speak Up Culture elements will underpin UNDP’s broader Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy, and will also accelerate People for 2030 efforts.

To support Speak Up, and bolster ongoing cultural change efforts, the Office of Human Resources is seeking an individual consultant (IC) who would serve as a Social and Behavior Change Communications specialist (SBCC), to design, develop and deliver organizational behavior change communication products.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Speak Up Culture Initiative will be delivered through a combination of interventions. The initiative will be delivered through the adoption of both a new platform for hosting safe space conversations, as well as an internal communications initiative which will drive traffic to the safe spaces platform and begin activating inclusive behaviors across UNDP’s workforce. 

The purpose of this consultancy is to design communication approaches and products that encourage staff to speak up and take advantage of the Safe Space programs.    The consultant will drive demand for the safe space programme through the development of behavior change communications which will also catalyze the activation of inclusive principles UNDP’s workforce.

The specialized “Activating Inclusion” components of this communication package will build on best practice and specialized knowledge. SBCC will be instrumental to UNDP’s program success in creating shifts in norms, customs and behaviors. Similar principles will be relevant to successfully carrying out this assignment: beginning with a user centered research and design approach, leveraging creative media as a medium for storytelling, and establishing a learning transfer model. The SBCC Specialist will also develop and use SMART metrics to measure individual and organizational level effects and determine key communications success criteria for the implementation of the Speak Up Culture Initiative.

It’s important to note that this approach will be designed and implemented by the SBCC Specialist in consultation with the DEI team in the Office of Human Resources. Broadly, the following scope would be instrumental to the successful implementation of the initiative:

• Reviewing existing background documents and data on gap analysis to gain an understanding of UNDP’s current organizational culture as it relates to inclusive workplace best practices and approaches.

• Identifying the behavioral gaps and opportunities and unpacking the pathways towards transformation through user-centered design.

• Establishing a cultural transformation toolbox that will frame the efforts to create a speak up culture

• Building a communications transfer model that will ensure information and knowledge effectively translates into behaviors and competencies

Expected outputs and deliverables:

1. Based on user-centered design principles the consultant will develop a communication implementation plan for a Speak Up Culture Initiative which:

• Identifies effective communication pathways towards behavior change

• Identifies and describes the target audiences across UNDP, including a description of their specific learning/information needs with regards to Speaking Up and adopting the Safe Space Programmes depending on the roles they will play.

• Develops a set of communication objectives which ensure delivery of agreed outcomes

• Designs media and communication tools for achieving outcome

• 2.. In line with the proposed communications plan the consultant will also:

• Leverage best practice graphic design principles to develop a culture transformation toolbox which includes a “Speak Up – Safe Spaces” visual identity.

• Design Speak Up communication assets to drive use of Safe Spaces Programme and increase adoption of Speak Up behaviors, these will include such as social media graphics, images, illustrations, posters, animations etc.

• In collaboration with the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), deploy Speak Up communication assets through existing internal channels

• Submit a summary project report, outlining achievement of agreed objectives against key success metrics and propose recommendations for further future action.

The IC will be expected to provide the above deliverables in accordance with the following timetable:

Competencies

Core values:

• Adherence to UN values (respect for diversity, integrity and professionalism) and ethical standards

• Cultural, gender, religion, race, age sensitivity

Required core competencies:

Achieve Results

• Demonstrates focus on achieving quality results and impact.

• Efficiently establishes appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish goals.

• Holds self and others accountable for results.

Think Innovatively

• Seeks patterns and clarity outside, across and beyond boxes and categories, resists false certainty and simplistic binary choices.

• Looks beyond conventional approaches and established methods.

• Proposes new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems.

Engage and Partner

• Demonstrates and encourages teamwork and co-creation, internally and externally, to achieve joint objectives and results.

Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.

• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

• Understands and appreciates issues from the perspective of others.

• Treats all individuals with respect, considers ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people.

• Demonstrates honesty and transparency.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent analytical skills

• Strong networking skills

• Strong inter-personal skills, communicate effectively with staff at all levels of the organization

• Ability to work in a highly pressured environment

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications and certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in communications and marketing or social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, or organizational development, cultural anthropology or related fields

• Certification in behavior change communications or change management or organizational design or instructional design is an asset.

Experience:

Minimum qualifications:

• 10 years of experience in Behavior Change Communications or Change Management or Organizational Design

• At least ten years of relevant experience in developing and designing strategic communications, including the production and publishing/dissemination/airing of communication products using various media for global audiences

• Demonstrable experience in design of diverse communication media assets, graphic design and/or branding and marketing for global audiences

• Experience in inclusive and accessible design is desirable

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;

• Fluency in Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

 Application Procedure

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

1. A letter with a brief description of why the applicant considers themselves the most suitable for the assignment. (Required)

2. Professional CV or P11, indicating all 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. (Required)

3. A portfolio of most recent work including at least two (2) examples of behavior change assets (Required)

Note: All the above documents need to be uploaded together and put in a single zip folder. The portfolio and work examples can be integrated as weblinks.

Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount per deliverable, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.

• 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.

• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel.

• 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 in a higher class they should do so using their own resources.

• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and they expect their employers to charge a management fee in the process of releasing them 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.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER:

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. Ten (10) years of experience in Organizational Behavior Change Communications or Change Management or Organizational Design. Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 15;

• Criteria 2. At least ten (10) years of relevant experience in developing and designing strategic communications, including the production and publishing/dissemination/airing of communication products using various media for global audiences.  Weight = 20 %; Maximum Points: 15;

• Criteria 3. Demonstrable experience in design of diverse communication media assets, graphic design and/or branding and marketing for global audiences (evaluated through portfolio and work examples). Weight = 15 %; Maximum Points: 15 and

• Interview: Weight = 25 %; Maximum Points 25

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three shortlisted candidates for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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 consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Officer, at BMS/OHR and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

Payment modality

• Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above and 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.