UNDP Jobs - 75243- Vetted Experts Roster: Sustainable Development: So

Vetted Experts Roster: Sustainable Development: Social Protection and Social Inclusion

Location :

home-based with possible missions

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

05-Nov-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

The Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) is UNDP’s main knowledge and advisory hub for the Europe and CIS Region (ECIS). It aims to connect the region to a global network of development experts, to build knowledge and capacity, and to forge partnerships to meet the development challenges of a large and diverse region. IRH also aims to capture and disseminate development successes and best practices in the region and to improve the impact of UNDP’s work through effective communications and advocacy.

In order to achieve these aims, the IRH employs a team of in-house policy advisers and specialists, backed by an extensive roster of outside experts. Programme advisers and specialists provide demand-driven advisory services, access to knowledge, and technical backstopping to RBEC country offices. Their specific services include diagnostic missions, on-site support to UNDP Country offices principally in programme identification and preparation, evaluations, expert referrals, capacity development, training and applied research. They may also be responsible for leading and managing the regional practice work through communities of practice (COP) in their respective areas of expertise.

The Sustainable Development Team provides support to the process of nationalizing, implementing and monitoring the global 2030 sustainable development agenda. It also covers the thematic areas of employment and inclusive growth, green economies and green jobs, social protection and social inclusion, as well as poverty and inequality measurement.

UNDP IRH invites applications from qualified experts to establish a roster of consultants to work on various consultancy assignments in the region.
The roster will include consultants/experts in:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Poverty and Inequality
Employment and Inclusive Growth
Private Sector and Trade,
Social Protection and Social Inclusion
Roma Inclusion

These TORs are for Consultants Wishing to be Considered for the Roster for the Thematic Area of “Social Protection and Social Inclusion”:Social Protection and Social Inclusion

Social Protection and Social Inclusion

Most countries in the ECIS region inherited comprehensive social protection frameworks from the Soviet and Yugoslav systems. However, since the early 1990s, social protection systems in these countries have faced huge challenges, in the form of large declines in GDP and formal employment, the collapse of pre-transition federal institutions, the prevalence of armed conflict, and the adoption of market-based platforms for delivering socially sensitive goods and services (e.g., education, health, food, transport). Shrinking public finance and attempts to transition to market based economy, in combination with different understandings of the role social protection should play influenced most ECIS countries to initiate social protection reforms.

Overall, it can be said that the social protection systems in the region have generally remained universal in theory, while in practice large gaps in their scope, access, adequacy, quality and sustainability have been fully exposed. Their ability to address ‘old’ social risks (poverty, old age, disability, sickness, childhood, maternity and unemployment) is reduced, and the capacity to address ‘new’ risks (long term poverty, persistent and structural unemployment, underemployment, care services, growing inequalities and impact of disaster and climate change induced shocks) is in embryonic state of development.

UNDP understands social protection as a set of nationally owned policies and instruments that provide income support and facilitate access to goods and services by all households and individuals at least at minimally accepted levels to protect them from deprivation and social exclusion, particularly during periods of insufficient income, incapacity or inability to work. This includes not only protection from economic deprivation, but also protection from various inter-linked forms of deprivation, from discrimination and violations of different rights (for example to employment, to community living, etc) support for development of a range of community based social services.

There is increased recognition in the ECIS region about the need for social protection to move from preventive and provisional roles (i.e. provision of ‘a safety-net’) towards more promotional and transformational roles which would require a set of policies, programmes and practices that can transform people’s lives, help combat inequalities and build the resilience of vulnerable individuals, families and communities. Such interventions stem from the rights-based approach to social protection and are cross-sectoral. They require integration of social inclusion principles in employment, educational, health, energy and environment, disasters and risk reduction, gender equality policies.
Social inclusion interventions that contribute to transformative role of social protection include: i) social risks and needs assessment and policy response planning (aligning needs and services); ii) re-shaping legislation, policies and public services; iii) design and promotion of innovative and integrated social services, including through optimisation of welfare mix of providers (state, non-for-profit and private) and through creation of links with other sectors; and iv) empowerment of disadvantaged groups through skills and capacity expansion and self-advocacy.

Consultants on the Roster will be expected to be qualified to provide expertise on:

Integrated approaches to social protection: linking social protection with energy and environment, disaster risk reduction, gender and equality policies;
Design, introduction and financing of national social protection floors, and reporting on SDG 1.3 and other relevant targets
Alignment of social and employment policies
Design and financing of social services

Duties and Responsibilities

Consultants selected for the Roster will be working with UNDP Country Offices and/or the Istanbul Regional Hub on various assignments . The range of tasks can include:

Supports analytical work and research, focusing on Agenda 2030 and relevant nexus of Sustainable Development Goals and Social Protection Floor Initiative;
Compiles and analyse information (case studies) on country experiences on social protection and social policy reforms and draft related components of country reports and advocacy material (documents, internet platform material, etc.).
Contributes to review of legislation, policy, programmes/projects at the regional, national and local level;
Contributes to the development of relevant strategies, plans and programmes/projects;
Performs financial review of social protection systems; models financing implications of different policy scenarios from a poverty reduction and social inclusion perspective; including related to tax-benefit micro-simulation modelling;
Contributes to analysis and proposals for alternative financing options of some aspects of social protection;
Produces user- friendly technical guidance and policy documents
Contributes to the integration of social protection/ inclusion into national development strategies, and sectoral plans and programmes (on energy and environment, disaster risk reduction and others as needed);
Provides technical advice on social welfare service decentralization and development of ‘welfare mix’
Supports (re)design of institutional framework for effective and efficient implementation of social protection/ inclusion policies on national and sub-national level;
Supports implementation of concrete social inclusion interventions at national, sub-national and community-levels including, but not limited to: integrated social policy delivery (cash assistance, social services and support to labour market access);
Provides technical advice on decentralized and community based social service network planning; capacity development for social contracting, social services standards development
Supports capacity development for introduction of case management at national level
Designs and delivers various trainings for different actors (state institutions, private sector and non-governmental organisations) in the areas of social protection/ inclusion;
Supports development of toolkits, guidelines, publications in the area of social protection/ inclusion;
Contributes to the preparation and implementation of workshops and conferences
Supports establishment of strategic partnerships with relevant initiatives at the regional, national, sub-national and community-levels;
Captures and disseminates knowledge, experience, good practices and lessons learned in social protection/ inclusion;
Undertake any other duties that will ensure successful execution of this consultancy.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’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
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Functional competencies:

Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
Click or tap here to enter text.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master Degree in Social Science, Social Policy, Social Work, International Relations, Political Science or related field;
Relevant training in policy oriented research, social micro-simulation modelling, case management in social work, participatory evaluation is preferred

Experience:

At least 5 years’ experience in development work with specific emphasis on social protection and social policy;
Extensive experience in preparation of project proposal documents;
Experience in preparation of analytical reports;
Experience with the analysis, development, implementation and evaluation of social protection reforms and/or social inclusion policies on central and local levels, including sector-specific reforms is an asset.
Experience with development, monitoring and evaluation of social protection and social inclusion policies;
Experience with liaising and cooperating with government officials, civil society organizations, universities, research institutes, think tanks and private sector is an asset
Experience in the thematic area of social protection and social inclusion in ECIS countries (Central Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Caucasus ) and EU Enlargement Countries would be considered an asset;
Experience with EU social protection/inclusion policies would be considered an asset
Previous professional experience with the United Nations or similar organisations in this or a related field would be considered an asset;
Experience in conducting trainings is an asset.

Language skills:

Fluency in English is required
Fluency in Russian or any other language spoken in the region is an asset

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should 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 weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation
Only highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job based on the CV desk review (who will score at least 70%) will be considered for drafting and formulation skills evaluation.

Relevance of education – 5 points;
Years of professional experience working on social protection or social inclusion – max. 5 points
Relevance of proven professional and technical experience (skills) in social protection or social inclusion initiatives - max. 15 points;
Relevance of experience with the analysis, development, implementation and evaluation of social protection reforms and/or social inclusion policies on central and local levels, including sector-specific reforms – max. 10 points;
Relevance of experience with liaising and cooperating with government officials, civil society organizations, universities, research institutes, think tanks and private sector is an asset – max. 3 points;
Relevant regional knowledge and experience in the ECIS – max. 2,5 points;
Experience with EU social protection and policies would be considered an asset, 2, 5 points
experience with the United Nations or similar organisations in relevant area – max. 5 points;
Experience in conducting trainings – max. 5 points;
Fluency in English; 5
Fluency in Russian or other language spoken in the region is an asset– max. 2 points;

Proven drafting and formulation skills (based on the record of existing publications focused on poverty and inequality related areas) – max. 10 points (candidates can provide links to written samples of their work in relevant areas or send as attachment together with the P11 form , preferably in English. Publications in Russian language will also be accepted).

Only candidates who will receive at least 70% of points in technical evaluation (desk review and evaluation of written samples) will be considered for financial evaluation.

Financial Criteria – 30 % of total evaluation – max. 30 points.

Contracting Arrangements:
Successful candidates will be included into UNDP RBEC Vetted Experts Roster for Area of social protection/inclusion for the period of 3 years. Entry into the expert roster system does not necessarily mean that contract with UNDP is guaranteed. This will depend on forthcoming needs. During this period, IRH which manages the roster, can regularly follow up with consultants as well as UNDP offices in ECIS on their assignments. Financial proposal (daily fee in USD) provided by the consultant is the all-inclusive maximum daily fee payable and is bound to the period of 3 years (unless the consultant applies to the roster during its re-opening).

Profiles of roster members will be published at UNDP internal platform and accessible to UNDP IRH and Country Offices.
Where a request for services arises, the UNDP IRH or UNDP office will share a specific Terms of Reference (TOR) outlining specific services, outputs and timeline for that assignment with consultant(s) matching the requested profile and consultants will be requested to provide a price offer. A consultant offering a best value for money will be contracted.

Payments:
Payments will be made as specified in the actual contract upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
Financial Proposal* in USD – specifying all-inclusive maximum daily fee
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor (e.g. fee, health insurance, office supplies, communications, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...).

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.