Background
“Creating Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Women in India” (Disha) is a multi-year partnership project between United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and India Development Foundation (IDF), supported by IKEA Foundation. Project Disha aims to reach out and enable one million underprivileged women in India through training, employment and entrepreneurship skills development, as well as development of a new model of public private collaboration that can be adapted and replicated across India. The project activities are implemented across four states of India viz. NCR Delhi & Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. The project works in close partnership with GOI Ministries and departments, public and private organizations especially skilling institutes, employers and livelihood organizations to facilitate job placement and entrepreneurship activities among young women.
Since the start of the ‘Proof of the Concept’ phase in October 2015, more than 100 pilots have been designed and more than twenty pilots completed and fifty pilots are in various stages of completion. The lessons from these pilots, evaluated during the mid-term review and the strategic review in 2017, led to the creation of four concrete models that cuts across the three verticals (bridging the information gap, skills to job and entrepreneurship). They are briefly summarized below:
- Model 1: Creation of career guidance and counselling framework in government schools and colleges to enable girls from the under-privileged sections make and pursue informed and inspired career choices.
- Model 2: Creation of ‘employment bazaar or marketplace’ in unserved smaller towns and semi-urban areas which according to a recent McKinsey report have scope for large traction in terms of employment and/or apprenticeship sourcing.
- Model 3: Micro-enterprise in rural areas and self-employment in urban areas responding to the preference of women with domestic responsibilities for local sources of livelihood as well as the opportunities arising of changing lifestyle, especially in urban areas.
- Model 4: Enterprise opportunities through value chain linkages with the organized sector in areas such as agri-produce, handlooms and garments, and artisanal products. These areas are the mainstay of livelihood for women in the non-formal sector.
Over the past two years the project has evolved substantially and it now requires focusing on delivering in accordance with the models developed. There is a clear mandate on institutionalizing these models into the government and/or the corporate sector while leveraging resources to ensure sustainability.
Considering that the scope of the project is manifold and extends beyond traditional partners/sectors, project Disha seeks to engage a senior Consultant to provide guidance to the State team in designing of innovative pilots/activities and implementation of pilots.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Skills and Business Development, UNDP and in coordination with the Senior Programme Advisor and Project Analyst, the Coordinator will perform the following responsibilities-
- Provide overall coordination to the Project Management Unit for the implementation of the project in the implementing states to achieve project goals;
- Provide technical support to the state teams placed in the NCR Delhi and Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana to design pilots, in accordance to the four models and the Theory of Change(TOC);
- Coordinate with other Disha project partners like India Development Foundation (IDF) to ensure that the proposed pilot(s) are robust and approved as per the Theory of Change (TOC) of the project;
- Conduct and support the state teams to achieve the targets with regular monitoring and follow ups;
- Conduct field visits across the project state extensively, provide support to the state teams in assessing on-ground implementation by the implementing partners and conduct review meetings to identify the gaps, provide inputs/feedback and suggest course correction, as necessary;
- Coordinate program related meetings like Team Meetings, Pilot Review and Approval Committee (PRAC) meeting, and others, and prepare associated documents;
- Provide programmatic support to the head office team in terms of preparing AWP’s of the project, annual reporting; pilot briefs and other related document to support reporting (technical and financial), specially for Donor and UNDP;
- Any other related tasks consistent with the level of the post and/or assigned by the Project Manager;
Expected Deliverables:
- Robust pilots designed to support testing of the four models, conforming to the Theory of Change (TOC) of the project in close coordination with State teams and experts;
- Period monitoring reports generated from the on-going pilots, including proceedings from review meetings and field visits;
- Overall Quarterly progress reports (consolidated) and Annual report prepared on the achievement of the overall project targets;
- Reports from PRAC and other meetings prepared and shared across the project;
- Good practices and lessons learnt documented and shared from pilots in coordination with the Knowledge Management Officer (KMO) at IDF;
Travel:
The consultant will undertake travel to the implementing states to consult with the state teams, governments, industry and the implementing partners after getting travel plans approved by the Chief, Skills and Business Development, UNDP.
Competencies
Functional Competencies:
Building and managing strategic partnerships
- Identifies common interests and goals and carries out joint initiatives with partners;
- Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationship, partnerships and alliances with governments, private sector, foundations and other agenciesl;
- Makes effective use of resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships.
Advocacy
- Brings visibility and sensitizes decision makers to relevant emerging issues;
- Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work.
Client Orientation
- Demonstrates an understanding of client / partner / donor perspective and strives for high quality client oriented services;
- Establishes smooth relationship and enabling environment between clients and service providers.
Leadership and Management
- Is results driven, solution oriented and can work under pressure;
- Ability to identify problems, propose solutions and take immediate corrective measures.
Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
Results based management
- Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals
- Demonstrates ability to generate innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations
- Ability to work independently and with minimum supervision
Required Skills and Experience
Required Experiences, Competencies and Skills
Applicants shall demonstrate sufficient capacities to carryout activities to a high standard. The successful applicants will have:
- At least a Master’s Degree in social science, development studies, business management or relevant field;
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a mid-management level of responsibility in managing high value projects at the state or national level.
- Experience in development sector/gender/livelihood, skill development, enterprise development and/or related fields is desirable.
- Experience in engaging with senior management in a bi-lateral/multi-lateral organisations, government, private sector;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Strong interpersonal skills, networking and managerial capacity;
- Ability to multitask and monitor several projects on a regular basis;
- Ability to take initiative to develop new strategies;
- Excellent inter-personal and technical communication (oral, written and visual) skills with high level English language writing skills are essential;
Core skills:
- Sound knowledge of project management tools and utilises these regularly in work and assignments;
- Strong evidence of team management experience and proven ability to foster team building;
Evaluation Criteria
The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as Responsive to the requirement. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation;
• Technical Criteria weight - 70%;
• Financial Criteria weight – 30 %
Technical Criteria (70% of total evaluation)
- Prior work experience at a mid-management level in the development sector/ private sector/ bilateral/multilateral agencies with exposure to Donor related projects – 10%
- Knowledge of project management tools and procedures to achieve project goals at the state or national level - 30%
- Experience in engaging with senior management in the private sector/Government/ bilateral/multilateral agencies and demonstrates ability for resource mobilisation in the past - 20%
- Demonstrated ability to multitask and monitor multiple projects - 10%
Financial Criteria: (30% of the total evaluation) based on the total all-inclusive lump sum amount for professional fee for tasks specified in this announcement
Note:
- Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone, relocation charges etc. would not be reimbursed;
- Travel, lodging and boarding as per UNDP rules subject to prior approval
- Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual
- Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered.
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