UNDP Jobs - 82329- Consultant on Employment

Consultant on Employment

Location :

Istanbul, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

14-Dec-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

02 January 2019 – 31 December 2020

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately 450 working days

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

UNDP works in more than 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. 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 spread development successes and best practices in the region and to improve the impact of UNDP’s work through effective communications and advocacy.

In addressing the chronic and fundamental economic, social and labour market challenges in the ECIS region, UNDP advocates for growth, which is broad-based, inclusive and sustainable. This approach is also featured prominently in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In its programming, advisory and advocacy activities the Sustainable Development Team (SDT) promotes integrated approaches that tackle the interconnected issues of multidimensional poverty, inequality and exclusion. It focuses on strengthening the nexus between social, environmental and economic sustainability, access to full and productive employment and decent work for all.

In line with the principles underpinning the SDGs, IRH SDT is actively promoting integrated, whole-of-government and transformative approaches to tackling unemployment, underemployment, and the very large shares of informal, precarious and vulnerable employment in the region. In our analytical, advisory and programming work, we have been actively cultivating partnerships to explore new ways of ensuring more inclusive growth patterns, while fully respecting the principle of “leaving no-one behind”.

In this respect, in partnership with our development partners we are supporting the countries’ efforts to enhance capacities of institutions, to meet the challenges emerging from the restructuring of the economy and transformation of labour markets, but also supporting governments to enable integration into the labour market of particularly vulnerable groups e.g. people with disabilities, rural women experiencing multiple forms of discrimination, very long-term unemployed.

The consultancy will be based within the Sustainable Development Cluster of the Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH).

Duties and Responsibilities

The specific tasks of this consultancy are to support the Sustainable Development Cluster in its work in the area of employment, in particular supporting the work related to promoting inclusive labour markets and sustainable job-creation.
Under the supervision of the Project Manager of Promoting Inclusive Labour Market Solutions in the Western Balkans Project (ILMS II), the consultant will be responsible to:

support the ILMS II Project by producing knowledge products related to sub-regional components and, where needed, advising UNDP Country Offices in project’s country-level activities;
Contribute to the design, conceptualizationof IRH Sustainable Development Cluster’s activities in cooperation with other IRH teams and other UN agencies related to labour markets and inclusive growth.
undertake comparative reviews of the relevant integrated approaches to employment and social policy in the Western Balkans and CIS countries for promoting inclusive labour markets;
conduct a sub-regional research on local priorities and objectives regarding inclusive employment, active labour market policies and integrated service delivery;
conduct desk research of data from official statistics or alternative sources of proxy data on the vulnerabilities and barriers to employment of specific groups (unemployed youth, rural women, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, rural population);
draft background analytical papers for the policy events and workshops to be organized under the ILMS II project;
conduct a research of innovative practices (financing schemes, tools, support systems) at national and local level to promote employment and business startup of youth;
conduct an assessment of information and service gaps, which create barriers to employment for the vulnerable groups;
produce knowledge products with infographics including quantitative and qualitative data, undertake data analysis with labour market statistics where needed;

Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: comparative monitoring report of territorial employment partnerships and integrated service delivery for the users of public employment and social welfare services in the Western Balkans;
Deliverable 2: Six country profiles in the Western Balkans and the CIS providing an overview of the employment related challenges linked to informality, vulnerability and inequality of unemployed women, youth, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, rural population, including SDG 8 and related indicators;
Deliverable 3: thematic stock-taking and monitoring reports on inter-institutional collaboration for the achievement of SDGs in the Western Balkans and the CIS with other UN agencies especially ILO;
Deliverable 4: a comparative report including a guideline for the establishment, governance and institutionalization and alternative financing models in territorial employment pacts;
Deliverable 5: Mid-year review note of the Promoting inclusive labour market solutions in the Western Balkans project;
Deliverable 6: final reports synthesizing the proceedings of training workshops and policy consultations events organized under the ILMS II project or by the IRH Sustainable Development Cluster;
Deliverable 7: Collection of evidences exploring the progress in project activities of ILMS IIaccording to the workplan including stakeholder and problem analyses;
Deliverable 8: second mid-year review note of the Promoting inclusive labour market solutions in the Western Balkans project;
Deliverable 9: monitoring report on the impact of territorial employment pacts and integrated case management on the achievement of SDG 8 and interconnected goals in the Western Balkans in the context of ILMS II project;
Deliverable 10: second annual progress report of ILMS II project illustrating the progress in project activities according to the workplan and updated stakeholder and problem analysesDeliverable 11: background and progress report on the institutionalization of ICM in the ILMS II project countries/territory;
Deliverable 12: collation, clustering, editing and final review of knowledge products to be shared with Regional Cooperation Council ESAP.

Payment Schedule:

Installment 1 - 10% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 1, indicative date: 2 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 2 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 2, indicative date: 4 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 3 - 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 3, indicative date: 6 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 4 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 4, indicative date: 8 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 5 - 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 5, indicative date: 10 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 6 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 6, indicative date: 12 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 7 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 7, indicative date: 14 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 8 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 8, indicative date: 16 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 9 - 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 9, indicative date: 18 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 10 - 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 10, indicative date: 20 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 11 – 8% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 11, indicative date: 22 months after the start of the contract;
Installment 12 – 10% upon confirmation by the Certifying Officer of satisfactory delivery of Deliverable 12, indicative date: 24 months after the start of the contract;

Travel:
This is an assignment with no envisaged travel. In the case of unforeseen travel is requested by the supervisors, the unforeseen travel costs will be paid separately as per UNDP rules and regulations.

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;

Functional competencies:

Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities;
Strong organizational skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Master’s degree in economy, or international development studies

Experience:

At least two years of work experience required on employment, social inclusion or social protection issues in the Western Balkans
Experience in regional project management including design, implementation, monitoring and reporting
Experience in interpretation and management of labour market and social exclusion data through quantitative data analysis softwares
Experience in designing and implementing activation policy interventions for unemployed or inactive communities

Language skills:

Language proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.
Knowledge of Russian shall be considered 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:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11 desk review) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

Criteria A (Relevance of education)– max points: 5
Criteria B (Experience in employment, social inclusion or social protection issues in Western Balkans) – max points: 5
Criteria C (Experience in regional project management including design, implementation, monitoring and reporting) – max points: 5
Criteria D (Interpretation and management of labour market and social exclusion data) – max points: 2,5 ;
Criteria E (Experience in designing and implementing activation policy interventions for unemployed or inactive communities)– max points: 5
Criteria F (Russian Language): max 2,5
Criteria G: Writing samples on inclusive labour markets in Western Balkans – max points: 10

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points.

Only candidates who will receive min. 70% of points in desk review (criteria A-F) will be invited for written samples evaluation. Only candidates who will get min. 70% of points in technical evaluation (criteria A-G) will be considered for financial evaluation.

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 or CV including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded fromhttp://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc);
Financial Proposal* in USD - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a) a total amount for tasks specified in this announcement and b) travel costs to join the duty station/repatriation travel
Please provide two (2) writing samples on inclusive labour markets in Western Balkans. Please either provide links or upload your writing samples with other required documents as a single PDF, Applications without sample will not be considered.
Offeror’s Letter (blank template can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/2KO1okS).
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 during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.

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.