Background

UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, along with the Pacific Office in Suva, primarily provide the 24 UNDP Country Offices in Asia and the Pacific with easy access to knowledge through high quality advisory services and technical support based on global applied research and UNDP lessons learnt. The second priority is to provide regional thought leadership, build partnerships and promote regional capacity building, which allow UNDP, governments and other development partners to identify, create and share knowledge relevant to solving urgent development challenges.

UNDP ensures inclusive and effective democratic governance by advocating, advising, fostering impartial spaces for dialogue, achieving consensus and building institutions. UNDP helps governance institutions in countries bring constitutional reforms, organize credible elections, strengthen parliaments, and address policy and institutional options for peace, risk-reduction and development through reconciliation, empowerment and inclusion.

Project Description 

UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub is addressing conflict prevention through multiple regional development initiatives. It has also been sustaining robust communication and knowledge management activities to contribute to UNDP’s delivery of strengthened peace and conflict-prevention results in the region. The Governance and Peacebuilding Team currently has a programme focusing on the prevention of violent extremism through the promotion of tolerance and respect for diversity in Asia.

Violent Extremism is a major challenge to peace and prosperity in many South-East Asian countries. Much of it based on a complex and often localized interaction between socio-economic, political, and individualized contexts. In the last few years the nature of violent extremism has undergone a change towards transnationalism and, despite its often localized context in long-standing existing conflicts, has attracted international actors. Developing counter-narratives to combat violent extremism has become a popular and relatively common method of countering the threat of violent extremism.  Preventing violent extremism in South East Asia requires understanding real-life stories from the ground and involving local-level communities at the heart of prevention efforts.

This project aims at reducing the vulnerability of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to violent extremism, reduce the danger of radicalization and increase the resilience of local communities and societies as a whole towards terrorist threats. The project has three outputs that will be implemented at both the regional and country level in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

One of the outcomes of this project is “strengthening community resilience”. At the heart of efforts to prevent violent extremism, it is critical to focus on empowering communities to address the social, political or economic marginalization that can act as a driver for radicalization.

To achieve this output, UNDP has a counter-narratives project called #ExtremeLives, a UNDP initiative that partners with Facebook in South-East Asia. This initiative explores themes related to radicalization, violent extremism and reintegration through conversation-style interviews with people in some way affected by violent extremism and is broadcast on Facebook Live. The aim is to bring the important stories that are not being told on violent extremism to a wider audience so more people can understand and contribute to prevention efforts. Everyday conversations are taking place within Asian societies that reject extremist interpretations of religion. This series will provide a platform for these narratives.

The second project under this output is the partnership with YouTube Creators for Change in Asia. This project aims to find, stimulate and showcase emerging online content creators and young role models presenting alternatives to extremism. ‘Creators for Change’ (1) strengthens ties between YouTube’s existing creator Ambassador network and emerging creators; (2) produces high-quality content to provide positive narratives in promoting tolerance and pluralism and; (3) increases the evidence base of the effectiveness counter-narrative initiatives in PVE; and (4) responds to various Youth, Peace and Security (UNSCR 2250) Regional Consultations recommendations.

In addition, the Bangkok Regional Hub has recently commissioned research that examines current dynamics and trends in violent extremism in Southeast Asia. This region-wide study will be conducted creating an up-to-date understanding of push and pull factors in Southeast Asia, featuring the stories and lessons of those who were once attracted to the ideologies of ISIS.

This will provide policymakers with currently unavailable information and data on sub-regional trends in Southeast Asia, and in-depth analysis of what works in terms of off-ramps for returnees and de-radicalization strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Preventing Violent Extremism Team is seeking the support of a consultant Communications Specialist to lead on these two counternarrative projects within the programme, focusing on an online, counter-narrative approach, and creating, building and reinforcing partnerships within UNDP, external private sector stakeholders, and donors. The consultant will also support the regional research project on communications, knowledge management, outreach tasks and corporate communications activities.

Scope of work:

Under the overall guidance of the Governance and Peace Building Advisor at the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Hub, the consultant Communications Specialist will be responsible for the following:

• Act as the primary focal point for the launch of the second year of the YouTube-UNDP partnership from a communications perspective, including creating digital content; planning, implementing and monitoring social media advocacy around this initiative; managing private-sector partnerships; supporting the coordination and communications around the Creators for Change Bootcamps and Academy programme, the coordination of the Creators for Change Summit 2019 plus social media advocacy around the event  (some international travel may be required).
• Lead the coordination and content management of the #ExtremeLives video series, including digital content creation and social media advocacy planning; knowledge management, including the management and maintenance of the webpage; and supporting the video production company on planning video narratives, supporting logistics,

The consultant Communications Specialist will also play a supporting role in the following:

• The creation of a social media strategy for the third season of #ExtremeLives
• The reporting of communications for the monthly newsletter sent to partners and other key stakeholders
• Other communications, knowledge management and outreach tasks required by the Bangkok Regional Hub

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to work towards the following work plan.                                  

Institutional Arrangement:

The Senior Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Asia-Pacific Governance and Peacebuilding Advisor, Governance and Peacebuilding Team, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub

This assignment is on a full-time basis with some travel required. The Consultant’s presence is required at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub premises to work closely with the Asia-Pacific Governance and Peacebuilding Advisor

Duration of the Assignment:

Up to a maximum of 160 working days. The period of the assignment is estimated to be from 13th May 2019 – 25th December 2019.

Duty Station:

The duty station will be Bangkok, with international travel to countries in Asia and the Pacific (Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia).

The Consultant’s presence is required at UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub premises to work very closely with the Asia-Pacific Governance and Peacebuilding Advisor.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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 favouritism.

Technical Competencies:

• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyse and synthesise complex, technical information;
• Proven ability to support the development of high quality knowledge and training materials, and to train technical teams;
• Proven experience in the developing country context and working in different cultural settings.

Communication:

• Communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism:

• Capable of working in a high pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Teamwork:

• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
• Focuses on results for the client;
• Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

The Communications Specialist should possess the following expertise and qualifications:

Essential:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Communications, Journalism, Multimedia, Literature, International Relations, or other related subjects in the arts and/or humanities;
• At least 2-3 years of experience working in communications, with demonstrable experience leading digital campaigns;
• Experience leading digital content creation, including shooting and editing video, graphic design
• Excellent/native command of written English.

Desirable:

• Experience leading the coordination of corporate events/conferences
• Experience writing persuasive copy for a range of audiences, including press releases, articles, blogs, newsletters;
• Experience managing webpage management platforms, such as Adobe CQ5 or WordPress;
• Excellent verbal communications skills
• Ability to complete tasks independently and take initiative, but also work well as part of a team;
• Ability to perform tasks in a timely manner, under pressure, and to tight deadlines;
• Previous relevant experience with UNDP or the broader UN system would be an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payment:

In accordance with the requirements above, the duration of this assignment is maximum days. Consultant should quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee in USD for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completing of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a time sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.  The provided living allowance will not be exceeding UNDP DSA rates. Repatriation travel cost from home to duty station in Bangkok and return shall not be covered by UNDP.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) having the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1:    Relevance of Education – max. 10 points
• Criteria 2:    Proven of fluency in English Language – max. 10 points
• Criteria 3:    Relevant experience in communications – max. 30 points
• Criteria 4:    Proven experiences in designing and implementing digital communications campaigns for initiative similar to #ExtremeLives and Creators for Change (E.g. digital content creation, social media planning) – max. 20 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the total technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Candidates wishing to be considered for this assignment are required to submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV or P11, 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;
• Financial Proposal that indicates the daily rate/fee of the candidate, in US dollars; Incomplete proposals may not be considered; please use the avialble form available in the link below:Annex III
• A sample of a social media campaign plan/ package led by the applicant;
• Online links to samples of digital multimedia content developed by the applicant, i.e. videos;
• Online links to samples of written work by the applicant.

ANNEXES

Annex I - TOR for Communications Specialist

Annex II- General Condition of Contract

Annex III - Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

Annex IV – P11 for ICs_(optional)

Annex V – Procurement Notice _ Communications Specialist

All documents can be downloaded at : http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=53999