INTERN - ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA)

Level : I-1
Job ID : 44170
Job Network :
Job Family : Internship
Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
Duty Station : NAIROBI
Deadline : 7/3/2015

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INTERN - PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT - UNEP Science, Assessment and Monitoring (SAM)

Level : I-1
Job ID : 43885
Job Network :
Job Family : Internship
Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
Duty Station : MONTREAL
Deadline : 7/1/2015

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International Consultant for Evaluability Assessment of UN One Programme II in Pakistan - Islamabad

The overall objective of undertaking the Evaluability Assessment is to enable the Government of Pakistan and the UNCT to evaluate OPII in a coherent, effective and efficient manner while upholding the principles of national ownership, leadership and mutual accountability. Guided by the Delivering as One (DaO) and UN Programming Principles, the Evaluability Assessment (EA) of OPII aims to determine and identify all the gaps in information necessary to be filled for effective planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the programme, i.e. at the level of joint outcomes and joint outputs, at federal and provincial levels as relevant.

Scope:

The Evaluability Assessment is expected to cover the following aspects and issues with regard to OPII:

The robustness of the planned results (RRF), indicators, baselines and targets and corresponding activities (in annual work plans) of OPII in establishing the horizontal and vertical logic in accordance with UNDG RBM principles and guidelines;The quality and availability of credible and timely data and information on OPII indicators, baselines, targets and time frame;The adequacy of the institutional mechanisms in place, as per the principles of DaO, to facilitate and support OPII planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national and provincial levels;Accountabilities of stakeholders at various level in relation to planning, implementation and oversight;Ensure coherence with resilience principles.

In view of the above, the scope and coverage of Evaluability Assessment will be limited only to OPII in terms of its design, information (related to its results matrix) and the institutional context and processes supporting its implementation.

Process

The OPII Evaluability Assessment shall be conducted involving all stakeholders, including government agencies, the UN, civil society and beneficiaries, as and when relevant.

The following processes and products constitute the deliverables (also see Annex I for a Sample of Guide Questions related to the processes):

Hold an inception discussion with key stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the scope, objectives and methodology of the Evaluability Assessment;Conduct a desk review of literature, processes and systems regarding OPII;Structured interviews with stakeholders;A short opinion survey (Survey Monkey) engaging stakeholders;Focus group discussions; andConsultative meetings and workshops with the concerned parties and stakeholders.

The consultant can also devise and propose other relevant assessments methods deemed necessary in view of the conduciveness of the context which shall be discussed, agreed and included in the final Inception Report of the assessment.

Deliverables

The Evaluability Assessment of OPII shall result into the following concrete results which are actionable to remedy any flaws in OPII institutional mechanisms, planning process, financial and results matrices. The following deliverables are expected from the Evaluability Assessment:

An Inception Report (including workplan/design/methodology) for the Assessment detailing out the execution plan for the assessment;A comprehensive Evaluability Assessment Report of OPII including recommendations;A draft action plan underlining the specific measures that the UNCT needs to take to address the shortfalls in OPII with regard to its evaluability, delivery and accounting for results.

Indicative Work Flow and Time Frame

The Evaluability Assessment shall be carried out during October 2014-January 2015 for a duration of approximately 90 working days including the inception period, data collection and analyses, meetings, report writing and field visits, if required. In discussion with the RCO, the consultant hired shall detail out the timeframe by deliverables and specific activities/actions required to achieve them in the Inception Report adhering to the broad schedule of activities as follows:

Phase – 1 Preparatory phase:

Time Frame 10 days

Inception/ scoping mission for the Evaluability Assessment;Agreement on methodology and detailed work plan;Participate at the initial stakeholder meeting to launch the Evaluability Assessment exercise.

Phase – 2 Review of documents/ Information gathering:

Time Frame 35 days

Review of documents, reports, supporting materials;Meetings/ workshops/ consultations with relevant stakeholders;Finalize interview questionnaires with key stakeholders;Field visits.

Phase – 3 Data Analysis:

Time Frame 25 days

Undertake validation and analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data acquired from desk review and field visits;Advise and ensure storage of the validated/verified data in UN MIS One View/OPII Portal for M/E purpose;Any other suggested activity.

Phase – 4 Preparation/ finalization of the Evaluability Assessment Report with Recommendations:

Time Frame – 20 days

Preparation of the draft report;Presentation of draft findings/ report to PME/ PMT;Finalization of the Report based on feedback from PMT, PME and other relevant stakeholders;Submission of final report to PME.

Management Arrangements:

The organization and management arrangements for the conduct of OPII Evaluability Assessment will be as follows:

Evaluability Management Team (EMT): Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and   PME Chair  – The RCO will manage and take the operational responsibility for the implementation of the Evaluability Assessment with recruitment of the consultant, facilitation of his/her work, finalization and publication of the Evaluability Assessment Report.  The EMT will also help ensure necessary cooperation from all counterparts and key stakeholders to meet with the consultant and provide correct and appropriate information and the required data in a timely fashion;Technical Oversight by Reference Group (RG): The RG will be formed with representation from the PME group and key stakeholders, government counterparts and civil society. The RG will act as the technical oversight body for the Evaluability Assessment - reviewing and approving the Inception Report, work schedule, draft Evaluability Assessment Report which will then be submitted to the PMT and UNCT respectively for their review, comments and approval;Stakeholder Consultations: At the federal level, the Economic Affairs Division and other concerned government partners and agencies will be engaged through the existing channels of communication and mechanism. At the provincial level, the PSC co-chairs and UN PPT mechanisms will be consulted and engaged through field visits and provincial work. As stakeholders, the relevant CSO(s) may also be engaged in the consultations both at the national and provincial levels.

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South Sudan: Food Security and Livelihoods (market assessment) Consultant Maban, Upper Nile, South Sudan

Organization: Danish Refugee Council
Country: South Sudan
Closing date: 30 Oct 2014

Background

The Danish Refugee Council has been in South Sudan since 2004 mainly working with returning refugees and internally displaced persons returning home after a long civil war. In 2012, DRC opened its operations in Upper Nile State (Maban County) to respond to the large influx of refugees coming from Blue Nile State in Sudan. In early 2013 DRC expanded its operations to Unity State, by setting up a new refugee camp, Ajuong Thok, to welcome refugees relocated from Yida as well as new arrivals from South Kordofan. Apart from building the new camp, DRC is responsible in Ajuong Thok for: Camp Management, Shelter, NFI distributions and Community Services. (...)

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Kenya: Consultant, Leading in Assessment of Youth Friendly Services in East and Southern Africa Region

Organization: International Planned Parenthood Federation
Country: Kenya
Closing date: 26 Sep 2014

Background Today, nearly half of the world's population is under the age of 25 years. This is the largest generation of young people the world has ever known. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region of the world where the number of young people continues to grow substantially. Together with declining fertility rates in most countries this creates an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty, but only if nations make the right investments in the current and future generations. A healthy transition into adulthood is directly related to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other development goals. (...)

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Consultant - Drug Prevention Programme Assessment

This vacancy is advertised by UNDP
Duty Station: Lagos, NIGERIA
Level: National Consultant Contract type: - (More info about Levels and Contracts)

Closing date: 1970-01-01

Do not contact the UN Job List with questions regarding specific vacancies. Thanks

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The vacancy is online since: 2014-09-04
Days online: 12 Total views: 3

   

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Provision of Individual Consultancy Services for the Assessment of the Street Lighting in Lebanon

This vacancy is advertised by UNDP
Duty Station: Beirut, LEBANON
Level: International Consul Contract type: - (More info about Levels and Contracts)

Closing date: 1970-01-01

Do not contact the UN Job List with questions regarding specific vacancies. Thanks

Apply to this job on the UNDP site now!

The vacancy is online since: 2014-09-04
Days online: 12 Total views: 2

   

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Institutional Analysis and Capacity Needs Assessment: National Consultative Forum - Kampala

National Consultative Forum (NCF) for political parties is a platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas among political parties in the country. NCF is a constitutional body of the Republic of Uganda and operationalized under Section 20(4) of the Political Parties and Organizations Act No.18 of 2005. Forum is currently comprised of thirty eight member political party/organizations with Secretariat as hosted within Electoral Commission. Secretary of Electoral Commission also acts as Secretary of the National Consultative Forum. NCF is chaired by a party with majority in Parliament and deputized by an opposition party with the largest membership in Parliament. Currently the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement is chairing the National Consultative Forum while the Forum for Democratic Change, opposition party deputizes.

As per the legal mandate/framework of the PPOA 18 (2005), as amended, NCF performs the following functions:

Liaising with the Electoral Commission on matters pertaining to political parties and organizations;Ensuring that political parties and organizations comply with the code of conduct prescribed under Section 19;Communicating the complaints and grievances of political parties and organizations to the Electoral Commission;Representing political parties and organizations in any case where the parties and organizations have to give a common position;The resolution of disputes among political parties and organizations;Making recommendations to the Minister on any matter under the Act; andSuch other functions as may be prescribed by the Minister with the approval of the Parliament.

In 2013 and part of 2014, focus of NCF has been on institutionalizing the operations of the NCF building on its recognized role and constitutional mandate; generating/developing proposals on electoral reforms/amendments using consensus building processes within the NCF; developing Draft Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations, and developing capacities for its membership focusing on dialogue and consensus building. A combination of these interventions have led to NCF positioning itself as a forum for dialogue on political reform within the country. However the Forum is in its nascent stages of operations and requires further consolidation of its operations.

In 2013-2014, NCF developed an Action Plan to guide its operations and lay foundations for delivering its constitutional role. NCF in early part of 2013 undertook a phased consultative process of engaging all the members within the NCF from different political parties and agreed on the following.

NCF should be:

Seen as a credible and independent convener and facilitator;Able to function within the parameters of its membership, which is political parties and representation from Electoral Commission, but also have the capacities that will allow it serve as an intermediary between these actors when necessary;Presented to the country as a vital national capacity organ mandated to build dialogue and consensus, which are especially necessary for sustaining both peace and development.

The following emerged as the core roles of the NCF building on its functions as provided within the legal frameworks

Intermediary/ consensus builder: An honest broker and intermediary between the Electoral Commission and Political Parties and Organizations (PPO) on issues or points of contention that might be raised by either side, and also issues where it is mandated to play a role, including electoral reform and the development and implementation of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations.

Analyst/ Monitor: Monitoring political behavior and political trends, including the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations, and making recommendations to PPOs, Electoral Commission, and Ministry of Justice, and also preparing and providing reports, including to the public;

Facilitator/ Conflict Resolver: Resolving conflicts and disputes through dialogue and facilitation.

Convener

Convening conversations among PPOs on issues of crucial importance identified by the NCF membership, and where sustained dialogue is required, e.g. funding mechanisms for PPOs; what constitutes a “political party,” and how it contributes to political life, and so on.

In 2012/2013, effort of NCF has been in building its role as an intermediary/consensus builder. As highlighted above effort of NCF concentrated in developing constitutive documents and has to initiate steps that consolidate on these initial beginnings. Three key documents were prepared by NCF and these include: Electoral Reform Proposals/ Amendments, NCF Action Plan, Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations. Building on this initial work, and within the context of further strengthening NCF operations, a needs assessment of the key capacities that can be built for the effective operations of the forum vis-à-vis its constitutional role and mandate is considered.

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Expert for Rapid Assessment of the Vouchers System in Ukraine - Kyiv

ICPN 2014/52
Project: Strengthening Ukraine's emerging modernization and innovation results

Background

Ukraine faces high unemployment rate among people of 45+ years old. Their low level of competitiveness on the labour market is explained by out-dated knowledge and skills. Vocational education establishments are, generally, not focused on the requalification of this particular labour force group, as their primary function is to train young people in a given profession.
The new Law on Employment approved last year envisaged innovative approaches to providing employment services to the population of Ukraine, including, among others, issuing vouchers for requalification of people of 45+ years old who are not able to find a job. The vouchers are financed by the social fund on unemployment insurance.
The State Employment service of Ukraine, represented throughout the country by more than 630 centres and around 15,500 staff, is the key state institution, which is directly serving the needs of unemployed people and employers. Its key function is to match labour demand and supply, by providing a wide range of free of charge services to citizens to facilitate their insertion/re-insertion in the labour market, and working with employers to fulfil their labour requirements. The implementation of the Requalification Vouchers System is the responsibility of this state service.
At present, the Service faces difficulties with the introduction of this requalification instrument as
1. vouchers are not matched with targeted and flexible, short-term programs for training/retraining for this particular age group;
2. the link between requalification and job opportunities is missing
3. generally, the lack of coordination/interaction between State Employment Service, Ministry of education, educational institutions constraints the design and implementation of training and requalification programmes meeting the changing needs of the labour market;
The State Employment services of Ukraine (SES) have approached UNDP with the request to carry out a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Requalification Vouchers System and to identify, on the basis of European best practices, measures/approaches to improve the targeting and effectiveness of this system for people of 45+. In the context of this Rapid Assessment, possible gender discrimination issues should also be reviewed and analyzed, and recommendations provided to eliminate this bias.

Duties and Responsibilities
Goal of the assignment

The goal of the assignment is to carry out a Rapid Assessment of the vouchers system. The Rapid Assessment will include an effectiveness and impact analysis of the vouchers system in targeting people of 45+, but will also pay particular attention to the possible gender discrimination issues arising from its implementation. A qualified national expert (further the Expert) will be selected to support the implementation of this intervention. He/she will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Programme Advisor. It is envisaged that this Rapid Assessment will take place during July 2014.

Key activities to be undertaken:
The Expert will carry out the following key activities:
data gathering on the vouchers system. This will include: identifying, compiling and analysis of statistics, taking part in face to face interviews with representatives of the Employment Services, carrying out face to face interviews with representatives of Ministry of education and educational institutions – 8 expert/days; prepare the ToRs of a small scale survey of vouchers recipients (no less than 60 over 3 Oblasts including Kiev and face to face interviews with local employment services at regional level), participate in the selection process of a suitable research institute and facilitate the delivery of the survey within the determined deadlines – 4 expert/days; provide support to the preparation of a report summarizing the results of the Rapid Assessment (this will include gathering additional data and carrying out data analysis) and prepare the list of problem issues in the current vouchers system according to the results of Rapid Assessment that should be taking into account by the International Expert under preparation the European best practices survey– 5 expert/days; develop concept or action plan for improving the voucher system based on results of Rapid Assessment and Report on European best practices that should be delivered by the International Expert – 8 expert/days; organize meetings with representatives SES, UNDP, ILO, UN Women and academia to presentation and discuss the report with results of Rapid Assessment, the Report on European best practice, concept or action plan – 5 expert/days Deliverables

Throughout his/her assignment, the Expert is expected to deliver the following outputs:
1 Inception Report should include (i) a results of data gathering on the vouchers system and (ii) the draft ToRs of a small scale survey of vouchers recipients and should be submitted not later than 16 June 2014; 1 Mid-term Report should include (i) summarized results of the Rapid Assessment, (ii) list of problem issues in the current vouchers system according to the results of Rapid Assessment, and (iii) summary on discussions of the Report on Rapid Assessment and the Report on European best practice and should be submitted not later than 15 August 2014; 1 Final Report should include (i) concept or action plan for improving the voucher system and (ii) summary on its discussions and should be submitted not later than 18 September 2014. Copyright

All information and products produced by the Expert under this assignment will remain the property of UNDP Ukraine.
Monitoring, Progress Control and Coordination
The Expert will work under the supervision of the UNDP Programme Manager. An electronic and paper version of the reports should be prepared and submitted for clearance by the UNDP Programme Manager no later than the abovementioned fixed dates. As expected during the assignment the Expert will be closely collaborating and supporting the hired International Expert and SES

Competencies
Data compiling experience (including statistical data and survey data); Good analytical and writing skills (Ukrainian, Russian); Good communication skills; Excellent organizational skills; Experience of planning and organizing study tours an advantage. 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.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
At least Master’s or Specialist’s degree in Social Sciences or International Development or any other relevant fields; Experience:
At least 5 years of experience in the field of labor market development, employment and employment services; At least 5 years of experience in conducting research; Languages:
Fluency in Ukrainian and Russian. Knowledge of English. Documents to be included when submitting the proposals
Personal CV, including information about past experience in similar projects / assignments and contact details for referees Financial proposal Financial proposal - Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including number of anticipated working days).

Evaluation criteria

Educational background – 10 points max {10 pts – PhD; 8 pts – Specialist/Master’s degree}; Experience in the field of labor market development, employment and employment services –25 points max {25 pts – 10 years and more; 20 pts – 9-8 years; 10 pts –7-6 years; 5 pts –5 years}; Experience in conducting research – 25 points max {25 pts – 10 years and more; 20 pts – 9-8 years; 10 pts –7-6 years; 5 pts –5 years }; Language Skills (Ukrainian, Russian and English Language) – 10 points max {10 pts – fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English, 5 pts – fluent Ukrainian, Russian and basic English }. Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

Evaluation method:

Cumulative analysis
Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
* Technical Criteria weight: 70%
* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Applications should be filled in only in English.

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.
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Consultant on Assessment of Needs for Introduction of Agricultural Insurance in Armenia in the Context of Climate Risk Mitigation

Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)Duration of Initial Contract :25 working days during 2 calendar months (June-July, 2014)Expected Duration of Assignment :25 working days during 2 calendar months (June-July, 2014)The main objective of the project is to enhance the climate resilience of Armenia in the highest risk sectors and areas and ensure national ownership through enhanced institutional knowledge and responsibility. Specific objectives are to mitigate the climate change risks of rural communities through mainstreaming climate risk management in the rural development planning process, applying/testing risk mitigation measures in agricultural practice, increasing stakeholders’ awareness on the threat to climate change on the agricultural sector, and strengthening the risk management and adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities.

The main principles of the project will be mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate risk management into planning process, capacity development on local level, climate change risk mitigation and preparedness, climate risk reduction management.

The overall objective of this study is to identify challenges for introduction of the agricultural insurance in Armenia, identify Road Map for gradual implementation of most applicable crop insurance scheme in Armenia. The international expert’s task objective will be in consultation with national stakeholders, assist in justification of the importance of the crop insurance as one of main mechanisms of climate risk management, and identify the needs, gaps, and feasible schemes for agricultural insurance in the given context of the country. Based on best available international practice propose road map for introduction of insurance mechanism.

Under the overall supervision of Environmental Governance Portfolio Analyst and direct supervision of the Climate Change Programme Coordinator, acting in close collaboration with the national experts the international expert / consultant will be responsible to carry out the following tasks using consultative and participatory approaches:

Conduct a comprehensive investigation of the different agricultural risk management models, including worldwide used insurance schemes and ones applied in the countries with similar economic development context;Undertake situational analysis to determine Armenia’s needs in insurance services for agricultural sector taking into account the climate change risks through i) intensive consultations, meetings and discussions with ministry representatives, other stakeholders, and ii) necessary literature and data review, and iii) comparative analysis;Describe the agricultural insurance market for Armenia: the main stakeholders (insurers) and the clients (end-users, farmers, others);Give a comparison of different methods and describe the main risks and usefulness in using various approaches for insurance (micro-finance for adaptation to climate change, index-based insurance for crops, whether-index-based insurance, etc.) including: i) basic risk, ii) role of government, iii) the development impact, iv) costs and benefits for the users;Determine the most important institutional and legal gaps preventing development of agricultural insurance in Armenia;Develop a road map for launching of insurance scheme in Armenia (or pilot scheme);Conduct stakeholder analysis of the agricultural insurance market, including state entities responsible for provision of climate and weather related data, hedging companies, etc.; Assess the viability of mentioned financial services for Armenia and its rural communities;Determine the most appropriate agricultural insurance service to enhance local insurance activities; Provide recommendations to develop the identified services; The recommendations will be presented to the national stakeholders and insurance agencies during the workshop organized by the Project.

The project management will provide necessary in-country assistance including: transportation, translation and meeting arrangements, provision of necessary background information and office facilities.

The following deliverables and indicative schedule are expected from the consultancy contract. Exact dates of beginning and completion stages as well as scope of works for each phase can be adjusted by the Project Manager based on reasonable justification by the Consultant.

The project reserves the right, if necessary, to amend the terms of reference of the Consultant based on a written agreement. All deliverables should be submitted to the project by the Consultant in English.

The following deliverables and indicative schedule are expected from the consultancy contract. Exact dates of beginning and completion stages as well as scope of works for each phase can be adjusted by the Project Manager based on reasonable justification by the Consultant.

The project reserves the right, if necessary, to amend the terms of reference of the Consultant based on a written agreement. All deliverables should be submitted to the project by the Consultant in English.

Deliverables and number of working Days:

Home-based-13 days

Desk study of documents, strategies, etc.;Road map for gradual implementation of most applicable crop insurance scheme in Armenia is identified and drafted. Mission to Armenia-12 days

Consultations, meetings with stakeholders conducted;The viability of Armenian financial services is assessed;Recommendations for insurance scheme applicable to Armenia are drafted;Presentation during the organized workshop is conducted.  Financial proposal

Applicants are requested to provide financial proposal including daily consultancy fee, mission travel costs, per diem, etc.
Payment will be done in 2 installments, upon timely submission of respective deliverables and their acceptance by the Climate Change Programme Coordinator and UNDP RBEC Climate Change Policy Adviser.
A complete application package should include:

Financial proposal Applicants are requested to provide financial proposal including daily consultancy fee, mission travel costs, per diem, etc. Payment will be done in 2 installments, upon timely submission of respective deliverables and their acceptance by the Climate Change Programme Coordinator and UNDP RBEC Climate Change Policy Adviser. A complete application package should include:  P11 form;Letter of motivation;Information on previously conducted similar assignments and if possible samples of reports assignments.
Thorough knowledge of agriculture sector climate risk management and adaptation to climate change;Good feel for business opportunities and entrepreneurship in relation to (micro) insurance; Strong interpersonal and communication skills; Excellent analytical and presentation skills; Strong organizational skills, ability to interact productively in a team; Timely delivery of good-quality products; Excellent communication skills, result and client oriented.

Education:

An advanced post-graduate degree (preferably at MSc level or above) in insurance and finance, market analysis, economics, financial management or a related discipline.

Experience:

At least 5 years of professional experience in the finance sector; demonstrated experience conducting financial market assessments;Proven experience in development of the insurance products, particularly in the agricultural insurance;Experience in working and collaborating with governments is an asset.

Language:

Proficiency in English; Good knowledge of written and spoken Russian is an asset. 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.

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Expert for Rapid Assessment of the Vouchers System in Ukraine - Kyiv

ICPN 2014/52
Project: Strengthening Ukraine's emerging modernization and innovation results

Background

Ukraine faces high unemployment rate among people of 45+ years old. Their low level of competitiveness on the labour market is explained by out-dated knowledge and skills. Vocational education establishments are, generally, not focused on the requalification of this particular labour force group, as their primary function is to train young people in a given profession.
The new Law on Employment approved last year envisaged innovative approaches to providing employment services to the population of Ukraine, including, among others, issuing vouchers for requalification of people of 45+ years old who are not able to find a job. The vouchers are financed by the social fund on unemployment insurance.
The State Employment service of Ukraine, represented throughout the country by more than 630 centres and around 15,500 staff, is the key state institution, which is directly serving the needs of unemployed people and employers. Its key function is to match labour demand and supply, by providing a wide range of free of charge services to citizens to facilitate their insertion/re-insertion in the labour market, and working with employers to fulfil their labour requirements. The implementation of the Requalification Vouchers System is the responsibility of this state service.
At present, the Service faces difficulties with the introduction of this requalification instrument as
1. vouchers are not matched with targeted and flexible, short-term programs for training/retraining for this particular age group;
2. the link between requalification and job opportunities is missing
3. generally, the lack of coordination/interaction between State Employment Service, Ministry of education, educational institutions constraints the design and implementation of training and requalification programmes meeting the changing needs of the labour market;
The State Employment services of Ukraine (SES) have approached UNDP with the request to carry out a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Requalification Vouchers System and to identify, on the basis of European best practices, measures/approaches to improve the targeting and effectiveness of this system for people of 45+. In the context of this Rapid Assessment, possible gender discrimination issues should also be reviewed and analyzed, and recommendations provided to eliminate this bias.

Duties and Responsibilities Goal of the assignment

The goal of the assignment is to carry out a Rapid Assessment of the vouchers system. The Rapid Assessment will include an effectiveness and impact analysis of the vouchers system in targeting people of 45+, but will also pay particular attention to the possible gender discrimination issues arising from its implementation. A qualified national expert (further the Expert) will be selected to support the implementation of this intervention. He/she will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Programme Advisor. It is envisaged that this Rapid Assessment will take place during July 2014.

Key activities to be undertaken:
The Expert will carry out the following key activities:
data gathering on the vouchers system. This will include: identifying, compiling and analysis of statistics, taking part in face to face interviews with representatives of the Employment Services, carrying out face to face interviews with representatives of Ministry of education and educational institutions – 8 expert/days; prepare the ToRs of a small scale survey of vouchers recipients (no less than 60 over 3 Oblasts including Kiev and face to face interviews with local employment services at regional level), participate in the selection process of a suitable research institute and facilitate the delivery of the survey within the determined deadlines – 4 expert/days; provide support to the preparation of a report summarizing the results of the Rapid Assessment (this will include gathering additional data and carrying out data analysis) and prepare the list of problem issues in the current vouchers system according to the results of Rapid Assessment that should be taking into account by the International Expert under preparation the European best practices survey– 5 expert/days; develop concept or action plan for improving the voucher system based on results of Rapid Assessment and Report on European best practices that should be delivered by the International Expert – 8 expert/days; organize meetings with representatives SES, UNDP, ILO, UN Women and academia to presentation and discuss the report with results of Rapid Assessment, the Report on European best practice, concept or action plan – 5 expert/days Deliverables

Throughout his/her assignment, the Expert is expected to deliver the following outputs:
1 Inception Report should include (i) a results of data gathering on the vouchers system and (ii) the draft ToRs of a small scale survey of vouchers recipients and should be submitted not later than 16 June 2014; 1 Mid-term Report should include (i) summarized results of the Rapid Assessment, (ii) list of problem issues in the current vouchers system according to the results of Rapid Assessment, and (iii) summary on discussions of the Report on Rapid Assessment and the Report on European best practice and should be submitted not later than 15 August 2014; 1 Final Report should include (i) concept or action plan for improving the voucher system and (ii) summary on its discussions and should be submitted not later than 18 September 2014. Copyright

All information and products produced by the Expert under this assignment will remain the property of UNDP Ukraine.
Monitoring, Progress Control and Coordination
The Expert will work under the supervision of the UNDP Programme Manager. An electronic and paper version of the reports should be prepared and submitted for clearance by the UNDP Programme Manager no later than the abovementioned fixed dates. As expected during the assignment the Expert will be closely collaborating and supporting the hired International Expert and SES

Competencies Data compiling experience (including statistical data and survey data); Good analytical and writing skills (Ukrainian, Russian); Good communication skills; Excellent organizational skills; Experience of planning and organizing study tours an advantage. 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.

Required Skills and Experience Education:
At least Master’s or Specialist’s degree in Social Sciences or International Development or any other relevant fields; Experience:
At least 5 years of experience in the field of labor market development, employment and employment services; At least 5 years of experience in conducting research; Languages:
Fluency in Ukrainian and Russian. Knowledge of English. Documents to be included when submitting the proposals
Personal CV, including information about past experience in similar projects / assignments and contact details for referees Financial proposal Financial proposal - Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including number of anticipated working days).

Evaluation criteria

Educational background – 10 points max {10 pts – PhD; 8 pts – Specialist/Master’s degree}; Experience in the field of labor market development, employment and employment services –25 points max {25 pts – 10 years and more; 20 pts – 9-8 years; 10 pts –7-6 years; 5 pts –5 years}; Experience in conducting research – 25 points max {25 pts – 10 years and more; 20 pts – 9-8 years; 10 pts –7-6 years; 5 pts –5 years }; Language Skills (Ukrainian, Russian and English Language) – 10 points max {10 pts – fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English, 5 pts – fluent Ukrainian, Russian and basic English }. Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

Evaluation method:

Cumulative analysis
Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
* Technical Criteria weight: 70%
* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Applications should be filled in only in English.

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.Refer a Friend Apply Now

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Iraq: REACH Assessment Officer - Middle East & Northern Africa

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Our interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Our 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.

Our teams in the field implement some 340 projects in 34 countries covering the following sectors emergency relief, food security, access to health, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy, institutional support, and regional dialogue, cultural promotion.

Based on considerable experience addressing the needs and situations of vulnerable communities, ACTED contributes to the international agenda towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, through a wide range of partnerships, innovative initiatives, and campaigns.

II. Country Profile

Many positions opened in the following countries:

Iraqi KurdistanTurkeyYemenJordanLebanonLibyaPalestine

To get more information about our programs in each country, feel free to visit our website:

http://www.acted.org/en/pays

III. Position Profile

Under the supervision of the ACTED Country Director and IMPACT HQ in Geneva, the REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for the management and implementation of all REACH assessments in country, including theirs preparation, implementation and follow-up. He/she will also be responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of REACH in country and region, if relevant.

Summary

The REACH Assessment Officer shall be responsible for:

· In coordination with Country Director and REACH Regional Managers), design and implement REACH assessment strategy and methodology within the refugee camps;

· Management of REACH assessment field staff to ensure a smooth and timely implementation of activities;

· Ensuring that assessment strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives;

· Coordinate and ensure timely data collection, analysis and, in partnership with GIS/DB team, mapping of datasets, ensure that all collected data are geo-referenced;

· Works closely with GIS/SB team in country.

· Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets;

· Keep track of all projects and programmes assessment schedules and work with field staff to design and implement REACH assessment procedures;

· Supporting the development/revision of assessment / programme strategies, reports or new proposals;

· Liaising with programme staff of other ACTED departments to ensure close coordination and information sharing is maintained;

· In coordination with REACH Regional Managers, external representation of REACH with Donors, Partners and the wider Aid Community through clusters and sectoral working groups;

· Coordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT Headquarter.

The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for designing the methodology and tools associated with each assessment, according to REACH requirements and principles. He/she will manage the planning, implementation, and follow-up of all REACH and projects specific assessment activities conducted in country. In operations in which REACH is a project component of a wider ACTED intervention, the REACH Assessment Officer is required to contribute to the preparation and follow up of the Project Management Framework and ensure that activities are properly coordinated and implemented as per the Project Cycle Management.

The REACH Assessment Officer shall manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes directly related to REACH and liaise accordingly with the relevant ACTED counterpart. He/she is directly responsible for the implementation of proper ACTED FLAT procedures in all REACH interventions.

The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for contributing to the implementation of assessment projects, providing support to the development of assessment, database and GIS tools with the REACH team. This will specifically include, with the GIS/DB team, designing of data collection tools (household surveys, focus groups, and more); development or review of databases; contributing to GIS data collection procedures and mapping thereof through ARC GIS and other ESRI products in particular; and analysis of spatial and other information to contribute to reports and the like.

The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for the timely and accurate preparation of narrative and financial reports related to REACH activities in country through close liaison with the Project Development and Finance departments.

The REACH Assessment Officer shall liaise with other REACH Officers in the region and throughout IMPACT Initiatives’ and ACTED’s networks to provide and receive support in the expansion of REACH globally.

The REACH Assessment Officer will also store, organize and disseminate assessments, project documents and best practices among ACTED and IPs. He/she will coordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT Headquarter.

The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for day-to-day management of project and field staff both directly and remotely. He/she is expected to guide and direct REACH staff and prepare and follow up workplans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her. The REACH Assessment Officer will be required to take the lead in the recruitment of REACH assessment staff in coordination with the ACTED HR Officer. This will include the preparation of ToRs, observation of recruitment procedures by planning recruitment needs in advance, and undertake interviews.

The REACH Assessment Officer will ensure that all field teams are comprehensively briefed on the objective, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy of any given activity is clearly understood. He/she will ensure that project/field staff are given training and complete all the necessary documentation in line with program requirements set by REACH.

Representation of ACTED/REACH in cluster and multi-sector meetings/ technical working groups in country and follow up on technical issues identified in cluster meetings in other parts of the country. This specifically will include liaising with external partners to identify potential for data sets to be integrated into existing databases and mapped to support the coordination of the broader humanitarian community.

The REACH Assessment Officer will further represent ACTED/REACH vis-a-vis current and potential donors and communicate relevant information to the ACTED Project Development Manager and Country Director. He/she will participate in inter-NGO meetings and those of UN agencies and any other relevant inter-governmental institutions at the national or provincial level.

More generally, the REACH Assessment Officer is expected to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organisation, notably through the application of ACTED’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about ACTED programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every ACTED staff member.

IV. Qualifications:

Excellent analytical skills;At least 1.5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;Excellent team management skills;Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;Prior knowledge of the region an assetFluency in English requiredAbility to operation Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software.Ability to operate SPSS or related statistical programming an asset

Ability to work independently.

V. Conditions:

Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonusAdditional monthly living allowanceFree food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowanceProvision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org with the job offer reference as object of your email.

Ref: RAO/MENA/SA

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REACH Assessment Officer Dohuk - Iraq 30/04/2014

Department: Programme

Position:REACH Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 6 months

Location: Dohuk, Iraq

Starting Date: ASAP

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Our interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Our 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.

Our teams in the field implement some 340 projects in 34 countries covering the following sectors emergency relief, food security, access to health, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy, institutional support, and regional dialogue, cultural promotion.

Based on considerable experience addressing the needs and situations of vulnerable communities, ACTED contributes to the international agenda towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, through a wide range of partnerships, innovative initiatives, and campaigns.

II. Country Profile

Capital Office : Bagdad

National Staff : 125 (July 2012)

International Staff : 6 (July 2012)

Areas : 2 (Erbil, Kut)

On-going programmes: 2

Bugdet : about 3 M€ (2011)

ACTED began work in Iraq in 2003. ACTED has one base in southern Iraq in Kut and in 2007 opened a base in Erbil to better respond to IDP needs in the Kurdistan region. ACTED originally focused on improving the health, water and sanitation conditions of vulnerable populations in southern Iraq, but the deteriorating security situation and drastic increase in the number of displaced people have resulted in a new focus on meeting IDP and host community needs, based on the experience in IDP camps in Lebanon. The ACTED Iraq national team includes around 100 people who implement multi-sector emergency relief projects including WATSAN activities, gender based violence awareness, health promotion, economic rehabilitation, food security, and distribution of basic relief commodities.

Supporting long-term impacts through sustainable livelihoods and support to local civil society - For ACTED Iraq, 2011 was a year of transition from emergency relief and rehabilitation to development. To support the slow march towards peace and stability, ACTED implemented a dynamic range of programming from the distribution of basic necessities to internally displaced families to apprenticeship programs, gender-based violence awareness and capacity building of local authorities and Iraqi civil society.

In 2011, ACTED partnered with an Iraqi NGO for the first time in order to jointly implement a project providing assistance to Iraq’s displaced populations. Moving forward, ACTED will prioritise partnership with local Iraqi NGOs to better deliver assistance through their detailed knowledge of and experience with target communities, build the capacity of Iraq’s civil society and move toward increasingly sustainable and longer-term interventions.

III. Position Profile

REACH is an online global portal that provides geographical and other information on countries that are in crisis or at-risk of crisis, for the benefit of international and national aid actors. REACH facilitates information-management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need- and situation-assessments facilitated by REACH field teams; (b) situation-analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related Geo-Database and web-mapping facilities.

The REACH Assessment officer, in close cooperation with the Program Coordinator and Country Dierctor, will develop and manage the Assessment strategy for the project, improving program quality, monitoring performance and facilitating the transmission of best practices. He/she will contribute to building ACTED overall M&E capacity, enhancing the overall use of clear program logic, sound data collection and analysis methods; and facilitating assessments that are integrally linked to program design.

Functions

Data collection

In coordination with IMPACT HQ and Country Director, design and implement assessment methodologyFollow up the day-to-day workings of the assessment teamCoordinate and ensure timely data collection and analysis;Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reportsEnsure that assessment reports are made useful for fundraising and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the area;Facilitate the project design process with expertise on the log frame approach;Store, organize and disseminate assessments, project documents and best practices among ACTED and IPs.Keep track of all projects and programmes assessment schedules and work with field staff to design and implement REACH assessment procedures;Information systemWork with all departments to follow up project and programmes databases incl. work on the nomenclature used (official names etc.);Ensure that all collected data are geo-referenced (GPS coordinates or geographic layer)Set and follow up a data management system for all project related and programmatic data

Other tasks

Oversee the development and updating of informational materials such as fact sheets, articles, and audio-visual materials to promote the work of REACH program externally and within ACTED;Represent the REACH program during donor and other guest visitsCoordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT headquarters;
Build national staff capacity through the training provision on record keeping, drafting concise and accurate assessment report, and project monitoring.

IV. Qualifications:

Masters degree;Excellent analytical skills;Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting on programme financial performance;Ability to monitor and evaluate financial and monitoring skills of communities through capacity-building efforts;Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;Prior knowledge of the region an asset;Fluency in English required
Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management software

V. Conditions:

Additional monthly living allowanceFree food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowanceProvision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement packageSalary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus

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International Consultancy for Documentation & Assessment of Services Provided by Kharkiv Specialised Baby Home #1, UNICEF - Kyiv

Objective:

This contract is to document and assess the service approach and impact of the transformed services for children in Kharkiv Oblast Baby Home #1, comparing the situation in the baby home prior to the use of early intervention practices and then the changes that occurred since it has used early intervention practices (2009 – to present).

Specific objectives of the summative assessment are as follows:
Document lessons learned and good practices in the services developed within transformation of the baby home’s traditional services;Assess and analyse the bottlenecks and barriers, including policies, practices and other structural barriers; Analyse the effect that transformed services have on keeping children with families and preventing separation (“institutionalization”) and the effect on child’s overall development and family’s capacity to respond to child’s special needs;Demonstrate, based on evidence, whether or not a nation-wide scale up of the service approach is possible and whether a scale up will effectively lead to closing of equity gaps in the area of early intervention (i.e. enhance the access of these particularly vulnerable young children to protection, education, and other services necessary for their survival growth and development); Develop strategic, policy and implementation recommendations of how to strengthen the on-going services, informing policy development and framework of national scale-up of the service.Key Users:

The primary users for this assessment will be the Kharkiv Oblast Baby Home #1, UNICEF, the Ministries of Health and Social Policy, other baby home directors, early intervention service providers, and other local organizations involved in the development of policies and provision of services related to children with disabilities and families.

Findings will be used by UNICEF to better understand the potential role of transformation of baby homes within advocacy for enhancement and expansion of the early intervention services approach . At the same time, documentation and assessment of the baby home’s transformed services will provide an evidence basis for advocacy with Ministry of Health specialists and baby home directors/staff to transform baby home residential care to community-based services for children with their families.

Scope of Work:

The assessment should analyse the baby home’s transformed service(s) in terms of methodology and process and identify the lessons learned specifically of “what worked” and “what did not work” from 2009 to present. Among other questions, it will examine how and why the service(s) have been successful in strengthening families to take care of their children with disabilities, preventing separation/ institutionalisation.

The assessment should result in the transfer of knowledge of what types of services, through which method or approach is most effective in addressing needs of children with disabilities and their families to enable them to live in a family environment.

Overall, the model should be documented and assessed for its innovation, evidence of impact on children with disabilities and their families, standards, set of services or approaches to be used in developing national policy, and costing of services.

The documentation and assessment will consider:
Profile of children and families using the services;Accessibility: Means that families/children are referred/ heard about services;The rationale of the service interventions;The methodology used to develop the Baby Home’s transformed services;Steps in service delivery;Coordination/ partnerships across service agencies/ sectors (authorities) and functioning of referral mechanisms;Client cost of each service;Result of services on children’s well-being against the baseline indicator: Status of children’s health/development:
% children who demonstrate improved positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships);% children who demonstrate improved acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/ communication);% children who demonstrate improved use of appropriate behaviour to meet their needs;% of children who were in the baby home and returned to families;# children/families receiving out-patient services;Satisfaction rate among families-service beneficiaries (client satisfaction);% of families who feel empowered/ express their ability to continue development care for their child by their own Health and social workers who participated in the Baby Home have positive attitude towards rehabilitation of children, recognise the family as the best environment for children with disabilities and do not stigmatise families with children with disabilities;Lessons learned: what works, what and where are the remaining challenges to make the services work (looking at policies, service delivery, inter-sectoral coordination, etc.).Time Period to be assessed: 2008– 2014:

Early intervention practices were incorporated in the baby home responses in 2009. The assessment will review the services and impact on children in the baby homes prior to the incorporation of these services and then the effect of the services, which transformed the baby home’s responses.

Approach for consultancy:

The international consultant will lead this documentation and assessment process, and will ultimately be responsible for achievement of the report and final deliverables. The team will consist of three experts: the international consultant (as lead expert); an expert from Ukraine’s Ministry of Health; and an expert from an established early intervention service provider in Ukraine.

Agreement with the two national experts will be managed by UNICEF, but it is expected that the international consultant will have significant communication and consultation with these colleagues in the process of doing this work.

The assessment of the transformed services should be the result of review through consultations with concerned stakeholders, staff, decision-makers, beneficiaries and others.

Specifically, the international consultant will undertake the following tasks in cooperation with the national experts:
Develop within two weeks after signing of the contract a work plan for the documentation and assessment process in consultation with UNICEF colleagues and two national experts that defines the planned activities/ assessment design; methodology and data collection instruments and timeline for accomplishing various components of the assignment. In response to the terms of reference, consultants should provide a brief description of how they would conduct the work: planned activities; methodology & instruments to be used; and timeframe envisioned for this work.

In collaboration with national experts, analyse results/findings from desk review analysis of relevant documents and statistics of the work of the Baby Home. As the materials will only be in Ukrainian or Russian, this work would be conducted in collaboration with the national experts. The national experts would conduct an initial review of documents, but their “findings” would be analysed with the international consultant to provide a framework for planning the in-country assessment mission.

Conduct in-country assessment mission to Kharkiv Oblast Specialised Baby Home #1 with the objective to:
Gather specific observational and other data, including through key informant interviews, site visits, review of available statistical, Baby Home or other site specific or/and other data sources;Conduct meetings with relevant national, sub-national and local counterparts;Facilitate in-depth interviews and/or focus groups with beneficiaries of existing services;Debrief UNICEF Ukraine Child Protection Specialist and Social Services Officer on initial findings.Prepare report assessing services and their approaches; assessing results of the services (impact on children’s well-being, contribution to preventing a child’s family separation/ abandonment); and recommending steps to enhance the existing service(s).

Develop PowerPoint presentation that highlights the key findings and the recommendations for future actions:
 Draft presentation presented to UNICEF and Baby Home colleagues (possibly via Skype); Final presentation finalised subsequent to feedback provided to the drafted for delivery to key stakeholders (colleagues from Ministry of Health, regional health departments, baby home directors, NGO colleagues, etc.)Limitations: It is recognized that the transformation of the baby home provides critical services but there are still further opportunities for enhancement. Early intervention practices continue to be integrated and advanced in Baby Home #1. The current documentation and assessment will not review these further steps but assess the existing services with their current impact on children and their families.

Deliverables:

Guided by the UNICEF Ukraine Country Office, the International Consultant will complete the following key deliverables under the contract:

Deliverables-  Timeframe - Consultancy Timeframe
Finalised work plan and development of instruments/tools and methodology for project documentation/assessment 2 days;Analysis of desk review conducted by national consultant to be integrated into the plan for the in-country assessment 2 days;First draft of analytical report based on data collection and in-country assessment, with lessons learned and recommendations 12 days;Finalised report & development of powerpoint presentation (providing initial draft for consultation with UNICEF staff and then finalization of the powerpoint) 4 days.All materials developed will be reviewed by the programme communications consultant and a team of peer review experts, comprising UNICEF staff, MOH colleagues, early intervention service providers, and other disability NGO colleagues such as the National Assembly of People with Disabilities. Feedback from this peer review will be given at one time. The international consultant will be expected to review all feedback with UNICEF staff to determine what feedback must be included. The consultant then revises and consults with UNICEF staff on the final version. All deliverables are considered completed and final once documents have been approved by UNICEF.

Proposed format for the report should include, though not be limited to:
Executive Summary;Introduction;Methodology;Key Findings and Analysis.Description of services and referral mechanisms:
Steps in the transformation to these services: What were the strategies/ approaches used to establish these services?
Description of any obstacles or challenges that had to be overcome and how these challenges were addressed or remain as outstanding;What has worked and why? What could work better?Impact of new services on child’s/family’s well-being;Assessment on “scalability” of the service practices – i.e. to what extent can these interventions/ strategies be used in other regions of Ukraine by other baby homes or other agencies.Cost estimates:
Lessons Learned;Conclusions & Recommendations: Conclusions should summarize the major issues, strategies and results. If appropriate to give concise recommendations for action clearly specifying who should carry out the recommendation.The report should not exceed 25-30 pages and be not less than 15 pages.

Performance indicators for evaluation of results:

Evaluation of results will be based on the following indicators:
Technical and professional competence will be measured by quality of work, including quality of progress and final reports to UNICEF, quality of conclusions/ recommendations developed, as well as feedback from peer review;Such indicators as work relations, responsibility and communication will be also considered during evaluation of the consultant’s work.

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Nigeria: Field Coordinator: Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA)

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Globally, Mercy Corps’ mission is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. This occurs when public, private and civil society actors interact with accountability, inclusive participation and mechanisms for peaceful change. Our global strategy 1) takes an integrated, systems approach, 2) works in partnership with diverse actors, 3) is grounded in evidence and learning, and 4) uses a gender lens. Last year, we improved the lives of 19 million people globally. Mercy Corps manages programs in 43 countries. Working in Nigeria since 2012, Mercy Corps works across 11 states with a focus on the Middle Belt and Northern states through partnerships with USAID, DfID, GHR Foundation, Nike Foundation, MasterCard, and the Foundation for Partnerships in the Niger Delta (PIND). Mercy Corps links peace-building with economic development, focusing on vulnerable populations such as adolescent girls.

Mercy Corps proposes to conduct a vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA) in three states in Northern Nigeria to better understand the drivers and levers for positive change amidst the sea of ongoing challenges.

VCAs provide a methodology to answer the four key questions to resilience - Resilience to what? Resilience for whom? Resilience for what? Resilience through what? The VCA will help to identify weaknesses in key socio-ecological systems and potential future hazards that may exacerbate such weaknesses; and therefore helping to create a baseline from which changes in resilience can be measured.

Rather than viewing a VCA as a single assessment, Mercy Corps sees VCAs as a well-coordinated series of assessments. These may use established tools or be designed for a specific purpose. Used together they help to develop an understanding of the complex systems communities operate within.

Mercy Corps has developed a vulnerability assessment methodology that aims to understand vulnerability across scales. As such, information will be collected and analysed at the community, regional, and national level. Data driven, top-down, assessments will be complimented by qualitative, bottom-up information collected from communities and stakeholders from across the region.

In developing a vulnerability assessment of Northern Nigeria, Mercy Corps seeks to meet the following objectives:

Inform the development of a broad strategy to reduce chronic poverty for Northern Nigeria.Influence the funding strategies of Northern Nigeria for DFID and other major donors.Identify potential partners and better understand their capacities.Identify drivers of vulnerability to continue to monitor after the initial assessment is complete based on indicators designed in collaboration with DFID.Build the capacity of the DFID country team to facilitate additional vulnerability assessment processes.Contribute to the ongoing efforts of the Mercy Corps’ Resilience Initiative by helping to further understand how VCAs can contribute to resilience-building programmes.

Primary Location: Abuja, Nigeria with regular travel to Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, and Zamfara

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Field Coordinator will provide overall guidance to all field activities, including ensuring high quality primary data is collected from all locations across Northern Nigeria. The Field Coordinator will be expected to recruit local enumerators and focus group discussion facilitators, provide adequate training, and provide quality control for all data collection. Upon receiving the data, the Field Coordinator will review, clean, and help analyze the information.

The Field Coordinator will provide overall contextual guidance and support to the design and analysis of the VCA. S/he will also significantly contribute to the design and analysis workshops and final report write-up and dissemination. S/he will be responsible for all administration and logistics in field sites, including managing cash flows for a timely and efficient project.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Assessment Implementation

Ensure effective implementation of the VCA in the field sites, including meeting deliverables on time, within budget, and according to Mercy Corps and DFID standards.In collaboration with the lead consultant, design and implement relevant focus group discussions, data and information collection for on-going monitoring.Ensures strong communication with the head office in Abuja. Informs lead consultant, logistics, and finance teams in a timely manner of all field needs and challenges.Provides overall security management for the field activities. Reports all security concerns in a timely manner directly to the security focal point in Abuja.Manages relationships with local authorities, local CSOs, and other local organizations.Maintain links and keep current on best practices of resilience and measurement strategies; disseminate technical information and assistance where necessary.

Personal Leadership

Demonstrates flexibility, organization, and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting

Oversee the collection of high-quality primary data in a timely and efficient manner.Ensure that focus group discussion leaders facilitate focus groups in an inclusive and respectful manner that encourages honest feedback and open participation.Acknowledges and reports out areas of bias and limitations of data collection methodologies.Manages and synthesizes large amounts of diverse information in a timely manner.Collects secondary data from universities and research organizations around Nigeria.

Representation

Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination with the Mercy Corps’ Nigeria Country Representative and Regional Resilience Advisor.Coordinate assessment activities (key informant interviews, focus groups) with local government, private sector actors and as well as with other Mercy Corps programs in Nigeria.Proactively form relationships with universities and research organizations to complement primary data collection.

Team Management

Recruit, train, and manage local focus group discussion leaders.Promote accountability by providing timely feedback to all team members.Contribute to country team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Program Support Operations

Coordinate with program, finance, operations, and administration staff to ensure effective systems are in place to support field activities including logistics, procurement, security, administration and human resources.Help design operational policies and practices as needed and in accordance with Mercy Corps regulations.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Focus group discussion leaders.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Mercy Corps’ Nigeria Country Representative

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Mercy Corps Regional Resilience Advisor, VCA Lead Consultant, Finance and Operations department.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Excellent oral, written, presentation and communications skills in English are requiredBA/S or equivalent in education, management, social sciences, international development or other relevant field.A minimum of 3 years of experience including significant experience collecting primary data from focus groups.Familiarity with participatory data collection methods.Experience in Northern Nigeria essential (Borno and Yobe).Experience managing field data collection, including hiring and supervising focus group discussion leadersDeep understanding of the challenges in Northern Nigeria.Understanding of a systems approach and resilience highly desired.High attention to detail and ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.Experience with universities and research institutes in Nigeria desired.Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Hausa language skills essential.Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful applicant will combine exceptional management skills and technical skills with a focus on qualitative data collection in conflict zones. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage field assessments. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position will be based in Abuja with significant travel throughout Northern Nigeria, including Borno and Yobe states, where security may be particularly difficult at times.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Please submit CV and cover letter addressing the key criteria above, to mercycorpshr@gmail.com with mail subject VCA Field Coordinator.

Closing date: 2 weeks from the date of this advert. Recruitment will be ongoing and may conclude prior to this date.

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