Development of call centre guidelines or SOPs for the 3 Spotlight Initiative Partners (the Zimbabwe Republic Police Victim Friendly Unit; Immigration Department and the Legal Aid Directorate

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

Standard operating procedures, widely referred to as SOPs, give employees valuable information on how to conduct various tasks and procedures. In a call centre setting, SOPs define everything from staffing schedules to handling workload and call load forecasting to specifying how calls should be reviewed, monitored, and scored. SOPs aid call centres in pursuing compliance, reducing complexity and meeting business objectives. The SOPs are to be regarded as tools to support decision making and enhance the effectiveness of the call centre operations in dispensing the necessary services to GBV survivors. More importantly, the SOPs will be core to implementing a survivor-centred approach in dispensing the necessary services.

The three SI Partners with support from UNDP under the Spotlight Initiative are in the process of developing the call centres which will enable continuity in providing accessible essential services to GBV survivors. Given the uncertainty and the ever-changing situation facing us all, these institutions need to be agile and flexible in their response to the GBV concerns access to justice, medical and psychological care for survivors and citizens at large.

The SOPs and manuals will enable the three institutions to effectively make use of the call centres through provisions of guidelines, clear performance and operation standards to be followed and maintained. The SOP and manual will address the below key areas which are pertinent to the operationalization of the call centre: the provided list is not exhaustive, and the IC is expected to fill in the gaps and ensure the SOP fully and comprehensively provides the necessary guideline and operating procedures for a successful operationalization of the call centres.

Key guiding principles in operating the call centre. Call centre guiding principles are the foundation for an effective and efficient call centre, and all operates should adhere to these guidelines. Some of these will include professionalism, safety and security, confidentiality, non-discrimination and respect for the wishes, choices, rights, and dignity of the caller.

Software and Technology - The standard operating procedure should address the technologies used in the call centre environment. Give guidelines on how to effectively use the technologies and software in a professional and effective manner which follows the organizational mandate and rules and enhances accessibility and inclusiveness of services to SGBV survivors.

Quality Control: The SOP should also clearly address the quality control measures in place to ensure the call centre functions in an appropriate manner. Quality assurance call monitoring is an essential factor in running a successful call center. Managers and Quality Assurance call center specialists have a responsibility to monitor operations, to ensure every GBV survivor who calls the organization receives a consistently positive, professional, enabling experience and their concerns are addressed or resolved in a timely and effective manner. Quality control will include:

• Monitoring Call Center call activity;
• Hire the right people and train them well;
• Call Center Etiquette Testing and Monitoring;
• Key procedures or tools to explore and monitor agents’ performance;
• Guidelines for a comprehensive Quality Assurance mechanism.

Human Resources: The SOP should also guide on the officials required to operate the call centre, their roles, responsibilities, and necessary guidelines to be followed in responding to calls, referring calls, recording calls and ensuring the safety and confidentiality of information’s attained in operating the call centre.

• Call Centre Staff Responsibilities and Duties;
• Call centre Etiquette;
• Skills and Qualification required for call centre staff;
• Ground rules for Staff.

Call Management and Referrals: The SOP should also outline agent procedures, such as call scripts, call-handling procedures, and customer management. The necessary call centre etiquette should be clearly outlined in the SOP.

• Call processing procedures;
• Special procedures for child victims/survivors;
• Answering Format and call recoding procedures;
• How and when to initiate Follow-up Calls;
• Off-premise Message Notification and steps to be taken;
• How to manage missed calls and dropped calls;
• Safeguarding clients /caller welfare and ensuring their safety.

Referral Pathways and Information Sharing Protocol - Information Sharing Protocol regulates the sharing of GBV data with other actors offering justice, medical and psychosocial services to GBV survivors.

• When to initiate a call referral. What procedures to be followed;
• Referral amongst GBV specialized service providers – What does this entail;
• Which information can be shared, with who and during what circumstances.

Data Capturing: The SOP should also include procedures for call recording, data collection and measures to ensure confidentiality of sensitive data collected. The collection of call record and family member contact information and ensure control and confidentiality of the information

• What kind of data to be collected and how it will be collected;
• How and when to generate System’s Report;
• Comprehensive management of information about the day-to-day performance of call center;
• Ethical consideration in data collection.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the direct supervision of the focal persons from the 3 SI partners (ZRP VFU National Coordinator, LAD coordinator, and Immigration Coordinator) and UNDP, the consulting team will be expected to develop the different SOPs for the call centres. The consulting team is expected to liaise with UNDP and the IPs during the process that will include the following specific tasks

• Develop a detailed inception report on the approach and methodology to be used. Present the inception report to the partners;
• Undertake a desk review of best practices at the international, regional and national level around Call Centre SOPs;
• Conduct consultative meetings with the partners and consultants developing the Call centres to inform on the nature of the call centres and the expected SOPs;.
• Draft the first draft of the 3 SOPs and manuals for the 3 call centres;
• Submit Second draft incorporating comments from the partners and stakeholders;
• Present the draft SOPs and manual during a validation meeting;
• Submit final draft incorporating comments from the validation meeting;
• Train the agents/officials who will be manning the call centres utilising the developed manual.

Expected Deliverables:

• A proposal detailing how the consultant intends to carry out the assignment;
• Draft SOPs and manuals for the three call centers;
• Final SOPs and manuals for the three call centers;
• Validation of SOPs and manuals, Meeting reports;
• Conduct trainings utilizing the developed training manual and provide the training reports and pre and post training surveys.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

High Level of Professionalism:

• Strong analytical, quantitative and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to provide clear messages on complex information;
• Ability to seek and synthesize information from a variety of sources and draw solid conclusion based on in depth analysis;
• Accuracy and attention to detail;
• Good communication skills, including the ability to write high quality reports, conduct studies and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, teamwork and adept at working with people of diverse cultural and social backgrounds;
• An understanding of and ability to abide by the core values of the United Nations.

Strong Planning & Organizing Capacity:

• Organizes and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources and multiple reporting relationships;
• Plans, coordinates and organizes workload while remaining aware of changing priorities and competing deadlines;
• Demonstrates ability to quickly shift from one task to another to meet multiple support needs;

Demonstratable Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with partners to achieve organizational goals;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
• Facilitates the development of individual and multi-cultural/team competencies;
• Ability to provide substantive training and mentoring, and manage teams.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Have post graduate university degree in social sciences, gender studies, international development, public administration law or any other relevant fields

Experience:

• At least 10 years’ experience in the development of guidelines and/or procedures for business process management, with specific experience in developing SOPs for IT infrastructure technologies;
• An excellent track record and experience related to the development of guidelines, manuals, and Standard Operating Procedures for government institutions;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions, make recommendations and to prepare well-written reports in a timely manner;
• Demonstrated knowledge in gender equality with special focus on protection, prevention, and elimination of violence SGBV, HPs, and SRHR;
• Demonstrated experiences and skills in facilitating stakeholder/working group consultations.

Languages:

• Excellent command of written and oral English Language

Latest CV highlighting the relevant experience;

Updated P11 Form template of which can be downloaded from this website - http://www.sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

A detailed technical proposal on undertaking the tasks and evidence of previous work;

Please group all your documents (CV, P11, Technical Proposal and certificates) into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Incomplete applications will not be given consideration. Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application

Please note that only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted.

Evaluation criteria:

The Consultant will be evaluated based on qualifications and the years of experience, as outlined in the qualifications/requirements section of the ToR. In addition, the Consultant will also be evaluated on the following methodology:

Technical Criteria weight: 70%; Financial Criteria weight: 30%;

The award of the contract shall be made to the Consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the Terms of Reference.

“UNDP is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Well qualified candidates, particularly women and people with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply”.