International Consultant (Strategic Communication Advisor ) with SDG Project Initiation Plan

Consultant

Overview

Develop and implement strategic communication initiatives for UNDP in Afghanistan.

You have:

• Bachelor degree in social science, Computer science, or other related field.
• At least fifteen (15) years of communication experience in development or public sector.
• Prior work experience in a conflict environment is a requirement.
• Deep advocacy and behavioral change communications expertise and experience.
• Excellent written and oral English language skills.
• Experience in developing communications strategies which are adaptive, transformative, and cutting edge.
• Prior experience in social media in conflict environment.
• Extensive managerial experience including experience in leading multi-cultural teams.

Contract

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

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges;

The overall purpose of the SDG PIP is to prepare and approve the Integrated Policy Support to Afghanistan SDGs is to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The project serves as the primary vehicle through which UNDP SDG Country Support Platform (CSP) will transfer knowledge and integrated development solutions to the Afghanistan Sustainable Development Goals (ASDGs). Policy support provided through this project will overcome many of the stumbling blocks to effective and integrated public policy development for ASDGs and it will also help UNDP define, articulate and play the essence of its role as the “SDG integrator” in Afghanistan.

1. Building a Financial Ecosystem for Afghanistan SDGs:

Is to build a sustainable financial ecosystem that will help transform and provide a steady stream of financing to development programs in Afghanistan. UNDP will bring together a diverse cast of experts to develop a range of new instruments targeted at specific markets and financing streams, ranging from Islamic Finance market to green and other bonds and social impact investment and support Government’s critical reform program that will ultimately ensure long-term flows and financial development in Afghanistan. Different instruments will be identified and designed to meet development finance needs in Afghanistan, including innovative approaches to finance UNDP’s recently developed programmes. The project’s team of experts will be embedded in a central financing unit tasked with providing knowhow and expertise to UNDP Country Programme and to the Government of Afghanistan;

Technical and policy support will also be provided to help the Government of Afghanistan build a sustainable financing system for Afghanistan SDGs, starting with the establishment and operationalization of an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF). The INFF will contribute to and achieve a rare feat of combining and bringing together a long-term development vision, like the ASDGs, with all of the available and potential financing sources and instruments. The project will provide support in the design and implementation of an INFF by conducting a thorough assessment of the complex financing landscape in Afghanistan, establishing a baseline understanding of how the ASDGs could be financed, costing the ASDGs and developing a financing strategy with the necessary monitoring and coordination structures. This multi-pronged intervention will also include key activities on fostering partnerships for innovative financing, incubating support for productive public and private investments—going far above and beyond the development of a mere financing framework to ensure that the SDGs are realized in a fragile context. The financing related assessments and diagnostics, the costing of ASDGs, the development of an INFF, the design and launch of a financing strategy, the establishment of a functional platform for innovative financing solutions and policy dialogue related to productive investments and private sector development are some of the immediate and measurable results of this component.

2. Integration of ASDGs into the National Planning and Budgeting Cycles:

The ASDG framework is closely interlinked and requires innovative and unconventional policy approaches, such as focusing on the intersections that exist among the 16 ASDGs and their targets. Technical support will be provided to the Government of Afghanistan to integrate the three dimensions of ASDGs across the national policy and budgeting cycles;

The policy-level support will rely on state-of-the-art tools, including integrated modelling approaches, such as Regional and Single-Country Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models, Systems Dynamics and Social Network Analysis platforms for continuous policy analysis and decision-making purposes. UNDP support to integrated modelling work will be important in itself for SDG integration, prioritization, and sequencing of government allocations to SDG targets, and the overall role of forecasting and scenario-planning in designing and implementing SDG budgets that are geared toward monitoring and maximizing impact. The modelling work cuts across both financing, especially SDG budgeting work, and the monitoring and reporting component as the forecasting and scenario-planning will feed into what sort of analytics will be used to conduct impact assessments.

3. Development of an Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism for ASDGs:

The comprehensive, indivisible and ambitious nature of the ASDGs capture the emerging sustainability challenges of development. The ASDGs require integrated and robust monitoring and reporting. Tracking and reporting progress in a fragile context require interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration and actions. The project will, therefore, provide policy and technical support to address data gaps and enhance institutional capacities. The package of support under this component will also address the Afghanistan data challenges through innovative and unconventional data gathering approaches—a combination of mined and pooled data. The project will also support an enabling environment for development statistics in the country through the establishment of a Dashboard for ASDGs;

This component directly links back to the SDG finance and policy and technical support on SDG integration through using statistics and data analytics in visualizing to ensure that the support offered is an integrated package and interlinks or sets a chain reaction when activities and sub-activities under this component are successfully delivered. Therefore, the Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Framework once developed will contain key indicators for data collection, analysis and reporting on Afghanistan Peace and Development Framework II, the Afghanistan SDG indicators and indicators on robust monitoring and impact assessment system on SDG finance, including through strengthening and oversight role of the parliament and private sector or civil society-initiated impact assessments of “bankability” of SDG projects and programs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment:

The SDG PIP/Integrated Policy Support to Afghanistan SDGs project’s Image creation with full communications strategy and development plan which must ensure the incorporation of the UNDP’s brand is built through the project’s constant communications of results, successes and ongoing progress to desired stakeholders and target audiences;

The selection of most effective and innovative tools and mediums of communications with specific emphasis on reporting and visibility for achieving maximum outreach. This includes, but not limited to, developing easy-to-understand messages about Integrated Policy Support to Afghanistan SDGs activities within Afghanistan context that is in line with national priorities and long-term development interest of people of Afghanistan;

The provision of technical support and advice to SDG PIP/Integrated Policy Support to Afghanistan SDGs project’s Monitoring and Evaluation Team, as required, in data management and uptake of results, which may include and not limited to helping in data collection, surveys, studies, research (using social media and internet) and supporting information through dashboards for donors, government, and other relevant stakeholders;

Behavioral Change Communications and Advocacy. Translating data into information (by assisting in preparing infographics, visuals, graphics and charts) which will feed into larger advocacy and ‘building trust for the beneficiaries on a regular basis and to feed into the messaging system with relevant tools of communications selected for the SDG PIP/Integrated Policy Support to Afghanistan SDGs;

Social media Monitoring analytics is an essential complimentary element of the data collection, aggregation and decision making;

The Consultant will provide necessary guidance, advice and to develop trainings for stakeholders’ communications teams at the central and local levels. Setting up a media monitoring system for capturing general satisfaction with development results, services. Consultant has to liaise and coordinate with the main UNDP’ communications & partnership unit & project team on using UNDP’s media & social media platforms for outreach to stakeholders, partners and other relevant stakeholders. The objective is to provide and capture Afghan perception and voices on SDGs;

To achieve the above objectives, other activities will have to be undertaken including, but not limited to, advisory services and consultations with the relevant UNDP teams and other projects to ensure full synergies and coherence.

Tasks:

• To draft a communications strategy and plan the project to achieve its strategic objectives. Ensuring timely and quality coordination with UNDP’s main objectives. This will include but not limited to managing relationship, maintaining absorption of innovative ideas into the team’s plans, guiding, and supporting their smooth implementation;
• Support the implementation of the SDGs Communications Strategy and activity plan, tools and means across the three project outputs;
  • As part of the development of the Communications Strategy the consultant must apply an approach, where a consultative process with stakeholders should be undertaken.
  • The consultant should also supervise and facilitate the development of an element of behavioral change analysis and advocacy tools for all of project’s thematic areas and ensures that this is an integral part of UNDP’s overall communications strategy:
  • The Project Communication strategy should provide guidance on image building, attitudes, perceptions, and social norms: advice on development of communications tools, means and strategies, with regards to SDGs;
• Draft a concept note to implement a traditional and social media monitoring system. The idea is to establish a system for regular media monitoring that would address above critical areas, collect data from all media and compliment M&E assessments of the situation;
• To ensure smooth and timely coordination among partners, stakeholders, teams for any matter that concerns communication or data collection.

?WORKING ARRANGEMENTS;

Institutional Arrangements:

The International Consultant will work as part of the Project team, placed under the Policy Unit in the RR Office. The consultant shall work in close collaboration with the Communication Unit, M&E team, and other UNDP projects’ communications teams.

The Executive Office will provide office space and internet facility, logistical and other support service including transport and security applicable to UNDP international personnel. The consultant however is expected to bring his/her own laptop and mobile phone and meet local communications costs (UNDP will provide a local pre-paid SIM card). Costs to arrange meetings, workshops, travel costs to and DSA during field visits (if any), etc. shall be covered by the Executive Office.

Duration of the Work:

Performance of the works under this contract shall be completed within 3 months (with maximum of 66 working days) after signing the contract, including all preparation works and on-site visits. The target date for the start of the works will be 01 October 2020.

Duty Station

Duty station for the contractor staff is Kabul, Afghanistan. The contractor will be based at and report regularly to the Executive Office of UNDP during the working hours, security conditions permitting. The contractor will follow the working hours and weekends as applicable to UNDP CO staff. Contractor’s movement for meetings and consultations shall be coordinated by the Executive Office. The contractor is always required to observe UNDP security rules and regulations.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Promotes ethics and integrity and creates organizational precedents;
• Builds and promotes effective teams;
• Creates and promotes environment for open communications;
• Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Required Skills and Experience

Required expertise and experience:

Educational Qualification;

Bachelor degree in social science, Computer science and or other related field

Experience:

• At least fifteen (15) years of communication experience in development or public sector with at least Bachelor’s in development communications, communications for development, journalism, social sciences or related field;
• Prior work experience in a conflict environment is a requirement;
• Demonstrable expertise in setting up Communications systems for adaptive planning and management systems;
• Experience in developing communications strategies which are adaptive, transformative and cutting edge;
• Deep advocacy and behavioral change communications expertise and experience;
• Familiar with applying communication tools and with designing and creating data visualization tools, infographics, presentations etc.;
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal;
• Prior experience in social media in conflict environment;
• Proven experience developing advocacy campaigns, plans, building effective real-time communications through social media and other means;
• Previous experience working with the UN and international donors;
• Experience of working in fragile conflict affected states and (desirable);
• Extensive managerial experience including experience in leading multi-cultural teams.

Language:

Excellent written and oral English.

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal. The consultant shall then submit a price proposal when requested by UNDP, in accordance with the below

The Contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

1. Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract of 66 working days.
2. DSA/Living Allowance – The Consultant shall be separately paid the Living allowance/DSA as per applicable UNDP rate for stay in Kabul and travel to other locations as per actual number of nights spent in Kabul or other locations. Deductions from DSA shall be made as per applicable UNDP policy when accommodation and other facilities are provided by UNDP. An estimated provision in this regard shall be included in the contract. The consultant need not quote for DSA in Financial Proposal.
3. Accommodation in Kabul - The Consultants are NOT allowed to stay in a place of their choice other than the UNDSS approved places in Kabul, Afghanistan. UNDP will provide accommodation to the Consultant for the duration of the stay in Afghanistan in UNDSS approved places. Deductions in this regard shall be made from DSA payment as per applicable UNDP Policy.
4. Travel & Visa – All airfares and travels shall be arranged by UNDP including visa and economy class ticket. The cost of 2 round trips to be included in price proposal.
5. Payment schedule - Payments shall be done based on the deliverables and for actual days worked, upon verification of completion of specific reports/ deliverable and approval by the consultant’s supervisor and a timesheet according to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors.

UNDP reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA;

Individual consultant will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and;
• Offering the lowest price/ cast and having received the 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 of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation (70%)

Qualification, Experience and Technical Proposal (70 marks):

1. Educational qualification (15 marks);
2. Experience relevant to the assignment (40 marks);
3. Previous experience in post conflict countries (15 Marks)

Financial Evaluation (30%):

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where;

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated;

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal;

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal;

z = price of the proposal being evaluated;

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested international Consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNDP Afghanistan. UNDP Afghanistan will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

• Annex 1 - IC Contract Template (for information);

• Annex 2 - Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (to be completed at later stage upon request by UNDP);

• Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions (for information);

• Annex 4 – RLA Template (if consultant wishes to be recruited through an employer) - (for information).

  Note: Incomplete application will result in automatic disqualification of candidate.

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Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org