International Expert to guide the process of developing a skills assessment methodology and tool for adult unemployed jobseekers in Albania

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Contract

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

Background

According to the latest UNESCO data (2012) only (95.5%)[1] of the Albanian population (25+) completed primary (ISCED 01) education, leading to roughly 14,000 people potentially illiterate.

The total of unemployed in Albania are 172,700 individuals according to the LFS elaborated by the National Institute of Statistics (NB: the total population is 2.8 million, and the total workforce 1.3 million). In June 2019, a total of 72,700 individuals were registered in the National Employment Services (NES), most of them in the urban areas. Out of these some 1,800 are illiterate (with no educational certificate whatsoever) registered adult (29+) jobseekers; some other 2,450 (29+) only completed primary education (ISCED 01) and additional 3,500 (30-39) completed lower secondary education (ISCED 02) but are reported to lack both professional skills the other soft and technical skills indispensable to obtain a job. In addition, poor primary education provided in some remote areas, does not guarantee learning outcomes, even when a certificate was obtained. These roughly 7,750 vulnerable, low educated registered jobseekers are among the most difficult unemployed to activate, they are currently not supported at all by Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs) or targeted services.

The “Supported Continuous Unemployed Learning” (SCUL) project, financed by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI), implemented jointly by the National Agency for Employment and Skills and UNDP Albania, aims to contribute to the active participation of vulnerable low qualified jobseekers to the society and their transition to the labour market through the provision of quality, flexible, targeted trainings on basic skills. The action is expected to have an impact on the literacy ratio in Albania (95.5% in 2012). The action is fully in line with the National Employment and Skills Strategy (NESS 2019-2022), the long-term programmatic document with which the government of Albania committed with its citizens in promoting sustainable growth through social and economic inclusion.

Currently in Albania very limited targeted support is provided to low skilled unemployed people. The whole intervention is conceived as a capacity development project at the institutional level. Most of the deliverables provided under the project will lead to the establishment of a structure to support this target group. The intervention follows an integrated approach, both in the analysis of target group, its needs (educational and socio-economic) and in the service delivery. The ratio is that employment services complement other social services; the development of specific procedures to support the target group will include references to other social institution in charge of complementary services. This approach is expected to create bridges between different key-actors in the provision of social service, with the long-term ambition of building an integrated case management system.

The ambition of this intervention is to establish a structure and enhance the capacities to address the specific needs of the target group, building on which, hopefully, trigger systemic upskilling mechanisms in the longer term, progressively reducing the size of the group and facilitate its transition towards the labour market. The intervention aims to achieve the following outputs:

Output 1: Vulnerable jobseekers are referred to tailored basic learning provision or other social services

Output 2: Low skilled job seekers benefitted from quality, flexible, targeted trainings on basic skills

Output 3: Training provision is constantly improved based on collected evidence.

The project has started its implementation in 2020. Its second work package (WP2) focused on conducting an in-depth analysis of the target group. Digging into demographic characteristics, social-economic factors, geographical provenience, the need for complementary health care or social services, the analysis helped on identifying specific sub-groups based on criteria other than age and educational attainment. The third work package (WP3) aims at developing a skills assessment methodology and tool based on tested international successful models. As such, the SCUL project is seeking to engage one International Expert to conduct a consultation, guide the development of a skills assessment methodology and tool with the purpose of addressing beneficiaries to targeted trainings, according to the competencies defacto possessed by beneficiaries. The tool will be widely tested at national scale and collected results will be provided in the form of a report, validated during an international conference. This evidence will serve to (i) identify the upskilling learning path most needed by the Albanian population, (ii) establish a skills assessment tool for the Albanian NES to complement the profiling procedures currently in place.

The use of the developed tool in the employment offices will be complemented by individual coaching provided by the NES’ specialists. It will lay the ground for the design and development of tailored curricula (WP 5) and training delivery (WP 6), as well as to improve the services that the Employment Offices (WP 4) will provide to this target group. This will desirably pave the path towards the creation of an adult learning national strategy in the long run.

The international expert will be working in close cooperation with the UNDP and the NAES team, mainly in Tirana, but also by engaging with the direct beneficiaries in the selected municipalities.

[1] http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx7queryid = 168#

Duties and Responsibilities

With the guidance of the Programme Specialist, under the supervision of the Project Manager, and in close cooperation with the national expert and IT expert engaged for this assignment, the expert is expected to carry out the tasks described below:

  • Draft and validate methodology, including the consultation methodology for defining the terminology in the Albanian context.
  • Identify and explain existing international and regional models, applying skills assessment tools, possibly targeting adult unemployed jobseekers, explaining the nature, scope and scale of such tools.
  • Utilize the data collected from the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES), Employment Offices, as well as findings from reports developed through qualitative and quantitative analysis, part of Work Package Two (WP2), to understand the institutional and legal framework caters to the needs of the target group and the service and programmes available to cater to their needs.
  • Map similar skills assessment models (in cooperation with the national expert and UNDP Albania), which are already implemented locally in Albania. Identify where these tools are used and how the results of such instruments are utilized in the system.
  • Consultations with relevant stakeholders: (including beneficiaries) on the effective ways of developing a national skills assessment tool. This will be carried out in cooperation with the national expert. Capture viewpoints and ideas on how the delivery of services will support adult literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy. Contribute and develop good understandings of such terms as literacy, numeracy, and digital skills in the national context.
  • Propose a model(s) to be utilized by NAES, taking into account the client base and the potential clients.
  • Elaborate the model (econometric evaluation, self-assessment, or assessment by a counsellor) - together with national consultant and IT consultant.
  • Support the process with all the necessary inputs for the development of the tool (TORs, technical specification etc)
  • Contribute to the international conference on adult learning and upskilling pathways, where the findings of the report and the tool will be presented.

The expected deliverables for this individual consultancy will be as follows:

Deliverable

Tasks

Timeline

1

Methodology and work plan drafted and validated, including the methodology for consultation, explaining the nature, scope and scale of the tool.

July 2021

2

Mapping report of existing international and local skills assessment tools

July 2021

3

Consultation report including all the actions needed to be taken in order develop an initial assessment tool/Feasibility report

August 2021

4

Draft design of the initial assessment tool developed together with national and IT expert

September 2021

5

Brief report to be shared with stakeholders at the International Conference

October 2021

Competencies

Core Competencies:

  • Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgement;
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Act as a team player and facilitate team work;
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
  • Creating synergies through self-control;
  • Managing conflict;
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
  • Informed and transparent decision-making.

Functional Competencies:

  • Strong communication skills (written, spoken, composing, presentation) and ability to share expertise for capacity building.
  • Excellent skills in policy data analysis.
  • Solid skills in developing consultations models with relevant stakeholders in the field, interviews, feasibility studies and reports.
  • Excellent skills in providing evidence-based policy advice.
  • Prior solid experience in working with adult/lifelong learning in an international context.
  • Political and cultural sensitivity and commitment to UNDP’s development objectives in the country.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in social science, economics, statistics, or other related field combined with relevant working experience.

Work Experience

  • Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in the field of social sciences, economics, or statistics.
  • Prior solid experience in working with research projects, policy analysis and utilizing various quantitative and qualitative research techniques.
  • Knowledge of and hands on experience with the various skills assessment tools for adults.

Language

  • Full working knowledge of English and Albanian is essential.

Evaluation Procedure

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

  • Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
  • And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

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

Criteria A: Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in the field of social policies, economics, or statistics – max points: 15

Criteria B: Prior solid experience in working with research projects, policy analysis and consultations and utilizing various quantitative and qualitative research techniques - max points:15

Criteria C: Knowledge of and hands on experience with the various skills assessment tools for adults - max points: 20

Criteria D: Technical Proposal outlining the proposed modality to guide the process of developing a skills assessment methodology and tool – max points: 20

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

The application should contain:

  • Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
  • Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability & Financial Proposal Form - please fill in the attached form. Download Here (kindly use FireFox Browser)
  • Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download Here (kindly use FireFox Browser)

  • Financial Proposal in USD* - Specify Lump Sum in the United States Dollar for each of the tasks and at the bottom the Total Lump Sum for the Entire Job specified in this announcement. Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall consider various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services).

  • Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

  • Technical proposal – specifying the methodology which the consultant will employ to conduct this assignment.

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application.

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

  • Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs); In the P11 Form make sure to include Email Addresses of the Persons who are willing to provide References on your past experience in working with them.
  • Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
  • Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
  • Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
  • Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);

  • You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

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

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.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org