National Consultant to Review and Finalize the Draft Communication Strategy and Policy Guidelines for Probation and After Care Service (PACS)

Result of Service Expected tangible and measurable output(s)/deliverable(s):

• An inception report including a proposed workplan for the execution of the assignment, methodology and timelines.
• Reviewed draft of PACS Communication Strategy and its implementation plan
• Reviewed draft PACS Communication Policy Guidelines. Submit a comprehensive communication strategy and policy guidelines
• Successful facilitation of the validation workshop of the reviewed draft communication strategy with its implementation plan and communication policy guidelines; and provision of final soft copies of these communication documents

• A final, comprehensive and output oriented report submitted not later than three working days prior to the end of the consultancy.

  Work Location Home based, with travels to and within Kenya

  Expected duration 40 Working Days between January and March 2022

  Duties and Responsibilities 1. Background of the Assignment:

The UNODC Regional Office in Eastern Africa is implementing a project on Strengthening the Administration of Justice and Operationalizing Alternatives to Imprisonment in Kenya. The project aims to provide support to the Government of Kenya (GoK) to strengthen efficiency in delivery of judicial services, enhance coordination within the criminal justice sector and widen the use and application of alternatives to imprisonment. This project implements the EU Programme for Legal Aid and Empowerment in Kenya (PLEAD) which targets 12 focal counties with five largest urban centres (Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu and Mombasa) of the country and seven counties (Lamu, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Mandera and Tana River) of the most marginalized area of Kenya. The partner Government institutions under the project are: The National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ), the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), the Witness Protection Agency (WPA) and the Probation and After Care Services (PACS).

As part of the inception of PLEAD, a comprehensive baseline study was carried out for the purpose of determining appropriate baselines, targets and indicators for the Programme. The study’s findings revealed several capacity gaps.

One of the major weaknesses hindering operationalization of alternatives to imprisonments in Kenya was “low public awareness on PACS mandate and the importance of non-custodial sentences.” The report further recommended that there is need to support PACS to enhance its visibility, through among other things the “development of an effective communication strategy”.

PACS realizes that the lack of a communication plan has been a major impediment to the efficient flow of information, thus affecting service delivery to both internal and external customers. Although various legal, policy and procedures exist to guide communications in Government (such as the National ICT Policy, Probation Standard Operation Procedures,) they do not provide for a domesticated synchronization of the mandates, strategic objectives and unique circumstances of PACS and its audience. As a result, inadequacies in communication and reporting in service delivery have continued to be experienced.

To address this problem, a team of PACS Officers developed a draft PACS Communication Strategy and Policy Guidelines in the financial years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 which was aimed at providing a plan of action for staff to use while meeting the core objectives of PACS. The draft communication strategy requires revision and finalization to incorporate the new government policies and international best practices.

PACS requires a communication strategy that will provide a strategic, proactive and contemporary approach in optimizing the impact of its communications in making services and achievements more visible; thus, enhance the achievement of our mandates, functions and goals. To finalize the draft PACS Communication Strategy and Policy Guidelines, PACS requires the expertise of a Communications Expert conversant with Kenya Government Communication Policies and Procedures to review the draft communication documents, which were developed by a team of Probation Officers who were not communications experts.

Within the framework of this project, UNODC plans to engage an expert conversant with Kenya Government Communications Strategies, Policies and Procedures Service to finalise the development of the Probation Communication Strategy and Communication Policy Guidelines in consultation with PACS.

2. Purpose of the assignment:

The overall goal of this consultancy is to review and finalize the draft PACS Communication Strategy and Policy Guidelines.

3. Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant:

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative in the UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) and the direct supervision of the UNODC ROEA Head of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, and in close cooperation and consultation with PACS, the consultant(s) will perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities:

a) Development of an inception Report - The consultant will prepare an inception report which shall detail his/her understanding of the assignment founded on the terms of reference. The inception report will also provide detailed timelines and methodology to be applied.

b) Review and finalization of draft PACS Communication Strategy and Policy Guidelines - In consultation with PACS review the draft Communication Strategy and the draft Communication Policy Guidelines. - Provide technical advice to PACS on appropriate communication strategies and policies in line with their mandate. - In consultation with PACS and based on the finalized communication strategy, develop implementation plan to facilitate actualization of the developed strategy. - Facilitate a one-day validation workshop of the finalized communication strategy with its implementation plan and communication policy guidelines which would have representatives of all key partners as participants.

c) Reporting and other requirements - Complete a final, comprehensive and output oriented report, submitted not later than three working days prior to the end of the consultancy.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Communication, Public Relations, Business Administration, Public Administration or other relevant discipline is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: - A minimum 10 years work experience in public relations, brand management, and corporate or public communications is required. - Experience in development of communication strategies, policies and guidelines for public institutions is required. - Experience of providing technical advice to multidisciplinary teams in government or national stakeholders and international organizations is desirable. - Work experience with a probation department/ service is desirable.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations Secretariat language, is an advantage.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.