National Consultant to support the Ministry of State for Protection of Entrepreneurship in the Open Call for the Start Up Grant Scheme

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Type of contract: Consultant Duration: 6 months starting September 2023 Workplace: Home Based

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

For every child, a fair chance https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: Support UNICEF in developing a collaboration with the Ministry of Protection of Entrepreneurship to implement the Start Up Grant Scheme. The support provided shall be based on the request of the MoSPE and its experience with the start-up ecosystem and the consultant shall provide holistic communication, administrational support and assistance during the evaluation and implementation of the Start-up Grant. The task shall also include efforts to provide support to the MoSPE to promote child-focused start-ups and youth people´s access and opportunity to entrepreneurship and access to the startup ecosystem. The selected applicant shall provide support during the evaluation phase and after the selection of grant is received, continue to support the MoSPE as an expert for the Start-up one-stop-shop service and provide a particular support to youth applicants or start-ups with a social impacted objective.

Scope of Work: In April 2022, the law “on the support and development of Start-ups” (Start-up law) was entered into force in Albania by the Minister of State for Protection of Entrepreneurship (MoSPE). The purpose of Start-Up Law is to establish a favorable regulatory and institutional framework for the incorporation and development of start-ups, the support of their ecosystem and the promotion of research, realization, and implementation of innovative ideas, as well as new models, products, and processes, which would boost the development of the Albanian economy. As a part of the Start-up Law, the Minister of State has established a grant scheme for which start-ups can apply for financial support. The scheme opened its first application round in June 2022 and grants were implemented by the awarded startups during September-December in 2022. The Minister of State is planning the second round of the grant scheme to be launched in the end of quarter 2 or beginning of Quarter 3 in 2023. UNICEF aim to recruit a consultant to support the Ministry of State for Protection of Entrepreneurship in the evaluation phase and support function in the implementation of the Start Up Grant Scheme.

The assignment aims to: - Provide supportto applicants in the implementation phase of the grant in order for the Start-ups to follow the established guidelines of implementation of the grant. - Provide expertise and support for the “Start-up one-stop-shop service” offered to the applicant by helping and guiding them to fulfill the necessary document required to apply with a particular focus on young applicants and start-ups with children and young people as their target group. - Establish a network of start-up actors which can be categorized as relevant to as Innovators with a social impact on children and young people.

Work Assignments Overview:

Deliverable 1: Develop a comprehensive and contextualized support plan for MoSPE based on the focus of the UNICEF consultancy

Task 1.1 - Conduct desk research with a child and youth perspective about the start-up ecosystem (needs and opportunity) in Albania in the view of entrepreneurship and innovation Task 1.2 - Develop a support plan based on needs and opportunities for the innovation ecosystem

Task 1.3 - Develop a coordination plan with relevant support stakeholders of the StartUp Grant

Task 1.4 - Endorse the plan with the MoSPE

Timeline - By mid of September 2023

Deliverable 2: Strengthen the support function for the evaluation phase for start-ups

Task 2.1 - Participate and support in the evaluation phase of the Start-Up Grant.

Task 2.2 - Ensure that during the application period applicants that fall under the definition of §Art 14.3 will be properly strengthening and prioritized in the evaluation phase

Task 2.3 - Promote and provide capacity for the MoPSE and Start-Up agency on Child Safeguarding in Business, Business for Results (B4R) and Child-Friendly Policies.

Timeline - By the end of October 2023 (Depending on the announcement of the scheme)

Deliverable 3: Support function for the applicants that receive the start-up grant

Task 3.1 - Establish a support function for the applicant that have received the grant in order to make sure that they follow the established guidelines for the implementation of the grant

Task 3.2 - Promote a strategic dialogue between UNICEF and the Start-ups that receives a grant under the categorization of definition §Art 14.3 of the Start-Up Law

Timeline - By the end of February 2024

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required: - University or advanced degree in an area directly related to Business Management, Economics, Social Works or psychology or similar education - Proven record of theoretical knowledge and practical experience and expertise in the area described - Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in Social Entrepreneurship, Start-Up Ecosystem and Project Management - Proven record of contribution through development projects in the national/international entrepreneurial and innovation sector - Proven knowledge of start-up financing processes (including grants and/or other instruments) - Proven Knowledge of building and maintaining networked systems - Strong understanding of the entrepreneurial experience and innovation mindset

What to submit 1. Updated Resume 2. Letter of interest, summarising the educational background, the working experience that is relevant to the assignment, and the specific role the candidate will play in collaboration with the other experts and the inter-institutional working group 3. Proposed methodological approach 4. Financial proposal in Local Currency (inclusive of all taxes).

The financial proposal shall be submitted in local currency (LEK) and must include the consultancy fee, the communication costs and all other individual expenses or applicable costs. The financial proposal must be broken down per deliverable.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. To view our competency framework, please visit visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.