National Individual Contractor: UniPod Program Director

Contract

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

Background

Background

The University Innovation Pods (UniPod) Project is part of the new UNDP Africa Timbuktoo Initiative involving 10 countries (Benin, Guinea Conakry, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda). It aims to encourage students in universities to engage in innovation and design thinking. The UniPod Project is multi-pronged and focuses on supporting and growing innovative, scalable, and impactful entrepreneurship by African young people, while relying on a springboard of partners who together contribute meaningfully to building an African youth innovation and start-up ecosystem.

In Sierra Leone, the main UniPod will be hosted at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. In addition, there are Fab Labs at four public universities (University of Makeni, Ernest Bai Koroma University, Eastern University, and Njala University) that will feed into the main UniPod at Fourah Bay Close, University of Sierra Leone. Services of a UniPod Program Director as an Individual Contractor are required to design, lead, and manage the day-to-day operations of the UniPod Main Facility at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the consultancy

The main objective of the national consultancy is to design, lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the UniPod Main Facility at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Some of the tasks for the Director will include, financial management, grant management and reporting, and program design and execution. Additionally, the Director will work closely with the Engineering Supervisors on the design, maintenance, and procurement of facilities and equipment. As the lead position, the Director will be required to represent the organisation to high-level donors, investors and government. The candidate must be able to clearly articulate the organisation’s mission and effectively mobilise both internal and external resources towards achieving that mission.

Scope of work

Financial and Grant Management:

• Develop financial models and business plans that define and operationalize the UniPod
• Build systems for financial tracking and control
• Maintain cash flow projections, payment processes, and generally ensure that resources are available at the appropriate place and time
• Ensure that the UniPod is always in compliance with donor requirements and grant guidelines
• Ensure grant reports are filed on time and at the highest quality

Program Design and Execution:

• Develop programs that enable the UniPod to achieve both the overall vision and specific grant deliverables
• Write documentation that clearly conveys program processes and guidelines
• Lead and work with the Head of Engineering and team, the tech transfer office, the university leadership, UNDP
• Hire and manage teams as needed to execute these programs
• Design and conduct research into best practices for supporting hardware entrepreneurs, and develop systems that ensure the UniPod is continually refining and improving its model and the offerings to our community, within tech framework designed by the UNDP team

Administrative:

• Develop systems for the execution of daily tasks (travel, payments, HR, procurement, communications, and others as necessary).
• Hire and manage contractors for a variety of processes (construction, procurement, design, research, etc.).
• Liaise with partners, clients, and funders as necessary to ensure the smooth flow of communications.
• Working with the leadership team, develop performance targets and reviews for staff and the organisation as a whole, to ensure that goals are being achieved and resources put to effective use.
• Any other duties as needed to ensure smooth and successful daily operations.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies

• Excellent writing and communication skills (verbal and written), including the ability to conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely conveying maximum necessary information, making, and defending recommendations and ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials.
• Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organize, coordinate and monitor work plans and provide advice and guidance to others.
• Excellent inter-personal skills: ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Effective negotiating skills and ability to work with others to reach mutually benefitting and lasting understandings.
• Proven track record of writing high quality and funded concepts, and proposals.

Required Skills and Experience

Timeframe:

The UniPod Director is required for a period of 12 months.

Expected Outcomes

• Financial models and business plans that define and operationalize the UniPod facility developed;
• UniPod Facility fully established and functional
• UniPod Programs developed and implemented

Deliverables

• Inception Report, proposed action plan for establishment and systems for its operationalization defines. (1 month)
• Financial models and business plans (after 2 months)
• UniPod Programs developed (after 3 months)
• UniPod Facility fully established and functional (after 6 months)

Related payments

Monthly, based on working days and Progress Reports submitted accompanied by daily attendance/work sheets at facility

Review for Approvals Required

Team Leader, Sustainability & Local Economic Development Cluster, Youth Technical Specialist

Recruitment Qualifications

• Five years’ experience in industry in roles of progressively increasing responsibility
• An advanced (MSc or higher) degree in an Engineering, International Development related field, or in Business and/or Operations or related field
• Proven fundraising expertise
• Proven expertise in financial management and grant reporting
• A deep understanding of, and commitment to, tech-based entrepreneurship support
• The ability to analyse and improve workflow and program processes in a new and quickly changing field
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Practical, hands-on knowledge of open-community, multidisciplinary, and multi-material workshop design, management, and operations
• A high level of confidentiality, tact, and diplomacy
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal

Language Requirements

Excellent English communication skills

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent be based at the UniPod facility – Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He/she will work with UNDP, University Administration (Especially UniPod Project team) and collaborate with the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation Sierra Leone. He/she will be provided with an office space, equipment, and tools to enable him to execute the assignment.

Application Procedure

How to apply:

Qualified National/Local Consultants are hereby requested to apply with the following required information:

• Cover letter of application.
• Personal CV indicating relevant professional experience.
• Financial offer for the daily fees

Evaluation Criteria

The award of the contract will be made to the Individual Consultant who has obtained the highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions.

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. The offers will be evaluated using the “Combined Scoring method”.

Technical Competence Weight 70% Max. Point 700

Academic qualification: 30% 300

An advanced (MSc or higher) degree in an Engineering,

International Development related field, or in Business and/or

Operations or related field

Experience relevant to the assignment 40% 400

• Five years’ professional experience in industry in roles

of progressively increasing responsibility. 20% 200

• Experience is in tech-based entrepreneurship support 20% 200

Financial Offer 30% 300

Total Score = Technical Score + Financial Score 100% 1,000