Programme Management Support Consultant

Consultant Programme & Policy Human Rights

Contract

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

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most complex emergencies, and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected. UN Women remains fully committed to supporting Afghan women and girls and to putting them at the center of the global response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

UN Women has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Women’s programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic, and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has four key programme priorities: (1) Gender in Humanitarian Action; (2) Ending Violence Against Women; (3) Women’s Economic Empowerment; and (4) Women, Peace and Security. UN Women Afghanistan operates through its main office in Kabul and five sub-offices located in the provinces Balkh, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar and Nangarhar.

The UN Women Afghanistan Country Office, Ending Violence against Women (EVAW) Team is implementing a number of EVAW programmes that focus mainly on supporting Civil Society Organizations to deliver response and prevention projects. The EVAW Team has been scaling up with the rapid recruitment of international and national staff (over 10 staff), who require training and ongoing coaching and support on UN Women programme policies, guidance and procedures. This includes support on programme planning and development; partner selection and management; monitoring of programme implementation based on agreed annual work plans and partner and donor agreements; compliance with financial and operational rules and regulations; and sound substantive and financial reporting.

In order to support new and onboarding staff, a consultant is sought with extensive experience in UN Women policies, procedures and guidance, preferably at a Country Office level. Reporting directly to the EVAW Team Programme Manager, the Programme Management Support consultant will be responsible for managing technical support for the implementation of the UN Women Afghanistan Country Office programme, with a focus on the Programme Partners portfolio.

Working closely with UN Women Afghanistan Programme Management Support Unit, Operations Team and in coordination with the UN Women Regional Office and Headquarters, the consultant will provide technical support, quality assurance, coaching and training for the EVAW Team in the selection of programme partners, and in the operational (financial) and programmatic management of corresponding partner agreements, including on the Partner and Grants Agreement Management System (PGAMS). She/he will also lead the compilation and/or development of guidance, checklists and tools for EVAW Team specific partner selection and partner agreement management processes, including for partner financial reporting and liquidation and payment of partner advances, tailored to the EVAW Team and the Afghan country context, and is responsible for managing both case-specific technical, and overarching capacity development support for the EVAW team on partner selection and partner management.

Support will be provided by the consultant online/remotely in the short to medium term as all national staff in Afghanistan are currently working from home. Hence it will be important that the consultant can work in the Afghanistan time zone, either home-based or in Kabul.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide technical support to the E****VAW Team on the s****election of Programme / Project Partners

• Provide substantive advice to the EVAW Team on the most effective and efficient partner selection process modalities applicable to specific cases, in alignment with UN Women policies, procedures and guidelines;
• Provide technical support to the EVAW Team on the selection of programme partners throughout all stages of the partner selection process, in alignment with UN Women policies, procedures and guidelines;
• Provide hands-on support to and quality assurance support for the the EVAW Team in the preparation of the documentation required for Programme Appraisal Committee (PAC) review for partner selection and partner agreement amendment processes;
• Provide technical guidance to the EVAW Team on the criteria for the evaluation of programme partner proposals (narrative and financial);
• Liaise with UN Women Headquarters and/or the UN Women Regional Office for additional support or guidance as needed, coaching other EVAW Team staff how to do this.

2. Provide technical support to the EVAW Team for the management of Programme / Project Partners

• Provide technical support to the EVAW Team on the operational (financial) and programmatic management of programme partners, in alignment with UN Women policies, procedures and guidelines;
• Provide technical advice the EVAW Team on processes related to the review of partner reports, liquidation of advances, and disbursement of advances;
• Provide technical and case-specific support to the EVAW Team on the amendment and/or closure of partner agreements, including support on the preparation and quality assurance of corresponding documentation required;
• Provide substantive advice to the EVAW Team on the management of specific programme agreement related issues, in alignment with UN Women policies, procedures and guidelines;
• Liaise with UN Women Headquarters and/or the UN Women Regional Office throughout the processes as required, coaching other EVAW Team staff how to do this.

3. Provide technical advice and quality assurance for the EVAW Team entering information into the Partner Agreement Management System (PGAMS)

• Review existing entries in the UN Women online Partner Agreement Management System (PGAMS) and, in close collaboration with the EVAW Team, ensure completeness thereof;
• Provide first-stop technical advice/helpdesk support to the EVAW Team on PGAMS;
• Liaise with UN Women Headquarters and/or the UN Women Regional Office to resolve PGAMS related queries as required, coaching other EVAW Team staff how to do this.

4. Compile and/or develop step-by-step training, guidance and tools for the EVAW Team on Programme Partner Management and Programme Partners Selection processes

• Based on global UN Women policies, procedures and guidelines, compile already available and/or develop step-by-step guidance, tools, and checklists tailored to the coaching other EVAW Team staff on processes related to programme partner management and programme partner selection, including on the liquidation of partner advances and disbursement of funding instalments;
• Test the guidance, tools and checklists with the EVAW Team, and provide learning sessions to the teams on their use;
• Work with the EVAW team to identify potential challenges with programme partner management, and propose ways on how to address these.

5. Provide an ongoing helpdesk function, technical assistance, training and capacity development (including one-on-one coaching) for the EVAW Team

• Identify capacity building needs of the EVAW Team on UN Women policies, guidance, and procedures related to Partner Selection and Partner Management, and lead the coordination and delivery of corresponding technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives;
• Lead the onboarding of new EVAW Team staff as regards their induction to UN Women programme, guidance, and policy, and UN Women systems, related to Partner Selection and Partner Management;
• Keep the EVAW Team informed of any changes/updates to UN Women global policies, guidance, and procedures related to Partner Selection and Partner Management;
• Develop repository of EVAW Team specific guidance and capacity development material, including Frequently Asked Questions and self-paced learning guidance, on Partner Selection and Partner Management, so that the EVAW Team can access this (“one-stop hub”).

6. Provide other technical assistance as needed, on programme management and related budget, financial and operational procedures, as instructed by the Programme Manager EVAW

Deliverables

Timelines

• Timely case-specific technical assistance, quality assurance and coaching support to the EVAW Team on programmatic and operational partner selection and partner agreement management processes, and on the use of the Partner Agreement Management System (PGAMS);

Monthly

• Effective liaison with UN Women Regional Office and UN Women Headquarters on partner selection and partner agreement management processes, and coaching for EVAW Team staff on this;

Monthly

• Completed review of Partner Agreement Management System (PGAMS) entries for the EVAW Team and coaching other staff to do this;

Monthly

• Completed review of Partner Agreement Management System (PGAMS) entries for the EVAW Team and coaching other staff to do this;

Monthly

• Compilation of step-by-step guidance and tools for the EVAW Team in Programme Partner Management and Programme Partners Selection processes, tailored to the Afghan context and EVAW thematic;

Monthly

• Completed a series of capacity development and onboarding sessions on partner selection and partner agreement management processes for EVAWT Team personnel rolled out;

Monthly

• Design a sustainable system for capacity development, onboarding of new staff and retention of skills in current staff (e.g. trainer of trainers approach);

Monthly

• EVAW Team specific repository of guidance and capacity development material, including Frequently Asked Questions and self-paced learning guidance, on Partner Selection and Partner Management, that UN Women staff can access (“one-stop hub”).

Monthly

• Provided other adhoc support for EVAW Team staff on a range of programme management, financial and operational tasks which measurably boosts the capacity of EVAW Team staff to do this themselves (e.g. through a post-training/coaching survey).

Monthly

• Developing and monitoring financial and programmatic tracking tools.

Monthly

Competencies

Core Values

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

• Ability to administer and execute administrative and procurement processes and transactions
• Ability to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work
• Strong knowledge of administrative rules and regulations
• Strong IT and web-based management skills
• Ability to extract and interpret data
• Ability to priorities work and to multi-task.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Political Science, Development, Public Administration, or Gender is required
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in programme and financial management:
• At least 7 years of experience in partners selection and management;
• Demonstrated knowledge of UN Women policies, procedures and guidance is a strong advantage;
• Demonstrated knowledge of UN Women operational processes, rules and regulations linked to the financial management of Programme Partners is a strong advantage ;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in training and coaching staff is a requirement ;
• Experience in guiding capacity development initiatives is an asset;
• Experience in Quantum is an asset;
• Experience in working in humanitarian settings is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto would be an advantage.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology: Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Criteria Weight Technical: 70% (70 points)

• Criteria 1: Education Qualification (10 points)
• Criteria 2: Years of progressively responsible experience in programme and financial management (30 points)
• Criteria 3: Years of experience in partners selection and management (20 of points)
• Criteria 4: Experience in training and coaching staff (10 of points)

Financial: Lowest Financial Proposal: 30% (30 points)

The points for the Financial Proposal will be allocated as per the following formula:

• Contract will be awarded to the technically qualified consultant who obtains the highest combined score (financial and technical);
• The points for the Financial Proposal will be allocated as per the following formula: (Lowest Bid Offered*)/ (Bid of the Consultant) x 30;
• 'Lowest Bid Offered' refers to the lowest price offered by Offerors scoring at least 49 points in the technical evaluation.

Application

Interested Individual Consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form-en.doc;
• Sample of creative work/portfolios/useful links.
• Financial proposal; Proposed inclusive daily rate.

The above-mentioned documents should be merged in a standalone file including all them, since the online application submission does only permit to upload one file per application. Incomplete submission can be a ground for disqualification.

Note:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Inclusion Statement:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)

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Added 9 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: jobs.undp.org