Senior Consultant – Communications and Outreach Consultant

Contract

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

Background

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and inequality pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP has begun ideating and incubating several strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP as ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the Accelerator Lab Network. UNDP is building the largest and fastest learning global network of Accelerator Labs (60 labs serving 78 countries were set up in 2019) embedded within UNDP’s global presence. The new offering builds on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact. Read The Fast and The Curious: Our Story so Far to learn about the early achievements of the UNDP Accelerator Labs

The success of the Lab will be seen in multiple ways: influence of experimentation and acceleration on development programming, input into government policy, and spin-offs of Lab initiatives into independent ventures; new and innovative ways of programme/project implementation by UNDP programme units based on inputs from accelerator labs and UNDP offices across geographic boundaries exchange knowledge and best practices and implement joint pilots.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNDP Accelerator Lab India seeks to contract a senior consultant to assist the team in planning, coordinating and executing the Accelerator Lab’s media outreach and communication activities for 2020. The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP A-lab team and also closely work with the Communications team to carry out the following tasks:

• UNDP Brand profiling, Strategic media engagement and outreach support for the team. In this direction, prepare a comprehensive outreach and communication plan for the Accelerator Lab India team for the period Oct 2020 – April 2021.
• Global and National Amplification of Accelerator Lab India’s work through various media channels (Print, Electronic, Radio and Online) including facilitating opportunities for the Accelerator Lab team to contribute Op-Eds as well as articles in leading print media.
• Build at least two communication campaigns during the duration of the contract for a targeted group of audience leveraging the micro-influencer community
• Invest in ad-campaign paid promotions by buying ad-credits and exploring other amplification modes
• Manage the design and production of videos, flyers, social media posts including vlogs linked to campaigns as and when requested by the team. The video shooting and editing rental charges may be charged to project budget and reimbursed on submission of separate invoices.
• Prepare a strong set of communication products in terms of stories, blogs (global and national) and other formats as an outcome of the Accelerator Lab’s field work
• Provide PR support to the team for their key events (workshops, conferences etc.)
• Build overall trust and relations with media and influencers community for overall positioning of Accelerator Lab India
• Provide handholding support to the Accelerator Lab team on media interactions and also in preparing quality press briefs
• Support the accelerator lab in using innovative communication tools and deliver impressive presentations

Expected Deliverables:

Type of Communication products/deliverables

Minimum number

Blogs

12

Video blogs

6

Articles/Stories in Media house/publications

15

Campaigns

2

Social media creatives/posts

50

Number of events with provision of full PR support

4

Duration of Assignments: Seven months

Competencies

Required Experiences, Competencies and Skills

The consultant is expected to have the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in communication, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or closely related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in corporate communications/PR (mandatory screening criteria)
• Track record in terms of proven ability to work in a multicultural setting as well as diverse record of clients
• Previous experience of handling large accounts of which at least three projects were related to CSR, social/development sector.
• Understanding of development context in India’s and UNDP’s activities will be an asset

Required Skills and Experience

Technical Evaluation:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as Responsive to the requirement. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation;

• Technical Criteria weight - 70%;

• Financial Criteria weight – 30 %

Technical Criteria (70% of total evaluation)

1. Minimum of 15 years of experience in the Communications and PR sector (10%)

2. At least ten relevant national or international assignments carried out for Ministries, other UN organizations /major multilateral/or bilateral organizations(30%)

3. Minimum 10 years’ experience in running media campaigns, PR prjoects evidenced by customer and donor feedback and proposal win rate - 20%

4. Three written publications and other authored communication products- 10%

Financial Criteria: (30% of the total evaluation) based on the total all-inclusive lump sum amount for professional fee for tasks specified in this announcement.

Financial Proposal:

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their daily fee rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.

Financial Criteria: (30% of the total evaluation) based on the total all-inclusive lump sum amount for professional fee for tasks specified in this announcement.

Documents to be submitted by Consultants

1. CV

2. No Financials ( Daily Fee) to be submitted at this stage

Note:

• Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone, relocation charges etc. would not be reimbursed.
• Travel, lodging and boarding as per UNDP rules subject to prior approval
• Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual

UNDP strives to have a workforce which reflects diversity and gender balance, and applies an equal opportunities approach. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. All selections are on merit.