Consultant-Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist

Background

The United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) is a unique collaborative effort that brings together UN entities, governments, disabled people’s organizations and the broader civil society to advance the human rights of persons with disabilities around the world.

The UN entities participating in the UNPRPD are the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNDP Inclusive Political Processes Team serves as the Technical Secretariat for the Partnership.  The UNPRPD also works closely with multiple civil society organizations including the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC).

The UNPRPD is supported by the UNPRPD Fund, a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) established to mobilize resources for the Partnership. The UNPRPD MPTF is administered by the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) and builds on the experience developed by the MPTF Office in managing multiple Multi-Partner Trust Funds and joint programmes around the world.

Since 2012, the UNPRPD has funded over 40 country level joint UN programmes worldwide to support CRPD implementation as well as 5 regional initiatives to strengthen the voices of persons with disabilities, and 8 global initiatives to develop strategic resources on the rights of persons with disabilities. 

In June 2020 the Policy Board approved the new Strategic Operational Framework (2020-2025) has been approved. The new Strategic Operational Framework outlines the three strategic approaches to support countries to develop and implement, policies, plans, budgets, programmes and services with the meaningful participation of OPDs in line with their CRPD commitments and SDGs.

While country-level joint programming is UNPRPD’s core focus and consists of the majority of UNPRPD’s funds, it will be supported by two additional strategic approaches, ensuring that activities will be mutually supportive. Context relevant capacity building on inclusive systems and policies and knowledge management and lessons learned.

The Knowledge Management strategic approach will draw on programmatic experience, systems and tools that capture knowledge and evidence on CRPD implementation methods, approaches, and practices on systemic structural interventions at country level to address gaps in technical knowledge on the essential preconditions for CRPD implementation and program delivery.

The Strategy 2020-2025 will also need to be supported by a communications strategy that ensures accessible and targeted messages to a wide range of stakeholders and public.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the UNPRPD TS team:

• Act as focal point for the new UNPRPD platform including content management and development
• Design and develop quarterly newsletter
• Manage space and tools for cross learning webinars
• Contribute to communication materials (data visualization, infographics, ppts)
• Support revamp of institutional information (brochure)
• Manage Social Media
• Develop UNPRPD branding strategy
• Support Comms materials such as draft of blogs
• Supporting and gathering content from the Fund’s joint programmes (stories, news, videos, pictures, audios…) communicating the Fund’s results

Specific outputs:

An indicative list of deliverables and timeline would include:

• Support UNPRPD Website completion including content development; 50 days, by 30 June 2021;
• 3 Blogs, 5 days, by 15 August 2021;
• Support in the finalization of Annual report 2020; 5 days, by 31st May 2021;
• 4 stories from countries; 15 days, by 20th August 2021;
• Newsletter and distribution listerv created; 15 days, by 15th July 2021;
• Institutional Brochure updated; 10 days, by 15 May 2021;
• UNPRPD Branding Strategy finalized; 20 days, by 10th June 2021.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Strong research skills;
• Excellent organizational skills and proven ability to deliver projects within assigned deadlines;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and objectivity;
•  Strong innovative and creative approach.

Technical Competencies:

• Ability and experience in content creation across digital and non-digital channels.
• Demonstrates ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.
• Ability to manage KM tools, including web platforms and interactive community of practices.
• Ability to develop clear messages and visualization of information.
• Ability to manage graphic design and communications tools (adobe, social media, power point, data visualizations tools…).

Corporate Competencies:

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

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Master’s degree (or higher-level qualification) in Communication, Social Science, Development Studies or Management is required or equivalent;

Experience:

• At least 3 years of previous experience in Communications and or Knowledge Management is required;  
• Good understanding of communications and graphic design tools and knowledge management concepts including knowledge platform, social media data, visualization, Information and technology is required.
•  Proven experience of digital and non-digital content development related to development and human rights is required;

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Another UN language is an asset.

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following:

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;
• 2 writing samples in English and one PPT sample possibly including data visualization.  Application without samples will not be reviewed.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.

• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel. 

• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (70 points):

• Criteria 1. At least 3 years of previous experience in Communications and or Knowledge Management required; Weight =  %; Maximum Points: 10;
• Criteria 2. Proven experience digital and non-digital content development related to development and human rights. Weight = %; Maximum Points: 10;
• Criteria 3. Good understanding of communications and graphic design tools and knowledge management concepts including knowledge platform, social media data, visualization, Information and technology; Weight = Maximum Points: 10
• Criteria 4. Proven ability to draft high quality communication related content and produce clear PPTs Weight = Maximum Points: 10

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three/four shortlisted candidates (having obtained a minimum of 70% of the CV review) for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

• Interview: Weight = %; Maximum Points:30

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points on the technical evaluation shall be considered for the financial proposal.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

• p = y (µ/z), where
• p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
• y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
• µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
• z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Manager of Technical Secretariat_and Programme Specialist and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

•  Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above and deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager. 
• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

• Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs
• Annex 2 - IC Contract Template
• Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions
• Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.