Junior consultant – Governance Statistics

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in its Strategic Plan.

The Oslo Governance Centre (OGC), a Global Policy Center in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, is an applied research and policy hub which advances global dialogue and knowledge on inclusive and transformative governance for peaceful, just and inclusive societies. The Centre contributes to UNDP’s signature solutions on strengthening effective, accountable and inclusive governance, as well as enhancing national prevention and recovery capacities for resilient societies. OGC supports UNDP and other development actors to better understand through research, policy dialogue and by drawing on learning from UNDPs network of country offices how to advance SDG 16 implementation and monitoring for inclusive, peaceful and just societies, as well how inclusive and transformative governance can support progress towards all SDGs.

As custodian agencies for several global indicators under Sustainable Development Goals 16 on promoting peace justice and strong institutions, the United Nations Development Programme’s Oslo Governance Centre is responsible for the data collection and global reporting on the following indicators:

• 16.6.2: “Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services”;
• SDG 16.7.1.b. & c.: “Proportions of positions (by age group, sex, persons with disabilities and population groups) in public institutions (national and local public service, and judiciary) compared to national distributions”;
• SDG 16.7.2: “Percentage of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive,”; and
• 16.3.3: “Access to Dispute Resolution Mechanisms” (with UNODC and OECD).

To fulfil this responsibility, UNDP OGC is looking for a junior consultant to support the management of the reporting platform for the SDG 16 indicators, support the data collection and reporting process and engage with relevant research and capacity building related to the SDG 16 indicators.  

Travel

International travel is not expected for this assignment.

Application procedure

The application is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications.

Step 1: Submission of technical proposal. That will include providing application via UNDP Job-shop (jobs.undp.org )

Interested candidates should provide the following documents and information in one PDF file:

• Uploading a CV/P11 and a statement of interest indicating all past experience for similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc;
•  A mandatory, brief description and justification (approx. 300-500 words) of the approach proposed to conduct the tasks required for this assignment, demonstrating how the applicant’s qualifications and experience will enable him/her to successfully deliver against the requirements of this assignment.

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposals

Applicants are required to submit their lump sum financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy, using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780   Please fill in section A I on p. 4. The total sum of  A I is the “all-inclusive lump sum fee” to be filled in on p. 1).

The proposals should be sent via email to [email protected] with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal Junior Consultant – Governance Statistics” by the application deadline. Proposals received after the deadline may be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive lump sum fee, and include a detailed breakdown of the cost. The term ‘all-inclusive’ implies that all costs (professional fees, assignment related travel expenses to join the duty station, communications, tax, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal.

Criteria for selection

Only those candidates who meet the minimum level of education and relevant years of experience requirements will be considered for the technical evaluation. The technical evaluation will include a desk review, and may also include interviews with shortlisted candidates.

Combined scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Method: cumulative analysis method will be used to evaluate proposals.

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:

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.

Technical criteria weight: 70 (70% of total obtainable scores).

Financial criteria weight: 30 (30% of total obtainable scores)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 (70%) points on technical part will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Criteria and scores for technical evaluation (total 70):

• Expertise on data and statistics for sustainable development, 20 points;
• Expertise with household surveys and data collection instruments related to monitoring national progress on sustainable development, 20 points;
• Substantial experience of working with international datasets for sustainable development, including governance statistics, 15 points;
• Strong familiarity with national and global processes for SDG 16 implementation and reporting, 10 points;
• Knowledge and understanding of UN/UNDP’s work and/or other multicultural/bilateral actors’ work and roles related to Governance, Rule of law, Peace and Security, 5 points.

Criteria for financial evaluation (30 points maximum):

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:

The award of contract will be made to the individual consultant who receives the highest combined score out of the weighted technical and financial criteria as specified above.

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the SDG 16 Research and Policy Advisor and the day-to-day guidance of the Governance Statistics Specialist, the consultant will provide technical support to the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre on:

 Methodological Refinement

• Undertake methodological research on administrative data produced by national institutions and reported to UNDP in the call for data and revise guidelines accordingly

Data management

• Organize and ensure quality of collection, validation, compilation, and dissemination of statistical data in conformity with the metadata and reporting requirements
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and management of statistical databases on governance statistics, including third-party databases.
• Prepare databases for their access to external sources, including preparing support information for users.

    Support to countries and external partners

• Support in the design of survey instruments, including sampling, questionnaire design, data collection tools and training materials
• Respond to request of support from countries implementing SDG16 Survey
• Provide technical support to entities reporting data to ensure high quality statistical production.
• Coordinate activities with Country Offices

    Capacity Building

• Develop and implement capacity building activities, provide training and technical support on data collection programmes, country practices, methodologies and other related information.
• Support organizing events and training on measurement of governance, including the SDG 16 indicators

Documentation

• Support responding to queries and in drafting technical documents for external partners
• Support data analysis teams in drafting of thematic reports

 Anticipated key deliverables:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP, and partner organizations.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge of one statistical package (SPSS/STATA/SAS/R) for data analysis.
• Knowledge of international statistics systems and experience of working with international datasets.
• Experience with national statistics systems including with national statistics offices.
• Knowledge of governance measurement and governance statistics in the context of SDG 16 measurement and global reporting is desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of UN/UNDP’s work and/or other multicultural/bilateral actors’ work and roles related to Governance measurement.  
• Knowledge of United Nations Statistics Division standards.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in social sciences, data and statistics or other related disciplines.
• A combination of a first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of five years professional experience in collecting, verifying, analyzing, compiling data and statistics at the regional or international level.
• Experience in collaborating with national statistics offices and other national statistical system entities, statistical organizations, United Nations agencies and/or relevant international organizations.
• Understanding and experience on governance statistics desirable.
• Experience with designing, implementing and analyzing results of statistical surveys desirable.

Languages: 

• Fluency in English, both written and oral.
• Working knowledge of a second UN language is an asset.