Knowledge Management Consultant

Knowledge Management Consultant

Location: Home based

Type of Contract: Individual Contract

Post Level: International Consultant

Languages Required: English

Duration of Initial Contract: 35 days

Expected Duration of Assignment: August – November 2015

Background

The Nairobi-based Global Policy Centre for Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GPC-Nairobi) is one of six UNDP Global Policy Centres. It was established in October 2014 and is responsible for advancing global thinking and knowledge sharing on inclusive and sustainable development in drylands and other fragile ecosystems.

GPC-Nairobi builds on the work of the Drylands Development Centre (DDC), which has been in existence through various incarnations for 40 years. In accordance with the UNDP’s renewed and explicit organizational focus on sustainable livelihoods, poverty reduction and inclusive growth on one hand, and environmental sustainability and resilience on the other hand, the Centre works to explore solutions in two major areas:

1) Sustainable management of renewable natural capital for optimal livelihoods support and jobs creation, with a particular focus on the poorest and most vulnerable communities; and

2) Social and ecological resilience in drylands and other fragile ecosystems.

Inter alia, within these priority thematic areas, GPC-Nairobi intends to:

· Undertake applied research and analysis, and provide evidence on policies and good practices in the sustainable management of natural capital that optimises jobs and livelihoods;

· Undertake applied research and analysis, and provide evidence on policies and good practices in fostering socio-ecological resilience in drylands and fragile eco systems;

· Promote intellectual exchange among multiple stakeholders and across disciplinary fields, facilitate the global dissemination of optimal policies and good practices, and stimulate processes for their incorporation into national and regional policy processes;

· Develop tools and methodologies for strengthening the implementation and monitoring of resilience building and sustainable management of natural capital.

The Centre integrates into its work on-going activities of the Integrated Drylands Development Programme (IDDP), which is an initiative to support sustainable and inclusive development in drylands, including the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCD).

The Centre also assumed UNDP’s oversight role in the Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI), a joint programme of UNDP and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that supports country-led efforts to integrate poverty-environment linkages into national development frameworks. It provides significant support, including in its strategic direction; the mainstreaming of PEI knowledge in UNDP and other partners; quality assurance and donor reporting. The Centre also supports the PEI in facilitating learning across regions, packaging and disseminating its accumulated knowledge, and building tools for mainstreaming issues in the poverty environment nexus into development policies.

In addition, the Centre is envisaged to host the BES-NET. BES-NET is the capacity development component for the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES), which is an independent body open to all member countries of the United Nations that provides a mechanism recognized by both the scientific and policy communities to synthesize, review, assess and critically evaluate relevant information and knowledge generated worldwide by governments, academia, scientific organizations, non-governmental organizations and indigenous communities. UNDP was requested through the Busan Outcome to play a special role in developing capacity to support IPBES, to help enable effective management of biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide in a way that contributes to long-term human well-being and sustainable development. Since then, UNDP, in collaboration with its partners, has been working to establish BES-NET which has the objective of contributing to unlocking specific policy issues related to biodiversity and ecosystem services to shift the trajectory of development strategies towards sustainability.

In line with its mandate which focuses on the generation and management of knowledge for development impact, GPC-Nairobi seeks the services of a Knowledge Management consultant to assist with the conceptualization and development of its key knowledge products.

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of this assignment is to broaden and deepen visibility of GPC-Nairobi and its ongoing works among the key external audiences (e.g. donors, partners, beneficiaries, general public, etc.) as well as internal UNDP stakeholders. The consultant will help create and improve the Centre’s overall brand recognition and its internal/external profile. He/she will work under the direct supervision of the GPC-Nairobi Director and in close collaboration with the Policy Specialists. He/she will work in consultation with other key stakeholders/partners. He/She will reference and be guided by the UNDP Brand Manual.

More, specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Produce/update and help designing a set of cutting-edge publicity/visibility enhancement products for the Centre. They may include, but be not limited to: 1) logo; 2) brochure; 3) document folder; 3) printed paper and roll-up poster; 4) GPC initiative fact sheets (Proposed fact sheets include PEI, IDDP, Bes-Net, Resilience research, Gender, SDGs implementation, and MPI).
2. Provide support in revamping the Centre’s websites (i.e., public website, internal Teamworks site and Share Point) and advancing the Centre’s social media presence through twitter, and possibly other social media accounts.
3. Assess the overall effectiveness of ongoing knowledge management efforts within and outside UNDP and recommend a set of practical and user-friendly actions for GPC-Nairobi to strengthen its knowledge management works and ensure seamless and cost-efficient delivery of the Centre’s knowledge products and services in accordance with the Project Document for 2015-2017. The recommendations or communication/ knowledge management roadmap shall:

· Provide branding and communication templates to which the future GPC-Nairobi efforts to deliver strategic policy products and services will adhere to;

· Set out a guiding procedure for GPC-Nairobi staff to follow in maintaining and updating strategic policy products and services; and

· Identify and recommend creative and innovative distribution channels, communication platforms and other outreach opportunities through which to improve visibility of GPC-Nairobi, its works and outputs, among multiple target audiences.

1. Facilitate the initial implementation of the priority knowledge management actions recommended under Task 3 and approved by the GPC-Nairobi Director..

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Payment will be made based on satisfactory submission of deliverables as follows:

· 30 % upon the satisfactory submission of a set of publicity enhancement products (Task 1).

· 0% upon the completion of revamping of the GPC-Nairobi websites, social media pages (Task 2).

· 20% upon the satisfactory submission of the GPC-Nairobi knowledge management action plan (Task 3).

30% upon the successful implementation of the priority actions (Task 4),

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

· Commits to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;

· Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s 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:

· Strong analytical and advocacy skills in private sector and development issues;

· Understanding of inclusive business models, inclusive market development, and business sustainability issues to engage private sector companies in job creation and income generation projects that contribute to the MDGs;

· Proven track record of publications and knowledge products in inclusive business;

· Ability to produce high-quality outputs and in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving client needs;

· Ability to focus on impact and results for the client, promoting and demonstrating an ethic of client service;

· Strong organizational skills;

· Strong verbal and written communication skills required;

· Ability to work independently, flexibly and under pressure utilizing initiative;

· Sound judgment, strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities;

· Flexibility in responding to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Behavioral Competencies:

· Productive and efficient worker, highly motivated;

· Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks;

· Strong analytical, research and writing skills and demonstrated ability to think strategically;

· Performance-oriented and focused on results;

· Persistence and willingness to follow through;

· Strong advocacy and outreach skills and ability to communicate clearly and quickly;

· Ability to take instructions and to learn on the job;

· Ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speak clearly and convincingly, demonstrating strong presentation skills in meetings, and adapting style and content to different audiences.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

· An advanced degree in communications, information science, knowledge management, journalism and media, or other relevant field.

Experience:

· Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant practical experience in knowledge management, communication, advocacy, external/internal relations.

· Experience in conducting research, gathering and synthesizing information from a variety of sources and preparing high-quality knowledge products to provide evidence and capture learning

· Proven knowledge and/or familiarity with resilience/sustainable development issues in a development context or humanitarian relief context.

· Experiences in drylands and other fragile ecosystems is an asset.

· Previous work experience with the UN System required. Familiarity with UNDP’s programming work in general desirable.

· High level of computer literary and excellent skills in online tools, including social media applications.

Language skills:

· Excellent writing, editing, and oral communications skills in English;

· Working knowledge of other UN official language(s) is desirable.

Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicant's qualifications and financial proposal. The contract will be awarded 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.

Only those candidates who obtained at least 70% of points in each step of the process technical (CV/P11 desk reviews) will be considered for financial proposal evaluation.

Technical Criteria (70% of total evaluation; maximum 70 points):

· Demonstrated academic qualification (Max. 5);

· Demonstrated practical work experience in relevant fields (Max. 15);

· Demonstrated experience and skill in research and report writing (Max. 20)

· Knowledge of the resilience related challenges in fragile ecosystems (Max. 10)

· Past experience/familiarity with UNDP’s programmatic work (Max. 10)

· Computer literary and skills in online tools (Max 10)

Financial Criteria (30% of total evaluation; maximum 30 points)

HOW TO APPLY:

Application Procedures

The application should contain:

· CVusing Personal History Form (P11), indicating all relevant past experiences and the contact details of at least three (3) professional referees (Blank P11 form can be downloaded fromhttp://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc);

· A brief cover letter/write-upexplaining why you are the most suitable for the advertised position and describing a methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment.; and

· Financial Proposal describing a total lump sum amount for the task specified in this announcement in USD.

Kindly use the below link

http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=57943

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Group all your documents into one single file to upload because the system allows only one attachment.