EXPERTS IN YOUTH, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATION - LESOTHO

Background

Important Note: This call for applications is being advertised in English, French and Spanish. Kindly apply only once, in the same language as that of the announcement.  As a trusted multilateral partner serving 177 countries and territories around the world, UNDP is uniquely positioned to help advocate for change, connect countries to the knowledge and resources they need to develop and to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations at the country level. In order to fulfil UNDP’s mandate and advance youth empowerment, UNDP has recently launched its Youth Strategy 2014-2017, aligned with UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2014-2017 and meant to deepen the organization’s youth focus across three key areas of work: strengthened economic empowerment of youth; increased civic engagement and participation in decision making and political processes and institutions; and increased resilience. The strategy offers key entry points for systematic and coordinated action to support youth participation and empowerment. It also supports the work of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, including the work of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and the implementation of the United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Youth (UN Youth-SWAP). One of UNDP’s Youth Strategy key aims is to strengthen youth civic engagement and participation in decision making and political processes and institutions (Youth Strategy Outcome 2). When young men and women understand their rights, they can become empowered to engage in civil society, public service and politics at all levels. They need to know the channels through which they may exercise their civil and political rights and contribute to decision-making processes that impact their lives. Channels for engagement include, for example, formal political processes such as youth advisory boards at local level, youth parliaments or shadow councils at national level, and engagement with United Nations processes at the global level. Other entry points include volunteerism, access to civil service institutions, initiatives for transparency and accountability, promotion of human rights, access to information, legal reform, support to governance of youth organizations, movements and networks, data collection and analysis, policy review and the use of social media. To support the implementation of Outcome 2 of UNDP’s Youth Strategy, the organization will back its in-house expertise with a roster of external experts who can provide demand-driven advisory and technical services, to build capacities, develop and share research and knowledge, and advocate on these issues. Only the applicants who pass all screening procedures will be included in the roster and recommended for consultancy assignments. Please note that inclusion in the roster does not guarantee a consultancy with UNDP. Profile of Consultants UNDP is inviting applications from highly qualified junior and senior consultants (individuals only, not companies) with relevant expertise in youth, democratic governance and participation, and proven experience in at least one of the following sub-areas: Expertise in community-based and local government participatory development planning processes involving youth; Expertise in political processes, platforms and institutions; establishing dialogue and linkages between youth leaders, organizations and/or movements, political parties and legislative / executive bodies; Expertise in fostering youth participation and leadership within political parties; Expertise in developing youth civic awareness, civic education, preparedness for civil service and advancement of youth engagement in civil service systems; Expertise in supporting youth initiatives aimed at government transparency and accountability, with focus on mitigating sectoral corruption, implementing social audits and enhancing government accountability for delivery of public services; Expertise in enabling legislative and policy frameworks and in harmonizing national legislation with international standards on youth and children; Expertise in juvenile justice and legal aid support to overcome barriers for youth to access justice (e.g. in court and pre-trial detainment); Experience in development, implementation and/or monitoring of national youth policy; Experience in policy making, strategic planning and coordination of public administration reform strategies, both at the sectoral level and for the whole of government, with a special focus on the impacts on and strategies for youth empowerment; Experience in supporting centre of government institutions and functions, including policies and strategies for improved government communication especially with regard to youth participation and empowerment; Expertise in human rights (awareness, promotion, protection) of youth, implementation of existing human rights instruments; Experience in advancing youth empowerment through access to information policies and strategies; Experience in gender mainstreaming in youth policies and programmes; Experience in the preparation of project documents, proposals, resource mobilisation strategies and innovative partnerships in the area of youth participation and empowerment; Experience in the development of knowledge sharing platforms and networks, development of knowledge and advocacy products on youth participation and empowerment; Experience in engaging with youth organizations including through capacity building, developing youth networks, and north-south / south-south cooperation; Experience in developing partnerships with the media and ICT companies to address visibility of youth and global / regional causes and campaigns; Experience in developing monitoring and evaluation methodologies – including development of relevant baselines, targets and indicators and indexes, sex and age disaggregated data (SADD) – to track youth participation in civic engagement, public administrations and political institutions, including in decision-making; Experience in advocacy for organizational and cultural change related to the advancement of youth empowerment; Experience in setting up indicators, targets and tracking mechanisms (budget and expenditure tracking) specific to youth policy and programming; Experience in using social media for advocacy, campaign building, network and partnership building, etc.; Experience in designing innovative mechanisms, including through the use of technology and new media, for improved governance and participation; Expertise in the collection and analysis of data / statistics related to youth, youth participation in political processes, youth and governance, etc.; Experience in empowering youth on public policies / policy making through non-formal and/or formal education processes and mechanisms.

Duties and Responsibilities

Consultants will assist Country Offices, Regional Centres, Headquarter Units and/or national stakeholders (including governments, civil society organizations and others in the region). The range of tasks that would typically be expected from a youth consultant may include:  Developing country and regional case studies; Developing project concept notes and project documents on youth participation and empowerment; Providing capacity building and strategic, programmatic, policy and operational advice to governments and non-state actors on the formulation and execution of policies, strategies and interventions with special focus on youth participation and empowerment; Contributing to partnership building and resource mobilization efforts for global, regional and/or country level initiatives; Supporting the development of transparent and effective performance management systems and related indicators with special focus on youth participation and empowerment; Supporting knowledge generation and sharing on youth participation and empowerment; Contributing to innovative research, data and knowledge production, and information dissemination and exchange about youth participation and empowerment; Supporting and facilitating global, regional, national or subnational dialogues, fora, debates, consultations and/or campaigns involving a range of stakeholders to promote greater understanding of, and commitment to, youth participation and decision-making; Supporting and facilitating organizational and cultural change – in particular of the mechanisms within public administration and of social norms – in order to advance youth participation and empowerment, particularly at decision-making levels; Supporting capacity building, including assisting with the development and implementation of training and capacity building curricula. Specific duties and responsibilities – as well as reporting and working relationships – will vary according to each assignment and will always be specified at the time of contracting.

Competencies

Ability to work in a team, establish and/or support multi-stakeholder partnerships; Strong interpersonal and communication skills, resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, tact, and negotiating skills, and the ability to cope with situations which may pose conflict; Integrity, modelled by the UN's values and ethical standards; Sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; Openness to change and ability to receive / integrate feedback; Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations; Ability to manage heavy workloads and solve complex problems with minimum supervision.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Bachelor’s, Master’s and /or PhD degree in social sciences, international affairs, international law, public administration, political science, development studies, economics or other related areas.. Experience: Depending on the complexity of the assignment, consultants will need to have a minimum of: Junior Consultants: 2 years relevant work experience (with Master’s/PhD degree); OR 5 years relevant work experience (with Bachelor’s degree); Senior Consultants: 10 years relevant work experience with Master’s/PhD degree in social sciences, international affairs, international law, public administration, political science, development studies, economics or other related areas; OR 12 years relevant work experience with Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, international affairs, international law, public administration, political science, development studies, economics or other related areas. Experience with a variety of stakeholders within the youth community (e.g., across civil society, academia, formal youth structures, youth movements, networks, etc.) is desirable. Diversity of experience across youth programming and policy is desirable. Computer Skills: IT literacy and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications and tools. Language(s): Proficiency in one of UNDP’s working language is required (English, French, Spanish), proficiency in a second UNDP working language is highly desirable. Evaluation of Applicants In accordance with the procedures set out in UNDP’s Procurement Guidelines and Financial Rules and Regulations, a technical evaluation of all applications will be conducted, based on a balanced assessment of candidates’ qualifications and competencies as specified above, and including: Knowledge and analysis of the subject matter; Relevance of previous experience and technical expertise; Education background; Language skills. In addition: Short-listed candidates may be requested to participate in a brief interview; Selected candidates will be invited to create a profile in the roster; once their profile is active in the system, they can be considered for consultancy opportunities as needs arise. Roster profiles will only be activated once the expert completes the required information and 3 letters of reference are received and verified. Contractual Arrangements Successful candidates will be included in UNDP’s Roster of Experts on Youth, Democratic Governance and Participation for a period of 2 years. Inclusion in the expert roster does not guarantee a contract with UNDP. When a request for services arises, the hiring unit/office shall: Contact the roster manager or search the roster to select at least three qualified experts; Send the procurement notice and ToRs for the assignment to the selected experts with a request to confirm availability and submit a financial proposal for the assignment within 3-5 business days; Review the submissions and financial proposals; Select an expert for the assignment based on the ‘Best value for money’ approach; Issue an Individual Contract to the expert; Notify the roster manager of the decision and of the duration of the contract issued to the expert; Submit an evaluation of the expert to the roster manager once the assignment is completed; and before the final payment is issued. The contracting unit/office will provide a specific Term of Reference (ToR) outlining the outputs for each assignment and issue an Individual Contract (IC) to the consultant, detailing the time frame, and frequency/modality of payments. Conditions of a particular assignment may be negotiable. Payment Payment/s shall be made following certification by UNDP that the services related to each deliverable, as specified in the contract, have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified, if any. Please note that an evaluation of the expert must be submitted by the hiring unit before issuance of the last payment on the assignment. Application Procedure Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via the UNDP website. Interested candidates are advised to carefully review this ToR and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described above. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply. Important Note: This call for applications is being advertised in English, French and Spanish. Kindly apply only once, in the same language as that of the announcement.  Applications should include: A brief cover letter, clearly identifying the area(s) of interest and expertise in the field of Youth, Democratic Governance and Participation, as stipulated under the “Profile of Consultants” section above. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application; Relevant writing sample of no more than 500 words; A current completed and signed P11 form/ UN Personal History Form (a blank form can be downloaded here); please upload the P11 instead of your CV; Contact details for 3 references. Please note that your previous employers could also be contacted; Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you provide all requested materials; Do not send CVs or additional documentation to UNDP. All applicants must follow the online application process via the UNDP website in order to be considered; The deadline for submission of applications is 4 July 2014. This call for experts is not linked to other UNDP rosters or to a specific UNDP recruitment opportunity. Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are only able to inform the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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