New Job Opportunity United Nations (UN) at UNDP Tanzania – Project Evaluation and Insights Consultant

Project Evaluation and Insights Consultant
Advertised on behalf of : UNCDF
Location : home base and, TANZANIA
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Post Level : National Consultant
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Feb-2021
Duration of Initial Contract : 50 days over 1 year
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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.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of
harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All
selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and
background checks.

Background
About UNCDF
The
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private
finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries.
With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile”
finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at
the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic
development.

Access to Finance in Tanzania
In line with the UNCDF global strategy of Leaving No-One Behind in the Digital Era
and countries’ UN Development Assistance Plan, UNCDF is supporting
inclusive economies to help smallholder farmers and other vulnerable
populations thrive. This includes contributing to refugee response
initiatives and considering the consequences of the COVID-19 health
pandemic in terms of food security, food systems, livelihoods, financial
inclusion and last but not least, social cohesion. This programme uses
a market development approach that is rooted on five decades of
fostering financial inclusion and local development, digital economies
and partnerships for the SDGs, digital and financial literacy, as well
as reaching the most underserved populations by promoting
community-based frugal innovation as well as strengthening savings and
production groups.

KIGOMA JOINT PROGRAMME
The Kigoma Joint Programme (KJP)
involves 16 different UN Agencies and is being implemented in
cooperation with the regional and district authorities based on the
development needs of the region and the capacities of the UN in
Tanzania. By expanding and increasing the support to host communities
the programme contributes to enhancement of co-existence between the
refugee/migrant population and the host population. Through supporting
stability and prosperity in Kigoma the programme contributes to the
stability of the Great Lakes region.

The 16 participating UN
agencies are cooperating across seven themes which are Sustainable
energy and environment; Youth and women’s economic empowerment; Ending
violence against women and children; Education with a focus on
adolescent girls and young women; WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene);
Agriculture with a focus on developing local markets; and an Integrated
Programme on Health, HIV and Nutrition.

UNCDF contributes to two
themes, namely Youth and women’s economic empowerment and Agriculture,
in partnerships with the Kigoma Youth Agricultural Development
Organization, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid and Digital
Mobile Africa to facilitate access to finance; as well as Arifu,
Fundacion Kapital and Khangarue Media for edutainment material on
digital and financial education.

Duties and Responsibilities
The
objective of the assignment is to conduct an evaluation(s) of selected
KJP projects in terms of their successes, challenges, lessons learned,
and way forward. The evaluation should consider the degree to which
UNCDF KJP projects met their impact objectives and contributed to
empowering beneficiaries and enabling access to finance as well as skill
development. Other considerations will be determined in consultation
with the UNCDF Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania. The consultant will
produce at least two publications and create communications materials
(e.g. blog posts, conference presentations) as necessary.

The
consultant should have demonstrated expertise in the design and
implementation of research projects focused on access to finance,
gender, and/or youth in Tanzania, as well as relevant experience working
on financial inclusion interventions and/or in the financial services
industry. (S)He is expected to work under the supervision and guidance
of the UNCDF Country Lead for Rwanda & Tanzania or her assignee, and
in close collaboration with in-country partners.

More specific objectives follow:
Conduct
a comprehensive desk review of relevant project-related documents and
draft and submit an inception report. The inception report will be a
research plan that includes the overall approach and methodology; key
lines of inquiry and any interview protocols; data collection tools and
mechanisms; proposed list of interviewees; and a proposed work plan and
timelines.
Gain good understanding of UNCDF approaches, tools (access
to finance and digital-financial education), partners (implementing, UN
and government) and target beneficiaries to evaluate comparative
efficiency and effectiveness.
The consultant may employ any relevant
and appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods (s)he deems
appropriate to conduct the project final evaluation. Methods could
include: desk review of documents; interviews with stakeholders,
partners, and beneficiaries; (virtual) field visits; data analysis, etc.
However, a combination of primary and secondary, as well as qualitative
and quantitative data should be used. The consultant is expected to
revise the methodological approach in consultation with key stakeholders
as necessary and should present both quantitative data and qualitative
findings and data.
Prepare a draft evaluation report to be submitted
to the Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania. Key elements of the report
will be determined in the inception phase and agreed with the Country
Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania but may include:

• Evaluation criteria: e.g. relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, gender;
• The main programming factors of success and challenges;
• The main implementation factors of success and challenges;
• The main gaps and challenges and ways to address them;
• The key actors to whom the recommendation is targeted.

Produce a final report based on comments from the Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania and any other relevant reviewers.
Draft documents, communications and knowledge-sharing materials as necessary (at least two publications).
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Some
of the activities outlined above require alignment with partners or may
lead to conceptualization of new activities. Such activities in these
areas will be agreed upon in writing between the consultant and UNCDF as
they arise.

SCOPE OF WORK
At the end of the contract period, the consultant will be expected to attain the following results
An inception report and research protocol and plan
At least one progress report and participation in team calls biweekly
Draft final evaluation(s)
Final
evaluation(s) including two publications and a to-be-determined number
of knowledge-sharing products that will contribute to UNCDF visibility
in the wider stakeholder community.

Consultant presence required on Duty Station/UNDP Premises
Duty station:
The consultant will be home-based with intermittent office presence in
Tanzania UNCDF office, frequent travel to project sites in Tanzania and
possible travels to other sites regionally, where UNCDF operates. The
schedule of project-related travel will be negotiated with the
consultant(s) according to the requirements of each programme.
Travel to project locations as agreed with the Country Lead or her assignee.

Provision of Quality, Monitoring and Progress Controls
The
following supporting documents will serve as conditions for
disbursement: (i) monthly submission of an invoice and Certificate of
Payment (COP) duly approved by the Country Lead; (ii) review, approval
and written acceptance of each deliverable project by the Country Lead
and/or her designate; and (iii) an authorization of payment disbursement
from a direct supervisor.

The consultant(s) will work under the
direct supervision of the Country Lead for Tanzania and Rwanda and in
close collaboration with other relevant colleagues, experts and/or
institutions designated by the country Teams. The Country Lead or her
assignee will provide overall supervision of the consultancy and approve
key deliverables.

The consultant is responsible for providing his/her own laptop.
UNCDF
shall closely monitor the performance of the consultant, and such
monitoring shall include the detailed tracking of cumulative payments
ensuring that they do not exceed the approved limit in the contract. If
the consultant fails to meet performance requirements detailed above,
(s)he will receive in first instance, a communication requesting an
improvement in performance. Continued failure to meet performance
requirements may result in termination and non-utilization of the
contract.

Standard Travel Costs and Daily Supplemental Allowance (DSA):

• If
  the travel is to perform work or deliver outputs that are OUTSIDE the
  work/deliverables agreed in the contract, the unit supervising the
  consultant will fully justify in a note to file why the consultant is
  being asked to undertake such travel. The said justification should be
  provided along with the supporting documents uploaded in the T&E
  module and in line with UNDP/UNCDF Travel Policy rules. The contractor
  will conduct briefings to the UNCDF team prior to and following field
  visits to projects via meetings and back to office reports (BTORs) and
  all supporting documentation for F10 within two weeks.
• In the
  case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets,
  lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon in writing between
  the respective business unit and Individual Consultant prior to travel
  and will be reimbursed according to UNDP/UNCDF Travel Policy.

Qualifications and Level of Consultants
QUALIFICATIONS AND LEVEL OF CONSULTANTS

• The
  consultant must provide evidence of the technical capacity to undertake
  this assignment. This includes capacity to deliver the results in the
  timeframe provided as well as indication of prior experience (relevant
  research and financial inclusion/capabilities and experience, training,
  program development and evaluation).

Competencies
Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates ethics and integrity;
• Team player;
• Demonstrates political acumen and calculated risk taking;
• Builds own and staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Builds and promotes effective teams and partnerships;
• Creates and promotes open communication;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Conducts fair and transparent decision making;
• Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
• Shows strong corporate commitment.

Functional Competencies:

• Proven ability to manage and effectively lead a global research agenda and research team;
• Articulate ideas clearly and coherently and ability to translate technical terms for non-technical audiences. i.e. policy makers
• Quick learner with the ability to act quickly to develop new research and initiatives;
• Conceptualizes more effective approaches to research and knowledge, development and implementation;
• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
• Makes effective use of UNCDF resources and comparative advantage to strengthen knowledge partnerships;
• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
• Creates networks and promotes knowledge exchange initiatives between member organizations;
• Promotes
  knowledge and research as critical to the success of moving towards
  digital remittance channels and migrant-centric product development;
• Proactively
  identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external
  clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services.

Technical:

• Understanding
  of key issues and international good practice relating to savings
  groups, smallholder farmers, gender, youth, refugees, digital services
  and digital financial inclusion;
• Excellent presentation and representation skills in multicultural contexts;
• Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience in both verbally and in writing.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master’s
  degree in economics, finance, public/business administration, social
  sciences, international relations or related fields is mandatory.

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Experience:

• Minimum
  of 2 years of professional experience in designing and implementing
  research on financial inclusion/women’s and youth empowerment is
  mandatory;
• Professional experience in international development,
  financial inclusion, or the banking/financial services industry is
  highly desired;
• Demonstrated relevant field experience in Tanzania and/or East Africa is highly desired;
• Experience in donor projects, developing proposals, corresponding budgets, and monitoring and evaluation plans is preferred;
• Familiarity with the development, modification and roll out of financial services for low-income communities is preferred;
• Familiarity working in refugee settlement camps is a plus.

Language:
Demonstrated written and oral communication skills in English is mandatory.
Proposal and Evaluation

Application:
Interested
individuals must submit the documents mentioned below as proposals in
order to demonstrate their qualifications (Note: the system does not
allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must make sure to upload
all documents in one PDF file).
The following documents are requested:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
• Personal
  CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the
  contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at
  least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description of
  why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the
  assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach
  the assignment.
• Financial Proposal that indicates the
  all-inclusive Daily Fee price. If an 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 UNCDF
  under 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 UNCDF.

Incomplete applications may not be considered.
Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

• Preliminary Evaluation – Step I: Screening
• Technical Evaluation Weight – 70% x (Step II: 60%+ Step III: 40%= 100%);
• Financial Evaluation Weight – 30% = Step IV.

Step I: Screening
Applications
will be screened and only applicants meeting the mandatory criteria
(listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for
shortlisting:

• Master’s degree in
  economics, finance, public/business administration, social sciences,
  international relations or related fields;
• Minimum of 2 years of
  professional experience in designing and implementing research on
  financial inclusion/women’s and youth empowerment;
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills in English is mandatory.

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review – 60% out of technical evaluation
UNCDF
will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates and
technically evaluate the candidates. Only candidates that obtained 80%
of the points at this stage shall be invited for the next step.

Shortlisting scoring:

• Minimum
  of 2 years of professional experience in designing and implementing
  research on financial inclusion/women’s and youth empowerment: 30 points
• Demonstrated relevant field experience in Tanzania and/or East Africa: 20 points
• Professional experience in international development, financial inclusion, or the banking/financial services industry: 20 points
• Experience
  in donor projects, developing proposals, corresponding budgets, and
  monitoring and evaluation plans is preferred: 10 points
• Familiarity
  with the development, modification and roll out of financial services
  for low-income communities is preferred: 10 points
• Familiarity working in refugee settlement camps is a plus: 10 points

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Step III: Written Test – 40% out of technical assessment
Candidates
who obtained 80% of the points at the desk review will be invited to
take a written test and submit samples of relevant work (evaluations,
research protocol and plan), including but not restricting to writing
samples and publications (e.g. blogs, reports).
Only candidates
obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Steps II (Desk Review) + III
(Written Test) will be considered as technically qualified and will be
reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step IV: Financial Evaluation
The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30.

Both individual consultants and individual employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply.
Any
individual employed by a company or institution who would like to
submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in
their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications
may be judged accordingly). Women candidates or women-owned businesses
are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline : 22-Jan-21 (Midnight New York, USA)