Consultant: regional technical experts on gender and climate change

Background

The Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP) is a three year (2010-2012), $92.1 million project funded by the Government of Japan and operating in 20 countries across Africa. It has been designed to support targeted countries’ long-term efforts to further develop their capability to successfully identify, design and implement holistic adaptation and disaster risk reduction programmes that are aligned with national development priorities. In this regard AAP is not a traditional adaptation programme per se – but a strategic initiative, aimed at creating an environment for more informed and capable adaptation decisions and practice in each country.

Institutionally, the AAP is a programme under the UNDP Environment and Energy Group (EEG) in the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP), and is based out of the Dakar Regional Centre. The EEG has an ongoing partnership agreement with the UNDP Gender Team/BDP, which is providing technical support to facilitate strengthening of national capacities for African countries to integrate gender perspectives in the AAP’s national climate change adaptation programmes to ensure that they address the needs of poor women and men equitably.

To meet this objective, UNDP is seeking a Technical Expert on Gender and Climate Change to primarily provide support to the national Francophone governments and to UNDP Country Offices to mainstream gender in the Africa Adaptation Programme implementation and monitoring/evaluation. He/She will report to the Project Manager of the Inter-Regional Technical Support Component, based out of Dakar Regional Centre, and provide quarterly progress reports to the Director of the Gender Team, and may count on support from the Team.

Duties and responsibilities

The general objective for the work of the gender expert is to mainstream and coordinate gender related activities in the entire cycle of the African Adaptation Programme (AAP), regionally covering the Francophone countries in Africa.

Specifically, the expert will carry out the following responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to mainstream gender in the AAP programme and project implementation process;
• Contribute to the development of a gender mainstreaming guidance tool kit for national adaptation projects;
• Facilitate the participation of women organizations as stakeholders, to ensure their equal participation in all stages of project planning and implementation;
• Identify gaps and opportunities for gender mainstreaming and provide technical guidance as needed;
• Design and implement training sessions for UNDP Country Office staff and relevant government and civil service officials to build capacity to support and strengthen effective and efficient national gender and climate change adaptation initiatives in the region;
• Develop and facilitate the inclusion of gender indicators to monitor and report progress made towards national capacity development objectives and monitor the overall contribution of the AAP to gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Undertake research and documentation of gender specific data and case studies on the role of women in adaptation and on gender specific impacts of climate change at the local and national levels;
• Disseminate findings for policy formulation on climate change and programme scale up at national and global level;
• Foster active linkages with the gender knowledge networks as part of the contribution of the Country Office to knowledge sharing.

Competencies

• Knowledge, technical expertise, and analytical skills on issues related to gender, environment and climate change.
• Demonstrated training, advocacy and strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a complex environment requiring liaison and collaboration with multiple actors
• Ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team and in a multi-cultural environment.
• Proficiency in French; working knowledge of English an asset.

Deliverables

• Provide technical support to mainstream gender in the AAP programme and projects implementation process, in at least 5 countries: 15 days;
• Develop a guide book for mainstreaming gender in national adaptation policy, programmes and projects, including research, peer review, editing, design and publication, and dissemination: 45 days;
• Provide inputs to 5 issue papers, briefs, concept notes, and quarterly progress reports: 25 days;
• At least 3 training sessions for UNDP Country Office staff to mainstream gender in climate change: 20 days;
• Support capacity development sessions - revision of the training manual on the gender dimensions of climate change to the African context,  including consultations, writing, peer review and dissemination: 20 days;
• Research and document specific case studies on gender and climate change adaptation, including NAPAs: 35 days;
• Develop guidelines for gender indicators for monitoring and evaluation: 25 days;
• Facilitate training on gender and climate change finance: 15 days.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• PhD or Masters in Social Sciences, Environment, economics and or Gender Studies, or a closely related field.

Experience

• 5-10 years of relevant professional experience including at least 3 years of experience in gender and climate change or environment issues in Africa;
• Experience in analysis of climate change adaptation strategies is required;
• Excellent analytical, research, writing and communication skills;
• Prior experience with United Nations agencies is an advantage, as is knowledge of UNDP policies, programmes, and procedures.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Proposal explaining why you are the most suitable for the work and providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work.
• Financial proposal;
• Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Travel

Contracted experts shall be required to travel for specific tasks and UNDP will arrange the travel in accordance to UNDP rules and procedures. This may include, but is not limited to missions to countries in the Africa region (five travels are estimated).

Remuneration

Please indicate the daily rate for your services when applying for this assignment . Remuneration for specific assignments will be established based on the competencies and skills of the consultant and nature of the task to be assigned.

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

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
* Financial Criteria weight: 30
The following formula is used to evaluate financial proposals: p = y (μ/z)
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
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Criteria

Technical

• Advanced university degree PhD or Masters in Social Sciences, Environment, economics and or Gender Studies, or a closely related field, Weight 10%, Maximum points 10;
• 5-10 years of relevant professional experience including at least 3 years of experience in gender and climate change or environment issues in francophone Africa region, Weight 20%, Maximum points 20;
• Knowledge, technical expertise, and analytical skills on issues related to gender, environment and climate change, with extensive research and documentation of stories and case studies, Weight 20%, Maximum points 20;
• Demonstrated training, advocacy and Strong verbal and written communication skills, Weight 20%, Maximum points 20.

Financial

Weight 30%, Maximum points 30.

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