National Consultant to support the implementation of the Community Employment Programme

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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

Albania is a middle-income country that over the past two and half decades has made a significant stride in establishing a consolidated market economy. Due to strong growth performance (annual growth rate at 6%), Albania grew from the poorest nation in Europe in the early 1990s to the status of middle-income country in 2008. Despite the growth trend, the structure of the country’s economy is dominated by small enterprises (95%), which despite having a substantial contribution in terms of both economic growth and employment have limited potential for job creation. With a narrow export and production base, and limited innovation capacities, the competitiveness of Albania’s economy is weak.

UNDP globally and regionally has built a strategic vision that recognizes the importance of creating employment opportunities as a means to addressing both poverty reduction and inequalities and exclusion. Indeed, the first outcome of the recently adopted United Nations Youth System Wide Action Plan focuses on Employment and Entrepreneurship with the intention to ensure greater opportunities for youth to secure decent work and income over the life-cycle, contributing to a virtuous circle of poverty reduction, sustainable development and social inclusion. To support the integration of various youth employment policy objectives through coordinated action, UNDP Albania, in collaboration with other UN agencies has designed and implemented several skills development / employment related interventions.

After years of experience addressing labor supply interventions, UNDP Albania’s strategic vision is to contribute to building a labour-market focused skills development system that is suited to enhance the employment and entrepreneurship aspects of the unemployed in urban and rural areas, while simultaneously addressing the skills needs of those employed in the formal and informal sectors and emerging entrepreneurs.

The ‘SD4E programme – consolidation phase’ will continue to support the Government of Albania in the national VET and Employment reform through a comprehensive approach of institutional capacity building on a macro/policy level, enabling key actors (MFE, NES/NAES and NAVETQ) to deliver coordinated and demand-driven services.

To achieve the programme purpose and finally the programme goal, the programme will focus in three strategic fields that will aim to improve the governance and quality of service provision in VET and employment promotion in Albania.

Outcome 1 The institutional capacity of key actors in VET and Employment (Ministry, NAVETQ, NAES) is strengthened

Outcome 2 The employment service portfolio is based on a balanced demand-and supply-side oriented approach

Outcome 3 A standardized Quality Assurance (QA) framework is in place that improves the image of VET and fosters linkages between school and world of work

The SD4E programme of UNDP, is supporting the Ministry of Finance and Economy to design active labour market measures that aim at the transition into employment for the registered unemployed, by supporting the employers with various subsidies. The SD4E programme equipped the central, regional and local structures of the National Agency for Employment and Skills with all the necessary tool and capacities to effectively deliver the newly designed programmes. These programmes have now been officially launched by the Minister of Finance and Economy and have started to be implemented in all the 36 Employment Offices around the country. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of the assignment

One of the employment promotion measures designed with the support of the SD4E programme and expected to be implemented by the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES), is the Community Employment Programme (CEP). CEP has a clear focus on workforce training and is designed to place the work experience offered near the labour market, in line with the local and geographical employment opportunities. CEP training combined with work opportunities, may also provide valuable community services in locations of disadvantage. The CEP targets long-term unemployed (LTU) jobseekers of 25+ years that need specialisted responses and substantial support structures in order to enter the mainstream labour market. CEP is implemented in partnership with the community and NGO/voluntary organisations and selected public bodies.  

In line with the approved Decision of the Council of Ministers (DCM nr.535, Date 8.7.2020) , the operation guidelines drafted by the working group of NAES, and with the support of the SD4E team, the consultant is expected to support the working group in the following activities:

1. Support the working group to finalise the operational guidelines and all the related formats (March – April 2021).
2. Finalise the employer operational manual which outlines the procedures for the implementation of the awarded projects (March – April 2021).
3. Train the relevant staff of the employment offices on the operational procedures for the implementation of the CEP (April 2021).
4. Participate in the information sessions organised by NAES to deliver all the relevant information to the interested organisations (April – May 2021).
5. Train the relevant staff of the employers of the awarded projects on all the implementation aspects of the CEP (June 2021).
6. Provide direct support to the selected employment offices during the implementation of the CEP (May-September 2021).

Deliverables

The expected deliverables for this individual consultancy will be as follows:

• Completion of the Operational Guidelines and the relevant formats. (April 2021)
• Completion of the Operational Manual for implementing organisations. (April 2021)
• Training report for the training delivered to the relevant employment office staff. (May 2021)
• Training report for the training delivered to the employers who have been awarded the grant. (July and September 2021)

Competencies

Competencies and Critical Success Factors

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgement;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Act as a team player and facilitate team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Informed and transparent decision-making.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong communication skills (written, spoken, composing, presentation);
• Substantive knowledge of business administration and management;
• Prior experience in training activities and curricula development;
• Political and cultural sensitivity and commitment to UNDP’s development objectives in the country.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications

• University degree in: economic sciences, social sciences, business management, or other related fields.

Work Experience

• At least 3 years of professional experience as consultant and coach in the implementation of processes, continuous improvement, business management, advice to government organisations
• Previous experience in the designing and delivering training curricula;
• Previous experience in implementing employment programmes for vulnerable groups (coaching, supported employment etc.)
• Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP or other UN agencies is desirable.

Language

• Full working knowledge of English and Albanian is essential.

Evaluation Procedure

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would consider both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: At least 3 years of professional experience as consultant and coach in the implementation of processes, continuous improvement, business management, advice to government organisations  – max points: 25

Criteria B:  Educational background– max points: 10

Criteria C: Previous experience in the designing and delivering training curricula; Previous experience in implementing employment programmes for vulnerable groups (coaching, supported employment etc.) – max points: 25

Criteria D:  Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP or other UN agencies is desirable - max points 10

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure 

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. 

The application should contain: 

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form. Download Here 
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download Here 

• Financial Proposal in ALL*- specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek for the tasks specified in this announcement. The attached template may be used - Download Here Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). 

• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application. 

How to Submit the Application: 

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below: 

• Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs); 
• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded; 
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement); 
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;” 
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above); 

• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system. 

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only 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.  

APPLY NOW