Republic of Moldova

National Consultant to provide support on finalization of decentralization policy in the area of social assistance (Joint Integrated Local Development Program / UN Women)

Vacancy Number: Pr13/00380

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	25 Sep 2013, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	30 Sep 2013, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	04 Oct 2013, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	07 Oct 2013
Reference to the project:	Joint Integrated Local Development Programme
Expected Duration of Assignment:	3 months
Submission Instructions: Technical proposal together with the financial proposal should be submitted on-line, by pressing the “Apply on-line” link, no later than 25 September 2013. Any request for clarification must be sent by standard electronic communication to the address veaceslav.balan@unwomen.org. Please notice that this address is for information requests only, please do not send or copy your application package to this address. UN Women JILDP staff will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Terms of Reference RO Individual Consultant Procurement Notice UN Women General Conditions of Individual Contract UN Women Personal History Form (P11)

Background

UN Women has been actively working in Moldova since early 2003 and extended continuous support through various programmes and activities aimed at creating an enabling environment for gender equality, recognized as a prerequisite for sustainable development with a strong and active policy on gender equality. Since 2009 the Government of Moldova (State Chancellery) in partnership with the UNDP and UN Women have been implementing the Joint Integrated Local Development Programme (JILDP) funded by the Government of Sweden. In 2013 the Danish Government joined the program by providing funding for the Local Development Component of the second phase of JILDP.

The JILDP was designed to improve the policy framework and to support the administrative systems and procedures focused on efficient transfer of competencies to Local Public Administrations (LPAs), decentralization and promotion of LPAs’ role in decision making, etc. It also helps in building the capacity of LPAs to plan, implement and monitor their strategic plans and improve local public service delivery, involving civil society and encouraging community efforts and participation. The entire program is applying Human Rights Based Approach, Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s Empowerment as a guiding conceptual approach to its work and interventions, seeking to ensure positive and measurable change in the areas of human rights, gender equality and social inclusion.

A new phase of JILDP is being implemented since January 2013. With adoption of the National Decentralisation Strategy, a comprehensive framework for decentralization in the country has been created. JILDP aims at providing central and local public authorities with the support in the implementation of this strategy. One important area of such support is elaboration of sector-specific decentralization strategies and related practical arrangements to implement the strategies.

A working group on decentralization of social assistance area was created under the Parity Commission on decentralization. This working group is led by the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family, which provides the secretariat and facilitates the activity of the group, and ensures the consistency between the social assistance decentralization policy and the government priorities. The first draft of the decentralization strategy in the area of social assistance was developed by the Working Group with the JILDP support in the end of 2012. The current assignment comes as supplementary to the ongoing support to the Working Group and the Ministry to ensure that the decentralization strategy in the area of social assistance is discussed, debated, finalized, and submitted for approval of the Government.

Scope of work

Under direct supervision and guidance of the Programme Analyst UN Women/JILDP, the selected national consultant will be responsible for assisting the Working Group and the State Chancellery in a transparent, participatory and inclusive finalization of the decentralisation policy document in the field of social assistance. The consultant will work in a team with a gender-mainstreaming consultant, hired already by UN Women, in order to ensure full integration of gender dimensions in the developed policy documents.

The ultimate goal of the assignment is to ensure that the decentralization strategy in the area of social assistance is discussed, debated, finalized, and submitted for approval of the Government.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 - Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Social Protection / Assistance, Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Law or other relevant fields

Experience: 

• At least 3 years of proven experience of research and analysis in the field of public policies, social assistance policies, public administration and multi-disciplinary studies, decentralization and local development; 
• Previous experience in development assistance or related work for an international and/or donor organization, preferably a UN entity, is an advantage;

Competencies:

• Understanding of Moldovan development context, specifically with regard to Central Public Administration and Local Public Administration / decentralization reforms, and knowledge of the current social assistance situation and issues;
• Understanding of human rights and gender equality concepts / approach to development, knowledge of major human rights and gender equality concerns in the field of social assistance, particularly in the local development context;
• Advanced communication, presentation and advocacy skills, particularly with regard to difficult or challenging human rights / gender equality issues;

Language requirement:

• Fluency in both, written and oral Romanian is mandatory. Knowledge of English is an advantage, working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset.

Documents to be included

1. Letter of Application (justifying compliance with the qualification requirements);
2. Duly filled UN Women Personal History Form (PHF11)/CV, including records on past experience in similar projects/assignments and specific outputs obtained;
3. Financial proposal (in MDL) - specifying a lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days. The financial offer should include all costs related to completion of the task under the current Terms of Reference.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall be structured around the specific tasks and key deliverables described in the Terms of Reference. The all-inclusive / aggregated financial offer shall include a consolidated amount of all financial claims related to performance of the assignment, including fees, and other additional costs, etc. It is each applicant’s responsibility to make a calculation of all relevant fees, costs and claims, and to submit the final aggregated financial offer along with the application package.

Payments shall be made based on delivery of the services specified in the ToR and in accordance with the procedures described in the Remuneration section of the ToR.

In order to assist UN Women JILDP in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days, as required).

 

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