OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)

Duty Station: Multiple Duty Stations

Job Family: Social and Human Sciences

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : Initial 11 months with possible extension to a maximum 17 months, subject to performance

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 16/01/2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

This call is open to both companies and individuals

BACKGROUND

Fast-changing conditions and critical challenges of today – amongst which global pandemics, climate change, digital transformations, and the interplay of these trends – require large-scale and future-oriented reforms. Public administrations are under pressure to design and implement such reforms, while simultaneously addressing internal needs and building capacities to prepare themselves for the future. In this context, efforts to recalibrate the engagement of the public administrations with private consulting services and to develop internal/in-house consulting capacities for the design and implementation of reforms are being initiated across countries.

Seven Member States (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, and Latvia) have requested targeted technical support in addressing the afore-mentioned needs. Submitted and funded through the EU’s Technical Support Instrument, the ensuing multi-country project will be implemented over a period of 18 months by UNESCO with the aim of achieving the following outcomes:

1. Approved action plan to establish in-house consulting focusing on a selected service portfolio adapted to each participating Member State;
2. Capacity built for the implementation of the action plan in the participating Member States; and
3. Increased awareness on the importance of in-house consulting and creation of an EU network of experts.

To this end, UNESCO is organizing on-site teams to support, in conjunction with the central project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters, country-specific delivery in each of the participating countries.

SCOPE OF WORK

A total of 6 junior consultants will be contracted to support and be teamed-up with the senior consultants in Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece and Latvia (hereafter referred to as the country of assignment).

Under the overall guidance of the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS), the supervision of the Senior Project Officer and in close collaboration with the corresponding country senior consultant, the junior consultants will support the implementation of the project at the country levels. To this end, the junior consultants are expected to complete the set of tasks detailed below in their respective country of assignment.

Long Description

Task 1: Support the preparation of a national inception report, which will entail:

• Contributing to a national fact-finding mission;
• Conducting background research/analysis and supporting the development of a preliminary issue tree, timeline and updated project documentation for the county of assignment; and
• Drafting and revision of the report according to feedback received.

Task 2: Contribute to the delivery of an as-is situation report mapping current in-house consulting capacities in the country of assignment, which will entail:

• Conducting background research and collecting data pertinent to the report;
• Supporting the administrative processes for the facilitation of questionnaires to collect input from relevant parties and stakeholders;
• Drafting and revision of the report, incorporating pertinent background research, input and feedback received.

Task 3: Support the delivery of a to-be report in the country of assignment, providing a gap analysis in relation to Task 2, and putting forward a concrete course of action to closing the gap, which will entail:

• Supporting the organisation of consultation dialogues to inform report contents;
• Drafting of the report, including the vision and goals for the in-house consultancy, a suitable service portfolio/themes, minimum requirements, good practices and 3 scenarios for the development of an in-house consultancy in the country of assignment;
• Revision of the report according to feedback received; and
• Supporting the presentation of the report and the proposed scenarios.

Task 4: Contribute to the delivery of a roadmap/action plan in the country of assignment for the implementation of the target model chosen from the scenarios of the to-be report (Task 3), which will entail:

• Supporting the organisation of consultation dialogues to gather insights;
• Conducting background research and drafting of the roadmap/action plan, including implementation details depending on maturity levels of the country of assignment, service portfolio/themes for the in-house consultancy, required skills for personnel and key measures to undertake in the country of assignment;
• Revision of the roadmap/action plan according to feedback received.

Task 5: Contribute to capacity building for in-house consulting in the public administration of the country of assignment, which will entail:

• Contributing to the development, in collaboration with the project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters, of training materials;
• Providing support in the organisation of a training for beneficiary authorities in the country of assignment on change management and measures to ensure reform implementation;
• Providing support in the organisation of a capacity building training for core teams and relevant experts, focusing on two service portfolio themes;
• Assisting the senior consultant in the provision of ongoing technical support to the core teams in beneficiary authorities for the implementation of their roadmap/action plan; and
• Drafting of a summary report on the technical support provided.

Task 6: Contribute to the development of a change management plan addressing possible concerns of all stakeholders in the country of assignment, which will entail:

• Contributing to the review and revision of strategies initially identified in the as-is report, with elaboration of the change management plans based on project findings and stakeholder analysis.

Task 7: Prepare an implementation report of the change management plan, which will entail:

• Contributing to the identification of activities to be conducted by UNESCO to support the implementation of the previously developed change management plan;
• Drafting of the report based on identified activities; and
• Revision of the report according to feedback received.

Task 8: Contribute to two horizontal workshops to support cross-project learning, which will entail:

• Assisting the corresponding senior consultant in input provision for workshop materials;
• Participation in two workshops to form the basis for horizontal support in in-house consulting across countries of assignment; and
• Contribution with the corresponding senior consultant, and in close cooperation with the project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters, to the establishment of an EU network of experts to share knowledge across Member States.

Task 9: Support the project coordination team in the development of one global blueprint, which will entail:

• Contribution to the corresponding senior consultant’s identification of minimum requirements for the future establishment or expansion of in-house consulting capacities, regardless of service portfolio or EU Member State.

Task 10: Contribute to overall administrative operations at the country of assignment level, feeding into the work of the team at UNESCO Headquarters, which will entail:

• Supporting administrative documentation for the country of assignment;
• Managing day-to-day work and communications on the project at the country of assignment level; and
• Undertaking additional administrative operations within the country of assignment as needed.

Task 11: Contribute to the regular liaison with the project coordination team at UNESCO Headquarters for optimal reporting on and coordination of the project work in the country of assignment, which will entail:

• Providing administrative support and reporting on in-country operations and activities, feeding into the project-wide report monitoring and reporting;
• Assisting the corresponding senior consultant in the coordination within the country of assignment; and
• Participation in and contribution to the regular calls, exchanges and reporting with the donor and the country of assignment.

DELIVERABLES

The following are to be delivered in collaboration with the corresponding senior consultant in/for each country of assignment:

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Skills

• Excellent research, writing and analytical skills.
• Familiarity with EU-funded projects, including multi-country technical support, considered an advantage.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including interacting with various actors and working effectively and respectfully in a complex environment on sensitive issues.
• Understanding and adherence to the UN principles.

Language

• Excellent writing skills in English (N.B. all deliverables to be completed in English).
• Fluency in the language of the country of assignment

TERMS OF CONTRACT

A total of 6 junior consultants, 1 per country, will be contracted to support Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece and Latvia. Each application shall clearly indicate the preferred country of assignment.

This call is open to both companies and individuals. Companies are expected to provide a permanent point of contact in charge of working and reporting on the described tasks for the whole duration of the assignment. The collaborator is expected to give full availability for the required exchanges and work with the project stakeholders.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit their applications by 16 January 2024 to most@unesco.org with copy to i.sevciuc@unesco.org and c.hathaway@unesco.org.

For individuals, the application should clearly indicate the preferred country of assignment and should consist of:

1. Personal CV.
2. A cover letter/statement indicating how their qualifications and experiences make them suitable for the assignment, specifying the participating Member State of expertise.
3. A written technical and financial proposal comprising: 1) the proposed approach for the undertaken of the assignment in line with the terms of reference; and 2) the amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in EUR.

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For companies, the application should clearly indicate the preferred country of assignment and should consist of:

1. Company profile and portfolio indicating qualifications and track record in relation to the proposed assignment.
2. A written technical and financial proposal comprising: 1) the proposed approach for the undertaken of the assignment in line with the terms of reference; and 2) the amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in EUR.

UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.