Overview : UNDP has recently approved new Social and Environmental Standards. The Standards will apply to all UNDP projects and programmes, effective 31 December 2014. The application of Social and Environmental Standards across UNDP programming will protect the values UNDP stands for and help UNDP become a more effective organization. The objectives of the Standards are to: (i) strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of UNDP projects; (ii) avoid adverse impacts to people and the environment affected by projects; (iii) minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible; (iv) strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks; and (v) ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.
The SES will be underpinned by an Accountability Mechanism with two key functions: 1) A Stakeholder Response Mechanism that ensures individuals, groups, peoples, and communities affected by UNDP projects can raise project-related grievances to UNDP when necessary and receive a timely and appropriate UNDP response; and 2) A Compliance Review process to respond to claims that UNDP is not in compliance with UNDP’s social and environmental policies and procedures. In October 2012 the UNDP Administrator revised the Charter of the Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI) to include the mandate to investigate UNDP’s compliance with applicable social and environmental policies and procedures. In February 2013 OAI established the Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (SECU) to respond to complaints that UNDP may not be meeting its social and environmental commitments during the interim phase. The main purpose of the compliance review is to investigate alleged violations of UNDP’s social and environmental policies and procedures.
The Research Assistant will provide research, outreach, case management, and other assistance as necessary, to ensure that SECU is effective and responsive to local individual and community concerns.
OAI is inviting individual consultants to bid for providing consulting services on research and writing for a maximum of 250 days per year over 3 years.
The interested consultants are required to submit as follow documents to this procurement notice:
- Cover letter: Explaining why you are applying for the position and highlighting any factors that are particularly relevant to your application;
- Completed P11: Form including past relevant experience and contact details of 3 referees. A blank P11 form can be download from the attached document; and- - Financial proposal: indicating the proposed daily fee rate in US$.
This Notice is also advertised in UNDP Job Site through the link:
http://jobs-admin.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=51688
Interested applicants should submit the required documents:
on-line though the job site link above
or by mail to: United Nations Development Programme
Office of Audit and Investigations, OAI
1 UN PLaza, DC1 - 4th floor. New York 11017
Attention: Ms. Linwen Ju
or by email to :
oai.bids@undp.org
Subject: Research Assistant
Proposals are to be submitted by close of business 3 December 2014. |