UNDP’s Country Accelerator Lab Network is a key initiative aimed at ensuring that UNDP is fit for purpose to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces.  The initiative points out that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development.  Instead, they call for interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd-in the collective efforts of a variety of partners, tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and require the solutions. The initiative is also a recognition and an investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP Country Offices around joining disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate impact and progress toward the SDGs.  It is envisioned to be the largest and fastest learning global network building on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact.

The Network will surface and reinforce locally sourced solutions at scale while mobilizing a wide and dynamic partnership of actors contributing knowledge, resources and experience.  The idea is to transform our collective approach by introducing new protocols, backed by evidence and practice, which accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. This will enable the global community to collectively learn from local knowledge and ingenuity at a speed and at a scale that our societies and planet require. This will be achieved by:

• Building on locally-sourced solutions, finding things that work and expanding on them;
• Rapid testing and iteration to implement what works and go beyond the obvious solutions;
• Combining the best understanding, ideas and expertise to generate collective knowledge;
• Accelerating progress by bringing expertise, creativity and collective intelligence to bear.

The Accelerator Lab will undertake externally, interventions addressing priority development challenges, and internally, experiments to embed new ways of doing development within the existing UNDP portfolio. The success of this institution-wide innovation initiative initially depends on mobilizing a wide array of dynamic partnerships to contribute knowledge, expertise and resources and translate those into top notch advisory and support. It also depends on defining what the Lab will address and how.  

The Philippines has a rapidly growing innovation landscape, with government entities, private sector firms and non-profit organizations all working to promote innovation. It also faces the same global challenges in achieving the SDGs and its long-term vision, Ambisyon 2040. UNDP in the Philippines intends to set-up the Philippine Accelerator Lab that will support both the public and private sector in better tackling most critical and challenging risks facing the country, such as inequality, unemployment, or technological change. 

Acknowledging the role of communications for the Accelerator Lab, the services of a Communications Consultant is being requested. The UNDP Accelerator Lab aims to use communications for advocacy, partnership development, social mobilization, collective intelligence, and behavioral insights.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

The IC will report directly to the IAT-SPA, and in his/her stead, the ALab-PH Head of Exploration, with whom all outputs and shall be submitted and through whom all communications shall be coursed and who shall accept the consultant’s outputs. S/he will work in close coordination with IAT and ALab-PH. Outputs will be jointly reviewed by the IAT-SPA and ALab-PH Head of Exploration. The final deliverable will be approved by the ALab-PH Head of Exploration.

The Consultant will maintain proactive communications with the Deputy Resident Representative, the ALab-PH team, and the Country Office Communications Team. S/he will provide regular updates in the form of face to face updates and brief monthly reports together with the portfolio as output, highlighting the work done and any specific concerns or issues that need to be addressed during subsequent meetings and discussions.

As may be necessary, s/he will collaborate with programme teams and key partners of the Country Office as well as the Regional Innovation Centre and the Communications Team based in UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub, and the Communications focal of the Global Accelerator Lab Team.

The Consultant is also expected to provide his/her own laptop for the work requirement. S/he will be provided with desk space and access to office facilities and equipment and will be supported by UNDP staff for administrative and logistics requirement, when necessary.

When required, local travels will be approved, covered, and arranged by the Country Office following UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations. International travels are not expected.

DURATION OF WORK AND DUTY STATION

The expected duration of the assignment is 50 working days, unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Consultant, ALab PH Head of Exploration, and IAT-SPA.

The Consultant is expected to be present at the UNDP Philippines Country Office at least four times a week in the whole duration of the contract, unless a flexible work schedule is mutually agreed upon.

SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

The Consultant should send the financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall be “all inclusive” all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Consultant are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP, will be arranged by UNDP, following UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations.

The contract price will be fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the output and timelines will be agreed upon between the Consultant and the ALab-PH Head of Exploration.

Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates. Outputs will be reviewed and certified by the ALab-PH Head of Exploration prior to release of payments.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Communications Consultant shall carry out the following tasks:

• In line with the Global Accelerator Lab communications strategy, support the national-level implementation of the communications and advocacy of the Lab, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
  • Creation of key document templates, content, messaging for different partners and audiences, briefing and media materials for advocacy campaigns, website and social media platforms.
  • Development of the Accelerator Lab-Philippines internal and external communication strategies that define the key content messages and identifiers of the priority areas of the Lab, such as but not limited to marine litter, zero extreme poverty, and next generation cities.

• Support to the elaboration and implementation of the Lab strategy and workplan
  • Development and dissemination of information, publications, and briefing materials for core partners on the work of the Lab and relevant partners and key stakeholders. 
  • Identification of storylines for publications and articles related to key development issues
  • Exploration of innovative tools and methods for communicating Accelerator Lab initiatives, to be developed in cooperation with the Country Office’s Communications and Digital Services Team.
  • Coordination with external partners on communications-related matters, assistance at public events such as roundtable discussions, press conferences, briefing sessions, interviews;
  • Technical supervision of translation/adaptation/ rewriting of information received, printing and dissemination of publications and audio-visual materials, including contact with vendors;
  • Logistical support to the organization of publicity/outreach for the Lab, knowledge-sharing events, and media/promotional opportunities;
  • Organize a Lab media network that will support the dissemination of materials and conversations around the work of the Lab.

Competencies

Corporate Competences

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN mission, vision, values and ethical standards
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Other Competencies

• Demonstrates strong analytical skills and mature judgement well-planned and organized;
• Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;
• Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize and execute effectively;
• Ability to establish effective working relations in a multi-cultural team environment;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Facilitates and encourages open communication in the team and with stakeholders;
• Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills

Required Skills and Experience

Offers will be evaluated based on combined scoring method :

• Technical qualifications = 50%
• Two (2) Portfolio of related communications work = 20%
• Financial Proposal =    30%

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based in the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points):

Applicants who will only receive 70 points  from the assessment of the CV and  two (2) sample Portfolios of related communications work will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Offerors must upload in one (1) file the documents below at the given link https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=89885

You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

1. Duly accomplished Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC that indicates the all-inclusive lumpsum contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided; If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP;
2. Financial Proposal (Annex 2 of Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability)
3. Portfolio of related communications work; and
4. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.