Consultant for Baseline Study, South Africa 55 views0 applications

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: South Africa

Job Family: Culture

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 04-JUL-25

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

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The project “Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: Promoting Culture and Heritage-based Sustainable Tourism in Southern Africa”, supported by the European Union and implemented by UNESCO aims to enhance the contribution of culture and heritage to sustainable development. The project focuses on strengthening culture and heritage-based tourism development, diversifying tourism offerings and delivering high-quality visitor experiences at selected UNESCO-designated sites and cities. The efforts are designed to improve livelihoods of the communities across the region, including youth, women and indigenous peoples, through capacity building and the creation of opportunities for income-generation and jobs.

Each of the six countries selected one site that will participate in the project, based on a criteria established by UNESCO. In South Africa, following consultations with the relevant stakeholders, the government identified the ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site to participate in the project.

The ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape is located at the border with Botswana and Namibia in the northern part of the country. The property comprises a vast area that coincides with the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (KGNP). The large expanse of sand dunes forms a landscape which contains tangible evidence of human occupation from the Stone Age to the present and is associated with the culture of the ǂKhomani and related San people. The landscape includes landmarks of the history, migration, livelihoods, memory and resources of the ǂKhomani and related San people and other communities, past and present, and attests to their adaptive responses and interaction to survive in a desert environment. The ǂKhomani are actively reclaiming their knowledge, practices and traditions, bringing back to life a rich associative landscape, thanks also to the survival of the last speakers of the !Ui-Taa languages in the ǂKhomani community.

Long Description

As part of the inception phase of this project, UNESCO seeks the services of experienced consultant(s) to conduct a baseline study at ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site. The purpose of the study is to assess existing conditions and inform the refinement of the project’s Theory of Change and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

The baseline study seeks to assess the following:

• Tourism trends at the site including current tourist arrivals.
• Effectiveness of the Site’s Marketing and Tourism Strategy (if it exists).
• Current sustainable tourism practices at the site.
• Existence or non-existence and effectiveness of a Destination Management and Marketing Organisation (DMMO) (or alternative structure).
• Site Management structure and its effectiveness.
• Existence or non-existence of critical strategic documents such as the Site Integrated Management Plan, Disaster Risk Management Plan, Disability Inclusion Plan
• Interpretation and visitor facilities including analysing current interpretation and storytelling frameworks and content.
• Key stakeholders to be involved in project implementation, particularly at local level.
• Number of tourism players/operators operating in the World Heritage site
• The level of community involvement in tourism activities at the site and any gaps that exist.
• General perception of the site by tourists (based on visitor feedback surveys, testimonials etc).
• Cultural groups and artists working at the site or its vicinity and their levels of income.

Long Description

Scope of work

The contractor shall undertake the following activities to fulfil the purpose of the baseline study:

• Study the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework of the “Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture” project to get a better understanding of the baseline information required. UNESCO will avail the appropriate project document sections to the winning contractor at contracting stage.
• Work closely with the national and site authorities and conduct a desk review of all the necessary documents to gather relevant information especially on tourism trends, management of the site, interpretation and storytelling etc. Ensure that the desk review responds to the purpose of the baseline study, drawing some comparisons between site-specific data and the national-level data (or that of other sites).
• Design, develop and implement the appropriate data collection instruments to collect all the relevant information. The type of data to be collected should be guided by the Project M&E Framework.

Engage all the relevant stakeholders including site managers, local communities and national authorities as part of data collection.

Analyse and present the data providing the appropriate baselines to each indicator defined in the Project M&E Framework. To the extent possible, the data should be disaggregated by sex and age).

Deliverables

The contractor will be expected to deliver the following:

• Methodology and data collection tools by 1 August 2025.
• Executive summary
• Project description
• Purpose and objectives of the baseline study
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Annexes (including list of stakeholders consulted, key documents and online sources reviewed etc).

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

Professionalism (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All interested candidates are required to submit a Technical and Financial proposal separately via email. The technical proposal should be no more than 10 pages, and will be assessed on the following:

• Approach to assignment that demonstrates extent to which the Contractor understands the requirements as set out in the TOR.
• Feasible and technically sound methodology, appropriate for fulfilling the overall purpose of the baseline study.
• Realistic work plan with specific treatment of key deliverables and priorities. UNESCO expects the assignment to take up to 45 days.
• Qualifications (minimum relevant master’s degree in M&E, Project Management, Development Studies or other relevant fields).
• At least 2 years of relevant work experience
• Submission of at least 2 samples of similar research work conducted in the past
• Submission of at least 2 traceable references with their e-mail addresses.

The financial proposal should be no more than 2 pages and should detail the following:

• An appropriate Price Schedule which includes, as a minimum, the consultancy rate per day, and number of workdays per main activity to assist the Contracting Unit to determine, which items may be negotiated, if applicable, or which items can be modified as per the budget. All prices shall be quoted in US dollars.

Candidate(s) must also submit the following documents with their dossier:

• Copy of Passport or National ID
• Academic certificates
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae for the consultant(s)
• Letter from the Bank confirming account details

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as an interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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