QUALITY ASSURANCE CONSULTANT
Advertised on behalf of : Location : Kampala, UGANDA
Application Deadline : 23-Nov-17 (Midnight New York, USA)
Additional Category : Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Post Level : National Consultant
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Jan-2018
Duration of Initial Contract : 6 months
Expected Duration of Assignment : 6 months renewable up to 18 moths more
Background
UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 49 least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. Please refer to http://www.uncdf.org/ for more information.
Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) is a UNCDF programme that seeks to demonstrate how the correct mix of technical, financial, and policy support can assist in scaling up sustainable branchless and mobile financial services that reach the poor in very low-income countries. MM4P is currently present in Benin, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia.
With support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), MM4P commenced operations in Uganda in 2014. The project is scheduled to end on 30 June 2018. UNCDF is currently negotiating the next phase of the project.
Within this context MM4P seeks a Quality Assurance Consultant to assist the Uganda team with: 1) Performing Quality Assurance, (2) Providing Programme Management Support and (3) Supporting UNCDF´s office with administrative requirements.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the MM4P Country Technical Specialist, the consultant will: Performing Quality Assurance of the programme´s technical assistance:
- Compiling all records required for Performance Based Agreements and Technical Assistance and verifying ng compliance with UNCDF policies.
- Liaising with local grantees for the request of quarterly and ad-hoc reports and the annual providers survey.
- Providing quality assurance (proof review and editing of documents).
- Tracking contract deliverables, expiry dates and limits of agreements with grantees and informing UNCDF operations when relevant action is needed.
- Preparing submissions, to the project´s Investment Committee approval, as well as non-objection requests for the Bank of Uganda.
Providing Programme Management Support to MM4P Uganda:
- Organising scheduled project team meetings and calls (for the Uganda and MM4P Brussels team) as per the project plan as well as ad hoc (as required) as well as maintaining records (minutes) from the meetings.
- Updating the grant and technical assistance pipeline.
- Regularly updating project tools (investment pipeline, project risk and issue logs, lessons learned).
- Compiling UNCDF Uganda Annual Work Plan.
- Drafting project closure report for MM4P.
- Providing inputs to UNCDF´s proposals.
Supporting UNCDF´s office with administrative requirements:
- Supporting UNCDF with premises management.
- Compiling needs from Uganda office and sending requests (for vendor creation, payment, travel or procurement) to the operations staff in Regional Office (Addis Abebe).
- Archiving all supporting documentation related to the Uganda project office (contracts and invoices).
- Support the operations staff in Regional Office (Addis Abebe) and Brussels with documentation requests.
- Respond to administrative requirements from UNDP Uganda.
Competencies
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures:
- Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position.
- Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks.
- Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning.
- Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.
- Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools, and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.
Client Orientation: Maintains effective client relationships:
- Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion.
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines.
- Responds to client needs promptly.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, technology, economics, public/business administration, social sciences, or related discipline or the equivalent experience.
Experience:
- 6 years of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national or international level, required.
- Experience in creating detailed work plans or implementation plans, required.
- Experience in donor projects, developing proposals, corresponding budgets, and monitoring and evaluation plans;
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
- Specialized training in office management and administration is highly desirable.
- Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable.
- Working knowledge of concepts in to financial inclusion and preferably knowledge and exposure to branchless banking, mobile phone banking, or other efforts using technology to reach rural and poor populations is desirable but not mandatory.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English.
Consulting fees, standard travel costs and living expenses:
- This is a local position that is open to Ugandan applicants or foreign nationals capable of proving their residence status during the time of the assignment.
- UNCDF will only accept standard fees based on the local market rates (Kampala) and the experience of the consultant. UNCDF will not provide relocation expenses. Should the consultant be required to travel, UNCDF IC policy would apply.
Timeline and duration:
- 1 Janaury to 30 June.
- 21.75 days per month or 130.5 days maximum.
Application process: Interested individuals must submit the documents mentioned below as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications (Note: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file). All applications must contain the following information:
- Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to the Terms of Reference (TOR);
- Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Fully completed and signed Personal History Form (P11) with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc);
- Signed financial proposal ,available at http://procurement notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.
Selection process: Step I: Screening: Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for shortlisting.
Step II: Technical Evaluation:
- Shortlisting (20 points): UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates as per experience requirements in the Terms of Reference. As applicable, only the first top 3 ranked applicants (shall be considered for an interview;
- Interview (80 points): An interview shall be conducted for the top 3 shortlisted candidates;
- Step III: Financial Evaluation: Only candidates with scores above 70% of the technical evaluation (70 Points or above) will be considered;
- The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal: lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.
Award Criteria: The contact shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and Having received the highest combined weight (technical scores) 70% + financial 30%= 100%;
- Both individual consultants and individual employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply;
- Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
More Information
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