Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing a project that requires the services of an individual to perform the work described in this document.

Should you be interested and decide to submit an offer for this assignment, kindly submit directly in the online supplier portal no later than 14 Nov 2024.

Offers must be submitted directly in the system following this link:  the profile you may have in the portal.

In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link  following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website:  not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration. If you are new registered for IC, the company name should be the name of individual.

Once you login the supplier platform, Click-View Active Negotiations, Search with Negotiation Number: UNDP-CHN-00141, then Create response.

Please note that only the application submitted in UNDP online supplier portal is accepted!

If any discrepancy between deadline in the system and in deadline indicated elsewhere, deadline in the system prevails.

We look forward to your favourable response and thank you in advance for your interest in working with UNDP.  

Sincerely

A. INTRODUCTION

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full- and medium-sized UNDP-supported GEF-financed projects and programmes are required to undergo a Terminal Evaluation (TE). This Terms of Reference (ToR) sets out the expectations for the TE of the programme and full-sized project below:

• CPAR-Programme: China’s Protected Area System Reform (C-PAR) (UNDP PIMS ID: 5695, GEF ID 9403)
• Under the umbrella of the programme, there are six child projects. The Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (FECO/MEE) takes the leading role on this programme by implementing the CPAR-1 child project, while the programme is jointly implemented by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (CPAR-4), the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Science (CPAR-6), the Gansu Forestry and Grassland Bureau (CPAR-2), the Sichuan Forestry and Grassland Bureau (CPAR-5), and the Qinghai Forestry and Grassland Bureau (CPAR-3 child project) in China.

• CPAR-1 child Project: China’s Protected Area Reform (C-PAR) for Conserving Globally Significant Biodiversity (China-Protected Areas System Reform (C-PAR) Program Child Project #1) (UNDP PIMS ID: 5688, GEF ID 9679)
• This project is implemented by the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (FECO). The project started on 8th march, 2019, and is in its fifth year of implementation.

The TE process must follow the guidance outlined in the document ‘Guidance For Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-Supported, GEF-Financed Projects (version 2020)’.

( Guidelines for Conducting TEs of Full-Size Projects and also the Guidelines for Conducting Program Evaluation

B. PROGRAMME AND PROJECT BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Brief CPAR-Programme Description: The programme is primarily aligned with the BD-1 objective: Improve Sustainability of Protected Area Systems. The programme will contribute to this SO by increasing the spatial extent of protected areas in China, improving the spatial design of the PA system within the context of a ‘sustainable protected area system’; consolidating and strengthening the enabling legal, planning and institutional framework for the reform and effective management of a multi-category protected areas system with globally significant biodiversity; and strengthening the capacity (strategies, tools, mechanisms, knowledge, skills and resources) to support the operational management and financing of PAs at different levels. More specifically, the programme contributes to Outcome 1.1. Increased revenue for protected area systems and globally significant protected areas to meet total expenditures required for management, Outcome 1.2: Improved management effectiveness of protected areas; Outcome 2.1 Increase in area of terrestrial and marine ecosystems of global significance in new protected areas and increase in threatened species of global significance protected in new protected areas; and Outcome 2.2: Improved management effectiveness of new protected areas.

In order to support the reform process, and respond to the aforementioned barriers, the programme aims to: transform China’s national protected area system through systematic legal and institutional reform and innovation for conservation of globally significant biodiversity.

Based on past experiences and lessons learned, the present framework improves on the approaches of preceding PA protection initiatives in several important respects. The programme approach can be summarized as:

• Developing and applying a wider range of PA categories to give local authorities a wider range of management options to match specific local needs and avoid conflicting objectives experienced under current restrictive NR regulations.
• New comprehensive system of PA categories will allow for better access to and eco-tourism potential for natural sites as national parks; greater ability to apply habitat management or restoration to improve ecosystems services or tackle problems of AIS; wider participation by local communities or private enterprises in co-management.
• Stronger emphasis on holistic planning and tackling systemic problems rather than focusing on physical issues of individual sites.
• Using ecosystem and landscape/seascape approaches for maintaining essential ecosystem services, climate change adaptation for PA management.
• Allowing for great individuality of management models to suit different regional and ecosystem contexts rather than expecting a one size fits all solution.
• Adoption of agreed competence standards for PA management which can then serve as a basis for in-service training, up-grading and career structure.
• Giving greater independence in planning, executing and supervising projects under the framework to individual provincial authorities rather than trying to control everything from a central office.
• Problems and frustrations encountered in waiting for adoption of new national level comprehensive legislation for PA management can be circumvented by approval at provincial level of more tightly formulated provincial regulations tailored to meet very specific circumstances.

The programme will achieve this through interconnected four components, contributed by six child projects:

Component 1: Improved Legal and Institutional Framework at National and Provincial Level

This component will tackle the fundamental but sensitive issue of providing a reformed, agreed comprehensive and legally sound framework that allows for multiple agency management of a diverse system of a variety of categories of National Parks and other Protected Areas. Categories will conform with international standards promoted by IUCN and the World Protected Areas Database.  This component includes developing a series of regulations for different categories of PAs, built in flexibility to allow adaptation to changing climate and economic circumstances and then apply a sounder and fairer system of funding mechanisms and designating responsibilities.  The component will entail, inter alia,  support for: (i) Clarification and reform of roles and mandates led by the State Council; (ii) Adoption of broader PA category system in line with international standards; (iii) Reform of legal framework (amend the regulations on the Nature Reserves, Forest Parks, National Parks and Scenic Areas, management of multi-function Protected Areas, and the control of Alien Invasive Species in NRs at the central and local levels; (iv) National protected area systems review; (v) Climate change adaptation strategy for PAs; (vi) Reform of funding mechanisms, standards and responsibilities.

Component 2: Systemic PA Planning and Mainstreaming at National, Provincial, Country Spatial Planning and Sectors

This component is designed to rectify the gaps in PA system planning by undertaking a more holistic review of PA systems from different thematic viewpoints (forests, grasslands, mountain ranges, coastal and marine areas, wetlands, migratory species etc.) New areas that need to be incorporated in the PA system will be identified based on biodiversity significance, ecosystem service values and functions and new PAs will be gazetted expanding the national PA system.  National Park system will be established to consolidate and regulate different park types (national parks, marine nature reserves, wetland parks, forest parks, scenic areas and geoparks). Furthermore, multi-category PA system will be integrated into provincial development planning process, with approved provincial land-use and development plans with full consideration for PA functions for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services maintenance.  The programme will support strengthening of PA network management for threatened and endangered species conservation such as snow leopard and Chinese white dolphin.

Component 3: Site Level Management and Supervision Standards Raised for Different PA Types

This component is aimed at addressing the low management capacity identified as Barrier 3 above and also the low engagement of local communities (Barrier 4) that remains a serious issue in many of the larger more remote PAs (Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan).  The greater involvement of local communities in various forms of co-management will be dependent upon the revised legal framework developed under Component 1.  Component 3 support entails, inter alia: (i) Adoption of competence standards for PA management; (ii) Site-specific management planning and zoning; (iii) Staff training and development of National training course for PA managers; (iv) Species and habitat monitoring system; (v) Management monitoring and reporting systems; (vi) Introduction of innovative funding mechanism for PAs; (vi) reduction of locally specific threats such as illegal harvesting/fishing, encroachment and pollution; and (vii) Community co-management schemes.

Component 4: Programme Coordination and Knowledge Management

This cross cutting component directly addresses Barrier 4 (low awareness) as listed above but also provides a supporting knowledge base that adds to planning efficiency (Barrier 2) and management capacity (Barrier 3). This Component also addresses the weak coordination resulting from the poor existing legal framework (Barrier 1).  The component will support, inter alia: (i) Programme website/blogs and media campaign; (ii) National platform database on protected areas; (iii) National performance reporting system for protected areas; (iv) National biodiversity monitoring programme; (v) Strengthening of focal nodes of CBD Clearing House; (vi) Synthesis of lessons learned

Brief CPAR child project #1 description: The project will deliver global environmental benefits through establishing a national park (NP) system in China, as part the comprehensive protected area reform processes underway in the country. Over the past two decades China has undergone unprecedented economic growth, conservation increasingly recognized and integrated into development strategies and plans. The enabling environment for biodiversity conservation has evolved through a progressive set of policies and regulations, but legal and institutional frameworks have not been able to keep up with rapid socioeconomic transformations, resulting in a protected area (PA) system comprised of numerous types of PAs, managed by different agencies and at different administrative levels, with inconsistent management approaches and strategic direction. The GEF funding for this project, the national level project among a total of six child projects under the C-PAR program, is timely, providing an opportunity to support the Chinese authorities in ensuring protection of globally significant biodiversity, is expanded under the new NP system. Establishment of the NP system is the cornerstone of the major PA reform in China, including development of a National Park Law that would consolidate, and essentially supersede, the current fragmented set of laws and regulations associated with protected areas, and establishing a new PA management agency, integrating the relevant management functions of protected areas so that a unified management responsibility can be exercised on NP system.

Technical assistance through the GEF funding will feed into the PA reform processes, integrating international best practice into legislative and institutional frameworks, introduction of advanced policies and guidelines for increasing the representativeness of the NP system and enhancing management effectiveness, building institutional capacities, and improving financial sustainability, with an increase of at least 30% in available PA finances through diversification of funding sources, improved efficiency in access and utilisation of available funds, broadened participation through concession arrangements and value-based eco-compensation appropriations.

At the site level, PA reforms will be demonstrated at three NP pilot sites, specifically the Three-River Source NP in Qinghai province, the Giant Panda NP traversing parts of Sichuan, and the Xianju pilot, established at the provincial level in Zhejiang province. The current national PA system is slated to expand by 1.2838 million hectares, increasing coverage of globally significant biodiversity as represented by Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). The envisaged expansion will require close cooperation with local governments and communities, with respect to issues associated with land rights, resettlement, livelihoods and traditional ways of life. Many of the communities located within and near the proposed NP sites are predominantly made up of ethnic minorities.

Under the third component of the project, biodiversity knowledge management will be strengthened by more effectively communicating the values of the NP system. This will be facilitated through biodiversity knowledge platform, consolidating information among conservation agencies, with access to the public, rendering more participatory stewardship of the NP system. Coordination of the C-PAR program is also covered in the third component of the project, with the national project having the role of overseeing the progress on the other child projects, ensuring that program outcomes are achieved and disseminating information regarding PA reforms realised at the central level.

Duties and Responsibilities

C. TE PURPOSE

The TE report will both assess the achievement of the C-PAR programme and the C-PAR #1 child project results against what were expected to be achieved and draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming. The TE report promotes accountability and transparency and also assesses the extent of project accomplishments.

The TE will also establish the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, performance and success of the project, including the sustainability of results and the long-term sustainability strategy. The TE will draw and analyze lessons learned through the programme and project and best practices pertaining to the strategies employed, and implementation arrangements, which may be utilized to inform future programs.

Special Objective: Gender and cross-cutting issues. The TE will also assess how effectively the project has integrated gender considerations and addressed cross-cutting issues. Specifically, it will measure the project's success in ensuring equal consultation with women and men, people with disabilities (PwD), human rights, and other vulnerable groups.

D. TE APPROACH & METHODOLOGY

The TE report must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The TE team will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e. PIF, PFD, UNDP Initiation Plan, UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure/SESP) the Project Document, project reports including annual PIRs, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence-based evaluation. The TE team will review the baseline and midterm GEF focal area Core Indicators submitted to the GEF at the CEO endorsement and mid-term stages and the terminal Core Indicators that must be completed before the TE field mission begins. The TE team is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts (the GEF Operational Focal Point), Implementing Partners, the UNDP Country Office, the UNDP BPPS Regional Technical Advisor, direct beneficiaries and other stakeholders. Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful TE. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsibilities, including but not limited to Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (FECO), Ministry of Finance, member agencies of Project Board/PSC, senior officials and task team/component leaders, UNDP Regional Technical Advisor for the project, key experts and consultants in the subject areas, project beneficiaries, academia, local government and CSOs, etc. Additionally, the evaluation consultants are expected to conduct field missions to Sichuan, Zhejiang and Qinghai provinces. The evaluation of the programme will mainly focus on the interviews with key stakeholders of the six child projects.

The specific design and methodology for the TE should emerge from consultations between the TE team and the above-mentioned parties regarding what is appropriate and feasible for meeting the TE purpose and objectives and answering the evaluation questions, given limitations of budget, time and data. The TE team must, however, use gender-responsive methodologies and tools and ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as other cross-cutting issues and SDGs are incorporated into the TE report. The final methodological approach including interview schedule, field visits and data to be used in the evaluation must be clearly outlined in the TE Inception Report must be fully discussed and agreed between UNDP, stakeholders and the TE team.

The final report must describe the full TE approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and weaknesses about the methods and approach of the evaluation.

E. DETAILED SCOPE OF THE TE

The TE will assess both the C-PAR programme and the C-PAR child project #1 performance against expectations set out in the programme’s and the project’s Logical Framework/Results Frameworks (see ToR Annex A1and A2). The TE will assess results according to the criteria outlined in the Guidance for TEs of UNDP-supported GEF-financed Projects and the GEF’s Guidance for Conducting Program Evaluation The Findings section of the TE report will cover the topics listed below.

A full outline of the TE report’s content is provided in the ToR Annex C.

The asterisk “(*)” indicates criteria for which a rating is required.

Findings

i. Programme and Project Design/Formulation

• National priorities and country driven-ness
• Theory of Change
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Social and Environmental Safeguards
• Analysis of Results Framework: project logic and strategy, indicators
• Assumptions and Risks
• Lessons from other relevant projects (e.g. same focal area) incorporated into project design
• Planned stakeholder participation
• Linkages between project and other interventions within the sector
• Management arrangements

ii. Programme and Project Implementation

• Adaptive management (changes to the project design and project outputs during implementation)
• Actual stakeholder participation and partnership arrangements
• Project Finance and Co-finance
• Monitoring & Evaluation: design at entry (*), implementation (*), and overall assessment of M&E (*)
• Lead Implementing Agency (UNDP) (*) and other Agencies (*), overall project oversight/implementation and execution (*)
• Risk Management, including Social and Environmental Standards

iii. Programme and Project Results

• Assess the achievement of outcomes against indicators by reporting on the level of progress for each objective and outcome indicator at the time of the TE and noting final achievements
• Relevance (*), Coherence – external and internal (*), Effectiveness (*), Efficiency (*) and overall project outcome (*)
• Integration (for the C-PAR programme only)
• Sustainability: financial (*) , socio-political (*), institutional framework and governance (*), environmental (*), overall likelihood of sustainability (*)
• Country ownership
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Cross-cutting issues (poverty alleviation, improved governance, climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster prevention and recovery, human rights, capacity development, South-South cooperation, knowledge management, volunteerism, etc., as relevant)
• Knowledge Management and Learning
• GEF Additionality
• Catalytic Role / Replication Effect
• Progress to impact
• Extent to which fiduciary standards were applied during programme implementation (for the C-PAR programme only)

Main Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned

• The TE team will include a summary of the main findings of the TE report. Findings should be presented as statements of fact that are based on analysis of the data.
• The section on conclusions will be written in light of the findings. Conclusions should be comprehensive and balanced statements that are well substantiated by evidence and logically connected to the TE findings. They should highlight the strengths, weaknesses and results of the project, respond to key evaluation questions and provide insights into the identification of and/or solutions to important problems or issues pertinent to project beneficiaries, UNDP and the GEF, including issues in relation to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Recommendations should provide concrete, practical, feasible and targeted recommendations directed to the intended users of the evaluation about what actions to take and decisions to make. The recommendations should be specifically supported by the evidence and linked to the findings and conclusions around key questions addressed by the evaluation.
• The TE report should also include lessons that can be taken from the evaluation, including best and worst practices in addressing issues relating to relevance, performance and success that can provide knowledge gained from the particular circumstance (programmatic and evaluation methods used, partnerships, financial leveraging, etc.) that are applicable to other GEF and UNDP interventions.
• When possible, the TE team should include examples of good practices in project design and implementation.
• It is important for the conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned of the TE report to include results related to gender equality and empowerment of women.

F. TIMEFRAME

The total duration of the TE will be approximately 40-45day over a time period of around 5 months (including completion of payment) starting on Nov, 2024.

G. TE DELIVERABLES

The final TE report for submission to the GEF must be in English.

*All final TE reports will be quality assessed by the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO). Details of the IEO’s quality assessment of decentralized evaluations can be found in Section 6 of the UNDP Evaluation Guidelines.[1]

[1] Access at:

Competencies

H. TE TEAM COMPOSITION

A team of Two consultants (One international consultant as the team leader, and One national evaluator) will conduct the TE. The team leader with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions will be responsible for the overall design, join the field mission, providing guidance to the national consultant and writing of the TE report. The national consultant will work with the Project Team in developing the TE itinerary and do the field visit to the sites, be responsible for collecting the necessary information to provide to the evaluation team. The evaluators cannot have participated in the project preparation, formulation and/or implementation (including the writing of the project document), must not have conducted this project’s Mid-Term Review and should not have a conflict of interest with the project’s related activities. The selection of evaluators will be aimed at maximizing the overall “team” qualities in the following areas:

I. Qualifications for the National Consultant

Education

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Biodiversity/Environmental Science/Environmental/Social Science or other closely related field, familiar with protected areas/ national park progress.

Experience

• At least 8 years of work experience in Biodiversity related management; including at least 3 years experience in protected area, wildlife conservation, or related areas ;
• Relevant experience with results-based management evaluation methodologies; (10%)
• At least 5 years experience working with Chinese government departments, ministries, communities and NGOs (15%)
• Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios; (10%)
• Project evaluation/review experience within United Nations system; project evaluation/review; experience with UNDP-GEF projects would be highly preferable; (15%)
• Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (10%)
• Competence in adaptive management, as applied to CBD; (10%)

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese (native speaker) and English

Required Skills and Experience

J. EVALUATOR ETHICS

The TE team will be held to the highest ethical standards and is required to sign a code of conduct upon acceptance of the assignment. This evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the UNEG ‘Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation’. The evaluator must safeguard the rights and confidentiality of information providers, interviewees and stakeholders through measures to ensure compliance with legal and other relevant codes governing collection of data and reporting on data. The evaluator must also ensure security of collected information before and after the evaluation and protocols to ensure anonymity and confidentiality of sources of information where that is expected. The information knowledge and data gathered in the evaluation process must also be solely used for the evaluation and not for other uses without the express authorization of UNDP and partners.

K. PAYMENT SCHEDULE

For Team Leader and National Consultant:

• 20% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final TE Inception Report and approval by the Commissioning Unit by 25 November 2024.
• 40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the draft TE report to the Commissioning Unit by 18 December 2024.
• 40% payment upon satisfactory delivery of the final TE report and approval by the

Commissioning Unit and RTA (via signatures on the TE Report Clearance Form) and delivery of completed TE Audit Trail. by 10 January 2025.

Criteria for issuing the final payment of 40%:

• The final TE report includes all requirements outlined in the TE TOR and is in accordance with the TE guidance.
• The final TE report is clearly written, logically organized, and is specific for this project (i.e. text has not been cut & pasted from other TE reports).
• The Audit Trail includes responses to and justification for each comment listed.

In line with the UNDP’s financial regulations, when determined by the Commissioning Unit and/or the consultant that a deliverable or service cannot be satisfactorily completed due to the impact of COVID - 19 and limitations to the TE, that deliverable or service will not be paid.

The lump sum payment will only cover the consultancy fee. As for the Travel cost, namely the DSA and Terminals, they will be calculated by: Beijing $230/day and elsewhere $160/day, with one terminal rate of $38. The payment for other travel costs will be made according to the actual travel information indicated in F10.

L. APPLICATION PROCESS

Recommended Presentation of Proposal:

a) Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the provided by UNDP in the supplier platform;

b) CV and a Personal History Form (P11 form);

c) Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers     him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page)

d) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price and all other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, per diem, etc.), supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template attached to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest template. If an applicant 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 applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Applicants are requested to apply online (UNDP Procurement Website) by the deadline indicated in the system. Incomplete applications will be excluded from further consideration.

Criteria for Evaluation of Proposal: Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method–where the educational background and experience on similar assignments will be weighted at 70% and the price proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring. The applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score that has also accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing a project that requires the services of an individual to perform the work described in this document.

Should you be interested and decide to submit an offer for this assignment, kindly submit directly in the online supplier portal no later than 14 Nov 2024.

Offers must be submitted directly in the system following this link:  the profile you may have in the portal.

In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link  following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website:  not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration. If you are new registered for IC, the company name should be the name of individual.

Once you login the supplier platform, Click-View Active Negotiations, Search with Negotiation Number: UNDP-CHN-00141, then Create response.

Please note that only the application submitted in UNDP online supplier portal is accepted!

If any discrepancy between deadline in the system and in deadline indicated elsewhere, deadline in the system prevails.

We look forward to your favourable response and thank you in advance for your interest in working with UNDP.  

Sincerely

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  With presence in 170 countries and territories, UNDP endeavors to help countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships, and institutions so they can sustain their progress. UNDP personnel are united by a common purpose: to help countries and communities across the world pursue peaceful, prosperous lives, lived in harmony with the planet.

Enabling UNDP to meet client and partner needs, the Office of Human Resources in the Bureau of Management Services (BMS/OHR) is the hub for the global HR function at UNDP, providing strategy, policy setting, guidance, and oversight. In addition, OHR provides a broad range of HR advisory and talent management services enabling UNDP to deliver fully integrated development solutions at corporate level.  Within BMS/OHR, UNDP’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team serve as a center of excellence on a range of DEI matters, such as anti-racism, disability inclusion, LGBTIQ+ allyship and more, partnering across the organization to drive forward UNDP’s inclusive culture and strengthen its diverse workforce.

In 2023, UNDP launched the first phase of its ambitious DEI Strategy (2023-2025), which provides the organization with a progressive maturity model to enable action and growth around key areas. The strategy also mandated the establishment of a DEI Committee, which is a high-level oversight body which supports the acceleration of DEI commitments and implementation across the organization. At the same time, UNDP established an Anti-Racism in Programming Steering Group which is specifically focused on integrating Anti-Racism into UNDP’s programming offering through bureau level pledges. In this context, BMS/OHR is seeking an intern to support both UNDP’s DEI Committee and UNDP’s Anti-Racism in Programming Steering Group to ensure they are set up for success and are able to fulfil their objective. In addition, the intern will contribute overall to strengthening the Anti-Racism and DEI footprint within the organization.

Full-time for 6 months, the internship requires strong project management and coordination skills, ability to work independently, passion for DEI, eagerness to learn and to contribute to empowering personnel from marginalized backgrounds in the workplace.

Candidates from minoritized backgrounds, including people with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ persons are strongly encouraged to apply.     

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Assist in the coordination of UNDP’s DEI Committee:

• Support the DEI Committee in organizing UNDP’s annual “DEI week” and its promotional efforts. This includes tracking deliverables, assisting with scheduling of events, drafting messages, designing communication assets, promote the DEI week campaign and liaise with Committee members for updates on their bureau activities as needed.
• Participate in all DEI committee meetings, and ensuring they are documented through notetaking, updating the shared drive, and developing follow up and actioning messages.
• Support the DEI Committee Secretariat with ad-hoc needs such as gathering information, providing updates, and analyzing DEI engagement through internal channels.
• Support the DEI Programme Officer with preparation of notes, reports, briefs, or presentations on the results of the Inclusion Survey and on the implementation of the DEI Strategy and polishing these to make them visually appealing and in line with branding guidelines.
• Contribute to the 2025 Inclusion Survey communication efforts, including the development of internal communication assets, decks, briefing notes etc.

2. Support and help manage the work of the Anti-Racism in Programming Steering Group:

• Manage the steering group reporting schedule and provide timely reminders to focal points, including by tracking and monitoring all reporting requirements and supporting periodic updates.
• Support the coordination of the Anti-Racism in Programming Steering group meetings, including scheduling of meetings, follow-up with participants, note-taking and drafting meeting de-debriefings.
• Assist the Chair of the DEI committee in issuing reminders and conducting outreach to relevant stakeholders.
• Create a Teams channel for the group and create a repository for knowledge sharing.
• Create a SharePoint page for Anti-Racism in Programming and maintain it to ensure it is up to date.
• Contribute to strengthen the Anti-Racism Steering Group presence on social media by creating an Anti-Racism in Programming Viva Engage community or campaign, as needed and contributing to it.

3. Contribute to strengthening the DEI footprint within the organization:

• Alongside the DEI Analyst, co-manage the DEI community space on UNDP’s corporate social media (Viva Engage) and keep the community active and comments duly responded to.
• Support the curation of relevant DEI internal and UN-wide updates, events, news, and announcements, and develop them into Viva Engage and SharePoint media posts.
• In collaboration with the DEI team, contribute to the launch of the DEI Newsletter in 2025 and create a distribution plan for its quarterly issue.
• Assist in reaching out to the DEI Committee and other partners across the organization to curate rich content for the newsletter and inclusive images that best represent the topics being covered.
• Organize and maintain the DEI and DEI Committee shared folders.

Competencies

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work.
Level 1: Assesses work with critical eye

Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 1: Takes responsibility for and ensures high quality of own work

People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.
Level 1: Understands personal and team roles, responsibilities and objectives

Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.
Level 1: Reliably and consistently listens and interprets information and instruction correctly

Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 1: Meets goals and timelines for team deliverables

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants to UNDP internships must at the time of application meet one of the following academic requirements:

(a) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) in Human Resources, Marketing, Communications, Social Sciences or related field;

(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent) in Human Resources, Marketing, Communications, Social Sciences or related field.

(c) Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one year of graduation.

Experience:

• Experience in project coordination and management would be a distinct advantage.
• Knowledge of In-Design, Canva or other design or illustration software would be an asset.
• Passion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, especially LBGTIQ+ inclusion or Anti-racism would be a benefit.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset.

Background

Multi-hazard early warning and preparedness supports the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, early warning systems are positioned as vital tools for decision-makers to progress towards sustainable development – supporting, for example, agricultural productivity, health, safety, overall well-being, poverty reduction and peaceful societies – providing cross-cutting benefits to nearly all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given coherence across global frameworks, the importance of early warning systems is also recognized within the Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the implementation of these agendas in turn expediting progress in achieving the SDGs.

UNDP plays an important and unique role in supporting countries to achieve their development goals by reducing loss to life and assets, and by strengthening long term resilience. The UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025 contributes to the resilience-building objectives of the 2030 Agenda by committing UNDP to help countries eradicate poverty in all its forms and expand people's choices for a fairer, more sustainable future. UNDP’s Crisis Offer outlines UNDP’s commitment to helping countries anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from crises.

For UNDP, early warning and preparedness embody a series of integrated anticipatory measures based on a comprehensive understanding of multidimensional risks, enabling individuals, communities, organizations and governments to make informed decisions about potential impacts and take timely and preventive action. Over the last decade, UNDP has been on the ground improving access to early warning services in over 90 countries and, since 2008, has mobilized investments of over USD $2 billion to support initiatives for early warning and preparedness, enhancing evidence-based decision-making to save lives. The principles, key actions and programmatic results of UNDP’s early warning and preparedness work are summarized in the UNDP Practice Note on Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Preparedness.

UNDP’s programmatic service offer for early warning and preparedness is focused on capacity strengthening of national and local stakeholders, institutions, systems and mechanisms with its development mandate. Among other services, UNDP is deploying its capacity development support through the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway and the UNDP Preparedness Toolkit, led globally by UNDP’s Crisis Bureau/ Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery for Building Resilience Team (DRT) and based on cross-practice collaboration with a wide range of UNDP thematic teams across its Global Policy Network (GPN).

• The UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway is a capacity development initiative that supports countries to enhance their institutional, strategic and operational capabilities for preparedness. The Pathway facilitates joint learning and knowledge exchange for and among decision-makers and practitioners from national and local authorities engaged in disaster preparedness as the primary audience, along with UNDP, UN entities and other relevant in-country stakeholders. The Pathway is built upon the UNDP Preparedness Toolkit, and it is delivered as a bespoke service upon demand. More information can be accessed by visiting the online Homepage, Brochure and Promotional Video.

• The UNDP Preparedness Toolkit is an online interactive platform supporting national and local authorities, UNDP Country Offices and other in-country stakeholders in enhancing their institutional, strategic, and operational capabilities for preparedness, improving the speed and efficiency of their response, and applying foresight to be better prepared to cope with future risks, disasters and crises. The Toolkit is available in English, Spanish, French. To learn more about the Toolkit, please access the Brochure, Access guide and Promotional Video.

This internship position is intended to support UNDP’s global work on early warning and preparedness as one of the key strategic work streams of the DRT Geneva, Switzerland. The intern will support the team with training development and rollout, knowledge management and communications tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the rollout of capacity development services related to preparedness

• Undertake research and categorization of relevant resources to support the continuous update of the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway and UNDP Preparedness Toolkit, including collecting UNDP project examples, country case studies and guidance materials related to preparedness and anticipation;
• Support the organization of webinars for the rollout of the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway;
• Support the organization of online events (webinars) deploying the content of the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway, including support to tailoring the modules to be delivered, developing session plans, engaging with facilitators and participants, developing webinar communications materials and final reports;
• Support remotely the organization of face-to-face workshops deploying the content of the UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway, including support to tailoring the modules to be delivered, developing session plans, engaging with facilitators and participants, developing country-specific communications materials in collaboration with communications specialists, consolidating pre-workshop and post-workshop evaluation forms using online forms (Google Forms; Survey Monkey), and developing final reports.

Undertake research and analysis on topics related to preparedness

• Undertake research and develop research outputs using qualitative and quantitative methodologies within thematic areas related to early warning and preparedness (for example: technology and innovation for early warning and preparedness; foresight; risk anticipation and anticipatory action; preparedness in fragile settings; etc.);
• Undertake research on cross-cutting themes including disability-inclusion, gender equality and women’s leadership, digitalization and technology, and develop research outputs using qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Develop communications products on topics related to preparedness and cross-cutting themes

• Tailor and adapt materials drawn from the rollout of the preparedness service offer as knowledge and communications products geared towards external audience such as blog stories, social media cards, briefs to be used for UNDP’s corporate website and UNDP’s presence at/ related to global events such as the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and others;
• Develop slide decks, Miro/MURAL Boards, and other interactive materials for presentations at UNDP internal events, workshops, webinars, etc.

Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Excellent command of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, PPT, Planner, etc.)
• Command of online tools such as Canva, Miro, MURAL, Zoom, MS Teams, Google Forms;
• Initiative taking;
• Strong organization skills;
• Great attention to detail and proven experience in proof reading;
• Ability to work well in a team;
• Demonstration of cultural sensitivity and appreciation for different cultures and practices;
• Sound computer skills and experience using web-based applications, social media and data management systems.

Required Skills and Experience

Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

(a) Enrolment in a Master’s programme or equivalent in the area of disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, disaster management, environmental management, humanitarian affairs, international development;

(b) Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined in (a)  and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;

(c) Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.

The applicant should be enrolled in a programme, as stated in requirements (a).

Languages:

• Fluency in English, both oral and written is required.
• Working knowledge of other official UN languages (preferably French or Spanish) is an asset.

Institutional and Management Arrangements:

The intern will be part of UNDP’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery for Building Resilience Team in Geneva. The Internship will be carried out under the overall guidance of the Head DRT and Team Leader, and in close day-to-day consultation and supervision of Programme Specialist, Early Warning and Preparedness . The Intern will support timely delivery of the key tasks and deliverables as envisaged and any other relevent tasks as required.

The Intern will be responsible for organizing her/his own laptop and other IT resources to support the assignment and UNDP will not be responsible for meeting any expenditure incurred thereon including internet and other IT support services over the duration of the Internship.

Travel: The assignment does not entail or envisage any travel. However, depending on the need, any travel outside the regular place of stay (home/office) by the Intern, if required, would be paid for separately.

Application Procedure:

• The application should contain a) brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post; and (b) current and complete CV in English.

Conditions of the Internship:

• As of 1 January 2020, Interns may be given a stipend according to the UNDP Internship Policies, if is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation, or scholarship programme;
• Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of the internship. UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• In cases when the intern is expected to travel to the duty station, the intern is responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed; this internship is homebased;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an intern’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship;
• The intern will be evaluated at the end of the contract and due recognition of work will be issued in writing.
• For more information about the application process and UNDP's internship terms and conditions, visit: www.undp.org/internships

In case an applicant is successfully selected, s/he will be requested to provide electronic versions of the following documents upon selection:

• Copy of the applicant’s most recent resume or curriculum vitae;
• Letter from his/her university confirming current enrolment and graduation date.
• Letter of recommendation from a professor.
• Copy of his/her school transcript.
• Copy of passport.
• Completed UNDP internship application form.
• Medical Certificate of Good Health
• Proof of valid Medical Insurance coverage for the duration of the internship assignment. Insurance coverage must include adequate coverages in the event of an injury or illness during the internship with specific indication of the following:  a) in the event of injury, transportation to home country or country of residence for further treatment; and, b) in the event of death, requires preparation and return of the remains to the home country, or country of residence.

Application process:

• In your application, please (i) state in one paragraph why you would like to be considered for the internship, and (ii) indicate your preferred start and end date, as well as your availability timeframe in 2025.

Please combine the above into one single PDF document as the system only allows to upload one document.

Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.