TERMS OF REFERENCE UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWAs services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. Programme Coordinator for the Regional Programme for the Improvement of Living Conditions of Palestinian Refugee Camps (REPAC), Amman BACKGROUND The German Government has commissioned its Reconstruction Credit Institute known as KfW, to develop and execute a Regional Programme to improve the living conditions in Palestinian refugee camps and adjacent areas in the Middle East host countries Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and in the occupied Palestinian territory (West Bank and Gaza). The German Government has mandated KfW to design and implement the Programme in cooperation with UNRWA.To this end UNRWA and KfW have entered into an agreement with UNRWA being the local implementing agency for the Programme. In order to support UNRWA with the implementation of the Programme, UNRWA intends to appoint an International Consultant who will act as Programme Coordinator based at UNRWA Headquarters in Amman (HQ A). To support UNRWA with the overall programme management as detailed further below, UNRWA seeks to contract an International Consultant with knowledge and experience in the region, specific knowledge of the German Financial Cooperation with Developing Countries preferably with work experience in Palestinian refugee camps. The Consulting Services are expected to be completed within a period of 27 months. During the first 21 months the Consultant will be permanently based with UNRWA at HQ (A), whereas the last 6 months will/could be spread over a period of one year for the oversight and finalization of already identified projects and the final reporting duties of the Consultant. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Acquainting himself/herself with the specific conditions, ramifications and requirements in the Programme areas and within UNRWA Headquarters and Field Offices, in order to take on the overall Programme coordination function in close cooperation with staff in Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Department, HQ Amman (ICID) and UNRWA Field Offices; Documentation and verification of the identification of potential Programme areas; Assisting in an advisory function in the selection of individual projects and documentation of the selection process in accordance with agreed upon criteria. If necessary in the course of the next phases of REPAC, develop further the criteria of Camp and Project Selection, including the scoring system, priority of projects among Fields and priority camps for the implementation of new Camp Improvement Plans (CIPs); Support UNRWA in the coordination and preparation of detailed time, cost, and financing schedules, regularly updated for the proper technical and financial implementation of the Programme, for UNRWAs submission to KfW. Such schedule is to show, by deadlines and amounts, the intended chronological interrelation of the Programme activities and the resulting financial requirements. If any deviation from such schedule becomes necessary during the implementation of the Programme, the Consultant shall furnish UNRWA with a revised schedule for further submission to KfW outlining and elaborating reasons and situations leading to such deviation; Regular site visits to monitor smooth running of projects in accordance to agreement with KfW and UNRWA regulations; Submit to UNRWA and KfW reports and information as appropriate; Cooperate, where necessary, with the local organizations/institutions/groups in the implementation and operation of the Programme; Coordinate and prepare an operation and maintenance concept, at least until the end of Programme implementation; Coordinate and prepare a financial forecast for a sustainable operation and maintenance of individual projects, for the area of operation in which the individual projects are located as per the UNRWA / KfW agreement. Periodically update this forecast. Assist UNRWA in making sure to transmit such financial forecast and its revised versions to KfW without any delay; Prepare a list of the goods and services to be financed from the Financial Contribution on the basis of the contracts concluded for such goods and services. Accordingly, the Consultant shall prepare (for UNRWA to furnish to KfW without delay) a list of all contracts concluded containing the following data: contract date and value, designation of good/service, contractor, reference number, amount to be financed from the Financial Contribution. The list is to be continuously up-dated. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE A university degree from an accredited educational institution, in civil or architectural engineering; Proven experience and knowledge of KfWs financial procedures; At least 6 years of relevant experience, 2 of which should be in the management of international projects in the area of social and economic infrastructure in various sectors such as Education infrastructure (e.g. schools and training centers), Primary Health Care infrastructure, Shelter, Community infrastructure (e.g. playgrounds, public spaces, community centers, sports fields), Water and Sanitation and others; Proven experience in report writing; Excellent communication and presentation skills; Very good command of English. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS Experience in community-driven participatory planning Working knowledge of German and Arabic languages an asset. SCHEDULE OF SERVICES The International Consultants services shall be scheduled in accordance with the general time schedule of the Programme and harmonized with the work plan of UNRWA. This shall be shown in the inception Report. Throughout this harmonization, necessary modifications and/or changes will be agreed upon between the International Consultant and UNRWA. There will be no claims accepted in this regard and the financial offer might be subject to decrease as a consequence of this harmonization but will not be increased. In proposing his/her own working schedule, the International Consultant needs to ensure that his/her presence in the various Programme areas will be timely and adequate so as to ensure that his/her input will have a clear value-added impact on the overall quality of social infrastructure completed in the course of the Programme. CONDITIONS OF SERVICE The duration of the assignment will be a maximum of 27 months; The consultant is expected to be based in Amman, with travel to UNRWAs area of operations; Remuneration for this consultancy will depend on the qualifications and experience of the candidate. APPLICATION PROCESS Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements via [email protected] clearly indicating the title of this consultancy Programme Coordinator m the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 25/3/2014 (late applications will not be considered). UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking environment.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 05:02:47 +0000
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