CALL FOR APPLICATIONS no: CFA-ALBA-2014-006

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Project Managerin support of the Social Care System Reform management

at the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth

General objective of the consultancy
The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical support to Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth (MoSWY) in their efforts to reform social care service delivery.
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Secretary General of MoSWY and the overall guidance and supervision of the Director of Integrated Social Care Policies (ISCP), UNICEF Deputy Representative and in close collaboration with the relevant stakeholders.
The consultant will help ensure implementation of the reform of the social care services (SCS), and coordinate and follow up on activities related to this reform as described in the UNICEF supported annual work plans and government strategy documents. The consultant will help MoSWY to identify bottlenecks and recommend immediate action or decisions decision needed for the timely progress of the reform.
Scope of Work
The consultant will be hired to perform the following tasks
-Serve as the social care focal point for the reform of SCS, overview and coordinate the implementation of the project supported by UNICEF and MoSWY.
-In coordination with the UNICEF team and the Department of ISCP, participate in the development of detailed work plans.
-Monitor and follow up that planned activities are properly implemented and monitored with input from all relevant stakeholders, both internal and external (line Ministries), and recommendations are made for the Director of Social Policies and Director of Integrated Social Care Policies.
-Establish and maintain close working relations with the main actors supporting the social protection and social inclusion system. Support the Director of ISCP to ensure interaction with other ministries, departments and programme partners.
-Participate in and report to MoSWY and UNICEF on the work of task forces, working groups related to the reform of the SCS.
-Examine programme documents, reporting guidelines, deliverables and reports related to the reform of Social Care Services. These include documents prepared by other parties, including those related to cash assistance and wider social inclusion programmes, which have a bearing on the SCS reform. Provide summaries of recommendations or comments, as needed.
-Support development of drafts for key decisions to be taken in the context of the reform of SCS.
-Support the preparation of Steering Committee and Inter-ministerial Working Group meetings in cooperation with UNICEF and MoSWY. Prepare minutes and disseminate as appropriate.
-Prepare monthly reports on the progress of the on-going reforms and indicate areas where harmonization is needed. Help in providing briefings on the reform of the SCS for key partners, and ensure effective dissemination of information on the reform activities and results among stakeholders.
-Facilitate round table consultations on key policy or implementation issues.
-Oversee the implementation of the communication campaign in close consultation with MoSWY and UNICEF.
-Ensure coordination and information exchange with efforts for reforming cash assistance and social inclusion.
-Perform other duties of a reasonable nature as and when required.
Timing: The consultant will be working for 12 months during the period of September, 2014 – August, 2015
Reporting: The consultant will liaise and report to UNICEF Albania and to MoSWY. The actual distribution of tasks and their timing will be further discussed and reviewed on a monthly basis.
Geographic coverage:Travel will be required for this consultancy. The payment of travel expenses will be paid separately from this contract based on a calendar agreed with MoSWY.
Competencies
  • In-depth knowledge of issues, and social services /care system.
  • Experience in project management cycle.
  • Enthusiasm and self-discipline: Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines and significant workload.
  • Team work: Proven ability to work in a collaborative manner to meet project goals, maintaining effective relationships in multidisciplinary teams and cultivating a culture of information and knowledge sharing.
  • Interpersonal skills: Ability to communicate easily and well with staff at all levels and also with external counterparts.
  • Strong results orientation: Maintain focus on results; overcome obstacles and challenges, evaluate and take responsibility for achieving results.
  • Planning and organizing skills: ability to plan activities/projects well in advance; ability to monitor performance against deadlines and milestones.
  • Strong communication skills and ability to write technical documents.

Required Skills and Experience
  • Advanced degree in Social Protection, Public Administration or related field;
  • At least 7 years of proven experience on Social Services, Social Protection, Public Administration or related field;
  • Demonstrated capacity to work and coordinate with different institutions and sectors;
  • Excellent writing and communication skills in English/ Albanian;
  • Experience in research and report writing is considered to be an asset.
Payment schedule
The consultant will be paid at the end of each month upon a mutually agreed monthly fee based on the MoSWY policy for similar assignments.
Application and selection criteria
Recruitment of the consultant will be done by UNICEF in collaboration with MSWY, in accordance with UNICEF rules and regulations, based on a competitive selection of the best bid out of those submitted in response to the advertised call for proposals. The applicants will be asked to submit the following documents:
A letter of interest;
CV;
Proof of technical expertise in the matter (such as hard copies of reports or links to electronic reports);
3 recommendations, which demonstrate team leadership/management skills and networking experience;
After a careful assessment of the proposals, UNICEF and MSWY will select the most appropriate candidate based on the following evaluation rates:
Technical expertise (50 points);
Educational background (30 points);
Networking and relevance of past experience (20 points);
Submission of applications
Applications should be sent electronically to , copied to ; nd .
The subject line should state the call for applications no CFA-ALBA-2014-006and read “Project manager in support of the Social Care System Reform management at the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth”.
The deadline for submission of applications is 30 August 2014.

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