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Principal National Consultant: Support the elaboration of the electoral education and democratic processes curriculum and course in the selected universities and faculties and promotion of the electoral education and democratic processes curriculum.

Vacancy Number: Pr21/02348

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	07 Dec 2021, 16:00 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	14 Dec 2021, 16:00 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	05 Jan 2022
Reference to the project:	Enhancing Democracy in Moldova through Inclusive and Transparent Elections
Expected Duration of Assignment:	January - March 2022
Supporting Documents: Principal National Consultant - Terms of Reference Principal National Consultant - Procurement Notice OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) ASSIGNMENT UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Ms. Olga Crivoliubic.

Background

Electoral support and capacity development are part of UNDP’s democratic governance assistance worldwide, through which UNDP helps nations build democratic frameworks to improve representation, accountability, and transparency for the benefit of citizens.

UNDP has a long-standing partnership with the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), Ministry of Education and Research and the Center for Continuous Electoral Training (CCET) aiming at advancing the electoral education and democratic electoral processes in Moldova. This partnership, which spans over 10 years, resulted in the establishment of strong professional institutions, development of a modern State Automated Information System “Elections” (SAISE), the enhancement of the State Register of Voters’ accuracy and the design and implementation of effective long-term civic and voter and citizens education instruments.

Throughout the last electoral cycles, CEC and CCET demonstrated a high level of capacity in organizing the Presidential, Parliamentary Elections and General Local Elections. Despite the challenges and persistent financial limitations faced by the institutions, due to the continuous UNDP’s support, the CEC and the CCET delivered “well-administered elections” as attested by OSCE/ODIHR Observation Missions.

Since 2017, the Project "Enhancing democracy in Moldova through inclusive and transparent elections” supports the Central Electoral Commission to enhance the transparency and inclusiveness of the electoral process in Moldova by ensuring a more independent and credible electoral administration and better informed and pro-active citizens. Successively, on 1^st of August 2020, the second phase of the Project “Enhancing Democracy in Moldova through Inclusive and Transparent Elections – EDMITE” has started. The overall goal of the Project is to achieve an enhanced integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness of the electoral process in Moldova by ensuring a more independent and credible electoral administration and better informed and pro-active citizens. Hence, the project has an outward-oriented approach, focusing on the electoral process and all relevant actors (CEC, CCET, ministries and government agencies, educational institutions, civil society).

One of the Project’s objectives is to enhance the civic education on electoral subjects and participation of citizens in the electoral process. Youth forms more than 31% of the electorate in the country and the ones that are socially active are also University students, they have also the potential to bring the change and contribute to the broadening of the knowledge and raising awareness of the society.

In this sense, the UNDP Project aims to support 3 Universities across the country to conceptualize, design, and implement an electoral curriculum and course, aimed at promoting the electoral education and democratic processes among students. Based on existing collaboration agreements, the project will intend to cooperate with the following universities: Alecu Russo University from Balti, Comrat State University, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu State University from Cahul and Moldova State University from Chisinau.  Assisted with the support of the Center for Continuous Electoral Training, the curriculum and course on electoral education and democratic processes will be administered by the universities in which it will be rolled out with guidance from the Center for Continuous Electoral Training and the project team.

Scope of work

The general objective of the assignment is to develop a university education curriculum aimed at promoting electoral education and democratic processes.

The assignment is aimed to be implemented in two stages. The second stage will be subject to additional funding approval and confirmation of the assignments under the second stage will be confirmed separately after the fulfillment of the first stage. Specific objectives will include: 

During the first implementation stage (January-March 2022):

• conducting a needs assessment for the current University educational programs in three Universities on the incorporation of Electoral Education curricula or mainstreaming of the elements of the Electoral module in existing University educational programs.
• designing of the education curriculum and course on electoral education and democratic processes for students and support throughout all the needed design and development phases.

During the second implementation stage subject to additional funding approval (April – November 2022)

• elaboration of the university course on electoral education and democratic processes for students and support in piloting the curricula and course.

For the purposes of this assignment, the Principal National Consultant will collaborate with other national and international Consultants contracted by the UNDP Project. The Principal National Consultant will act as the Team Leader and will be responsible for the overall coordination of the team of national consultants (3 nationals) and submission of all the main deliverables. The Principal National Consultant (Team Leader or depending on the context – the Consultant) will provide expertise and coordination support for the implementation of the assignment. For the realization of the assignment the consultant will undertake premises visits to the university / faculty aiming to engage with the university teachers, students, and faculty staff members. In case of covid restrictions, the consultant will continue to engage staff and people by setting and conducting online meetings, phone calls and using ICT tools.

Note: for the purposes of the assignment, it is suggested that the consultant conducts on-site assessments and interviews with the representatives and staff of the relevant selected university and faculties, teachers, students.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 – Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in education or other relevant fields (Social Science, Law, Journalism, Political Science, Public Administration, other relevant).

Experience:

• At least 5 years of demonstrated teaching, academic and/or coordination experience within the high education cycle (university level: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree courses, or PHD).
• At least two (2) analytical documents elaborated for the education curriculum models and course in universities and faculties (examples should be explicitly detailed in his/her CV).
• At least (1) one assignment related to coordination of teams of consultants/teachers in academic projects.

Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in developing academia books, articles, research, and assessments (reference/links to be included in the application package).
• Previous demonstrated experience in the design and delivery of lectures, trainings, workshops, or education seminars, as well as moderating/facilitating public events will be a strong advantage.
• Previous assignments related to electoral/democratic processes education is a strong advantage.
• Previous experience of work with UNDP, ISFED and/or other development partners is an advantage
• Strong knowledge in using IT tools (Microsoft package, Mac package) is required.
• Fluency in Romanian and Russian language (verbal and written) is a must. Knowledge of English will be considered as an advantage for the purpose of the assignment.

Personal qualities:

• Proven commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular respecting differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status.
• Excellent research, analytical and writing skills.
• Responsibility, creativity, flexibility and punctuality, ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders and to present ideas clearly and effectively.

The UNDP Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women, persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non-citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Documents to be included

• Offeror’s letter confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor assignment.
• Technical proposal (including brief description of experience, approach, and methodology for the completion of the assignment).
• Financial proposal (in USD, specifying a total requested amount per working day and per deliverable, including all related costs, e.g. fees, phone calls, etc. The financial proposal will detail the daily fee, travel expenses and per diems quoted in separate line items).
• Personal updated CV.

Financial proposal

Lump sum contracts

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. Payment will be made upon the successful completion of the tasks assigned and submission of the assessment report. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. To assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals the financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee, taxes, communication costs, travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

All envisaged local travel costs must be included in the financial proposal.

This includes all travel to join duty station.

No international travel is envisaged under this assignment.