Background

The Government of Albania (GoA) has recently approved a new law on protected areas (PA) which is expected to significantly improve the overall management effectiveness of the country’s system of protected areas, covering 460,060 ha of marine and terrestrial habitats. On the other side, the current funding baselines for the PA system, and the capacities to administer and improve PA revenue streams, are still well below the levels required to ensure that the PA system can properly serve its function as an important tool to protect biodiversity.

Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MoTE) and its agencies are making concerted efforts  (i) to secure sufficient, stable and long-term financial resources for protected areas; (ii) to allocate these resources in a timely manner and appropriate form to cover the full costs of protected areas; and (iii) to ensure that the protected areas are managed effectively and efficiently with respect to conservation and other complementary objectives.

As such, this project seeks to assist the GoA in reducing existing funding gaps for the system of PAs, improving the management & cost effectiveness of individual PA and building the financial management capacities nationwide by increasing the capacity of the central and local staff. In this regard, activities are focused at two levels of support: (i) building the financial management capacities of the agency responsible for administering the system of protected areas (NAPA); and (ii) demonstrating the efficacy of different financing strategies in a sub-set of individual protected areas, whereby one component tackles implementation of mechanisms which improve revenue streams on three National Parks: (i) Dajti National Park (DNP); (ii) Divjaka-Karavasta National Park (DKNP); and (iii) the Llogara-Karaburuni protected area complex (LKC).

Duties and Responsibilities

The general purpose of this ToR is the engagement of an IT specialist, as a reference resource expert, to support the National Agency of Protected Areas and the Regional Administrations of Protected Areas with installment of the accounting program, the computer hardware/software and network maintenance services and link with relevant sites,

More specifically the expert will provide:

• Install and hand-on experience with the appropriate accounting/ financial programs to be adopted as a response to the need of the financial departments at RAPAs and NAPA
• Install and configuration of the hardware and software components to ensure the optimal usage
• Ensure fast, accurate and professional troubleshooting and repair;
• Assist users with IT equipment related questions and problems. This may include but is not limited to consulting on operating system issues, desktop applications, etc;
• Perform antivirus check-up and back-up for documents, e-mails, etc.
• Conduct periodic maintenance of computer and printer network and the central file storage system.
• Respond to failures in the site’s computer environment. This response may involve the notification and in certain cases co-ordination with additional resources.
• Provide technical advice for the purchase of computer equipment and other electronic items as necessary
• Maintenance of database (BioNNA and WIMS) and facilitate and advice on corresponding website patters, navigation structure
• Monitor users traffic on this site and take necessary actions to increase visibility and webs referencing
• Assist with sw and hw maintenance, update and adoption for this site
• Respond to devices and pc management (Repair or replacement of damaged equipment purchased by the institution;
• Implementation of electrical safety standards, U
• pdate the entire system to ensure software functionality and compatibility across computers, point of contact in reporting problems;

Duration and deliverables:

The assignment is 30 days within 1 year.

20% – upon reporting the task completion by the end of the first quarter

30% – upon reporting the task completion by the end of the second quarter

20% – upon reporting task completion by the end of the third quarter

30% – upon final reporting by the end of the assignment

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;

Core Competencies:

• Communication – Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
• Planning & Organizing – Develops clear goals in line with agreed strategies, identifies priorities, foresees risks and makes allowances accordingly.
• Teamwork – Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and delivers outputs in accordance with agreed time, cost and quality standards.

Functional Competencies

• Excellent inter-personal and teamwork skills, networking attitude;
• Capacity to deliver as per deadlines;
• Strong expertise in communication issues.

Required Skills and Experience

Relevant experience:

• Five years of relevant professional work experience in IT support services including network administration, management of hardware and software platforms, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of Windows-based or Open-Source based packages/applications;
• Previous experience working with UNDP is an asset
• Experience in providing relevant consultancy services with a record of accomplishment of successful work with international organizations in Albania is preferable.
• Teamwork – Ability to interact and to establish and maintain effective working relationships, both as a team member, with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Experience of virtual teamwork is an advantage.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken Albanian and English is required.

Evaluation Procedure

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Combined Scoring method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

Applicants obtaining 49 points or more of the total technical points will be considered for financial evaluation.

Combined weighted scoring:           Technical (70%);                          Financial (30%).

Technical Criteria – 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

• Educational background                                                                       20 points
• Professional experience and experience in similar assignments                30 points
• Engaged with hardware and software on financial system                       20 points

Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the “Resume and Motivation” section of the electronic application.
• Latest personal Curriculum Vitae (CV) including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, including past experience from similar projects or completed and signed UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SC) and Individual Contracts (IC) – Blank form Download here.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form…  www.un.org.al/sites/default/files/IC_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx
• Financial Proposal in ALL – specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek
  http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc (The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable -qualitative and quantitative- deliverables . Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount-including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).- Please note that with regard to travel component you may provide an average estimated travel cost for one circuit with and without accommodation.
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 

* Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should both be part of your application. 

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Merge your CV or P11, Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

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.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.