Partnerships Advisor (Resource Mobilization) (Retainer)

Project Information:

The Royal Bhutan government has followed a five year socio-economic development planning cycle since the first five year plan in 1961. The government is in the process of developing the 13th five year plan (Feb 2024- Feb 2029) which is expected to be finalized in a couple of months with a Royal Vision of “Developed Bhutan”. The 13th five-year plan is expected to be ambitious in terms of investments given the focus on economic recovery and aspiration to make Bhutan a high-income country within the next 10 years. It is anticipated that the five year plan will have challenges being  be fully financed through currently identified  funds. According to estimates by the Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) the government will have to mobilize from 9 Billion USD to 12 Billion USD in the 13th Plan . Developing a comprehensive, targeted and effective resource mobilization strategy is key to fully mobilize the required resources and implement the plan.

UNOPS has a plan to assist the Royal government of Bhutan in developing the resource mobilization strategy. The Partnerships Advisor ( Resource Mobilization) who will be based in Bhutan will report to the UNOPS Bangladesh Country Manager and will work in close collaboration with the UNOPS Bangladesh team. Hence the Partnerships Advisor ( Resource Mobilization) will be assessed based on the defined deliverables.

About the project Area

The Royal Government of Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since 18 July 2008. The King of Bhutan is the head of state. The executive power is exercised by the council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. On 9 January 2024 the national assembly election was held and on 24 January 2024 the Speaker and deputy speakers of the National Assembly and the Prime Ministers were appointed. The government has 10 Ministries. The new government will implement the 13th five year plan.

Objective:

This service aims to develop resource mobilization strategy to assist the implementation of the Royal Government of Bhutan 13th five year plan.

The process for developing this Strategy include, but is not limited to:

• Context Analysis: The consultant has to review the 13th five years development plan developed by the Royal Government of Bhutan. In line with the resource mobilization context, the consultant has to do : 

• Strategic donor mapping: Conduct strategic mapping of the existing and potential donors at the national, regional, and global levels. These can range from public, private, non-governmental organizations (NGO), UN, IFIs, and philanthropists. Thematic funding windows need to be explored as well with particular focus on climate change, renewable energy, disaster risk reduction, agriculture and rural development. Map donors’ areas of interests, priorities, funds available, requirements and guidelines,  funding windows, and interest in supporting the strategic plan of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The mapping has to study the relationship of existing donors with the government and the best practices and challenges encountered in the past decade.

• Extensive consultations The assignment needs to be undertaken with care to include extensive consultations with the Royal Government of Bhutan at all levels. Consultations also need to be held by UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral donors, multilateral donors, development finance institutions, academia, INGOs, etc. It is also important to validate the proposed strategy and action plan through a validation workshop and to incorporate stakeholder views. 

• Alignment analysis: Conduct a comprehensive analysis to identify alignment between potential donors and the strategic direction of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Analytical frameworks such as SWOT, PESTLE, QSPM may be utilized. The analysis shall also look teh macro economic trends of the country and analyze the resource gaps. (How much can be availed from the public, from donors and from financial institutions). Prudent macroeconomic leveraging principles need to be considered.

• Risk analysis: conduct the risk matrix of the resource mobilization strategy in a consultative manner with relevant stakeholders.

• Strategy development: Outline clear and specific strategies for resource mobilization and for developing and maintaining relationships with existing and potential donors. Explore opportunities for partnerships with donors, and recommend how to develop and maintain strategic partnerships with key donors. The consultant is also expected to draft the concept notes to implement these activities (e.g workshops, fundraising materials, high level delegates negotiations…).

• Action plan development: Create an action plan with clear timelines extending through 2029 to engage with potential donors. The plan should list priority thematic areas aiming at donors that are most aligned with the needs. This shall include how the project appraisal document process shall look like and list of fundraising materials. These materials shall be prepared further with the expected source of funding. (Public, loan, grant)

Deliverables 

The consultant is required to provide some deliverables as below:

• Inception report

• A comprehensive resource mobilization strategy with contents explained above in the scope section. 

• Master proposals (program focus) to potential donors (number to be determined). 

• Institutional fundraising guidelines.

• Validation workshop

• Annex: donor mapping summary

• Master’s degree preferably in  Social Sciences, International development, international relations or a related field is required.

• A relevant Bachelor degree in combination with two years of relevant professional experience would be accepted in lieu of a Master degree.

• A minimum 7 years of proven work experience in resource mobilization, partnerships management, donor proposals writing and funding strategy development. 

• He/she must have at least 7 years of practical experience in programmes related to international development with a focus on Soiuth Asia is required . 

• Experience with engagement with the government strategic plan and resources mobilization strategy  development is required. 

•  Demonstrated Experience in writing bankable  proposal(s). Candidates may be required to submit samples of such proposals.

• Knowledge of relevant sectors and geographic areas, and access to key stakeholders including governmental and relevant information sources in the geographical areas in question is desirable.

• Strong skills and proven experience in project formulation, and related requirements, including logical frameworks and budgets is an advantage. 

• Experience working with WB, ADB, UN or other international organizations is an advantage.

• Experience in macroeconomic analysis and big data is a distinct advantage

The consultant will be retainer and the payment will be monthly based on the number of days the consultant worked over a single month as calculated for IICA daily rate.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.