Modality - Individual Consultancy Contract

Job title: Individual Consultant - Proposal Writer

Location:  New Delhi, India 

Full/Part-time: Part time - Retainer Contract

Duration:  11 months 

The Position:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the leading United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. With a focus on promoting sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights, and gender equality, UNFPA's India Country Office collaborates closely with the Government of India and various partners to advance the goals outlined in the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and the Agenda 2030.

In line with its mandate, UNFPA India has entered its 10th Country Programme (CP-10) for the period 2023-2027. The CP-10 aims to create an inclusive India where every woman, young person, including those from the most vulnerable groups can enjoy gender equality, fully realise their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and actively contribute to sustainable development. To achieve the ambitious goals of CP-10, UNFPA India has set a non-core resource mobilisation target of USD 30 million over a span of five years.

To effectively meet this resource mobilisation target and support the development of innovative, compelling and high-quality funding proposals, UNFPA India is seeking the services of an Individual Consultant with excellent writing skills and a strong ability to craft clear, concise, and persuasive proposals

The Consultant will be reporting to the RM and Partnerships Specialist based at the UNFPA India Country Office located in New Delhi.

Job Description: 

• Lead the development of project proposals from conception to completion, ensuring they are of high quality, coherent, and impactful. Proposals will relate to UNFPA India CP10 outputs (Link CP10 brochure), with the overall aim of  securing resources from a diverse range of donors.
• Support in developing a strong donor and partner pipeline with a focus on building innovative and meaningful partnerships in support of UNFPA’s mandate
• Collaborate with relevant thematic, innovations and state teams, technical experts, and other stakeholders to gather necessary information and inputs for proposal development.  
• Collate research and undertake data analysis from various sources and teams to ensure that proposals are evidence-based and address the prevailing challenges and needs.
• Ensure that proposals are well-structured, compelling, and aligned with UNFPA's strategic priorities.
• Conduct thorough research on potential donors, including their funding priorities, guidelines, and submission processes.
• Coordinate the review process of proposals, incorporating feedback from donors, and other relevant stakeholders and ensuring that proposals meet the donor specific guidelines and criteria.
• Support the RM Specialist in maintaining effective coordination between technical program and state teams to identify priority areas for designing innovative and high-quality concept notes/proposals.   
• Preparing compelling presentations, briefing paper for donors
• Maintain proper documentation of the proposal development process and share relevant updates with the team and management.

Deliverables

The consultant will prepare well-structured and comprehensive draft proposals for each project or initiative assigned.

The consultant will work closely with the UNFPA team to incorporate feedback and revisions into the draft proposals.

The consultant will deliver final, polished proposals that meet the requirements and are ready for submission.

The consultant will prepare presentation materials to accompany the proposals, as well as any additional documentation required.

a) A separate work completion report will be submitted at the end of the consultancy 

b) Report to be delivered in electronic form – MS Word 

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:-

The consultant will be paid on a per-proposal basis, based on the actual number of days worked on each proposal, upon submission of an invoice and summary report quality assured by the RM and Partnerships Specialist, UNFPA India and  approved by Chief, Policy and Partnerships

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will report directly to the RM and Partnerships Specialist under the overall direction of Chief, Policy and Partnerships

Expected travel:

The consultant will be expected to make outstation travel from time to time under this consultancy. Travel expenses (tickets, DSA, terminals) will be paid, as per applicable policy

Education & Experience: 

Education: 

Masters degree in Business Administration, Economics, Commerce, Social Work, Communications, Marketing, International Relations, or related disciplines.

Experience:

• 5-7 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in proposal writing, fundraising particularly in the development sector, with a track record of successful proposals and resource mobilisation.
• Understanding of sexual and reproductive health, family planning and gender and human rights.
• Excellent research and data analysis skills to ensure evidence-based proposals.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling manner.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Familiarity with the international development landscape and donor requirements.
• Ability to identify and propose innovative solutions for increased resource mobilisation. 
• Strong written and oral communications skills are essential. 
• Excellent negotiation skills. 
• Ability to exercise tact in interacting with partners. 
• Collaborative and proactive approach to work, with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Familiarity with donor requirements, guidelines, and reporting mechanisms.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is mandatory. Working knowledge of one of the Indian official languages is desirable. Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Required Competencies 

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any

Disclaimer: There is no guarantee of a minimum amount of work. The actual number of proposals and the scope of work for each proposal may vary

UNFPA Work Environment

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.

Disclaimer: 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.