Asia Development Bank
HEADQUARTERS/NGO CENTER
Consultant Vacancy
Date of ADB-BO listing: 10 November 2001
A. Background Information
ADB views NGOs as significant partners in its operational policy and
programs.
ADB's policy document -- Cooperation between the Asian Development
Bank and
Nongovernment Organizations (1998) -- sets forth the institution's
approach to
collaborating with civil society. This policy calls upon ADB to work
closely with
NGOs to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability and quality of
services it
provides to its Developing Member Countries (DMCs).
In 1999, ADB renewed its commitment to improving the livelihoods of
the poor in
the Asia-Pacific region by declaring Poverty Reduction as its
overarching goal.
ADB's long-term strategy for poverty reduction rests on three pillars:
(i) pro-poor,
sustainable economic growth; (ii) social development; and (iii) good
governance.
This strategy is consistent with the recommendations of many NGOs
involved in
sustainable development.
Last year, ADB's President, Mr. Tadao Chino, formed an internal
high-level
committee to conduct a comprehensive review of ADB's institutional
arrangements
for cooperation with NGOs. In November 2000, the committee produced an
in-depth report on institutional arrangements for interacting with
NGOs. An
intensive consultative process -- both within and outside ADB
contributed to the
elaboration of the final Task Force Report.
Among the report's key recommendations was the establishment of a
central unit
to coordinate NGO relations. This recommendation was fulfilled in
February of this
year with the launch of the NGO Center within the Office of
Environment and Social
Development (OESD). The NGO Center serves as the central focal point
for
ADB-NGO cooperation, and it is entrusted to implement the other
recommendations
of the Task Force Report.
B. Consulting Services
To improve ADB service to its DMCs, the NGO Center is offering an
opportunity to
an individual consultant from the NGO community to work with ADB on a
defined
set of issues supportive of mutual development goals in the
Asia-Pacific region.
The selected consultant will work side by side with ADB staff at
headquarters in
Manila and will help identify ways and means of improving ADB-NGO
cooperation in
specific sectors, projects, policies, and programs.
The consultant should have hands-on experience in current and emerging
NGO
involvement in major development projects and programs, including
those in the
infrastructure sectors. He/she should be conversant in the role,
functions, and
operations of multilateral agencies such as ADB, and preferably should
have had
direct involvement with projects in Asia and the Pacific. The
consultant should
have at least three years of experience with his/her organization, and
should hold
a middle-to-senior level position.
The period of assignment is expected to be approximately five months,
which will
commence on or about 15 December 2001. ADB will provide appropriate
compensation or remuneration in accordance with its standard rules and
regulations. Detailed terms of reference for the selected consultant
can be
accessed on-line at the ADB-NGO webpage at
http://www.adb.org/ngos/tor.asp.
NGOs interested in nominating a candidate should submit the CV of its
selected
candidate to the following name and address by 30 November 2001:
Robert J. Dobias, NGO Network Coordinator
Office of Environment and Social Development
P.O.Box 789, 0980 Manila, Philippines
Tel: (63-2) 632-6783; Fax No. (63-2) 636-2195/92
E-mail: mailto:[log in to unmask]
Terms of Reference for Staff Consultant
NGO Partnership Specialist
Background
1. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), recognizing the growing
importance of the
nongovernment organization (NGO) community to development and poverty
reduction in Asia and the Pacific, established an NGO Cooperation
Network in
February 2001. In the spirit of this commitment to improved
cooperation with
NGOs, ADB is offering an opportunity for selected individuals from the
NGO
community to work with ADB staff on a defined set of issues that will
support
poverty reduction and other mutual development goals in the Region.
The current
arrangement will be the first in an anticipated long-term program.
Objectives
2. The selected NGO staff consultant will work side-by-side with ADB
staff in
analyzing and recommending operational solutions to impediments faced
by staff in
their efforts to better employ the resources of and cooperate with the
NGO
community in furthering development in the Region. The NGO staff
consultant will
help to identify ways and means of improving ADB-NGO cooperation in
specific
sectors, projects, policies, and/or programs.
3. Because the objective is to improve ADB's institutional capacity
to cooperate
with NGOs, the selected NGO staff consultant will work not only with
staff of the
NGO Center, but will be expected to work especially closely with ADB
operational
staff at headquarters in Manila and, on occasion, at resident
missions.
Detailed Terms of Reference
4. The selected NGO staff consultant will report to the NGO Network
Coordinator,
NGO Center. However, during the course of the assignment, most time
will be
spent with operational staff, and so he/she will be guided by those
staff on a
day-to-day basis.
5. A main issue to be addressed under this assignment is the
development of best
practice guidelines for ADB operational staff in ADB-NGO cooperation.
To
accomplish this, the NGO staff consultant will give specific focus to
analyzing the
potentials and impediments to ADB-NGO (and Government) cooperation in
major
infrastructure projects. Drawing on the lessons learned, and referring
to similar
issues in other major sectors, the NGO staff consultant will work
directly with the
NGO Center in preparing best practice guidelines for ADB-NGO
cooperation in the
context of ADB's overall support to its Developing Member Countries.
6. Specific tasks will include, but may not be limited to, the
following:
i.undertake a detailed literature survey, both from sources within
and outside
the Bank. Within the Bank, draw on reports such as Report of the
Task Force
on Institutional Arrangements for Cooperation with Nongovernment
Organizations, Special Evaluation Study of the Role of
Nongovernment
Organizations and Community-Based Organizations in Asian
Development
Bank Projects, Cooperation Between ADB and Nongovernment
Organizations -
Report of Activities, Special Evaluation Study on Participatory
Development
Processes in Selected Asian Development Bank Projects in
Agriculture,
Natural Resources, and Social Infrastructure Sectors, Long-Term
Strategic
Framework of the Asian Development Bank (2001-2015), Medium Term
Strategy (2001-2005), the policy on Cooperation Between the Asian
Development Bank and Nongovernment Organizations, and specific
project
and program documents;
ii.based on the literature survey, and in consultation with project
and program
staff, conduct an initial analysis of (a) general ADB-NGO
cooperation in the
context of all stages of infrastructure projects; (b)
opportunities and
impediments to cooperation in specific projects and programs; (c)
where and
how opportunities were lost or could have been capitalized; (d)
where and
how impediments could have been avoided;
iii.suggest, in the context of ADB's policies, and based on actual
project
conditions, how ADB-NGO cooperation might have been strengthened
to the
advantage of the project and its beneficiaries/stakeholders;
iv.visit selected countries and project sites with projects,
programs and
resident mission staff (and concerned NGOs) to test the findings
under point
(iii);
v.under direction from the NGO Center, but with extensive
consultation with
projects and programs staff, prepare an initial draft best
practice guidelines;
vi.analyze the extent to which the guidelines apply to sectors other
than the
infrastructure sectors, and do additional research and analysis
in those
sectors as required;
vii.prepare a second draft of the guidelines and distribute
interdepartmentally,
as well as to the NGO community through the NGO Web site, for
comments;
viii.after incorporating the comments, organize a workshop among
staff and
selected NGOs to discuss and finalize the draft;
ix.undertake other tasks as agreed with the NGO Center, including
the delivery
of special seminars and/or training sessions, follow-up analysis
of issues that
may remain unresolved in the best practice guidelines (e.g.,
providing direct
support to NGOs or procurement procedures as they apply to NGOs),
and
others.
Qualifications
7. The NGO staff consultant will have hands-on experience in current
and
emerging NGO involvement in major development projects and programs,
including
in infrastructure sectors. He/she will be conversant in the role,
functions, and
operations of multilateral agencies such as ADB, and preferably will
have had direct
involvement with past ADB or World Bank projects in Asia. The NGO
staff
consultant will have been with his/her organization for no less than
three years and
will be currently placed at a mid- or senior-level position. In
addition, he/she should
have:
i. experience in public consultation, participatory practices and issues
related
to indigenous people and other vulnerable groups;
ii. an understanding of the nexus between economic development and
poverty
reduction, health, education and environmental conservation;
iii. interpersonal skills to deal with new situations;
iv. English language skills, both verbal and written; and
v. an understanding of cultural, governmental and institutional
requirements in
Asia and the Pacific.
Duration and Conditions of Assignment
8. The assignment will be based in Manila, Philippines, but may
require occasional
travel to the ADB's Developing Member Countries. The duration of
assignment will
be determined by the specific status of the first-ranked candidate and
his
organization in terms of ability to be absent from the organization,
but is expected
to be approximately five months. Arrangements covering the status of
the NGO
staff consultant in his/her organization while and after working at
ADB will be
agreed solely between the staff and the NGO. The candidate will be
bound by the
normal contractual arrangements associated with ADB staff consultant
positions.
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