Call for Proposals for GELI: The SDG Leadership Lab (Switzerland)

Deadline: 3-Mar-21

Global Executive Leadership Initiative (GELI), through UNOPS, intends to enter into a standard Grant Support Agreement with the most suitable implementing partner in order to develop a country support project called “the SDG Leadership Lab”. The SDG Leadership Lab is a co-owned and co-developed project that is jointly defined by GELI and the UN’s Development Coordination Office (DCO).

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS has a vision to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing their partners’ expectations.

Objectives

• Development objective
  • The grant will contribute to Agenda 2030 and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • The objective of the intervention is to strengthen leadership behaviour and embed a forward-looking leadership model in the mindset of RCs, HCs, UNCT and HCT members.
  • The project will implement a specific ‘systems leadership/change’ methodology to introduce the concept of systems leadership, build the capacities of leadership teams, and to utilise the capacities at their disposal most effectively and collaboratively to achieve the inter-locking SDG agenda.
• Immediate objective
  • The leadership of humanitarian and development operations, represented by the RC, HC and their colleagues in the UNCT+ and HCT, will work effectively as a unit on complex and inter-locking challenges and will deliver assistance more effectively.
  • The participants in the project will increase their knowledge on the systems leadership approach and will learn skills and develop capacities to understand how to apply systems leadership in real world situations.
  • The participants in the project will implement systems leadership in their operations.

Eligibility Criteria

• Minimum requirements/qualifications for the entity (or entities):
  • A track record of delivering field-based country support relevant to leadership and/or senior level strategic planning in humanitarian and development settings. Minimum ten (10) years proven record of successfully working in humanitarian, development and complex settings.
  • Knowledge and experience of humanitarian and development systems such as the UN Country Team (UNCT), Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and other leadership/coordination platforms in operational settings. Minimum five (5) years’ experience or exposure to working with senior leadership in international humanitarian and/or development operations.
  • Knowledge and experience of the leadership structures and typical challenges faced by the leadership of humanitarian and development operations. Minimum five (5) years’ experience or exposure to working with senior leadership in international humanitarian and/or development operations; or demonstrated track record of publications on leadership, coordination, or team building in the humanitarian and development environment.
  • Demonstrated sufficient capacity to support the delivery of the project in twenty-four (24) countries over a three-year period and to demonstrate (in the proposal) the expected capacity and resources that would be required and can be deployed for such a project.
  • Knowledge of systems change methodology and transferring the methodology to country-based teams in practical and feasible terms for efficient implementation. A demonstrated track record of publications on systems change and a minimum of five (5) years’ experience and exposure to systems change application in complex country contexts.
• Minimum requirements for the Team Leader / Project Leader:
  • The entity will be expected to have a team leader/project leader that has substantial knowledge of systems leadership/systems change and has substantial international experience in, or exposure to humanitarian and development operations, and proven experience in managing teams. The team leader/project leader should satisfy the following criteria:
    • Master’s Degree in a subject related to international development, organisational change, leadership, business development;
    • Over five (5) years’ demonstrated experience in humanitarian and/or development assistance;
    • Over five (5) years working with leadership, change management, or a related area.

Limitations

All entities meeting the minimum requirements below are encouraged to apply. Any private sector entity that wishes to apply needs to clarify in their proposal that it will not gain business profit (beyond standard overhead fee, maximum 10% of grant budget) from the activities. Individual non-profit organisations, consultancy groups, academic entities, or NGO partnerships of two or more organisations are welcome to apply. In the event of a partnership, one entity would be designated the lead organization and if selected, the Grant Support Agreement (GSA) will be signed between UNOPS (on behalf of GELI) and the designated lead organization as the legally binding implementing partner/grantee. This formal grantee would be arranging its own administrative sub-agreements internally with their partner organization or a consortium.

For more information, visit https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/121550