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Project Officer, Regional Programme on Local Democracy

Podgorica

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Podgorica
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • International Relations
    • Democratic Governance
    • Civil Society and Local governance
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

The EU-funded Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD) aims to strengthen partnerships between local governments and civil society by scaling-up a successful model of transparent and project-based funding of CSOs.  The Western Balkan (WB) countries/territories are facing complex set of similar development challenges. These countries/territories, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo* , Montenegro, and Serbia, invest significant efforts to mainstream the EU accession agenda within their socio-political contexts.  
An integral part of the EU accession agenda is to promote the inclusion of civil society and further development of participatory democracies in the Region. All the WB countries/territories face challenges, specifically related to the lack of collaboration between the government and civil society. Also, lack of transparency of existing public mechanisms for support of civil society organizations (CSO), mainly at the local level, is perceived as one of the main obstacle for development and functioning of credible civil society in the Region.
The ReLOaD in Montenegro will focus on institutionalization of interaction between local governments and CSOs. The underlying intention of the Programme is to put in practice and sustain a transparent, development-oriented and project-based approach to funding of CSOs by municipal budgets that contributes to realization of legitimate local priorities in line with local development strategies. 
 
The total budget of the ReLOaD Programme in the WB is EUR 10 million, while the component for Montenegro is EUR 846,071. The Programme duration is 36 months (2017 – 2019), with the start date on 1st March 2017. The selected partner municipalities in Montenegro are: Kotor, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Podgorica and Tivat.
 
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Programme Manager and the Team Leader/Programme Analyst the incumbent will manage and ensure successful implementation of the ReLOaD activities related to Montenegro component of the Project.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Effective coordination of project activities and successful implementation of project strategies: 
  • Provide overall coordination and take management responsibility for successful implementation of the project’s activities in line with AWP;
  • Coordinate project activities to deliver intended outputs and achieve desirable impact of the project applying programming tools and policies in line with the UN Results Based Management Approach;
  • Closely coordinate with the Regional Programme Manager ensuring project activities are aligned with a regional workplan and activities in other participating WB countries;
  • Implement the Visibility strategy and communication plan in line with the visibility guidelines and donor requirements;
  • Provide assistance to CSOs and local governments in promotion and visibility activities respecting Project’s and donor requirements.
  • Ensure close collaboration, interaction, experience sharing and synergies with other UNDP Country Offices from the WB that participate in the ReLOaD as well as other similar interventions of other UN agencies and donors, with purpose to maximize the impact and the efficient use of resources;
  • Provide regular feedback (weekly, monthly, and on ad hoc basis) to the Regional Programme Manager about progress, risk, challenges and or any other relevant matter;
  • Contribute to identification of relevant in-country stakeholders and convene regular meetings of the Board of Partners, Local Advisory Groups and other key consultations;
  • Contribute to identification and documentation of partnership opportunities with various stakeholders during national implementation of the project activities;
  • Liaise with the local governments, relevant ministries, CSOs, and other relevant institutions to collect, analyze and disseminate information relevant to the Project;
  • Ensure that all project-related issues and risks are identified and reported in a timely manner and suggest corrective measures;
  • Ensure local governments provide co-financing to fulfil project results and objectives;
  • Provide direction and guidance to the consultants engaged and responsible parties where applicable;
  • Contribute towards creating opportunities for expansion of the regional project.
2. Project management and supervision of the Montenegro project team: 
  • Manage project implementation based on UNDP best practices;
  • Provide guidance and technical advice to in-country project team and project counterparts;
  • Conduct staff performance reviews in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures ensuring full understanding of all aspects of the project;
  • Oversee the work of the Project Associate, external consultants, and contracted companies;
  • Manage financial allocations and approve expenditures according to authority delegated and ensure timely payments in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
  • Monitor and analyses project progress using applicable monitoring & evaluation and risk management tools in PeopleSoft system (ATLAS);
  • Ensures the existence and implementation of successful quality assurance for the project’s financial, procurement and administrative processes to attain the project goals and desired impact in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations as well as in line with the project timelines;
  • Provide the Regional Programme Manager and the Board of Partners with regular reports on all aspects on project progress;
  • Maintain regular coordination, information sharing, and generally foster excellent relationship with the European Union Delegation to Montenegro;   
  • Participate in UNDP programme-level committees and working groups;
  • Participate in joint coordination meetings of the ReLOaD;
  • Complies with security and safety requirements and regulations and ensure the same are respected by all project personnel.
3. Transparent and efficient implementation of a CSO grant scheme:  
  • Lead the selection process of the partner local governments (organize the evaluation commissions and field visits etc.);
  • Develop systems and procedures for partner local governments ensure continuous and accurate monitoring of the status of Project activities;
  • Travel regularly to partner local governments for individual meetings, events, focus group meetings and program related activities/trainings to ensure effective relations with partner local governments throughout the project intervention;
  • Support implementation of the project activities, including the evaluation of CSO project proposals in public calls for CSOs in partner local governments;
  • Oversee day to day work of the Project Associate, including guidance, problem solving and advisory role when and if necessary;
  • Provide quality advisory services for local governments and/or CSO for successful cooperation and knowledge building in local communities;
  • Monitor and analyses overall grant scheme progress and distribution in local governments;
  • Present findings on grant scheme implementation in suitable format for internal/external use.
4. Effective knowledge building and management:
  • Support continuous learning by the national project team and contribute to the Western Balkan UNDP Country Offices thematic knowledge and practice networks;
  • Support the Regional Programme Manager, and the ReLOaD’s project staff in sharing knowledge and experiences related to the replication of the model for transparent funds disbursement for CSO;
  • Participate in regional conferences and ensure the experience from Montenegro; has been adequately shared within the Western Balkans counterparts;
  • Analyse overall grant scheme progress and distribution in local governments;
  • Present findings on grant scheme implementation in suitable format for internal/external use.
5. Gender mainstreaming within the Montenegro project component: 
  • Ensure gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the projects’ activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
  • Ensure gender equality is mainstreamed throughout Montenegro project team, consultants and staff management activities;
  • Support local governments and CSOs to mainstream gender equality;
  • Ensure knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in programme knowledge management activities and products.
6. Advise UNDP on strategic matters related to decentralization, civil society and related capacity development of local self-government:
  • Perform any other UNDP related activity assigned by the UNDP Team Leader for Democratic Governance.

Impact of results: The key results have a critical impact on the overall ReLOaD programme, in particular to the local development agenda undertaken by UNDP in Montenegro; Key results will have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.  

 
 

Competencies

Functional Competencies:
 
Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda
  • Preparing information for advocacy;
  • Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate.
Results-Based Programme Development and Management
  • Contributes into results through primary research and analysis;
  • Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
  • Researches linkages across project activities to identify critical points of integration;
  • Monitors specific stages of projects implementation;
  • Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development; 
  • Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly;
  • Makes recommendations regarding operation of systems within organizational units;
  • Identifies and recommends remedial measures to address problems in systems design or implementation;
  • Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability
Building Strategic Partnerships 
  • Maintaining a network of contacts;
  • Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues; 
  • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
  • Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders.
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
  • Enhancing processes or products;
  • Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
  • Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches;
  • Performs appropriate work analysis and assists in redesign to establish clear standards for implementation. 
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
  • Fundamental knowledge of own discipline;
  • Understands advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
  • Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
  • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
  • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
  • Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Excellent training and presentation skills.
Client Orientation
  • Establishing effective client relationships;
  • Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
  • Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines. 
Resource Mobilization 
  • Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies;
  • Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

  • Basic research and analysis;
  • Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
  • Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
  • Participates in the development of mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies. 
Core Competencies:
  • Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, disabilities, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
  • Demonstrate strong negotiation skills;
  • Creating synergies through self-control; Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Managing conflict;
  • Informed and transparent decision making;
  • Possesses strong ICT skills;
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others; 
  • Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each employee.
 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Advanced university degree in public administration, engineering, development studies, economics, political sciences, social sciences, or other related areas;
  • BA degree with additional two years of working experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: 
  • Minimum of five years of project management experience;
  • Proven experience in managing grant schemes for civil society;
  • Rich previous experience in partnering and interaction with governmental institutions at state/entity/local levels, as well as with civil society organizations;
  • Previous experience with an international public and/or private sector organization is a basic requisite, while experience with complex UN and/or UNDP programmes would be considered as an asset.
Languages:
  • Fluency in English and Montenegrin.
 

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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