Project Coordinator (ITC)

Islamabad

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Islamabad
Grade: Mid level - SB-5 (SC10/SC11), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Millennium Development Goals
- Project and Programme Management
- Managerial positions
- GROWTH FOR RURAL ADVANCEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS(GRASP)
Closing Date: Closed

Background

About ITC:

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, focusing in particular on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies. ITC is 100% "Aid for Trade", supporting trade that delivers inclusive and sustainable development results. ITC’s mandate covers all developing countries and transition economies with special emphasis on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDs) Fragile States and Sub-Saharan Africa. ITC Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. ITC projects and programmes contribute to the global efforts to achieve UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Aid for Trade agenda. ITC works at three levels:

Strengthening the integration of the business sector of developing countries and economies in transition into the global economy,
Improving the performance of trade and investment support institutions for the benefit of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and enhancing the abilities of trade support institutions to better support them,
Improving the international competitiveness of SMEs.

About the GRASP Project:

The Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) is a 66-month project that will contribute to the reduction of poverty through development of rural SMEs in selected districts within two provinces of Pakistan: Balochistan and Sindh. GRASP will focus on selected product lines within livestock and horticulture.

GRASP will take a holistic approach to building SME competitiveness in agribusiness value chains starting from a deep understanding of markets and working back through the value chain to enable SMEs and ultimately producers to create and capture additional value. To do this, GRASP will intervene in three main ways:

Improving the eco-system for rural SME development through building institutional capacity and improving the business environment
Building production and quality of primary products through support to SME agribusiness service providers and business intermediary organizations in rural areas
Increasing added-value and marketed volumes through developing value chains and supporting SMEs to improve management, increase access to finance, apply sustainable technology to add value and improve quality and reduce waste throughout the system

At the impact level, GRASP will create employment and income opportunities in rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan. Outcome and outputs of GRASP include measurable improvement in the business environment for SMEs, improved agricultural productivity in selected areas, better access for farmers to market information and agricultural services, increase in revenue and financing for selected SMEs and increased value added and adoption of environmental sustainable technology. GRASP has a very strong focus on women's economic empowerment.

GRASP has a budget of €48.5m funded by the European Union and the ITC. ITC will implement GRASP through three Pakistan based teams and a wide network of Pakistani and international partner organizations. This challenging project will involve managing many concurrent inter-linked activities from the market to the production level and innovative tools such as matching grants.

Duties and Responsibilities

ITC seeks to hire a seasoned professional to lead the GRASP project in Pakistan. The GRASP Project Coordinator will lead the project design and delivery in Pakistan and will be responsible for successful implementation of the project under the guidance of ITC Geneva based Project Executive.

The outputs expected from the GRASP Project Coordinator are:
Lead the Inception phase under the guidance of ITC Geneva based Project Executive and design project interventions
Design and operationalization of Project Steering Committees at national and provincial levels
Delivery of project workplans in a way that ensures expected results
Represent ITC and manage strategic relationships in Pakistan with external public and private sector partners and beneficiaries
Coordination with the EU delegation in Pakistan on Programmatic, technical, financial and budgeting issues as required
Communicating the GRASP project vision to Pakistani stakeholders and partners
Coordinate with the Geneva based team of ITC experts and ensure result based project design and implementation
Putting in place systems for smooth operation of GRASP Pakistan

Function / Expected Results: Coordination of project activities

Lead the project team in the Inception Phase to design GRASP interventions;
Supervise project teams to implement project workplan;
Ensure coherence and synergies during project implementation;
Manage relationships with counterparts and ensure ownership of project initiatives the different stakeholders and beneficiaries in Pakistan;
Represent ITC and maintain regular communication with other initiatives and agencies on the ground, ensure good information sharing; liaise with the relevant government departments, ministries and private sector institutions to obtain support for project implementation;
Put in place and manage systems, with the support of ITC Geneva, for smooth operation of the project including staff management, budget management, activity and results monitoring, project progress reporting, and compliance with UN and EU regulations;
Design and operationalize Project Steering Committees;
Participate in National Steering Committee meetings, prepare meeting agendas and other documents required for the review of the committee;
Ensure project visibility, efficient communication and outreach at the national level and in provinces, including representation of the project at national events, ensure communication with the press where required;
Identify risks to project implementation and put in place mitigation actions;
Keep abreast with developments in the country and identify synergies and opportunities with other projects and initiatives;
Guide other project staff in performing relevant duties;
Supervise project activities overall and coordinate with project stakeholders and beneficiaries as required;
Undertake any other tasks agreed with the Geneva-based Project Executive in support of efficient implementation of the project.

Function/Expected Results: Technical guidance

Provide ground intelligence to technical leads in the process of output design;
Identify new opportunities and work areas for the project across priority value chains;
Develop new concepts with project partners to activate new opportunities;
Coordinate development of work plans with technical leads and identify and ensure linkages and synergies across project activities and implementing partners.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Efficient and coordinated formulation and implementation of project activities with maximum local ownership
Effective project interventions that contribute to the GRASP results framework
Efficient information flow between project stakeholders

Impact of Results

Achievement of delivery targets and results as outlined in the project work plans
Strong partnerships with national stakeholders and relevant government agencies and private sector
Good communication and positive image of the project in Pakistan

Competencies

ITC’S VALUES are: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

ITC’S CORE COMPETENCIES are: Communication, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, Accountability, Creativity, Client Orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Technological awareness.

ITC’S MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES are: Vision, Leadership, Empowering Others, Managing Performance, Building Trust, and Judgment/Decision making.
For further information on competency-based interview please visit: www.intracen.org.

Functional Competencies:

Proven leadership and strong project management and coordination skills
Excellent interpersonal and advocacy skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships
Proven ability to lead and work collaboratively in teams, with colleagues and encourage sharing of knowledge to achieve organizational goals
Strong problem solving and analytical skills
Ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required
Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment
Ability to plan own work and use time efficiently, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines

Technical Competencies:

Demonstrated capacity to manage large, complex and multi-dimensional development programmes
Demonstrated knowledge of challenges agricultural value chain development and trade in Pakistan
Very good understanding of public and private institutions in Pakistan and their mandates
Good understanding of the private sector needs and expectations in Pakistan
Extensive experience in working with government and private sector counterparts
Very good result-based management skills
Excellent drafting and communication skills
Previous experience with the UN System would be an asset

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Work experience:

Master Degree or equivalent in international trade, Business Administration, Agriculture, Economics, Development Studies or related field.
With a minimum of 10 years of experience in trade development, SME development, Institutional reform and capacity building
Including experience in project management in a lead position

A Bachelor’s degree in international trade, Business Administration, Agriculture, Economics, Development Studies or related field
With 12 years of experience in trade development, SME development, Institutional reform and capacity building
Including some experience in project management , administration or related field in a lead position

Language Requirements:

Advanced English with excellent written and oral communication skills is essential
Knowledge of local languages is a plus

Required knowledge and skills:

Demonstrated knowledge of challenges to agricultural development and trade in Pakistan
Very good understanding of public institutions in Pakistan and their mandates as well as of private sector needs and expectations
Very good understanding of project result-based management and coordination
Proven leadership, advocacy and management skills and ability to operate in multi-stakeholder contexts
A track-record of successfully implementing projects
Excellent drafting and communication skills

Desirable knowledge and skills:

Knowledge of the UN system and procedures or experience of EU-related projects would be an asset

Disclaimer

Please Note:
HEC attested degrees are a prerequisite for employment at UNDP. During the recruitment process candidates may be required to present HEC attested degrees.
Foreign Qualified Candidates: Foreign degree holders shall be required to(i) Present a verification/certification letter from the university verifying the degree & student enrollment, orii) Foreign degree Equivalence Letter from HEC.
UNDP provides the Equal Opportunity for all equally qualified male & female including the physically challenged candidates, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply (local and internal VA)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) does not charge fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interviews, selection or induction etc. Moreover, UNDP does not concern itself with any information on the applicants bank accounts
"UNDP has zero tolerance towards Sexual Harassment (SH) and Sexual Exploitation & Abuse (SEA)”.

This vacancy is now closed.
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