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Project Manager / Economic Development Advisor

Dushanbe

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Dushanbe
  • Grade: Mid level - SB-5 (SC10/SC11), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Economics
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Managerial positions
    • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Globally, UNDP advocates for nationally-owned solutions to reduce poverty and promote inclusive and sustainable growth. UNDP supports innovative projects, connect countries to global good practices and resources, promote the role of women and young people in development, and bring governments, civil society and outside funders together to coordinate their efforts.

In Tajikistan, UNDP contributes to sustainable and inclusive economic development both by working on the central policy level and by supporting local level development. At the policy level, UNDP and its sister UN agencies have been active in supporting the Government of Tajikistan to align its development planning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and bring innovative solution to the national development plans and implementation schemes. At the local level UNDP supports implementation of national development priorities helping communities to become more resilient and to reduce disparities related to geographic location, social context and gender.

UNDP’s Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SED) is an integrated portfolio of projects that addresses issues affecting the lives of vulnerable groups of people on the ground in a holistic and cross-disciplinary manner, aiming at the sustainable economic growth and sustainable livelihoods of people of the country. UNDP SED Cluster supports localization and operationalization of the SDGs and the implementation of Tajikistan’s National Development Strategy 2030 and Mid-Term Development Programmes. The mission of UNDP SED Cluster is to support achievement of the CPD Outcome 2 in terms of promoting  decent and productive employment,  improved access to specialized knowledge and innovation and more favourable business environment especially for entrepreneurs and farmers.

Owing to its strong network of local, national, and international partners, UNDP within its SED Cluster focuses on improving livelihood and improved local governance – and substantially contributes to other areas addressing development challenges related to health system strengthening, crises prevention and recovery, as well as energy and environment. UNDP SED Cluster applies an integrated approach to local development. On the supply side, SED Cluster has consistently engaged with the local, sub-national and national governments in order to improve responsiveness to people’s needs, accountability, accessibility and representation, and to bring about positive changes in poverty alleviation across the country. On the demand side, SED Cluster builds the capacity of the civil society and private sector representatives to help ensure their active engagement in local planning and decision-making processes.

Currently SED Cluster includes a number of projects, having a common ground of economic development and promoting integrated development solutions both and the national and local levels, aimed to improve livelihoods in rural areas, promote cross-border trade, investments and overall economic development, private sector development, employment promotion, enhancing capacities of national and local level authorities in planning, implementation, and monitoring and others activities funded by JICA, UNDP-Russia Trust Fund for Development and other development partners. The portfolio also includes a set of project initiatives aimed to address the consequences of COVID-19 and strengthen recovery potential and vulnerable groups and businesses through innovations and catalytic financing.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager / Senior Economic Development Officer (PM/ SEDO) has the overall responsibility for day-to-day management of several interrelated economic development projects (see the list below) and ensures technical guidance and advisory support on economic development themes. In addition, in the capacity of Project Manager, the incumbent ensures coordinated and effective management of the SED operations team providing common services to the cluster.

The following UNDP projects are included under supervision of the Project Manager/SEDO:

1.     LITACA II

2.     LITACA III

3.     Accelerating Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery through Improved Livelihood, Employability, and Regional Cooperation in Ferghana Valley

4.     Youth for Business and Innovations

5.     Strengthening Communities Resilience in Rasht and Khatlon regions of Tajikistan

6.     A set of Project Implementation Plans for COVID-19 response.

7.     Other related initiatives to be assigned by UNDP management.

The Project Manager / Senior Economic Development Officer will perform his/her duties under supervision of Team Leader on SED.

Management & Supervision:

·         Facilitate the day-to-day functioning of the project team. Manage the human and financial resources for achieving project results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the projects‘ document and annual work plans;

·         Be responsible for project management and financial management through Atlas, in line with delegated authorities and internal control framework.  

  • Be responsible for overall financial and operational accountability of assigned projects, including budgets and ensuring strict and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations;
  • Ensure timely and efficient planning, implementation and follow up procurement activities within the assigned projects;

·         Coordinate developing the annual work plans and results framework for the projects and based on approval of the Government and UNDP take the lead in implementing for delivery of results;

  • Directly supervise Sustainable Economic Development Cluster operation team and the project personnel working under the assigned projects. Establish performance management system, based on UNDP’s results and competency assessment system, to monitor  project personnel performance;
  • As per corporate UNDP requirements, establish participatory governance and decision-making system which involves all projects‘ staff; ensure enabling environment for high level performance of all project personnel;
  • Participate and substantively contribute to the planning and conduction of external audits, evaluations and reviews related to assigned projects;
  • Apply consecutive efforts to integrate gender equality considerations in project-related activities and in daily leadership practices.

Partnership and Resource Mobilization:

  • Work collaboratively in a team environment with other projects of UNDP SED cluster to ensure integration, strategic focus and gender-responsiveness of all programme activities;
  • Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector to support the achievement of projects’ outputs and outcomes; 
  • Closely cooperate with other clusters, units and projects of UNDP, including with Local Implementation and Innovation Centers in order to exchange experiences and to ensure conformity in the approaches to project and program development goals;
  • Establish and strengthen the collaboration with relevant governmental partners to support implementation of the projects’ outcomes and outputs Ensure that projects activities are closely coordinated with stakeholders and that a high level of collaboration and cooperation is in place at the national, regional and district level.

Economic Expertise and Programme Development:

  • Participate in the development of strategies, methodologies and identification of new approaches for improving programme delivery and enhancing UNDP’s niche in sustainable economic development;
  • Provide inputs to the formulation of the UNDP strategic documents, monitoring of programmes/projects, and prepare, consolidate and regularly update the best practices and lessons learnt;
  • Substantively contribute to preparation of the new project concept notes, proposals to potential donors, strategic documents, including corporate country and area level reports and analysis in collaboration with UNDP Programme Unit and/or else assigned programme/project Focal Points;
  • If requested arrange, facilitate and participate on behalf of UNDP SED Cluster and /or on behalf of UNDP, in the national and local level meetings, working groups related to implementation of economic development reforms, events, debates and forums and provide the required expertise and substantive technical inputs in preparation and conduction of these events;
  • Liaise with other staff of UNDP, as well as external consultants and experts on the impact of policy reforms (e.g. business environment improvement, private sector development, agrarian, cross-border trade and etc.) on access of vulnerable population to productive assets and the management of resources;
  • Introduce the innovative approaches, including but not limited to use of ICT and e-services in implementation of UNDP projects;
  • Update constantly and make oneself introduced and share with colleagues reforms and government strategies and laws pertained to economic development, private sector support and trade and investments promotion;
  • Substantively contribute to preparation of annual and other regular internal (APR, QPMMs, etc) and external (donor) progress reports of UNDP SED Cluster.

Monitoring and evaluation:

  • Manage the implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation, information and reporting systems as well as communication strategy for the assigned projects;
  • Support SED Cluster team in ensuring gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation of efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of interventions related to economic development;
  • Contribute to the development, coordinate the implementation and regular maintenance and upgrade of the M&E system in part related to economic development. Provide guidance and support to related project team in monitoring outcomes of the programmes, projects and activities on economic development as well as on the overall UNDP development outputs; 
  • Monitor national context, emergence of players/stakeholders and actualization of risks that have implications for the economic development approaches in general and its individual projects;
  • Establish and guide the development and implementation of customized capacity building packages, targeting local authorities, civil society organizations as well as the private sector.
  • Compile a summary of lessons learnt and experiences for further development of recommendations to ensure better quality of outputs and delivery related to economic development interventions.

Knowledge sharing and Analytical Knowledge Products:

  • Lead the process of knowledge captures of national and international know-how in the subject area and production of knowledge-based products;
  • Lead the analytical development work of the team and ensure high quality knowledge products. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration and compatibility with other practice areas;
  • Contribute to the production reports and publications and serve as peer reviewer

Competencies

Innovation

  • Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Leadership

  • Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

People Management

  • Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Communication

  • Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Delivery

  • Ability to get things done

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda

  • Analysis and creation of messages and strategies

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

  • Contributing to results through provision of information
  • Provide information for linkages across project activities to help identify critical points of integration
  • Provide information and documentation on specific stages of project implementation
  • Provide background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals
  • Participate in the formulation of project proposals

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Building Strategic Partnerships

  • Identifying and building partnerships
  • Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda
  • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

  • Developing new approaches
  • Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals
  • Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations
  • Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

  • Knowledge of the subject-matter
  • 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
  • Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

  • Research and analysis
  • Analysis and creation of messages and strategies
  • Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
  • Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Client Orientation

  • Contributing to positive outcomes for the client
  • Anticipates client needs
  • Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
  • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective
  • Solicits feedback on service provision and quality

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University degree in Economics, Development studies or other related field;

Experience:

Master’s degree (with 5 years of experience) or Bachelor’s degree (with 7 years of experience) in Economics, Public Administration, Development Studies or any other related Social Science field. 

Proven experience in advisory services in support of economic development policy making, with experience working closely with government and non-governmental counterparts; Experience in local economic development and contextualized solutions is a must.

Good general knowledge about Tajikistan and Central Asia economic development context.

Good knowledge about the strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation.

Evidence of gender-responsiveness and gender sensitivity in the area of expertise.

Demonstrate excellence in management, leadership and coordination.

IT skills

Excellent computer skills, including command of MS Word, Excel and PP, and familiarity with imaging software and databases;

Experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP systems, preferably PeopleSoft, ATLAS, etc.

Language Requirements:

Excellent command of spoken and written English, Tajik and Russian are essential;

Other:

Affinity with the mandate and role of the United Nations

 

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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