United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is hiring a Project Manager APPLY TODAY

Background

The United Nations Development Programme is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes developing local capacity towards long-term self-sufficiency and prosperity.

Job Title: Project Component Manager
Location: Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Application Deadline: May 4, 2024, at 05:59 AM
Job Schedule: Full-time
Employing Agency: UNDP
Grade Level: NPSA-9
Practice Area: Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Component Manager will provide effective and efficient management of the assigned projects through a range of actions contributing to the design, planning, management and monitoring of project activities. The Project Component Manager applies and promotes the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. He/she is responsible and accountable to the Project Board for the project results within the limits of assigned project components.

The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

The incumbent will ensure the provision of development services and products (commensurate with the scope of the project) of the highest quality and standards to national counterparts and clients through applying Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and gender equality (GE) approaches. More specifically:

Coordinate effective project planning and implementation:

• Develop project planning process and ensure the work plan and a fully costed budget are prepared based on sound capacity assessments and in accordance with UNDP POPP/PPM Guidelines.
• Coordinate and manage the day-to-day activities of the assigned projects and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring in order to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives and results specified in project document. Provide subject matter technical advice and support and ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget and specified constraints, and to high-quality standards.
• Facilitate establishment of interactive and inclusive platforms for project implementation and collaborate with other programme units and project teams to ensure integration of critical development issues in the project activities and expected project outputs.
• Ensure implementation activities are in alignment with UNDP policy and programme management procedures and all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.
• Ensure operational management of assigned project components including through timely procurement of goods, services and/or infrastructure (as relevant), effective management of human, technical and financial resources, etc.

Establish partnerships and open channels of communication:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support key objectives and ensure inclusive implementation and participation of key stakeholders in assigned project components.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify stakeholder needs and how best to leverage their participation and/or strengthen their engagement. Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives. Make recommendations to the Project management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
•  Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set:

• Review the results framework and update the indicators, baselines, and targets of the assigned project components. Develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting.
• Monitor implementation and progress in achieving goals and targets in accordance with the established quality criteria and UNDP rules, regulations, and standards. Identify, analyze, and take adequate measures to manage emerging issues, problems, and risks. Conduct field visits to project location sites.
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure administrative requirements, budgets and use of financial resources are managed and executed in a timely and appropriate manner and within UNDP and donor rules and regulations.
• Prepare corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements.
• Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the assigned project components.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s):

• Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Component Manager works under the general supervision and guidance of the Justice Project Manager and works in close collaboration with the project team, as well as with Programme, Operations, Communications and other units in the Country Office (CO) for effective achievement of results.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results – LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively – LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously – LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others, and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility – LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination – LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner – LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion – LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

People Management competency: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross Functional and Technical competencies:

• Business Direction & Strategy- System Thinking
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Business Development- Knowledge Facilitation
  • Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.
• Business Management- Project Management    
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Business Management  Partnerships Management
  • Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Business Management- Communication
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
• Business Management- Monitoring
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and program performance and results.
• 2030 Agenda: Peace- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights
  • Development of Institutions in Justice Sector 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in law, human rights, international relations, corrections studies, public administration or related field is required. 
• Bachelor’s degree in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in providing management advisory services, and/or hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, preferably related to democratic governance, justice, human rights or home affairs. 

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Romanian is required.
• Working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Russian, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset.

Required skills:

• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages. 
• Knowledge and experience in relevant thematic areas.
• Good networking abilities and partnership development.

Desired skills:

• Experience in managing a multidisciplinary team is an asset.
• Good networking abilities and partnership development.
• Prior experience with UNDP Project management and/or implementation is an advantage.
• Previous experience in development assistance or related work for a donor organization, governmental institutions, NGO or private sector / consulting firm is an advantage.
• Familiarity and prior experience with the donor’s (Sweden/Sida and/or U.S. Government/INL) requirements and procedures is an advantage.
• Additional training or certification in project management is an advantage.

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