Programme Specialist

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Job Description

The Project on “ Supporting Informal Enterprises Transition Towards Sustainable Growth and Formalization in the Africa Caribbean and Pacific Regions” is an African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) Group of States initiative, financed by the European Union and UNDP, and implemented by UNDP. It includes interventions at the macro, meso and micro levels of the informal sector ecosystem to foster growth and formalization. The project will ensure that these outcomes are achieved by 1) developing an integrated policy framework for formalization of informal enterprises and establishing relevant incentive schemes, 2) improving access to finance through the development of new digital financial services and enhanced capitalization opportunities for financial intermediaries, 3) strengthening the capacities of informal sector intermediaries and aggregators to promote market participation, and 4) establish targeted sectoral collective action platforms to address systemic gaps to sustainable growth and formalization, and 5) enhancing the regional exchange of knowledge and resources throughout the OACPS countries.

The AFSH is looking for an experienced Project Specialist to provide technical and coordination support to project implementation, mobilize, oversee implementation, and ensure quality assurance of external expertise to the project.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Project” Supporting Informal Enterprises Transition Towards Sustainable Growth and Formalization is being implemented in partnerships with International Labour Organization (ILO) in three target countries (Mozambique, Sierra Leone, The Solomon Islands,) and beyond. The successful candidate will provide technical, coordination, oversee implementation, support with quality assurance within the following areas:

Provide technical services and related quality assurance of the project deliverables focusing on achievement of the project outputs.
Provides support to Country Offices based national country coordinators to ensure the planning and effective implementation of high-quality deliverables and the required quality assurance;
Oversee the content and organization of capacity-building and training activities;
Support grantees and implementing partners to achieve project objectives;
Support grant management and related technical assistance.
Provide technical advise to the country offices to establish and a functioning ecosystem platform and ensure quality assurance of related outputs.
Support and guide the ecosystem platform facilitators in the target countries;
Supports in implementation of ecosystem platform action plans;
Support the implementation of ecosystem grants;
Organize field visits to monitor grant implementation as per conditions stipulated in the contract.
Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set.
Provide leadership and technical advice and develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting;
Lead the implementation of project monitoring, evaluation, and results framework to identify plan deviations and other problems; and make needed course corrections within agreed upon tolerances to achieve results. Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets and provide regular field updates to UNDP management;
Lead the development and conduct of mid-term and annual reviews, and end line assessment; and coordinate the conduct of independent evaluations. Follow up on the implementation of decisions, recommendations, and course corrections;
Manage and monitor project risks, including social and environmental risks, initially identified and submit new risks to appropriate project governing bodies for consideration and decision on possible actions;
Coordinate the preparation of project, donor and steering committee reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Ensure provision of ad hoc reports and information requested by relevant entities.
Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, learning and knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas.
Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia;
Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application;
Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and 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 for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development in the informal economy sector in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP Country Office communications staff.

Institutional Arrangement:

The Project Specialist will work within the AFSH Private Sector Unit and under the strategic guidance of its Team Leader, with direct reporting to the Informal Economy Project Manager.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics Business administration, Public Administration, Finance, Digital Finance/Fintech, Development Studies or related field is required, or
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management private sector development, economic development, informal sector enterprise development issues, MSME development, and/or access to finance particularly inclusive digital finance;
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office including M&E Project Dashboards tools is needed;
Proven experience in coordinating mobilization, providing technical backstopping, overseeing implementation and ensuring quality control of external expertise is needed;
Experience in project monitoring, especially with EU and OACPS funded projects is preferable;
Proven Knowledge of UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) is a strong asset.
Hands on experience in supporting the coordination of complex project activities and their concurrent implementation by the Country Offices and various partners is a clear advantage;
Experience with integrated approaches and innovative solutions to address development challenges on the informal sector including through inclusive growth, markets and business models & ecosystem development is important;
Previous work experience with a UN organization and other international development organizations is strongly desirable.;
Knowledge and proven ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships , and remove any obstacles that hinder implementation of the informal Economy project.

Language Requirement: