Policy Component Manager

Previous and ongoing SDC – UNDP efforts to address the positive impact of migration and engage migrants in local socio-economic development, along with design and piloting of local economic developments models and partnerships shaped a favorable enabling environment to expand the current work and take it to another level. In this context, Moldova has a number of comparative advantages that can be harnessed to steam up the growth, broaden its geography, and make it more socially inclusive.

In order to do so, UNDP Moldova will further advance the successful LED interventions by scaling up the focus from local to (micro)-regional, while at the same time leveraging revenue generation, strengthening business support services and value chains to increase the competitiveness of local economy, retention of human capital and facilitate local socio-economic development. The role of the SMEs, including owned and led by migrants, is crucial, being potentially the most efficient transmission between the economic growth and welfare of the employed persons, particularly in the remote rural communities and small towns. Also new political and socio-economic development required new approaches, taking into consideration the need to build more resilient, inclusive, and innovative local communities and local markets. 

Hence, the strategic goal of the RIM project is to enhance the SMEs-based sustainable economic development and promote equal access to decent work at the local and (micro)-regional levels, targeting both local populations, as well as returning migrants and refugees. It leverages the enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation, improved business support services and complementary regulatory frameworks at the level of individual communities and micro-regions.

The Project will enhance sustainability of the results from the previous efforts supported by the Swiss Government, shape them to new political and socio-economic developments, by embracing and promoting relevant policy and community-action innovations and by ensuring engagement of all relevant stakeholders in the design and implementation of local development solutions for building responsive institutions, inclusive economy, and resilient communities. In light of the regional security environment that is expected to remain turbulent even in the most optimistic scenarios, the Project is intended to bring a valuable contribution to the triple humanitarian-development-peace nexus at the local/regional level.

The strategic goal of the RIM project is to enhance the inclusive, competitive, and sustainable economic development, and promote equal access to decent work at the local and (micro)-regional levels, by leveraging the enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation, improved business support services and complementary regulatory frameworks.

The Project targets three interrelated Outcomes. As part of ;

Outcome 1, policy and institutional frameworks create an empowering environment for inclusive and sustainable economic development in the targeted economic sectors.

The Outcome 2 assumes that local/regional communities including private sector representatives, meaningfully cooperate in cluster formats to enhance value chains and improve their competitiveness.

As part of Outcome 3, the people of Moldova, especially women, youth, returning migrants and refugees, will benefit from improved economic opportunities in the pilot micro-regions.
 

Ensure Component management

• Assume overall responsibility for the coordination of the Project’s Component dedicated to improved economic opportunities, especially on policy and employment related areas in the targeted micro-regions;
• Contribute to the timely and efficient delivery of outputs and products leading to the achievement of expected Project results and ensure full compliance of all actions with UNDP policies and procedures;
• Contribute to the series of preparatory steps to be undertaken in the pilot micro-regions, including from the perspective of capacity building and adoption of local perspectives;
• Build up and coordinate the provision of top-quality advisory services (by the support team of technical consultants and specialized experts) as to ensure the successful implementation of the Component activities (particularly in the field of SME development, local employment, and economic reintegration);
• Contribute to the enhancement, via stronger partnerships, of local public and private stakeholders' capacity to attract skilled workforce in the micro-regions targeted by the RIM Project;
• Advise and oversee the implementation of a pilot facilitation/incentives mechanism for boosting the employment potential in the selected value chains (particularly of women, returning migrants and refugees, NEET from target communities);
• Support the RIM Project Manager and the UNDP CO in general project implementation and related strategic processes.

Provision of Policy advocacy and advisory

• Facilitate the coordination with the ILO and FAO Projects of stakeholder engagement, as to ensure the required co-benefits and synergy of expertise/ scope within the SDC Programme;
• Liaise and coordinate with institutional partners/ stakeholders pertaining to the Component’s activities in the field of public policies, regulatory updates, and governmental programme implementation;
• Conduct institutional and risk analyses, capacity assessment and policy reviews pertaining to the Component’s portfolio of interventions, as well as play an active role in policy advice, strategic thinking, and knowledge sharing;
• Elaborate and maintain tracking tools and oversee the accurate reporting and documentation of the Component’s activities through different methods (which may include, but are not limited to data collection and analysis, strategic meetings, field visits, specific reports, etc.);
• Make sound contributions to policy knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Provide solid inputs to project’s analytical products, work plans and progress reports, etc.;
• Prepare thematic briefs on possible areas of cooperation with development partners.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

 Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the RIM Project Manager and with the overall guidance of the UNDP Programme Specialist, the Policy Component Manager shall ensure the effective and efficient management of the Project’s Component dedicated to improved economic opportunities in the pilot micro-regions (corresponding to Outcomes 1 and 3).

The Project Component Manager shall apply and promote the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Component Manager will work in close collaboration with the Project Manager, Senior Project Officer on Local Development and Communication Analyst for the effective achievement of results, anticipating and resolving complex project-related issues and information delivery.

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.
 

• Results-Based Management:    
  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. 
  • Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
• Project Management:   
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Communication:             
  • 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.
• 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. 
• Knowledge generation: 
  • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. 
  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. 
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
• Knowledge Facilitation:
  • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. 
  • Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
• Advocacy Strategy and Implementation:             
  • Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change