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Center Director (Location: MANISA)

Ankara

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Ankara
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Other
    • Capacity Development
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP Turkey aims to find practical solutions to Turkey's development challenges and manages projects together with the Turkish Government and other partners to address them. Since 1986 it has implemented over 80 programs across the country. In addition, the UNDP has played a major role in response to crises and disasters in Turkey and the surrounding region. 

UNDP Turkey has positioned to contribute through three core areas: 1) Inclusive and Democratic Governance (IDG); 2) Inclusive and Sustainable Growth (ISG); and 3) Climate Change and Environment (CCE); and in addition to these core areas, UNDP Turkey is emphasizing the role of Strategic Partnerships that cut across the entire country program as well as regionally and globally. 

The ISG Portfolio is geared towards addressing structural economic problems, such as productivity, innovation, the middle-income trap, multi-dimensional poverty, energy security and regional disparities, as well as challenges with social, environmental and economic repercussions, such as urbanization.

Within the scope of the Economic-Growth and Competitiveness Cluster of the ISG portfolio, UNDP aims to support Turkey in its economic and social development and to enhance competitiveness. Increasing productivity is critical for improvement of the manufacturing capacity, enhancement of competitiveness and acceleration of growth and thus economic and social development.

Developing a Model to Improve Technology Use in OIZs Project is designed to contribute to enhancing competitiveness of Turkey through developing such models that will enable Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs) to assume an active role in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology development. The project was initiated in November 2016 and has been implemented in partnership with Ministry of Industry and Technology, Presidency of Strategy and Budget and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project has three main components; Baseline Analyses and Model with the purpose to undertake an overall assessment of current situation of all actors within the technology development ecosystem; A Piloting Phase to pilot short term actions with a view to test enabling factors of the proposed model upon the findings of the Component 1 and test some of the findings in order to fine-tune proposed model and the roadmap and Development of Institutional Competence Phase to develop awareness-raising and competence-building programs for the relevant institutions including mainly the Ministry of Industry and Technology and OIZs in line with the requirements of the Technology Development and Use (TD&U) value chain analyses.

Until now, the desk research for the Baseline Analyses were conducted and reported, the institutional interviews were conducted and reported, the selection of the OIZs to conduct the research has been completed. Following the selection of the OIZs, the field study has been conducted and the results were reported in a Synthesis Book of the Project.

Manisa OIZ has been selected as one of the OIZs to initiate the piloting process of the models. Within the scope of the pilot implementation, an Innovation Center will be established in Manisa OIZ to support the role of Manisa OIZ in technology development, innovation and entrepreneurship and better serve to the changing needs of the actors in Manisa regional innovation ecosystem.

 

Objectives of the Assignment 

Under the supervision of the UNDP Competitiveness and Economic Growth Projects Coordinator (absence of Projects Coordinator, ISG Portfolio Manager is responsible), the Center Director, duty stationed in Manisa, coordinates operational, administrative and financial aspects of the Manisa OIZ Innovation Center (hereinafter referred to as the Center). S/he is responsible for preparing the annual work plans of the Center and applies them with the approval of the Board of Directors. S/he is responsible also for the day-to-day management of the Center, the stakeholder coordination and management as well as business development activities, and the management of the Center (including the performance of the staff).

Duties and Responsibilities

The SC is expected to assume the following tasks:

Measurable Outputs

Key Results Expected/Major Functional Activities

 

% of time

  1. Business Development and Stakeholder Management
  • To develop and implement business and client development strategy and plan of the Center
  • To manage relationships with stakeholders
  • To ensure high level coordination among actors of Manisa Regional Innovation Ecosystem
  • To facilitate the engagement of the Center with regional, international and national platforms on innovation
  • To develop collaborations among R&D centers, clusters and private sector companies

 

50

  1. Client Service / Communication
  • To lead the design and implementation of capacity building and development activities
  • To lead the design and provision of consultancy programs
  • To communicate with the senior management of participating companies
  • To deliver training programs
  • To support the academic projects carried out in the Center
  • To deliver awareness-raising seminars in the OIZ Companies

 

20

  1. Management
  • To prepare, update and implement the Center's annual work plan
  • To coordinate the relations between the Center and involved organizations
  • To manage the performance processes of the staff
  • To carry out managerial issues regarding incomes and expenses of the Center
  • To identify, approve and implement price policy for the services to be provided by the Center
  • To fulfill additional tasks, as required by UNDP Portfolio Manager

 

30

 

Reporting Structure

The Center Director reports to UNDP Projects Coordinator (absence of Projects Coordinator, ISG Portfolio Manager is responsible)

 

Performance Indicators for Evaluation of Results

  • S/he receives strategic guidance from the Management Board of the Center led by the Ministry of Industry and Technology and Manisa Organized Industrial Zone Administration. Her/his performance is assessed by the UNDP ISG Portfolio Manager and Projects Coordinator.
  • Qualitative inputs provided for design, implementation and monitoring project activities in line with Annual Work Plans and designated financial resources.
  • Assigned project activities organized in a timely manner; qualitative inputs prepared to project reports; high-quality correspondence, briefs, reports prepared.
  • Provision of high-quality services for management and coordination of the project activities.
  • # of partners engaged in implementation of projects in an effective manner;
  • # of technically sound and innovative knowledge products produced; level to which findings of evaluation reports reflected in implementation and formulation of new initiatives.
  • Quality of inputs produced to projects-level strategies; #of contributions to inter-portfolio strategies; # of inter-project initiatives designed and implemented.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
  • Promotes vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP.
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Treats all people without favouritism.
  • Avoids any kind of discriminatory behaviour including gender discrimination and ensure that
  • Human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions;
  • Activities are designed and implemented in accordance with “Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP”;
  • Any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender is respected within all implementations including data production;
  • Differentiated needs of women and men are considered;
  • Inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created;
  • Necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

 

Functional Competencies

  • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills; encouraging colleagues to work within and respect an enabling gender equality environment on non-hierarchical bases;
  • Promotes gender sensitive environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
  • Ability to manage gender barriers and gender-blind behaviours within the project team and with our partners;
  • Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sound understanding and capability to empower and develop the capacity of national counterparts;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors; 
  • Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure; 
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities; 
  • Team player, self-motivated and initiative taking, dedicated, creative, resourceful, flexible, energetic with sound judgment;
  • Capacity to work under pressure, manage stress and adapt to rapidly evolving situations; 
  • Excellent analytical, communication, writing and presentation skills; 
  • Ability to function at both policy advisory and project implementation levels;
  • Ability to consider that men and women are affected differently from different interventions and needs to be approached differently.

UNDP prioritizes gender equality and women's empowerment approach in all its actions, workplace relations and implementations as well as gender parity in representation to create a workplace which is equally inclusive of women, men and persons with other gender identities. Temporary special measures will be instituted to ensure appointment of personnel of under-represented genders at grades and in roles where they are under-represented

Qualified women candidates are encouraged to apply

 

Required Skills and Experience

 

Minimum Requirements

Assets

Education

  • Master’s degree in the field of economics and administrative sciences, social sciences, engineering.
  • PhD degree in relevant fields (i.e. social sciences, administrative sciences, engineering etc.)

Experience

  • At least 9 years of professional experience
  • At least 7 years of hands on experience in management of industrial enterprises
  • At least 5 years of experience in innovation and/or entrepreneurship and/or technology development/research and development in private sector or public sector
  • At least 5 years of experience in leadership and team coordination
  • At least 3 years of experience in development of training and consultancy programs / services, and / or providing those kinds of services
  • At least 3 years of experience in financial and technical reporting

 

  • Professional experience on cross cutting themes (i.e. competitiveness and/or clustering and/or value chain development etc.)
  • Experience in marketing
  • Working experience with government institutions
  • Working experience in automotive, logistics, composite, robotics industry
  • Experience on financial support program design
  • Experience on international project management
  • Knowledge on project monitoring and risk management processes

 

Skills and Competencies

 

  • Fluency in Turkish and English
  • Computer skills (i.e.MS office applications)

 

Notes:

  • Internships (paid/unpaid) are not considered professional experience,

  • Obligatory military service is not considered professional experience,

  • Professional experience gained in an international setting is considered international experience,

  • Experience gained prior to completion of undergraduate studies is not considered professional experience.

 

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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