UNDP Moldova: Programme Manager (NPSA10) - Addressing the impacts of energy crisis and initiating solutions toward energy security and addressing energy poverty/FPI (EU-funded project)

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.

Starting with October 2021, Moldova is facing a significant increase of gas prices as a consequence both of very tight global energy markets and a recently amended contract with Gazprom Moldova gas supplier. During the winter season 2021-2022, Moldova purchased its gas at prices about three or four times higher than in previous years which represented about $770/1000 cubic meters in October, $450/1000 cubic meters in November and December and $650/1000 cubic meters in January 2022. The prices are highly dependent of international gas market fluctuations which puts Moldovan Government in the situation to quickly react in case of unforeseen excessive price increases. This has put significant pressures on Moldova’s public finances and on the ability of the most vulnerable citizens to afford gas throughout the winter. The situation is becoming more complex as the Gazprom applies a rigid approach in terms of contractual deadlines for payments of advances, which has not been the case ever before.

In response to this energy crisis, the Government of Moldova introduced a State of Emergency on October 22, 2021 and January 20, 2022 and has prepared an urgent response to strengthen the social protection system’s ability to respond to increased energy tariffs. The Moldovan Government response is to ensure compensations measures for heating of all population in the proportion of 67% (from tariff increase) in December 2021 to 80% in January 2022.

Given the increase of gas tariffs will lead to subsequent increases of the electricity prices, the entire national economy and population will be affected. In this circumstances, Moldovan Government is looking to diversifying gas and electricity supply, to strengthen its energy security and enabling a transparent, fully open and well-functioning energy market.  

For a country in which nearly two thirds of the population lived on less than $10/day before the pandemic began, where the expenditure on food and energy absorbs the vast majority of vulnerable household incomes, and where the vulnerable households generate the lion’s share of its electricity from gas, the current energy price increase has already shown significant implications. Energy poverty is to deepen, particularly for the poor households that are having to face a three to four- fold increase in energy prices (for gas and electricity) during the 2021-2022 heating season and beyond.

Combined with the country’s aggravated context by the COVID-19 pandemic (5th COVID19 wave as the Omicron variant outbreaks) and on-going macroeconomic social distress, the energy shocks also pose major risks to the Government’s reform program, which seeks to strengthen Moldova’s alignment with European and global good governance practices and is central to Moldova’s hopes for achieving the SDGs. The current geopolitical situation brings additional urgency to pursue these actions.

The acute gas supply crisis in Moldova has also been subject of discussions within the Moldova-EU Association Council meeting on October 28, 2021. The EU and Moldova stressed the importance of resilience against any potential efforts by third parties to use energy as a geopolitical lever. The Association Council recalled the importance of continued energy market reform to strengthen competition and transparency in this sector. The EU has urged Moldova to ensure that the energy sector reform demonstrates full respect of the Energy Community acquis and is in line with the EU Third Energy Package. The EU side confirmed its support to the objective of Moldova to synchronize its electricity network with the Continental European Network (CEN), an important step towards the integration into the EU energy system and market.

The EU-UNDP Programme “Addressing the impacts of energy crisis and initiating solutions toward energy security and addressing energy poverty” aims, as an overall objective, to assist the Government of Moldova in tackling the current energy crisis and energy poverty, and addressing prioritized systemic elements in the energy sector to cope with potential future energy crisis. In partnership with EU, UNDP Moldova will therefore, support the Government of Moldova: 

• To tackle the current energy crisis and energy poverty, and addressing prioritized systemic elements in the energy sector to cope with potential future energy crisis
• To support the Government of Moldova in building its capacities towards strengthening the national energy security, as well as in improving the legal and regulatory framework and operationalizing specific rapid large-scale interventions to tackle energy poverty and support most vulnerable and affected groups of population and businesses.

The Project duration is envisaged between 2022- 2023 with support from Foreign Policy Instrument (herewith FPI) of European Union.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster Lead, the incumbent provides effective and efficient coordination of the Addressing the impacts of energy crisis and initiating solutions toward energy security and addressing energy poverty Project, through a range of actions contributing to the design, planning, management and monitoring of project activities. The Project Manager applies and promotes the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations, as follows:

• Oversee day-to-day operations and implementation of project activities;
• Exercise close monitoring of project activities and produce monitoring reports;
• Ensure the timely and efficient delivery of Project outputs and products, as per the Project Document, leading to the achievement of expected results;
• Develop Work Plan, periodic narrative progress and final reports and expenditures status reports and submit to the supervisor;
• Ensure the implementation of the activities under the Project work plan according to indicators for achieving planned results, as well as the overall management of the Project in line with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures;
• Support UNDP CO in effectively managing human resources pertaining to the Project, including staff, consultants and short-term experts; conduct periodic performance appraisals; build, lead and motivate a solid team of professionals;
• Support the efficient management of the Project financial resources, including budgeting and budget revisions, as well as expenditure tracking and reporting;
• Continuously record and maintain Project issues and risks and suggest mitigation measures.
• Maintain a close collaboration with other related UNDP programmes to ensure synergies and complementarities;
• Maintain a continuous effective dialogue with the key stakeholders, central and local government authorities, other UN agencies and actors active in the sector, CSOs, partner organizations, international and national experts in the areas of the Project intervention in view of identifying synergies and avoiding overlapping of assistance;
• Perform any other duties connected directly with the implementation and evaluation of the Project as required.

Knowledge Management and Sharing

• Assist in coordinating the exchange of information internally and between relevant project  stakeholders;
• Ensure timely and proper documentation of the programme implementation process and products produced in accordance with the UNDP guides;
• Ensure high quality information and visibility of the programme activities to the mass media and stakeholders and support mechanisms for exchange of information, experience and lessons learned at the local, national, and as required at international levels;
• Capture and disseminate good practices locally, nationally and as required internationally;

Key Results:

The key results have a direct impact on the overall successful achievement of the Addressing the impacts of energy crisis and initiating solutions toward energy security and addressing energy poverty Project. Accurate analysis and presentation of information enhances UNDP’s position as a strong development partner. The information provided facilitates decision-making of the Project Board, the Beneficiary and UNDP management.

Institutional Arrangement

The Programme Manager will work under the supervision of the Climate Change, Environment and Energy Cluster Clead and will ensure the provision of development services and products commensurate with the scope of the Project and assigned area of responsibility of the highest quality and standards to national and local counterparts and clients through applying HRBA and GE approaches.

He/she is responsible and accountable to the Project Steering Committee for the Project’s results.

The Project Manager will coordinate the project team, consisting of up to 6 full time employees and part time consultants, as envisaged in project organizational chart.

The Programme Manager will work in close cooperation with the the Programme, Operations, Communications and other teams in the UNDP Country Office (CO) for effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving complex programme/project-related issues and information delivery.

He/she also collaborates with other UN projects, national stakeholders and other development partners in supporting the Government in energy related area. 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 Programme Manager in close collaboration with the Programme Analysts and the Programme Specialist,  supports UNDP Country Office in developing concept notes and project documents in the energy related area to further develop the programme portfolio of Energy, Environment and Climate Change Cluster.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management Competencies:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Business Management - Results-based Management:   
  • Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Business Direction and Stratetgy - Business Acumen:   
  • Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks
• Business Management - Project Management:   
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Business Management - Monitoring:   
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
• Business Direction and Management - Effective decision making:     
  • Ability to take decision in atimley and efficient manner in line with one’s authority , area of expertise and resources 
• 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
• Partnership management - EU Partnerships:   
  • Knowledge and understanding of EU strategies, approached, processes and systems

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in environmental studies, engineering, law, public and/or business administration, economics or related areas.
• Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience can be taken into consideration in lieu of Master`s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressive working experience in the design, management and implementation of projects based activities, preferably related to the legal and institutional support, infrastructure establishment, public awareness, promotion of public and private partneships.
• Experience in the energy efficience or renewables area is an asset.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.
• Experience in managing a multidisciplinary team or coordination between different teams.

Languages:

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

Additional desired skills and experience:

• Previous experience in development assistance or related work for a donor organization, governmental institutions, NGO or private sector / consulting firm is a very strong advantage.
• Prior experience with UN/DP Project management and/or implementation

Professional Certificates:

Additional training and certification in project management and/or business administration would be an advantage.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Disclaimer

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Data de încheiere a postului vacant: 3 March 2023

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