Project Manager (NPSA-10) - UNDP Moldova/Digitalization in Support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection’s “Restart” Reform" - 15967

Background

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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.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

The UNDP project, Digitalization in Support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection’s “Restart” Reform, represents a strategic intervention in modernizing and streamlining social assistance systems. This project aligns with the Ministry's comprehensive “Restart” reform program, which aims to revolutionize the delivery and management of social assistance, including cash benefits and social care services. An important pillar of this reform is the digitalization of the social assistance system, primarily to boost efficiency and combat fraud.

The Ministry currently operates with 14 disparate automated systems, each developed independently for different operational aspects, such as online applications, business process automation, and beneficiary data management. This fragmentation, exacerbated using diverse software and technologies, has led to significant operational inefficiencies and interoperability challenges. Citizens often encounter the inconvenience of submitting identical documents for different services. Case managers face difficulties in accessing comprehensive historical data on beneficiaries, impeding effective support and fraud detection. 
Furthermore, the inability to integrate and analyze data hinders evidence-based policy development, notably in assessing service targeting and impact. This lack of data integration also obscures geographical disparities in service access, a critical concern for equitable social assistance.
The UNDP project aims to overcome these challenges by laying the groundwork for a longer-term digitalization program. It envisions the development of a single window system and a detailed digitalization roadmap, enhancing the coherence and effectiveness of the Ministry's services. The project's objectives are threefold:

• Pro-activation of the most-used social and employment services, ensuring that these services are readily accessible and responsive to citizen needs.
• Optimization and digitalization of the majority of social and employment services, streamlining processes, and enhancing user experience.
• Establishment of a functional national network of single window centers, providing integrated and efficient access to social and employment services across the country.

This project is a collaborative effort with UNICEF, supporting the Ministry’s ambitious reform agenda and contributing significantly to the transformation of social assistance delivery in the region.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will work under the supervision of the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist 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). More specifically, the Project Manager will be responsible for:
 

Project management and implementation:

• Lead strategic planning for the project as well as formulation and periodic revisions of the project’s annual work plan (AWP), including plans for budget, HR and procurement that are developed in close coordination with UNDP’s Country Office Programme, HR, and Procurement teams. Lead development of detailed implementation plans. 
• Manage, coordinate, and supervise project implementation to ensure the overall project relevance and performance, the effective realization and quality of outputs within the specified constraints of time and cost as outlined in the project document, and adherence to applicable UNDP policy and programme management procedures and Government standards, rules, and regulations.
• Provide direction, guidance, and direct supervision to UNDP project personnel. Undertake technical review of project documents produced by the project team and partners, and ensure high technical standards are met. 
• Ensure all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.
• Ensure proper execution of all administrative activities associated with project implementation, including mobilizing goods and services, preparing Terms of Reference, completing contracting processes, recruiting/selecting consultants and experts, and managing financial arrangements/transactions and their correct authorization.
• Identify opportunities for synergies with other projects within UNDP and beyond, to advance the key objectives and grow its focus.

Resource mobilization and partnership building:

• Maintain and facilitate effective communication with public, national partners and among stakeholders, and ensure wide dissemination and visibility of project achievements.
• Engage with relevant donors and contribute to the Project’s resource mobilization efforts.
• Prepare thematic briefs on possible areas of cooperation with development partners and public stakeholders.

Knowledge management:

• Keep abreast of UNDP programming practices and maintain an optimum level of knowledge by continuous learning, including in the areas of Digital Transformation, HRBA and GE.
• Promote information sharing with the relevant partners by initiating and/or participating in consultative meetings and preparing briefs on Project-related processes and activities. 
• Promote flow of information and resources between and among the various levels of local stakeholders/ beneficiaries to improve the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of Project interventions and results.
• Undertake personnel performance appraisals and career development coaching at Project level. 

Development of strategic partnerships

• Substantively contribute to the harnessing of effective partnerships and lead the identification and onboarding process for implementing partners.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national and regional stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support and ensure accurate interpretation of project objectives and promote inclusive project implementation.
• Substantively contribute to project communications and visibility efforts. Make recommendations to the 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.
• Progress monitoring and reporting
• Provide leadership and technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation and coordinate the finalization of detailed results framework.
• 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.
• Coordinate the preparation of corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Ensure provision of ad hoc reports and information requested by relevant entities. 
• Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the project.

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

Institutional Arrangements

The Project Manager will work under the supervision of the UNDP Moldova Policy Specialist and will coordinate the project team, consisting of up to three (3) full-time project employees and part-time consultants, as envisaged in project organizational chart.

The Project Manager will work in close cooperation with the UNDP Moldova Country Office, including Operations and Communications, for an effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving 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 the area of digital transformation.
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.

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

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

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies

Business Management - Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking 

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions;
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

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

Digital & Innovation - Data analysis

• Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making

Digital & Innovation - Digital transformation design

• Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizations

Partnership management  - Relationship Management

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Law, Social Sciences, 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 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 management, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development or ITC projects, and/or leading and managing projects. 
• Experience in managing a multidisciplinary team or coordination between different teams is required.

Language

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

Required Skills

• Knowledge and experience in thematic areas relevant to the project (e.g. public services, digital transformation, institutional development, etc.).
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages and web-based management systems.

Desired Skills

• Experience in working on interventions/projects in the ICT, smart technologies areas, and/or enhancement of public services is an asset.
• Experience in working, liaising, and collaborating with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society organizations, and public international organizations is an asset.

Professional Certificates

• Additional training and/or certification in project management (e.g. PRINCE2, PMP, Agile, etc.) would be an advantage.

Disclaimer

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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

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Salariul lunar net: 52000 MDL - 64000 MDL

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