Project Manager - Strengthening social care services in Albania

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Protection!

UNICEF office in Albania is looking for a consultant to work as a Project Manager for the EU funded project “Enhancing Local Social Care Services partnerships with citizens and toward EU Standards”. This is an initiative between UNICEF Albania (UNICEF as the lead applicant) and World Vision in Albania (WVA) and intends to strengthen the local partnerships and capacities to plan, establish, extend, and deliver social care services in the 14 targeted municipalities (Gjirokaster, Vore, Cerrik, Librazhd, Kavaje, Kurbin, Kukes, Kruje, Pogradec, Korce, Kamez, Vlore, Elbasan, Durres) scaling up positive models of social service delivery supported by UNICEF&WVA in other municipalities that respond best to the local context and priorities defined in Local Social Plans of targeted municipalities. The Project will contribute directly to achieving two specific objectives: (1) support to establish and/or extend existing social care services at the municipal level and (2) support to establish and/or extend specialized social care services focused on specific needs of municipalities.

The Project Manager will be hired to oversee the overall implementation of the action/Project and track progress of project objectives, scope and resources. He/she will be supervised by the Deputy Representative and will work in close cooperation with the Social Protection and Child Protection Specialist.

The core tasks of the Project Manager will be:

1. Project Leadership and partnership development and nurturing: He/she will lead the overall operational activities, ensuring seamless coordination between the donor, UNICEF senior management, technical experts, operations, co-lead applicant, Ministries, local government partners, and implementing partners in close cooperation with UNICEF and co-applicant. Particular attention and oversight will be needed regarding activities related to local forums, info sessions, policy dialogue around the midterm budget planning, capacity building on implementing and monitoring the local social care plans and service delivery, implementation of components related to assessment, training and capacity building, networking and exchanges.

2. Project Steering Committee: He/she will ensure that regular Project Steering Committees meetings are organized, all members are well informed and prepared in advance. He/she will facilitate the establishment of the ToR for the PSC, prepare minutes of each meeting and clear follow up actions, as well as monitor implementation of actions drawn from the PSC with the field team.

3. Planning and reporting: He/she will be responsible for developing and implementing project plans and overall administration of resources. Guiding and performing strategic analysis for the action. He/she will supervise the M&E specialist and secure development of quality reports to UNICEF, EUD and any monitoring report.

4. Overview the Financial Support to third parties. Supporting the development of grant program guidelines, rules and procedures, financial monitoring of grants implementation, following the public procurement rules, timely addressing financial issues in grants implementation, support to grant beneficiaries in financial issues of grants implementation.

5. Overall Quality assurance: Ensure overall quality of the project management, monitoring and evaluation.

6. Communications: Planning and overseeing the preparation and dissemination of project communications in close coordination with communication teams.

7. Gender and human rights: secure integration of gender equality and human rights standards throughout the implementation of the program, will oversee the gender analysis as well as the gender responsiveness of services and engagement of women and marginalized groups

The Program Manager will supervise the Grant Manager, Communication Specialist as well as the Monitoring Specialist. The incumbent will closely work with the UNICEF team engaged in the Action/Project, including the Finance Associate who reports to Operation Manager of UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?

The Project Manager will be accountable for the deliverables and tasks clearly mentioned below.

Deliverable 1: Detailed Project Workplan (PWP) developed and submitted to UNICEF and WVA.

Tasks for this deliverable are:

• Organize preliminary meetings with UNICEF, WVA and key stakeholders to start the preparations for the project implementation.
• Get familiar with the project proposal, identify project aims, objectives, actions, timelines, responsibilities, resource allocation, implementation standards, collaboration procedures and risk mitigation measures.
• Familiarize herself/himself with the EU procedures.
• Organize the kick-off meeting (1st meeting of the SC) with the Steering Committee stakeholders.
• Organize the launching event of the project.
• Hold regular meetings with the UNICEF team (Dep Rep and program staff engaged) to facilitate internal coordination.

Timeline: End of the first two months of project implementation.

Deliverable 2: Project results managed and monitored as needed. Monthly reports prepared and submitted to UNICEF and Project Implementation team; Six (6) meetings of the Project Steering Committee organized and lead effectively. Meeting reports prepared and submitted to UNICEF and project management team.

Tasks for Deliverable 2 are:

• Update the PWP regularly by reflecting new developments if and when necessary.
• Organize meetings of the Project Steering Committee, report on the status of outcomes/outputs and agree on future plan of action.
• Hold regular meetings with the UNICEF team (Dep Rep and program staff engaged) to facilitate internal coordination.
• Regularly follow up on planned and ongoing activities, conduct project related field missions, and monitoring activities.
• In close coordination with the M&E specialist, based on the detailed monitoring plan, monitor project implementation, actively propose discussions when adjustments are needed.
• Prepare monitoring missions and information required by the EU.
• Draft monthly progress reports, discuss with UNICEF and World Vision Albania, in order to maintain a solid track record and update on the implementation of all planned and ad-hoc activities, including status update on deliverables, challenges and barriers and how they will be addressed.
• Lead and prepare quality donor reporting on program results.
• Review the ongoing planned activities and partnerships and other project activities and reports in close cooperation with program specialists.
• Monitor, follow up and resolve eventual shortcomings or fall outs in the planning and or implementation of the project by the implementing partners.

Timeline: Regular throughout the project implementation

Deliverable 3: Project communication and visibility action plan finalized and validated by the Project Management team and Steering Committee; Visibility activities designed and shared among various stakeholders.

Tasks for Deliverable 3 are:

• With support from the Communication Specialist lead on Visibility component, discuss with EU and other stakeholders and secure a dynamic and regular visibility of the program.

Timeline: Regular throughout the project implementation

The consultant will be engaged on local travel which is estimated to be 50 daily trips to 14 Municipalities of Albania. The duration of the whole consultancy will be for 36 months.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree in Human rights, social sciences, law, management, social/public policy, social work or any other relevant discipline.
• Familiarity with and understanding of the Albanian Context.
• Minimum of five (5) years of practical experience in international development, project management and project leadership preferably in social care, social inclusion, protection, or any similar domain.
• Experience in Managing EU funded programs is an asset.
• Knowledge on gender and human rights programming.
• Knowledge of EU funded programs and EU policies in social care, social protection and child protection is an asset.
• Excellent and proven writing skills.
• Experience in working at and with local government units and on decentralization.
• Experience in provision of technical to and interlocution with government partners, international and civil society organizations is an asset.
• Excellent analytical capabilities, excellent ability to synthesize information and relate action to results.
• Fluency in both, spoken and written English and Albanian.
• High level of communication and computer skills.
• Ethical accountability and teamwork
• Ability to engage full time during the project implementation.

What to submit:

1. Letter of interest, specifying summarizing the educational background, the working experience that is relevant to the assignment, and the specific role the candidate will play.

2. Financial proposal - All taxes inclusive Lumpsum fee in ALL (working fee for the whole assignment including financial offer for 50 daily trips to 14 Albania municipalities)

Other administrative details:

• The consultant will have a combined working schedule from home and also be present in the UNICEF office in Tirana, Albania. This will be agreed in advance with the supervisor.

• The consultant will have an internet email address and have internet access and an arranged seating when in the office

• The consultant will be paid on a monthly basis upon the submission of the monthly report on the status of each of the activities.

If you have any question related the terms of reference for the consultancy, please contact Elvana Pernaska, HR in UNICEF Albania office at [email protected]

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.