National Project Coordinator

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Description

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Introduction

The position is located in Tirana, Albania and it is part of the ILO Decent Work Team/Country Office for Central and Eastern Europe (DWT/CO-Budapest). The DWT/CO-Budapest provides technical support and guidance related to the ILO agenda in 19 countries of Central and Eastern Europe 

The joint UN-project “Digital Agriculture and Rural Transformation in Albania” (DART), is due to be launched in September 2024. The project brings together three UN-agencies: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This joint programme aims at:

Harnessing the potential of digitalization to transform the agri-food sector from national level to underserved rural areas in Albania and to enhance the livelihoods of farmers in underserved rural areas in Albania.

Responding to the challenging agricultural context in the country by fostering an agenda for digitalization, enhancing access to digital services and developing digital skills of small agricultural producers.

By 2027, the DART programme is expected to increase agriculture productivity and competitiveness in food systems, advance socio-economic growth, gender equality and human rights, and enhance rural livelihoods in Albania. The envisioned results include:

• The development of Albania’s National Digital Agriculture Strategy and Action Plan with a comprehensive smallholder farmer-centric and gender-responsive roadmap. 
• The enhancement of the Farmers’ Portal for increased availability of and accessibility to services, knowledge, and markets. 
• The development of digital capacities of national stakeholders, public workers, agricultural VET schools and VET centres, TVET students and farmers, with a strong gender perspective.

During this three-year project, ILO will support the integration of digital agriculture skills into TVET curricula, train farmers on digital technologies and assist the government in setting-up a sectoral skills council for agriculture. It will lead a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative digital needs anticipation study and provide technical inputs to the development of the National Digital Agriculture Strategy and Action Plan. Furthermore, ILO aims at integrating digital agriculture skills into existing TVET curricula and develop tailor-made training programmes for farmers (men and women). ILO will strengthen the capacities and infrastructure of training providers, facilitating hard-and software for practical training. The project will have a strong gender component.

The purpose of this position is to coordinate the technical implementation of ILO’s component within this project, in close coordination with the other participating UN Organisations and national counterparts, notably the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation of Albania, NAVETQ (National Agency for Vocational Education, Training and Qualifications), NAES (National Agency for Employment and Skills), with TVET schools and TVET Centres and the Social Partners

Reporting lines

• The National Project Coordinator will directly report to the Senior Skills and Employability Specialist of the ILO Budapest Office for Central and Eastern Europe, who will provide the technical guidance. The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the Director at the ILO DWT/CO Budapest and in coordination with the ILO National Coordinator in Albania. The position will also receive technical support and guidance from the Skills and Employability Branch (ILO/SKILLS), based within the EMPLOYMENT Department of ILO Geneva. The incumbent is responsible for the effective guidance and supervision of the personnel assigned to the project (project assistant), the implementation partners, collaborators and service providers.

Description of Duties

• Lead the timely implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project, including the provision of technical and administrative management of the project in line with the ILO policy, rules and regulations, the final project document and work plan and the agreements with the donors, the project’s Steering Committee and the participating UN Organisations of this project. 
• Coordinate the development of skills needs anticipation exercises, advise on the set-up of sectoral skills bodies, promote the capacities of national stakeholders to develop, implement and sustain skills development programmes on digital agriculture, collaborate with public workers, agricultural VET schools and VET centres for the development of curricula and training programmes on digital agriculture, support the training of TVET students and farmers, devise outreach campaigns to disadvantaged rural populations and women, apply a strong gender and social inclusion perspective in all activities.
• Work in close collaboration with the participating UN Organisations and the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation of Albania, NAVETQ (National Agency for Vocational Education, Training and Qualifications), NAES (National Agency for Employment and Skills), with TVET schools and TVET Centres and the Social Partners.  Design and revise in collaboration with project partners the project annual work plans, as well as preparation of the budget proposal, considering different approaches and alternative methods, management, problem identification and problem resolution, especially for the parts of the project supporting the institutional and capacity development of constituents, government agencies, line ministries, and social partners. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the project.
• Review, verify and analyze work plans, progress and final reports and other data for clarity, consistency and completeness, and monitor the progress of project activities. Follow-up on delayed documents, clarify information, and answer questions about clearance and processing requirements to support successful completion of agreed activities. 
• Follow-up with relevant technical officers with counterparts in organizations and line ministries at national level, partner and executing agencies, government offices, constituents and in other organizations to expedite implementation and meet targets.
• Assist in the programming and control of resources of the project, prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring situation of resources as compared to planned activities and making recommendations for remedial action. Identify problems and propose solutions and actions.
• Participate in the preparation and conduct of conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions, and consultative meetings. Speak on behalf of the Project when attending these gatherings alone. Undertake missions to project sites independently or accompanying others.
• Brief ILO specialists, project experts, associate experts and visiting officials and provide relevant information on project matters. Draft, edit, or translate into local language official correspondence, statements and speeches and other public information materials.
• Develop and maintain strong links with the ILO specialist on Skills Development and other relevant specialists within the ILO Decent Work Team in Budapest, with ILO colleagues in the field and at ILO HQ on specific technical areas requiring comprehensive and collaborative interventions. Provide programming support for the development of further cooperation activities on the topic of skills development.
• Lead in the preparation of briefs, background information, technical reports and periodic progress reports and statistical data on status of the overall activities of the Project. 
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the DWT/CO-Budapest Director.

Required qualifications

Education

• First level university degree in education, social sciences, economics, public policies, development studies or a relevant field. An additional degree in agriculture or rural development would be a strong advantage.

Experience

• At least two years of professional experience at the national level in the area of project management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in working effectively with government bodies in charge of policy making and with development partners would be an asset.
• Technical requirements:  Good knowledge of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), skills development, education, rural development and/or agriculture. Knowledge of the policy making process, the development of training programmes and curricula, working with education providers and with rural communities.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of Albanian and a good knowledge of English.

Source: https://jobs.ilo.org/job/Tirana-National-Project-Coordinator-NOA-(DC)/1125669901/

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