Background/ Project Description

With the launch of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), UNDP Africa has committed to leveraging its presence in 46 African countries, to play its part in facilitating regional integration and intra-African Trade. Through it’s Africa Promise, UNDP Africa recognizes that increasing intra-African trade will accelerate opportunities to empower youth and women creating alternative livelihood options for young people in particular, who account for three-quarters of the African population. UNDP will therefore, work with African countries and institutions to turn this demographic dividend into a driving force for economic change, including through entrepreneurship, employment, and economic empowerment.

The Enhancing Capacities of Young Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) project builds on this commitment, and is aimed at building resilience and alleviating poverty by enhancing capacities of women and youth-led MSMEs to leverage AfCFTA opportunities. The project seeks to unlock the challenge of income generation and job creation by building the entrepreneurship, innovation, financial, and market-readiness capacities of youth – especially young women – in enterprise. These interventions will be in the form of access to finance, business development support, digital inclusion, and market access, along with enhancement of the policy, regulatory and collaborative environment while amplifying the youth voice.

Interventions seek to increase the productivity of women and youth-led businesses, helping them tap into regional value chains while facilitating provision of youth-friendly financial and ecosystem services particularly targeted at young women. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation and coordinated by UNDP, the project will be co-implemented by UNDP, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), and the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), in six countries – Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe with a Project Implementation Unit (PIU), based in Lusaka, Zambia.

UNDP Zambia is therefore, seeking the services of a Project Coordinator to manage and oversee implementation of the project in Zambia in line with UNDP rules, regulations and policies.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

1.Ensure effective project implementation

• Responsible for the day-to-day implementation of country-level project activities
• Responsible for country-level oversight and quality assurance of programmatic activities
• Support project partners in activity implementation in the country
• Ensure effective project management (both programmatic and operational) and implementation in line with the annual work plan
• Ensure effective financial management of the country project budget
• Prepare regular progress reports on project implementation in the country
• Coordinate and support Country Technical Committee meetings
• Ensure integration of youth, gender mainstreaming and disability inclusion in all areas of responsibility.

2.Provision of policy, and programme support

• Coordinate relevant national partners and all project stakeholders to ensure effective project implementation
• Provide support in the identification, development and design of country-level partners and needs
• Organize country-level policy dialogues and ecosystem strengthening activities in support of participation of women and youth in regional trade and value chains
• Provide support in mobilization of project beneficiaries
• Monitor the quality of project implementation by partners and service providers.
• Ensure linkages with existing projects and initiatives in the country (including UNDP projects), and lead the building of synergies with these

3. Facilitate knowledge management and partnerships support:

• Compile knowledge and lessons learnt from project implementation in the country
• Contribute to advocacy and communications through identification and curation of knowledge sharing and communication opportunities
• Create and maintain a database of findings from dialogues and policy engagements
• Lead stakeholder and partner identification and activation of strategic alliances at the country level
• Take the lead in organizing and supporting project events and meetings at country level
• Regularly liaise with the Regional team and other Country Coordinators for information and practice-sharing

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Project

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Coordinator works under the direct supervision of the Project Specialist and in close collaboration with the Project team, and will directly supervise any Trade Information Desk Officers (TIDOs) that may be based in the country.

Competencies

Core

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy :- 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 organisation and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks.

• Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization.

Business Direction & Strategy:- Negotiation and Influence

• Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Management:- Resource Management

• Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity.

Business Management:- Project Management

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

Business Management:- Partnerships Management

• Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Management:- Results-based Management

• Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity:- Inclusive Growth

• Economic Transformation

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Business, Development Studies, Economics, or related fields is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s Degree) in Business, Development Studies, Economics, or related fields in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master´s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor´s degree) of relevant experience in economic empowerment, project/programme management or working with international organizations, community-based organizations and communities.

Required skills

• At least 7 years’ relevant experience in development assistance or related work for an international agency, donor organization or NGO;
• At least 7 years’ experience in economic empowerment projects in Africa;
• Proven track record of experience in coordinating complex programmes with a diverse range of partners;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).

Desired experience/skills/competencies

• Knowledge of and experience working with Government institutions and processes;
• Experience working in entrepreneurship support and economic empowerment;
• Experience working with communities and community-based organizations along with knowledge of community protocols;
• Experience in Project or Office Operations.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

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