Project Management Support – Senior Assistant for the Sector for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

General background:

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 15 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

In Ukraine, UNOPS support to the partners in their reform agenda since 2016 spans the rule of law, social protection, demining, emergency response and security. The projects are funded by the EU, UNHCR, the Governments of Japan and Canada.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.

The European Union for Local Development Programme – EU PRO Plus will contribute to more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia by enhancing territorial development management, supporting economic growth, and improving social infrastructure and social cohesion of 99 local self-governments in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and South and Eastern Serbia. The European Union (EU) has allocated 30 million Euros through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2020 to fund the Programme which will be led by the Ministry of European Integration and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) over a period of 36 months.

There are three results that the Programme will achieve in targeted municipalities:
Result 1: Improved development planning and introduction of the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) concept
Result 2: Enhanced economic growth
Result 3: Improved social infrastructure and social cohesion

While building on the momentum created by its three predecessors, the Programme also focuses on four cross cutting aspects: good governance, digitalisation and innovations, environmental and climate change aspects and gender equality. In addition, EU PRO Plus will, through its activities, where relevant and feasible, strive to remedy some of the negative COVID-19 effects.

The direct beneficiaries of the EU PRO Plus are the Ministry of European Integration, 99 local self-governments, local administration structures, regional development agencies, other business support organisations, local SMEs, and civil society organisations (CSOs). The final beneficiaries are the inhabitants of 99 municipalities.

All programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, while respecting the national policies and priorities, in order to ensure national ownership and help develop national capacities. The EU PRO Plus is based on the National Priorities for International Assistance in the Republic of Serbia until 2025 (NAD), crucial for economic and social development and the EU integration process, while particularly contributing to preparation for the fulfilment of the requirements under Chapter 22 of the EU acquis – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Management Support – Senior Officer for SMEs, the Senior Assistant will provide assistance in implementation of activities within the Sector for SMEs and BSOs. S/he will work closely with other Sector team members in order to contribute to efficient and effective monitoring of implementation of projects within this Sector, to support provision of assistance to SMEs and Business Support Organisations (BSOs) in the Programme Area of Responsibility (AoR) aiming at improved technological structure of SMEs and their ability to increase their market share.

The Senior Assistant will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Maintain relationship with the Sector beneficiaries
• Provide assistance in development of reports on Sector activities
• Provide assistance in organisation of functions to present the Programme’s support to SMEs and BSOs
• With guidelines from the Senior Officer for SMEs, and in coordination with the Sector Associates and Officer, closely monitor implementation of projects related to SMEs and BSOs
• Conduct field visits to Sector beneficiaries in the AoR assigned by the Senior Officer for SMEs
• Liaise with the support services team to support successful implementation of grant agreements by maintaining regular communication between the programme and support services units in order to ensure timely exchange of information on the status of provision of services, procurements and grant agreements
• With guidelines from the Senior Officer for SMEs, and in coordination with the Sector Associates and Officer, provide basic technical assistance to the Sector beneficiaries in implementation of projects
• Provide assistance in collection, preparation, and archiving of documentation related to processing of Sector related financial transactions
• Establish activity progress tracking sheets and regularly update with inputs provided by beneficiaries and services providers
• Maintain archive related to SME Sector activities, as per agreement with the Senior Officer for SMEs and in line with the UNOPS/EU PRO Plus requirements
• Report on the key local developments that are relevant for the Sector
• With the guidance of the Senior Officer for SMEs, liaise with retainers and service providers to support implementation of the Sector activities including gathering data on their engagement, collecting and storing their reports, communicating directly with retainers in relation to administrative and procedural issues
• Contribute to identification and assessment of risks and assist in implementation of mitigation measures in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy
• Assist in drafting reports as envisaged by the Programme Document
• Assist in development of the Programme’s plans
• Assist in monitoring and reporting on the progress of activities against the Logical Framework Matrix indicators
• Contribute to identification and sharing of Programme’s lessons learned and best practices
• Contribute to efficient and effective use of EU PRO Plus and UNOPS tools for monitoring of Programme’s performance, outputs and benefits
• Contribute to the successful administrative and financial closure of activities within the Sector for SMEs
• Provide support to Programme’s communication and visibility activities
• Support organization of trainings, information sessions, and other events related to promotion of the CFPs for SMEs and assist in capacity building of potential beneficiaries to adequately respond to the Calls
• Review documentation related to implementation of SMEs and BSOs grants,propose revisions and obtain approvals of the next phases of implementation.
• Monitor and report on Corporate Social Responsibility activities implemented by grant beneficiaries
• Provide feedback and support to grant beneficiaries, SMEs and BSOs regarding preparation and filing grant related documents.
• Provide assistance to other Programme Sectors including but not limited to monitoring, and field visits to beneficiaries, within efforts to optimise use of resources
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Required selection criteria:

Education

• Secondary education is required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferably in economics, social sciences, engineering or development studies is an asset

Experience

• Five years of experience in project support functions related to the SME Sector in Serbia is required. Bachelor’s degree may substitute for some years of experience.
• Direct experience in assisting implementation of grant schemes is an asset

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Serbian and English is required

Driving license

• Driving license and ability to travel independently is required

Core Competencies

• Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. (for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
• Integrity & Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
• Leading Self and Others – Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only:** Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
• Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
• Results Orientation – Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
• Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behaviour. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
• Solution Focused – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of the Republic of Serbia and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.
Contract type: Ongoing ICA
Contract level: Local ICA 5
Contract duration: Open-ended subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and/or to satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

For more information on UNOPS, please visit the UNOPS website at www.unops.org