Background

Better integration into international trade plays an important role in global efforts to reduce poverty. Increasing exports provides new opportunities for enterprises to expand their production and to create more and better jobs. Exports are also a vital source of income to finance the import of goods and services that a country does not produce itself. Trade is an essential source of economic growth, has important impact on job creation, peoples’ income and poverty reduction.
The Aid for Trade (AfT) agenda is one of key global initiatives aimed at strengthening the capacity of developing countries to participate in and benefit from international trade. A large part of AfT is focused on strengthening domestic production, such as creating an enabling business environment for enterprises or building economic infrastructure.
The Aid for Trade project for Ukraine (Phase II) will be implemented in 2011-2012 within the UNDP’s regional Aid for Trade project ‘Aid for Trade for Central Asia, South Caucasus and Western CIS: Promoting Trade Development and Poverty Reduction in Partnership with Finland’s Wider Europe Initiative,’ financed by the Government of Finland. The present project builds on the Aid for Trade: Phase I and uses as a platform the findings and recommendations developed in the ‘AfT Needs Assessments for Ukraine: Trade and Human Development’.
The overall goal of the project is to support inclusive growth in Ukraine through the promotion of trade and the enhancement of Ukraine’s competitiveness to support its efforts to reduce poverty and improve peoples’ lives. The gains from trade are numerous, and extend beyond purely economic benefits. Trade and investment can contribute to human development by helping to raise productivity, employment and economic growth. The human development approach aims to highlight inclusiveness as a key implication of sound trade policies.
Therefore, the purpose of the project is to improve the implementation of pro-poor trade-related policy reforms and trade capacity development measures on the national and local levels. More specifically, the project aims to facilitate international trade on the national and local level by supporting the development of strategic documents to develop trade, optimizing the institutional framework, and providing technical assistance to exporters.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the responsibility of the UNDP Senior Programme Manager, the Project Manager will be responsible for the following key tasks:

Managing the day to day activities of the Project (planning, management, implementation, reporting, quality monitoring & closure):
• Ensure timely preparation of project work plan, procurement and staffing plans, and other related documents for timely commencement of the project activities.
• Develop a detailed project implementation plan, coordinate and supervise the work of project experts and consultants, including the preparation of the terms of reference for consultants, national experts and subcontractors recruited under the project, forward planning of project activities and budget expenditures, activity scheduling, and reporting.
• Provide substantive input to the project activities and outputs and ensure timely implementation of project’s activities, including reporting on progress vis-à-vis planned activities and expected outputs.
• Maintain close liaison with national project partners, ensuring optimum participation and promoting ownership of national authorities in the implementation of the project.
• Ensure full compliance of project activities with all financial and technical rules, regulations and procedures relevant to the project implementation (both UNDP and national).
• Prepare project reports, including progress and annual reports, as well as ad-hoc technical reports.
• Facilitate project monitoring activities.
• Ensure compliance with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures.
• Ensure compliance of Project’s business processes with UNDP Ukraine Standard Operating Procedures.
• Assure that due security measures are in place with regard to the project office.
• Ensure that the Atlas Project Management module is updated on a regular basis.
• Ensure compliance with UNDP project management policies and procedures.

Measurable outputs of the work assignment:

Full and appropriate implementation of Aid for Trade project;
Materials on project experience/best practices and lessons learned prepared;
Project overall results, experiences and lessons learned disseminated at the national and regional levels;
Project reporting, quality monitoring and closure activities completed.

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results:

Project annual workplan is fully and timely implemented;
Project funds delivery reached 100%;
Project is dully accomplished and closed in accordance with UNDP requirements.

Competencies

• The ability to manage project/programmes for results, including the ability to translate strategic aims into achievable annual work plans; and prepare project/programme reports in a timely manner;
• Experience in trade facilitation and trade development, international integration;
• Good interpersonal communication skills: including acceptance of responsibility to ensure that organizational objectives, policies and requirements are met; ability to manage external teams of consultants, ability to handle politically sensitive issues and contacts within government authorities and within UNDP; sound judgment and maturity to foster a positive work environment;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, good facilitation skills;
• Familiarity with national legislation, regulations related to trade, Ukrainian commitments to the WTO;
• Demonstrated strong coordination and facilitation skills.
• Excellent knowledge of the Ukrainian government institutions and other actors involved in trade policy formulation and implementation, including academia, think-tanks, NGOs, prominent experts;
• Familiarity with Aid for Trade initiatives and human development concept;
• Familiarity with UNDP project management procedures and experience with ATLAS and UNDP project management is an asset;
• Excellent usage of computers and office software packages;
• Proven writing and communication skills;

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s Degree in economics, international trade or other relevant area;
• At least 7 years of work experience in an international integration and foreign trade;
• At least 3 year experience in managing team of researchers/analysts or project component in international organizations or NGOs;
• Relevant experience in trade development in Ukraine; experience in conducting/managing trade needs assessment and delivering other trade-related studies and research;
• Experience in delivering capacity development services on trade-related issues to Government;
• Fluency in English, Ukrainian/Russian is required.

This is a locally recruited position and no expatriation benefits will apply.

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.undp.org.ua/en/vacancies. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Failure to disclose prior employment or making false representations on this form will be grounds for withdrawal of further consideration of his/her application or termination, where the appointment or contract has been issued.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 10/05/2011

UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy. We regret that we will not be able to acknowledge all unsolicited general applications for employment.

Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.