Background

The EU High Level Policy Advisory Mission (EU HLPAM) is a project financed by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP. The objective of the project is to support the Government to implement its EU-integration related reform Agenda and in particular to assist the government in developing the capacities required for the implementation of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, as well as the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan. Specifically, the project aims at strengthening the policy-making, strategic planning and policy management capacities of selected line Ministries and State Agencies involved in the implementation of the Association Agreement and Visa Liberalization and at enhancing stakeholders’ knowledge and awareness of EU policies, legislation and regulations in sectors strategic to the implementation of the Association Agreement including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, and to the implementation of visa liberalization.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Adviser will provide policy advice to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), in order to enhance their ability to design and implement their Europe integration related reform agenda.

The Adviser will report primarily to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, with a reporting line to the EU Delegation to Moldova, UNDP Moldova and the project manager. The Advisor will work closely with the other members of the team of EUHLPAM Advisors.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Raise stakeholders' awareness of the policy implications of the Government's reform agenda and the AA negotiation and implementation processes on Agriculture and Rural Development Chapter of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area;
  • Inform MAFI with different policy options in agriculture and rural development national policies in line with EU policies;
  • Provide the beneficiaries with examples of EU best practices in agriculture and rural development area;
  • Assist in the identification of policy and legislative priorities agriculture and rural development area;
  • Support the national authorities to draft policy papers, together with strategies and Action Plans for implementing the policies in agriculture and rural development, including sub-sectoral/product policy;
  • Assist the national authorities during the policy consultation process;
  • Support in the prioritisation and harmonisation of agri-food legislation;
  • Provide advice on the development of the legal framework, functioning and financing of market infrastructure
  • Advise on and liaise with other projects / programmes / instruments in  agriculture and rural development area to ensure synergy, to promote effective downstream implementation of the policies and to avoid overlap and duplication, where appropriate and when requested by the beneficiary;
  • Advise on the development of formal mechanisms to ensure that feedback from policy implementation is duly taken into consideration during the design phase of future policies;
  • Support the national authorities to network with EU institutions through the EU Delegation to Moldova;
  • Provide sectorial advice and report to the EU Delegation whenever requested in agriculture and rural development area;
  • Assist the beneficiary to prepare an exit strategy on how the advice will be mainstreamed and consolidated once this phase has elapsed;
  • Advise the beneficiary to prepare the formal applications/fiches/Terms of Reference for policy implementation support from other EU instruments or any on-going/planned TA project;
  • Respect and promote EU visibility at all times.
The above responsibilities will be carried out through but not limited to: development of strategy documents, policy papers, advisory notes, methodologies, draft fiches and other relevant documentation as well as provision of technical on-the-job advice, support to networking to the institutions responsible for Government policies in agriculture and rural development.

Competencies

  • Excellent communication skills;
  • Proven report writing skills;
  • Computer literacy;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master Degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Public Administration, Economics, or relevant discipline or equivalent of professional experience relevant to the assignment;
  • A bachelor degree in the same areas combined with 17 years of professional experience relevant to the assignment is considered as equivalent.
Experience:

General professional experience:
  • Preferably 15 years of professional experience in agriculture and rural development.
Specific professional experience:
  • At least 10 years of professional experience linked to the provision of high level policy advice in agriculture and rural development;
  • At least 10 years of proven work experience in the area of agriculture and rural development in EU Member States, current or former EU Candidate Countries;
  • A comprehensive knowledge of EU external assistance programmes and policies targeted at EaP countries
  • A comprehensive knowledge of the EU acquis and policies in agriculture and rural development area and related approximation processes;
  • Broad experience of setting up and operationalization of implementation bodies in agriculture and rural development;
  • Experience in implementation of bilateral trade and cooperation agreements with the European Union, in particular the Association Agreement and DCFTA is an asset;
  • Previous work experience in Moldova would be an advantage.
Language:
  • Fluency in written and spoken English;
  • A working knowledge of the Romanian or Russian language would be an advantage.
The detailed Terms of Reference and Procurement Notice can be found at http://www.undp.md/jobs/current_jobs/.