Antecedentes
Albania’s vocational education and training (VET) and vocational skills development (VSD) system all too often has failed to equip students with the requisite knowledge, competences and skills for a successful transition into the labour market. This has resulted in an unsuitably qualified labour force, skills shortages and soaring youth unemployment. Recognizing the need to systematically address employment by re-orienting the vocational education and training and vocational skills development system towards labour market needs, and modernizing and extending outreach of employment services, the Albanian government adopted the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2014-2020.
UNDP globally and regionally has built a strategic vision that recognizes the importance of creating employment opportunities as a means to addressing both poverty reduction and inequalities and exclusion. Indeed, the first outcome of the recently adopted United Nations Youth System Wide Action Plan focuses on Employment and Entrepreneurship with the intention to ensure greater opportunities for youth to secure decent work and income over the life-cycle, contributing to a virtuous circle of poverty reduction, sustainable development and social inclusion. To support the integration of various youth employment policy objectives through coordinated action, UNDP Albania, in collaboration with other UN agencies has designed and implemented several skill development / employment related interventions.
After six years of experience addressing labor supply interventions, UNDP Albania’s strategic vision is to contribute to building a labour-market focused skills development system that is suited to enhance the employment and entrepreneurship aspects of the unemployed in urban and rural areas, while simultaneously addressing the skills needs of those employed in the formal and informal sectors and emerging entrepreneurs.
The ambition of the Swiss funded Skills Development for Employment (SD4E) Programme is to make a systemic contribution to the modernization of Albania’s VET/VSD system by addressing several key challenges: skills mismatch and unequal access to employment and training services; labour market challenges in rural areas; insufficient governance of funding for employment and training; lack of coordination / collaboration in the system; inadequate labour market information; and insufficient quality and relevance of VET and VSD providers and their programmes. The overall goal of the programme is that “more young women and men in urban and rural areas in Albania are employed or self-employed.” In order to achieve this goal the programme focuses on four outcomes:
Outcome 1: Improving and diversifying employment promotion measures, and advancing their governance
Outcome 2: Improved environment and regulatory framework for up-scaling work-based learning schemes (elements of dual system)
Outcome 3: Quality assurance and accreditation of VET/VSD providers
Outcome 4: Anticipating skills needs in the short and medium term
In the context of the first outcome of the programme, a self-employment measure has been designed as an alternative way of employment generation for youth. Beneficiaries of the self-employment programme will be young people up to the age of 30. The programme contains four key elements, namely a) a training programme on self-employment; b) support to business plan development; c) assistance towards formal registration of businesses, and d) financial grant towards the purchase of equipment and materials.
Deberes y responsabilidades
This assignment is set in the context of the self-employment measure. Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Team Leader, and in close collaboration with the programme team and stakeholders, the national consultant will perform the following tasks / outputs:
- Review the current legal and regulatory framework with respect to the business environment, including all pertinent laws and regulations related to the private sector in Albania and advise the programme team on their relevance to the self-employment programme;
- Support the development of a training module on legal requirements to starting a business in Albania, and assist if and when necessary in training delivery;
- Provide advisory support to programme beneficiaries on most appropriate legal form of registering their enterprises, and guide them during the registration process;
- Provide continuous mentoring support to programme beneficiaries on the legal obligations that arise from the establishment of an enterprise;
- Review UNDP contractual modalities for non-credit grant agreements and advise / provide inputs on all necessary conditionalities to be included in the agreements between UNDP and the end beneficiaries.
Deliverables:
- At the outset, a detailed work plan indicating the manner and time in which the consultancy outputs will be delivered;
- A comprehensive report examining existing relevant business laws and regulations framework. The report should identify all points of relevance that pertain to the self-employment programme;
- Training module on legal requirements related to the establishment, registration and running a business in Albania;
- Support to programme beneficiaries in registering their enterprises;
- Customized non-credit grant agreement format;
- Monthly progress reports.
Competencias
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
Functional Competencies:
- Ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels of the organization;
- Ability to work independently, multi-task and work and well under pressure;
- Maintain confidentiality and discretion when dealing with sensitive issues;
- Ability to make timely and quality judgments and decisions;
- Able to work in a team, organize work and projects;
- Meet tight deadlines without compromising on the quality of work, and being flexible;
- Excellent presentation skills;
- Excellent analytical skills
Habilidades y experiencia requeridas
Education:
- Graduate University Degree in Law;
Work experience:
- A minimum of 3 years working experience in the review of private sector related legislation and other legal instruments, and advisory support to private sector companies;
- Excellent knowledge of business law;
- Prior experience in employment related programmes is desirable;
- Previous experience/familiarity with UNDP or other UN agencies is desirable.
Language requirement:
- Excellent communication and report-writing skills in English.
Evaluation of Applicants:
Applicants will be screened against qualifications and the competencies specified above.
Technical Criteria – 70% of total evaluation – max. 70 points
- Relevance of education in the relevant field – 15 points;
- Relevance of specific professional experience in the relevant fields - max. 30 points;
- Record of experiences in analytical/research work and legal advisory support to private sector companies – max. 20 points;
- Familiarity with UNDP mandate and/or approach relevant to the area; experience working with other international organizations or in public sector; experience with public policy or capacity development – max. 5 points;
Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – max. 30 points
UNDP applies the ‘Best value for money’ approach - the final selection will be based on the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
Application Procedure:
Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via UNDP Albania website. Applications should contain:
- Cover letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
- Filled UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs); blank form Download here. Please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
How to Submit the Application:
To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:
- Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs) Download here;
- Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs) and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
- Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement); Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;” Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
- You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.