Project Coordinator [Open to Tier 1 & 2 applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP Albania works in partnership with national and local institutions, the private sector, civil society and development partners to advance Albania’s sustainable development and European Union accession priorities. Through its Inclusive Growth portfolio, UNDP supports the development of a more productive, competitive and inclusive economy by strengthening institutions, improving employment and skills-development systems, supporting enterprise growth and facilitating the transition towards greener, more digital and sustainable economic models. The portfolio combines policy and institutional support with practical interventions that expand economic opportunities, strengthen private-sector competitiveness and enable businesses and individuals—particularly those facing barriers to economic participation—to benefit from Albania’s economic transformation.

Within this framework, UNDP will support the Government of Albania’s ‘Dyfisho Sipërmarrjen Tënde’ programme. This national programme supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to grow by helping them access investment loans through a sovereign guarantee. The financing is provided by participating banks and enables viable businesses to invest, expand and become more competitive. However, many businesses—particularly smaller ones—also need technical assistance to prepare strong investment proposals and meet the banks’ application requirements.

To complement the financing mechanism, UNDP will establish and operate a dedicated Technical Assistance Facility to help eligible enterprises become investment-ready and better prepared to access finance. The Facility will provide structured and tailored assistance throughout the application process, including initial enterprise diagnostics, assessment of financing and business-development needs, preparation or improvement of business and investment plans, financial analysis and modelling, and compilation of the documentation required for loan appraisal. UNDP will also facilitate coordination among applicant enterprises, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, participating financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders; maintain a systematic case-management process; monitor the progress of supported enterprises; and identify recurring constraints affecting access to finance. Through this work, UNDP will help improve the quality and readiness of enterprise applications, strengthen the referral and financing process, and generate evidence and lessons to inform future enterprise-support policies and programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP Programme Specialist responsible for the Inclusive Growth portfolio, the Project Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of all project components, personnel, resources, partnerships and results. The incumbent will perform the following functions in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures and the UNDP internal control framework.

Effectively manage a project team to ensure timely and quality delivery of project outputs

• Supervise and guide project staff and consultants to ensure timely achievement of project results and undertake credible performance assessment;
• Develop detailed project work plans for implementation of project activities, ensuring active engagement of all relevant stakeholders;
• Mobilize goods and services to implement project activities, including engaging responsible parties, drafting TORs and work specifications;
• Monitor regularly and collect different data during project implementation that will be valuable for preparation of progress report and present the impact of the project results;
• Prepare regular progress and annual reports of the project (progress against planned activities, targets set, financial expenditures etc.);
• Ensure timely submission of progress reports, prepare background documents and background documentation and ensure timely organization of Project Board meetings;
• Manage and monitor the delivery of the financial resources and ensure quality and timely financial reporting;
• Ensure appropriate filing and availability of required documentation for the audit purposes;
• Perform all tasks in Quantum Management Information System related to the Project Coordinator position.

Maintain and further enhance collaborative and productive working relations and partnership among key project partners and donors, through effective communication, consultation and reporting

• Maintain close working relations with the key national partners including the Ministry of Economy and Innovation and the Albanian Association of Banks;
• Prepare thematic reports, blogs, insights that analyse specific issues emerging from the project implementation;
• Maintain effective linkages with the international organizations, including by preparing project briefs presenting project results;
• Establish effective linkages with other UNDP programmes and projects and with other initiatives in the sector with a view to developing substantive partnerships and generating synergies;
• Provide critical data and insights in support of CO’s further scaling up and expansion efforts in the area of private sector development.

Ensure establishment of a robust oversight and monitoring system including data collection to facilitate smooth implementation of the project, communication, outreach, advocacy, reporting on results and impact, knowledge building and further scaling-up

• Set up a monitoring system for the project including data collection protocols and gender considerations for the project and for the partners including responsible parties and banks that will ensure monitoring of progress as per projects targets set and collections of evidence for the evaluation of results and impact;
• Take lead in creation and implementation of a system that will ensure lessons learnt, good practices and collective intelligence gathered during project implementation are documented and inform future programming and expansion;
• Provide substantive input by feeding back data from implementation and field monitoring of project activities, needs of project beneficiaries, target groups that will inform the development and fine tuning of the Project strategy and pipeline development.

Create synergies with other related initiatives in the UNDP and UN system initiatives in the country, regionally and globally, to maximize project impact and facilitate further expansion and scale-up

• Collaborate intensively with other UNDP, UN system and other related initiatives to maximise the impact of UNDP’s interventions that will contribute towards achievement of the expected outcome under the UNDP’s Country Programme Document 2026-2030 and UNSDCF 2026-2030.

Ensure Gender mainstreaming within the project focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Ensure gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analysed in detail.
• Ensure gender equality is mainstreamed throughout team, consultant and staff management activities.
• Ensure knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in setting up of the oversight and monitoring system, collection of data, project knowledge management activities and products.

Ensure quality communication of project results and impact using the established monitoring system and data collected to feed communication of results, as well as for further resource mobilization and new partnerships for scaling up.

• Ensure effective communication of the project results in close collaboration with UNDP and UN communication specialists;
• Use data collected and lessons learnt during project implementation to communicate results, advocate for change, inform future initiatives and guide further expansion of private sector development and related areas of UNDP/UN work.
• Participate in trainings and share knowledge about the project.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Coordinator will report to the Inclusive Growth Programme Specialist. The Project Coordinator will be located in Tirana.

Competencies

Core competencies

• Achieve Results: ​​LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.​
• Think Innovatively: ​​LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking​.
• Learn Continuously: ​​LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.​
• Adapt with Agility: ​​LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process​.
• Act with Determination: ​​LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously​.
• Engage and Partner: ​​LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships​.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: ​​LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

People Management competencies

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

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 Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization
• Effective decision making:
  • Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.

Business Management

• Result 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. M
• Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
  • Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
  • Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Communication
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

External Relations & Advocacy

• Emerging Partnerships
  • Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships

Finance

• Financial risk management
  • Ensures financial resilience through proactive assessment of risk, implementation of controls and taking mitigating action. Understands risk and reward in relation to collaborative and commercial projects. Ensures a culture of positive risk management

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or a relevant related field is required. OR
• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

• Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) are not required to have professional work experience.
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have at least two years of relevant professional experience in project management, programme coordination or a related field.

Desired skills:

• Experience in designing and implementing private-sector development and SME support initiatives
• Experience in developing and maintaining partnerships with public institutions, private-sector actors, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Experience in business advisory and enterprise financing support.
• Experience in coordinating or managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants and/or service providers to ensure timely and quality delivery of outputs

Languages:

• Fluency in Albanian and 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.

Use of AI by candidates

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