Job Title: Local Project Leader (Advisor to the Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit)
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Recruitment: Local
Duration: 10 months
Start date of the assignment: January 2015
Languages: Romanian, English
Closing date: November 21, 2014
(interviews will be conducted on ongoing basis until the identification of a suitable candidate)
1. BACKGROUND
The World Bank launched in early 2014 a project, funded from EU structural funds under the Technical Assistance Operational Program, to support the Romanian Prime Minister’s Office in establishing a Delivery Unit. As part of the project, the World Bank put together a team of experts to work in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (“Chancellery”), with the goal to facilitate the better and faster delivery of results in four priority areas. These include tax administration, public procurement, youth employment and energy. This initiative presents an innovation in public sector management, shifting the focus from creating policy to the delivery of results to citizens.
The World Bank is currently seeking a Local Project Leader (“Consultant”) to support the Head of the Delivery Unit in the capacity both as an Advisor as well as a Project coordinator. This means that the Consultant will perform the duties of managerial, technical and coordination character. The Unit enters the phase of the implementation of Delivery Plans and delivering results, thus the key tasks will be related to a) driving the work program of the Unit in the priority areas in-between the reporting cycles to the Prime Minister, including the distribution of tasks, managing review projects; b) serving as the technical information interface for all priority areas in relation to various counterparts (mainly World Bank and Chancellery project teams); and c) promoting the Delivery Unit concept and brokering the content matter in high-level discussions with the sector counterparts, in lieu of the Head of the Delivery Unit Head, as necessary.
2. DUTIES AND ACCONTABILITIES
The Consultant’s main responsibilities are to:
- Develop, manage and monitor the implementation of the overall work program of the Unit; including the activities related to review projects, team roles and activities in-between the monthly Prime Minister and quarterly Steering Committee meetings; quality control of all outputs prepared for these;
- With a thorough overview of the content matter in the priority areas, serve as an Advisor to the Head of the Unit and also as a central interface for the World Bank and Chancellery teams;
- Support the Delivery Unit in discussions with sector counterparts, promote the concept, broker inter-institutional relations and the Unit’s content matter with the political and technical level, in lieu of the Head of the Unit as necessary;
- Help coordinate the Delivery Unit team and ensure the constant development of its capacities; including the development of the individual capacity buildings plans, the training activities and review of the progress; look for ways to extend the building of DU-related capacities also among the sector counterparts;
- Oversee and coordinate the application of the Delivery Unit routines, principles and approaches in the interaction with the sector counterparts; including their constant improvement;
- Manage the relations with the Project Manager from Chancellery regarding reporting routines, documents and outputs in relation both with World Bank and Managing Authority.
3. SELECTION CRITERIA
The Consultant will have extensive experience in complex project management, but also the knowledge of the functioning of public administration and the content matter of several public policy areas in Romania. A similar experience outside of Romania is a plus.
Requisite qualifications include:
- At least 8-10 years of overall professional experience, ideally in complex project management;
- At least a Master level University Degree, or equivalent in the field of the assignment (Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Economics or similar);
- Demonstrated understanding of the bureaucratic procedures, policy-making and budgeting processes, as well as inter-institutional dynamics within the Romanian public administration;
- Excellent team management skills, including the design and implementation of the capacity and team building activities;
- Past experience in leading a policy dialogue with government counterparts and other stakeholders;
- Demonstrated experience in public sector performance measurement and monitoring, including setting objectives, targets, trajectories, and indicators.
- Experience in multi-sectoral policy management from the center of the government including strategic management, strategic planning, and inter-institutional coordination;
- Demonstrated understanding of several of the public policy areas and the basics of the public service delivery concepts;
- Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills;
- Excellent networking skills and the capacity to engage with stakeholders to foster cooperation and removal of bottlenecks;
- Excellent time management skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines;
- Knowledge management skills;
- Fluency in Romanian and English (speaking and writing).
Please send your CVs to aflorescu@worldbank.org by November 21, 2014. The CV should clearly illustrate how you meet the required criteria by your past experience. No motivation letter is necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews and these will be conducted on ongoing basis until the identification of a suitable candidate.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.