Partnerships Advisor Roster (Programme Advisor/Technical expert on the Reform and Growth Plans and the Reform Agendas)

(1) Rule of Law and Fundamentals i.e. the relevant principles such as fundamental rights, democratic principles, justice, anti-corruption, equality and non-discrimination, including their mechanisms and frameworks for support and monitoring ;

(2) Governance, Public Administration Reform and Public Financial Management i.e. institutions and processes, transparency and accountability, human rights, legislative reforms, service delivery improvement, human resources management, budgeting, revenue administration, expenditure management, financial reporting and procurement;

(3) Human Capital i.e. fairness and inclusiveness in growth, a well-functioning labour market, a well-trained and productive workforce and, overall, the areas of education and skills, employment, and social protection and inclusion including youth, healthcare, culture and sport etc; 

(4) Energy and Green Transition i.e. addressing reliance on fossil fuels, transition to renewables, energy efficiency, addressing energy poverty, developing energy market mechanisms, decarbonisation and private sector participation etc; 

(5) Digitalisation i.e. the interconnection of administration, research and education networks, high-performance computing, the Digital Agenda, internet access and digital skills, addressing fragmentation in the digital market; and 

(6) Private Sector Development and Business Environment i.e. a robust private sector for regional socio-economic development and integration, improvement of competitiveness and job creation, supporting start-ups and micro-, small and medium-sized businesses, innovation and open, innovative, business friendly eco-systems etc. 

When submitting your application, please include a short Cover letter (max. half a page) indicating one or more of the above areas of specialisation.

Selected experts will work on the planning, implementation, monitoring and the overall physical and financial management of the Reform and Growth Plans and the respective Reform Agendas of the beneficiaries. In that regard, they should be able to provide evidence of experience in the planning, implementation or monitoring of results-based, EU-funded programmes/projects entailing structural reforms and/or investments in the EU or accession countries (mandatory specialisation).

The selected candidates will perform functions such as the following with a thematic focus, according to their expertise in line with the thematic areas’ categories from (1) to (6) specified above. They will support the beneficiaries by 

• providing technical advice in line with their thematic area of expertise; and

• supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, financial control and evaluation of the Reform and Growth Plans and the respective Reform Agendas, and in particular their:

  • measures, including structural reforms, investments, and measures to ensure compliance with related EU and national objectives;

  • investment projects and programmes intended for financing under the WBIF, including respective investment volumes and envisaged timelines for implementation;

  • alignment with the indicative timetable and the envisaged payment conditions;

  • measurable qualitative and quantitative steps and relevant indicators;

  • outreach, communication and visibility plan for local audiences

Other Tasks and Responsibilities may include:

• Provide process advice, in line with the Regulation on the establishment of the Reform and Growth Facility; and

• Prepare technical meetings and workshops related to the execution of the Reform Agenda.

• An advanced university degree or higher, preferably in Public Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Development Studies or Natural Sciences related to the 6 thematic areas specified above i.e.

        (1) Rule of Law and Fundamentals; 
        (2) Governance, Public Administration Reform and Public Financial Management;
        (3) Human Capital;
        (4) Energy and Green Transition;
        (5) Digitalisation; and
        (6) Private Sector Development and Business Environment.

 A first-level university degree (e. g. Bachelor) in combination with 2 additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

7 years of experience in working for/with the EU institutions or EU Member States’ entities and/or working for/with the beneficiary countries on 

• Programme planning, implementation or monitoring within the context of public sector reform, governance, or development projects;

AND/OR

• Technical aspects of reforms and investments in the context of the EU accession process of the Western Balkan countries/territories.

Experience in management of complex, multi-stakeholder projects including budgeting, scheduling, monitoring, and evaluation and technical aspects; 

 AND/OR

• In-depth understanding of reform processes, including legislative, administrative, and economic reforms in the context of the EU accession process of the Western Balkans.

Familiarity with project management tools.

Desirables/ Assets:

Experience in the planning, implementation and monitoring of reform and investments under the Recovery and Resilience Plans of the EU Member States.
Demonstrated experience in the Western Balkans, with a good understanding of the socio-political and economic dynamics of the area.
 Languages
.
Fluency in English is required.
Proficiency in one or more languages of the Western Balkans (e.g., Serbian, Croatian, Albanian, Macedonian) is highly desirable.