Project Manager – Strengthening Albania’s social care services towards EU standards.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Protection!

The project, “Enhancing Local Social Care Services partnerships with citizens and toward EU Standards”, is an initiative between UNICEF Albania (UNICEF as the lead applicant) and World Vision in Albania (WVA). The Action/Project intends to strengthen the local partnerships and capacities to plan, establish, extend, and deliver social care services in the 14 targeted municipalities (Gjirokaster, Vore, Cerrik, Librazhd, Kavaje, Kurbin, Kukes, Kruje, Pogradec, Korce, Kamez, Vlore, Elbasan, Durres) scaling up positive models of social service delivery supported by UNICEF&WVA in other municipalities that respond best to the local context and priorities defined in Local Social Plans of targeted municipalities.  The Action will contribute directly to achieving two specific objectives: (1) support to establish and/or extend existing social care services at the municipal level and (2) support to establish and/or extend specialized social care services focused on specific needs of municipalities.  

How can you make a difference? 

Deliverable 1: Detailed Project Workplan (PWP) developed and submitted to UNICEF and WVA.

Timeline: Regular throughout the project implementation

The consultant will be engaged on local travel which is estimated to be 50 daily trips to 14 Municipalities of Albania. 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Advanced university degree in Human rights, social sciences, law, management, social/public policy, social work or any other relevant discipline.
• Familiarity with and understanding of the Albanian Context.
• Minimum of five (5) years of practical experience in international development, project management and project leadership preferably in social care, social inclusion, protection, or any similar domain.
• Experience in Managing EU funded programs is an asset.
• Knowledge on gender and human rights programming.
• Knowledge of EU funded programs and EU policies in social care, social protection and child protection is an asset.
• Excellent and proven writing skills.
• Experience in working at and with local government units and on decentralization.
• Experience in provision of technical to and interlocution with government partners, international and civil society organizations is an asset.
• Excellent analytical capabilities, excellent ability to synthesize information and relate action to results.
• Fluency in both, spoken and written English and Albanian.
• High level of communication and computer skills.
• Ethical accountability and teamwork
• Ability to engage full time during the project implementation.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.