Ref.
2023/EIEPL/10293
Job offer type
Field staff jobs
Type of contract
CDDU
Activity sectors
Technological Innovation ; Economic and financial governance
Deadline date
2024/01/15 10:05
Contract
Employee
Duration
12 mois (renouvelables pour un total de 48 mois)
EU 4 Innovation East Project Leader (M/W)
Departement Economie Durable et Inclusive - EDIN > Pôle Entreprenariat et Innovation
Published on : 2023/11/30
CONTINENTAL EUROPE
GEORGIA
TBILISSI
Mission description
PROJECT DESCRIPTION/CONTEXT
Expertise France is the French public agency for international cooperation, designing and implementing projects to contribute to the sustainable development of partner countries, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and France's external action priorities.
EU4Innovation East is an EU-funded regional project (Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine) implemented by Expertise France with a duration of 4 years. The overall objective is to strengthen the innovation ecosystems of Eastern Partnership countries, focusing on enhancing the maturity and sustainability of the startup ecosystem, promoting convergence with the EU market and startup ecosystems, and providing targeted support to Ukraine's digital tech sector.
The project aligns with the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) for the Eastern Partnership, contributing to the integration of these countries into the EU startup ecosystem and supporting flagship initiatives related to private sector support, innovation, green and digital economy, and society. Women entrepreneurship promotion is integrated into all project activities, including dedicated training and cooperation with female business angel networks. A horizontal objective is to promote specialization in high-value added sectors using digital solutions.
The Project Leader is responsible for all the project coordination and implementation in the Eastern European region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine).
The Project Leader is based in Tbilisi and manages the project team in close coordination with a Deputy Project Leader based in Moldova. He/she also provides guidance to facilitators. The Deputy Project Leader supports the Project Leader by managing the Moldova team and coordinating expertise mobilized in Ukraine.
The role requires a high degree of autonomy and interpersonal skills suitable for an international and multicultural environment. Building connections with local stakeholders is crucial for project success, necessitating the Project Leader’s willingness to engage and connect with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Project or context description
RESPONSIBILITIES
Management of the office and project team
● Manages the project premises for the Georgia country project.
● Recruits, organizes, and manages the Georgia country team.
● Supports the Deputy Project Leader for managing the team in Moldova.
Country (Georgia) and Regional Project Leadership (Eastern Neighborhood)
● Establishes the strategy and the framework and assumes responsibility for the implementation and technical, financial, and contractual oversight of the project.
● Collaborates closely with the EC in Brussels and the European Union delegations to define activity and resource planning, develop the annual budget, supervise project implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and knowledge-sharing.
● Ensures adherence to agency rules and procedures, including safety rules in the field.
● Mobilizes expertise and partners.
● Supervises the development of tender documents, calls for proposals, legal and financial documents, and all contractual materials.
● Oversees the drafting and submission of deliverables, narrative and financial reports, and other reporting requirements.
Internal and External Representation of the Regional Project (Eastern Neighborhood)
● Manages relationships with Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani stakeholders (donors, partners, service providers) by co-chairing country consultations with the European Union delegations.
● Centralizes information on country projects (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine) in collaboration with the Deputy Project Leader and disseminates it to various stakeholders.
● Represents Expertise France at various instances related to EU4Innovation East project.
● Participates in project promotion activities.
● Participates in monitoring activities in relevant domains through information gathering from ongoing projects, in collaboration with relevant departments.
Required profile
DESIRED PROFILE
● Master's degree in economics, finance, project management, political science, international relations/cooperation, or a relevant field.
● Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in international environments, with experience in development and cooperation, donors, and relevance to the position's themes being advantageous.
● Previous experience in managing a team of at least 5 people.
● Proficiency in English is required; knowledge of French or one local language is highly desirable.
Required Knowledge, Experience, Skills, and Abilities
● Good knowledge of cooperation mechanisms and public development aid, especially for projects funded by the European Union and/or other European donors.
● Excellent mastery of project cycle principles (preferably in multi-donor, multi-country, and/or multi-operator projects) and team management.
● Sub-grant monitoring skills.
● Skills in developing technical, narrative, and progress reports.
● Knowledge of private sector development and entrepreneurship-related issues, including setting up seed or pre-seed funding mechanisms and/or working with ministries responsible for digital issues.
● Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and gender approaches is an advantage.
● Previous experience with one or more Eastern Neighborhood countries is a significant plus.
Soft Skills
● Teamwork (multicultural) and adaptability.
● Diplomacy, empathy, and conflict management skills.
● Sense of responsibility, initiative, and responsiveness.
● Pragmatic and results-oriented.
● Organizational skills, rigor, and proactivity.
● Excellent communication skills.
● Excellent ability to build connections.
Additional information
WHAT WE OFFER
● Exciting work in an international environment.
● A 12-month contract (renewable for a total of 48 months) based in Tbilisi, with regular travel to the other 4 countries of EU 4 Innovation East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine) and occasional visits to EF headquarters (France).
● A salary package including the gross monthly salary, expatriation allowance, and other benefits. The exact salary will be defined based on relevant recognized experience for the position.
This description may slightly evolve in the coming months.
Application Deadline: 31/12/2023
Start Date: 01/03/2024
Deadline for application : 2024/01/15 10:05
Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :
- democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
- peace, stability, and security ;
- climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
- health and human development ;
In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results.