Background

UNDP Tanzania’s inclusive growth programme 2016 – 2021. The overarching goal is to support Tanzania to accelerate inclusive economic growth with a focus on poverty reduction, job creation and environmental sustainability, in line with the principal objectives set out in the Tanzania Development Vision 2025 and Zanzibar Vision 2020, which aim to eradicate extreme poverty, and promote high quality livelihoods and a competitive and diversified economy. The specific objectives for UNDP Inclusive Growth support are aligned with the priorities set out in the National Five-Year Development Plan II, to increase use of modern technologies in key growth sectors, enhance conservation of the environment and natural resources for poverty reduction and economic growth, develop a harmonized delivering system of social protection, promote women’s economic empowerment and develop pro-poor value chains. They are further aligned with the priorities set out in the draft Zanzibar Strategy for Economic and Social Transformation, to modernize agriculture and agro-industry sectors to increase trade, promote a conducive business environment, improve social protection schemes, and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The strategy primarily contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 1 (No poverty), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequality). It also conforms to the United Nations Development Assistance Plan II (UNDAP II) for 2016-2021, in its vision on inclusive growth toward achieving the following outcomes:

Increased economic transformation for greater poverty reduction, competitiveness and increased
opportunities for decent and productive employment.
Enhanced equitable and inclusive access to quality basic education and lifelong learning; and,
Increased coverage of comprehensive and integrated social protection for all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

UNDP supports the government of Tanzania to create livelihood opportunities and reduce poverty, especially among the most vulnerable groups. We work with businesses to create jobs and economic growth, and with government to build infrastructure, link rural areas to markets and develop new forms of employment. Through our work we promote an integrated approach that tackles the issues of multidimensional poverty, inequality and exclusion, and sustainability, while enhancing knowledge, skills, and production technologies to enlarge people’s choices, reduce risks and sustain development gains.

UNDP is implementing its five years Innovation programme called Funguo which is designed to lay the foundation for and unlock the potential of Tanzanian innovators and entrepreneurs to create Impact Ventures at scale. The program’s approach is to create a flagship portfolio of investment ready, innovative Impact Ventures that unlock follow on investment, so that these innovations can contribute to the achievement of national ambitions and the SDGs in Tanzania at scale. It therefore directly addresses development challenges related to innovation and entrepreneurship: 1) capacitating women and youth lead Impact Ventures (Strategic Objective 3), 2) capacitating relevant service providers in the Innovation Ecosystem that support the development of Impact Ventures (Strategic Objective 2) and 3) bridging the funding gap for Impact Ventures to be able to access and unlock (national or international) private investment and third-party finance for further growth (Strategic Objective 1). All of these efforts need to be complemented by improving the Enabling Environment to create a context where innovations can create value-add at scale and entrepreneurs can thrive. This includes evidence-based informing of government policies together with other partners, as well as aligning stakeholders in the Innovation Ecosystem to achieve more differentiation of offered services, promote the adoption of innovation friendly strategies and identify and seize additional opportunities related to innovation in Tanzania. This work is complemented by activities promoting innovation at a national level through innovation events and media campaigns and will be undertaken through Strategic Objective 3.

As key outcome of the Funguo Program, the Funguo Facility will be created as an independent market-facing entity that can continue selected activities beyond the closure of the program, such as operating the Funguo Catalytic Fund and capacitating and working with the Innovation Ecosystem to support Impact Ventures to become investment ready.

The Funguo Program and the trust fund for the Catalytic Fund have been designed to allow development partners and philanthropic foundations that seek to enhance impact innovation in Tanzania to contribute and partner at any time during the program as well as after the program.

The Inclusive Growth and Livelihood pillar is seeking to recruit the Project Manager for the Funguo Programme, who will be under the direct supervision of the Head of Inclusive Growth Pillar. The project manager will provide lead the Funguo Project Management and administrative matters ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work for the Funguo programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under direct supervision of IG Pillar Lead, Project Manager will perform the following duties:
Manage the Program day to day including but not limited to:

Manage the Innovation Team’s internal processes, including all-team meetings, knowledge management and learning, and management to objectives.
Reporting to management regularly
Oversee procurement of items for UNDP and Funguo Facility as needed, according to the budget.
Coordinate with other team members and those in UNDP i.e. communications, M&E, Procurement, payments etc.
Provide strategic direction and recommendations for the funguo programme.
Participate and carry out discussions with other key stakeholders and partners to align on project scope and objectives of funguo programme.
Create and manage a detailed workplan & oversee the budget is being implemented according to plan/budget.
Manage the inputs of the UNDP Governance specialist
Supervising Communication & Partnership specialist and Innovation and Enterprises officer.
Provide project management support, including supporting the development of key communication materials including articles, blogs and other visibility materials while supporting also fundraising efforts of the funguo program .

Oversee the Responsible Party and the set-up of the Funguo Facility.

Collaborate with the Management team and Procurement team on procurement of the Responsible Party
Oversee the activities of the RP, ensuring adherence to quality and timely delivery, providing support and guidance, assisting with items that need political/ UNDP support such as set up the Board of Trustees.
Support on hiring the right team for Funguo Facility and getting sign off by the Board through the Responsible party.

M&E + Reporting

Ensure the quarterly reports are submitted timely to donors and the Program Board by writing and coordinating inputs from the Funguo Facility and colleagues at UNDP.
Work with the M&E specialist to ensure proper reporting format and produce the mid-line and end-line reports.
Ensure the Annual Review is undertaken timely and presented to the Board. Include donors in the Review process as requested.
Ensure the annual Program Board meeting happens timely at a high quality.

Government Relations & Partnership

Manage Government relationships
Cultivate relationships and understanding of Government Innovation agendas and seek further partnership for Funguo program.
Actively participate in Govt Innovation occasion’s and position funguo program

Strategic Innovation Platform

Work with the key innovation ecosystem players (government, private sector, academia, hub managers, hub association , donors etc) to create the Strategic Innovation Platform meetings quarterly.
Coordinate and act as a secretariate to the Strategic Innovation Platform (SIP)
Help the SIP define key issues, and discuss the best way to tackle them
Coordinate inputs from key issues to define studies that need to be undertaken. Procure and manage studies, gather feedback from stakeholders and finalized.
Share the studies widely and use these as a springboard for policy work, convening government and stakeholders for discussions.
Organize and oversee the procurement of conference venues, all programme travel etc

Impact of Results

The project Manager will help ensure the smooth and effective operation of the Funguo project through supporting project management, Government Engagement and external donor relations

Competencies

Core
Innovation and Marketing

Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches.
Responds positively to new approaches.
Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Resource Mobilization
Ability to write a project proposal

Development and Maintains information/databases of potential and actual donors for the pillar projects/themes.
Provides data and information needed for preparation of project documents.
Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional

Knowledge Management and Learning

Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Management and Leadership

Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Relationship Management

Ability to engage and foster strategic partnerships with other parties, inter-agency coordination and forge productive working relationships
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Results-based Management

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Project Management

Ability to plan, organize, motivate, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree or equivalent qualification/experience demonstrating the ability to learn quickly and work in a disciplined way to produce high quality knowledge products.

Experience:

At least 5 years of progressively responsible national or international experience in managing innovation programme . 2 years of experience working with Innovation ecosystem enables i.e. startups/innovations in East Africa.
Experience working at the innovative frontier of a field, preferably related to social impact, innovation, finance, or data & technology.

Experience:

At least 4 years of progressively responsible national or international experience in managing innovation programme . 2 years of experience working with Innovation ecosystem enables i.e. startups/innovations in East Africa.
Experience working at the innovative frontier of a field, preferably related to social impact, innovation, finance, or data & technology.
Required soft skills/ Competencies:
Project Management: Ability to work-backwards from set goals and understand critical path dependencies, establish, and manage different workstreams, draw from a diverse set of tools and approaches to manage progress and mitigate risks, and adapt when circumstances change.
Execution: A strong sense of urgency and the ability to work with multiple stakeholders to drive towards milestones. Stays focused on priorities in the midst of many competing demands. Able to quickly develop “plan B” when original plans hit roadblocks.

Communication:

Able to translate complex topics into simple language. Can participate appropriately in executive settings and tailor briefs to a range of internal clients. Can represent the Organisation in a wide range of settings.
Leadership: An entrepreneurial sense of ownership over individual work and a sense of accountability to ensure the entire team succeeds. Comfortable with ambiguity and can move forward amid of changing circumstances.
Teamwork: Flexible in playing whatever role is necessary for team success. Demonstrate inclusiveness in encouraging participation from everyone to generate the best ideas and results. Can leverage the entire team – reports, peers, and managers – to achieve results.
Entrepreneurship: Proactive in crafting new ideas and creatively solving problems. Able to creatively secure and mobilize the resources required for a project’s success.

Language Requirements: •

Fluency in oral and written English is required.
Knowledge of Kiswahili will be considered an asset.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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