Program: Sustainable Regional and Economic Development, Employment Promotion and VET (ProSEED)
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) is a federal enterprise that supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooper- ation for sustainable development.
Project Background
Within the context of bilateral development cooperation, the Republic of Albania and the Federal Republic of Germany agreed on the joint implementation of the “Sustainable Economic and Regional Development, Employment Promotion and Vocational Education and Training” program (short: ProSEED). The overarching aim is to improve the employment situation of the workforce and self- employed, particularly of skilled youth, in the Albanian labour market.
The program currently runs from 01/2017 until 12/2022 and has five components: (i) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), (ii) Promotion of micro, small and medium-sized enter- prises (MSMEs), (iii) Social participation of youth and minorities, (iv) Policy advise, and (v) Promotion of the innovation system.
In 2020, BMZ commissioned ProSEED and SRD (Sustainable Rural Development), another bilateral program, to implement an advisory facility combined with grants which was launched in February 2021, as CoSolve-19 Facility. The overarching goal is to support MSMEs that are severely hit by the consequences of COVID-19 crisis in Albania, first and foremost, to maintain employment or even increase it. In pursuing this initiative, ProSEED and SRD aim to give significant contribution of ser- vices and grants to MSMEs all around Albania in agriculture, tourism as well as in other sectors. In addition, MSMEs will be strengthened in applying new digital solutions and innovations not only to cushion the current crisis but also to put their operations on more solid ground in order to adjust to the new situation.
The CoSolve-19 project is designed in a way to mitigate the consequences of the crises by stimulat- ing the businesses to adjust their operation to the new situation as well as giving financial support to cover the needs for those who are not eligible to other donor financial assistance schemes or do not have the capacities to apply. Both objectives will be addressed by counselling and provision of grants. This combined project approach is based on key elements of ProSEED’s successful imple- mentation of the IDEA grant scheme for young businesses which also goes along with technical assistance in terms of entrepreneurship training. It is also based on the vast experience of grant schemes that have been implemented by GIZ in Albania in the agriculture sector such as SARED Program. Linking up with the existing measures will not only ensure that successful experiences are quickly used in this emergency situation, but also that this project serves as a contribution of ProSEED and SRD to their respective programme objectives: Promotion of MSMEs and employment (ProSEED) as well as income diversification in the value chains of tourism and agriculture (SRD). The current COVID-19 crisis requires measures that help to preserve jobs and secure the existence of the businesses on the one hand and measures to adjust to the new realities after the crisis on the other hand.
Besides the planned calls for the advisory services of which the first has been realised in spring this year, there will be extra calls for the grant scheme. The grants can serve either as a bridging aid to overcome the negative economic effects of the crisis or as investments which aim to strengthen the crisis resilience of the MSMEs/farmers in the future.
GIZ Albania, ProSEED, seeks the following staff: Finance Officer – CoSolve-19 Facility The Finance Officer will perform the following tasks:
Tasks
Finance Management of CoSolve-19
Within a given team of other finance managers of both programs, working for the Cosolve 19 facil- ity:
- Checking the eligibility and completeness of applications according to the grant guideline in coordination with the technical staff responsible for Cosolve-19
- Preparing the grant contract for the Cosolve-19 beneficiaries
- Conducting and supporting training sessions for the beneficiaries explaining more in detail further technicalities to be considered in the application / payment process
- Based on the four eyes principle, taking over the payment process of CoSolve-19 benefi- ciaries in cooperation with Country Office
- Applying and further elaborating the internal procedures and other supporting documenta- tion of the grant scheme based on the lessons learned from the first call and indicate them for the following ones
- On-site monitoring the correct implementation of the investment as per contractual agree- ment between both parties
- Supporting the team for a smooth implementation of this facility
Supporting tasks regarding applications
- Support the management of the mailbox of CoSolve-19 facility during open calls processes, handling also with FAQs
- Prepare and maintain the Monitoring Financial Tables of CoSolve-19 facility with eligible applicants for grant facility
- Prepare the statistics related to eligible and non-eligible applications for each call
- In charge for a correct filing process of CoSolve-19 applications as per GIZ rules and pro- cedures
- Supports the project in other given tasks as per need
Required qualifications, competences and experience:
- Education/training: University qualification, g. in Finance and/or Business Administration
- General professional experience: total professional experience at least for 5 years, esp. in project management, MSME support as well as monitoring
- Languages: Fluent in Albanian, excellent business language skills in English required
- Specific professional experience: at least 3 years of professional experience in managing grant schemes, such as selection, contracting and monitoring
Contract conditions:
- Full-time employment
- Project office in Tirana
- Assigment period: until 12.2022
Please forward your application until 2nd of September 2021 to GIZ Office Albania by E-Mail: [email protected] including the following information: Application letter, CV in English (Eu- ropass format), references.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. Short-listed candidates might be asked to bring certified copies of their diplomas and work certificates.
GIZ is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all interested groups without any discrimination
NDIQE LIVE "PANORAMA TV" © Panorama.al
