The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3) strengthens the EU integration process in the Western Balkans (WB) by empowering civil society and youth to actively participate in decision-making and by stimulating an enabling legal and financial environment for civil society. The programme will be implemented in the following IPA beneficiaries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Working across the WB region, ReLOaD3 will enhance the capacities of local governments and civil society organizations (CSOs) to engage in productive partnerships and contribute to improved service delivery and realisation of local priorities in line with local development strategies and needs. The programme`s duration is 48 months (Feb 2025 – Jan 2029).

The incumbent will be based in the UNDP BiH office in Sarajev

Summary of key functions:

• Contribute to coordination of activities concerning transparent CSO fund disbursement mechanisms at local level
• Contribute to coordination of activities concerning the integration of CSO anddisbursement mechanisms process at different government levels
• Fostering cooperation between local governments and civil society organizations
• Capacity building of local governments and Associations of Municipalities and Cities:
• Mainstreaming gender equality and ensuring knowledge management

Contribute to coordination of activities concerning transparent CSO fund disbursement mechanisms at local level:

• Support Project Manager in the selection process of the partner LGs (develop criteria and scoring system, organize the evaluation commissions and field visits, conduct risk assessments, etc.).
• Support Project Manager in activities related to the adoption and implementation of a methodology for transparent fund disbursement within local government practices.
• Develop system and procedures to ensure continuous and accurate monitoring of the status of the project’s activities in partner LGs.
• Support the engagement with key institutional partners in horizontal scaling and coordinate horizontal integration of transparent funding mechanisms beyond partner local governments.
• Assist the ReLOaD regional component to revise the LOD methodology and ensure cooperation with institutional partners.
• Coordinate activities related to capacity development of partner LGs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and facilitate knowledge building and propose scaling-up mechanisms.
• Assist LGs in developing work plans and propose actions to ensure the activities are implemented in line with local development strategies section plans and Annual Work Plan (AWP).
• Analytically capture lessons-learned and draft reports based on the project’s experiences, and monitor the progress against targets set providing recommendations for tailored support.
• Maintain close collaboration with other relevant projects/programs and organizations in BiH.
• Regularly meet with the representatives of partner LGs to ensure good relations throughout the project’s lifetime.

Contribute to activities concerning the integration of CSO and disbursement mechanisms process at different government levels:

• Assist in the comprehensive mapping of the existing funding mechanisms to civil society organizations at the cantonal, entity, and state level including the methodology and impact.
• Provide input for setting up the mechanism for cooperation and coordination among different government levels to avoid overlapping and lack of support for key priorities.
• Provide input for setting up working groups including the representatives of state, entity, and cantonal level, representatives of local governments and civil society organisations.
• Ensure that all participants in the working group understand the necessity of the process of transparent fund disbursement for CSO.
• Coordinate all steps with other stakeholders contributing to legal framework adoption for transparent fund disbursement, including all necessary steps.
• Ensure the necessary involvement of key actors from civil society organizations, consulting them directly and through public hearings.
• Ensure that information about verticalization processes is accessible and comprehensive to everyone.
• Ensure networking and a good cooperative atmosphere among different stakeholders in the process.
• Assist LGs to involve citizens is co-designing and implementing small scale projects like park clean-ups, cultural activities.

Fostering cooperation between local governments and civil society organizations:

•  Assist in comprehensive mapping of the existing forums in partner local government and ensure there is a strategic approach that builds trust, promotes mutual understanding, and encourages collaborative action.
• Organise forums to share ideas, challenges, and ensure progress., using tools like websites, and newsletters to keep each other informed, and making sure that both partners have nominated designated contact persons for communication.
• Involve CSO in local government budgetary planning and policy making.
• Ensure that LG makes information about decision-making and funding allocation readily available.
• Facilitate knowledge exchanges such as workshops on best practices on CSO project implementation on small-scale projects that involve joint efforts, serving as models for broader collaboration.
• Ensure successful partnerships among CSOs and LG are recognized through awards, public acknowledgments, or media coverage.
• Gather input from both partners and the community to refine practices.

Capacity building of local governments and Associations of Municipalities and Cities:

• Support capacity development of the entity Associations of Municipalities and Cities (AMC), ensuring wider outreach and sustainability of the intervention.
• Provide technical assistance in partner LGs to involve citizens into decision-making processes (setting up forums for civic engagement) and improving civic participation at local level.
• Encourage the representatives of LGs, CSOs, and possibly the business sector, to fully participate in civic forums in LGs and serve as a link between the citizens and government officials with the aim to improve community participation.
• Support the utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT) for citizens and oversee the process of improving transparency in the work of LGs.
• Monitor the work of hired consultants.
• Coordinate the visibility activities of the BiH program component (newsletters, social media, etc.) as well as promotion of the events and activities organized in partner LGs.
• Oversee planning and organization of workshops and seminars, facilitating the wide representation and full participation of local stakeholders within project activities and closely collaborating with the high official’s representatives and local servants.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and scaling-up successful approaches in the broader UNDP local governance team.

Mainstreaming gender equality and ensuring knowledge management:

• Supports the Project Manager and CSOs in mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation.
• Ensures gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the projects’ activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses, and, where specifically relevant, analysed in detail.
• Ensures that all the data, when collecting and compiling inputs relating to programme are gender disaggregated.
• Ensure knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in project knowledge products.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, and in close cooperation with the Community Support Officer, the incumbent will be responsible that civic engagement activities and grant scheme initiatives are positively embraced by both civil society organizations (CSOs) and citizens.

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

• Strategic Thinking:
  • Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks. link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
• Effective Decision Making:
  • Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
• Knowledge Generation:
  • Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
• Knowledge Facilitation:
  • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas.
  • Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
• Partnerships Management:
  • Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• CSO engagement:
  • Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs.
• Relationship management:
  • Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.