Team leader - Moldova Energy Reform project (full time) (M/W)

Mission description

The Team Leader will be an expert with international experience (full time based in Moldova) in charge of coordinating the Techianl Assistance (TA) activities in liaison with the focal point appointed by the Ministry of Energy, in order to facilitate the necessary contacts within the energy sector and with the various concerned stakeholders.

The team leader will have a permanent managerial role locally, both vis-à-vis the team of full time locally based experts and of short-term experts as regards their organisation of work, the number of days allocated and the contractual aspects as well as the logistical issues of their missions (transport, space, offices, equipment, etc., to be also discussed with the Ministry of Energy), and vis-à-vis the planning of activities and the compliance with the initially approved work plan. From all the TA preparatory meetings, it appeared clearly that the presence of a Team Leader in Moldova would be essential for the success of the TA.

The team leader will be responsible for the successful achievement of the project’s results. She/he will be assisted by Expertise France headquarters by the Project Manager, the Sustaniable Electricy Unit Coordinator and also by the supporting services.

She/he will work closely with the medium and short term international experts, who will ensure the technical supervision of the project and the mobilisation of the French regulation (CRE) as well as other technical experts when necessary.

More precisely, the Team Leader will have to implement the following tasks:

Strategic advice and project representation

Proposal, adjustment and implementation of the strategic and technical orientations of the project, in particular on the basis of the proposals made by the project technical experts
Project representation: networking with relevant actors in Moldova; developing and maintaining excellent working relationship with local administrations and international donors; representation of the project at high level events related to the project themes
Coordination and communication with other teams involved in the Moldovan Energy Reform process and any other relevant stakeholder

Management of the team of experts

Support Expertise France in the identification and selection of experts, when necessary
Supervision of the team of experts : validation of work plans by thematic area of the project, consolidation of the overall action plan, coordination of the execution of the program of activities. This management must be done while maintaining a very high level of communication within the team and continuous evaluation of activities, with a goal to continuously improving the project management

Project management

Operational coordination of the project: overall supervision and coordination of the inception phase; overall supervision and coordination of the project activities and the achievement of their objectives
Guarantees the strategic and operational efficiency of the project: ensures the good management of resources in achieving the objectives of the project
Supervises the timely production of expected deliverables, both with regard to activities (mission reports) and the project as a whole (inception report, annual report, final report, etc.)

Any other task related to the mission, at the request of Expertise France or the donor.

Project or context description

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is launching a program of Technical Assistance(TA) to work with the Ministry of Energy of Moldova and other relevant national stakholders. The project is parallel to a budget support loan for the reform of the Moldovan energy sector (funded by AFD). The TA will last 72 months and start in November/December 2023.

Expertise France (EF), the French public agency for international technical assistance, was entrusted by the AFD with the implementation of the project. Expertise France will be assisted in this task by the Commission de Régulation de l’Energie” (CRE): a French independent administrative authority in charge of energy regulation matters in France. Partnerships wiht other French and European public bodies working in the energy field might need to be establisehd during the project.

Required profile

The main characteristics of the TL will be threefold:

Excellent knowledge of Moldova and its general political environment;
Excellent knowledge of the energy sector issues, in general, and more particularly in the Moldovan context, experience in electricity market policy making;
Good familiarity with the EU rules, procedures and policies, especially in the energy sector, with a proven track record in that regard (demonstration of previous working experience with EU institutions).

Moreover, Expertise France will evaluate candidates according to the following criteria:

Education / qualification:

University degree (BA or MA or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, energy related fields or any other relevant discipline
Good management skills
Good communication and reporting skills
Fluent in spoken and written English and Romanian (Russian and French would be an asset)

Professional experience:

A minimum of 7 years of working experience in the energy field
Experience working on inter-agency/administration cooperation will be a strong asset
Demonstrated management skills in a multicultural environment and experience in a leadership role
Experience of international cooperation and possibly of international projects implementation
Experience in EU financed projects would be an asset
Experience in Moldova and/or the Eastern european region is an asset

Additional specific requirements:

Excellent understanding of capacity building and administrative reforms
Strong capacities in devising strategies
Strong ability to evolve in a political and sensitive environment

Additional information

Condition of the mission

The signature of the contract between Expertise France and the team leader will depend on the signature of the contract between Expertise France and its donor.
Duration of the contract: 12 months, full time (renewable) – for a total of 72 months
Beginning of the mission :November/December 2023
Contract: 12 months expatriate employment contract with Expertise France (to be confirmed depending on the nationality of the selected candidate)
Budget : Based on Expertise France’s salary grid
Working conditions: The expert will be based in Moldova, Chișinău, for the duration of the project. Occasional missions to Paris, France, and elsewhere might be necessary.

Deadline for application : 13/10/2023 10:00