Project Title: UNDP Crimea Integration and Development Programme (CIDP) Project Number: 00015088 Post Title: Cooperative Development Assistant (4 posts) Type of the contract: SC- G1/I Duty Station: Business Promotion Center (BPC) located in Sovetskiy, Nizhnegorskiy, Sakskiy, Dzankoyskiiy districts.
Introduction: The intended outcome of CIDP Local Economic Development programme component is the successful development of a market driven agricultural cooperative sector leading to: · increased employment and income generation opportunities · increased local savings and investment · social integration (fostered through implementation of cooperative work principles) · poverty reduction (through direct employment and income effects and local income multipliers)
In this way, the project will reduce marked economic disparities between underprivileged groups and the rest of the Crimean population thereby increasing social cohesion of the Crimean society. As such, the interventions will contribute to the overall CIDP objective of maintaining peace and stability in Crimea and preventing inter-ethnic violence through the integration of formerly deported people. While other programme components address issues of inter-ethnic attitudes (through the tolerance education projects) and reducing the sense of marginalization (through the governance projects), this component will address the more structural conflict risk factors which are related to people’s livelihoods, inequality and marked economic differences. Addressing those conditions will be crucial to have a long-term impact on the reduction of ethnic tensions.
UNDP intends to extend its community development interventions to include activities aimed at local economic development through the promotion of market-driven agricultural cooperatives sector. These new activities will target those areas where CIDP have already achieved successful results through a process of social mobilization and promotion of good governance. To achieve this objective, UNDP/CIDP seeks to recruit Cooperative Development Assistants for Sovetskiy, Nizhniygorskiy, Saksky, Dzankoyskiy districts of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The incumbent will work as a team member of Local Economic Development (LED) Component and will be located on site with the district branch of the Association of farmers and landowners of Crimea.
Responsibilities: The overall responsibility of the Cooperative Development Assistant is to assist members of community organizations to form and register a cooperative in order to harness local economic opportunities, including marketing, services and production activities, and to promote concept and principles of cooperative development, in close cooperation with Association of farmers and landowners of Crimea.
Specifically, under the direct supervision of the UNDP CIDP Agriculture/Cooperative Development Specialist, the incumbent will be responsible for: · Promoting the cooperative concepts, principles and its formation methodologies at community, Village, district levels · Promoting and assisting the members of community organizations in targeted multi-ethnic villages/settlements in forming and registering cooperatives aimed at improving economic conditions through various income generating activities · Assisting the community organizations to prepare realistic economic development plans and to implement these through self-help cooperatives · Assisting and building capacity of Community organizations to operate and manage effectively community development funds for income generation activities · Facilitating to establish a network of cooperative organizations to share successful experiences and to share common problems · Organizing trainings and seminars to build capacity of the cooperative organizations in planning, managing businesses · Closely coordinating with local government and non-governmental agencies to successfully implement the program · Supporting local authorities at district and village level to prepare local economic development plans and programs that promote cooperative development and job creation · Assisting the District Administrations in facilitating dialogue and participatory planning and decision-making involving cooperatives organizations in a District Forum for Integration and Development · Preparing and implementing detailed work plans for cooperative development and local resource mobilization · Creating information and database on economic opportunities and disseminating it to community members · Monitoring of cooperative activities of community organizations and reporting to CIDP as required · Producing quarterly and annual reports · Performing other tasks as requested by the CIDP management, including but not limited to serving as LED office assistant at CIDP headquarters on a rota basis.
Qualifications: · Graduate from a recognized university/institute in Agriculture, Law, Economics, Public Administration or related field · At least one year working experience in cooperative development and familiar with cooperative concepts and principles · Experience in working with communities, government and non-government organizations for development activities · Knowledge of Ukrainian legislation and procedures related to co-operative environment · Excellent interpersonal and conceptual skills for promotion of inter-ethnic integration and development · Fluency of Ukrainian and Russian, knowledge of English is an asset.
Application submitting procedure:
Interested candidates should submit their most recent UN Personal History Form (P-11, available at ) and an accompanying letter indicating their interest in the vacancy (please describe how your experience, qualifications and competencies match the above position) to with reference “Cooperative Development Assistant ” in the subject line of the email.
Please mention the minimal salary level expected in your application/CV.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 26 March 2008.
UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest.
