Capacity Building Specialist for Training Activities - retainer position

The Project “Support to European Integration of North Macedonia” is designed to support North Macedonia's accession negotiations and successful management of the overall European Union (EU) integration process. The Project is funded by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). 

This Project is part of a larger intervention supporting the EU accession process of North Macedonia, together with the complementary activities funded by Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) which was launched on 1 September 2023,  and by the Secretariat for European Affairs, launched on 1 January 2024. It will also build on the momentum generated by the predecessor, “Nordic Support for Progress in North Macedonia” (the Predecessor Project) implemented by UNOPS, which was co-funded by Sida and Norway, and as confirmed by the Final Evaluation, effectively supported the EU integration process. 

Within this context, while building on the momentum created by the predecessor, the Project will enhance the institutional, technical, and administrative capacity of the Government to conduct EU accession and will contribute to enhanced communication of the EU accession negotiation  process to the public. The overall objective will be achieved through the delivery of two coherent Results.

Specifically, Result 1 will strengthen capacities of national institutions supporting the EU accession through provision of TA and capacity building to the Government Coordination Mechanism for Accession Negotiation. Support will facilitate effective alignment of national legislation with the EU acquis and its implementation, while at the same time facilitating engagement and contributions form relevant stakeholders, and exchange of experiences and cooperation with the EU Member States and countries from the region.

Within the duration of the assignment, the Capacity Building Specialist is expected to provide support to MEA for strengthening the capacity of the MEA Training Centre. The Specialist will conduct an analysis to identify needs and priorities of MEA’s Training Centre. The analysis will provide inputs for preparation of the Action Plan for supporting MEA’s training centre and will facilitate establishment of systematic approach to training of national administration involved in the accession process. This assignment also includes support for implementation of the Training Plan for MEA employees, with focus on the line ministries and other institutions part of the negotiation structure. The assignment encompasses preparation and organisation of training events related to implementation of the harmonised legislation for various government institutions but also other topics related to EU integration.

In particular, the Specialist will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Design and conduct comprehensive Training Needs Assessment (TNA) to identify knowledge gaps and training requirements across MEA and the negotiation structure. This assessment will serve as the foundation for tailored capacity building initiatives.
• Based on the findings from the TNA, the Specialist will formulate a detailed Capacity Strengthening Plan aimed at: 

  • Enhancing the administrative capabilities of MEA and the negotiation structure

  • Strengthening legislative alignment with EU standards and other quality learning programmes to strengthen the capacity of other line ministries involved in the accession process. 

  • Identifying potential areas of cooperation with the Parliament in planning and delivery of capacity building activities for the administration of the Parliament and/or MPs. 

  • Tracking other capacity building activities across the structure, documenting outcomes, lessons learned, and providing recommendations for continuous improvement. 

  • Identifying needs for  future interventions and ensuring alignment with project objectives.

• Organise and lead interactive workshops and training sessions tailored to empower participants with the requisite skills and knowledge to effectively address the EU requirements and engage in EU integration processes. Potential cooperation with the Parliamentary Institute in planning and delivery of capacity building activities for the administration of the Parliament and/or MPs considered.
• Provide support to the preparation of the concept of the E-learning platform aimed for digitalization of the training programmes/ courses/ modules for the key stakeholders.
• Support the implementation of the Capacity Strengthening Plan within the agreed timescale and provide proper reporting;

• Advanced University Degree preferably in Public Administration, Law, Management, Development Studies, or other or other relevant discipline is required
• University Degree (Bachelor’s degree / first level) with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

• Minimum five years of experience in the developing HRM practices/ tools/ training programmes and/or implementation of the capacity building/ training activities is required
• Experience in EU accession process and/or public administration reform at the national and/or international level is required
• Previous engagement with or within negotiation structures related to European integration issues is strongly desirable

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) - retainer*
Contract level: IICA 2 (ICS 10)
Contract duration: Up to 40 working days during a period of one year

*If the selected candidate is based in a duty station where there is a national scale, s/he may be offered the local equivalent position.