Public Finance Management Project Coordinator [Open to internal and external applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The Kyrgyz Republic remains strongly committed to the 2030 Agenda and to integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into national policies and programmes. SDG priorities have been embedded in the country’s development framework through the 2040 National Development Strategy, the National Development Programme 2021–2026, and sectoral strategies on health, education, gender, youth, green economy, digitalization, and regional development. 

Financing sustainable development remains a central challenge. Achieving the SDGs requires a clear understanding of investment needs and stronger alignment of public and private finance with national priorities. With support from international partners, the Government has undertaken significant efforts to expand financing opportunities and improve coherence across planning, budgeting, and investment processes, including through the launch of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF).

Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms are essential to these efforts. A robust PFM system ensures that public resources are allocated efficiently, transparently, and in line with fiscal targets and development objectives. This is particularly important for Kyrgyzstan as a country in transition, facing structural constraints, exposure to external shocks, and the need for continued investment in infrastructure and human capital. Effective PFM strengthens macro-fiscal stability, supports SDG-focused budgeting, and increases investor confidence by demonstrating accountable and predictable financial governance.

These reforms are also aligned with the EU Global Gateway approach, which promotes sustainable infrastructure, connectivity, and private sector engagement. This project does not directly finance infrastructure, it creates the enabling conditions - sound fiscal governance, improved public investment management, and stronger domestic resource mobilization - required for Global Gateway investments to deliver lasting impact.

The EU-funded project “Advancing Public Finance Management Reforms for Sustainable Development Goals Achievement in Kyrgyzstan” aims to enhance the effectiveness, inclusiveness, and transparency of the national PFM system. Building on UNDP’s long-standing cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and previous PFM initiatives, the project provides targeted Technical Assistance (TA) to consolidate existing reforms and scale up proven approaches, thereby supporting Kyrgyzstan’s progress toward the SDGs.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate effective project planning and implementation (50%): Act as UNDP Project Manager and Coordinator lead the implementation of activities and ensures effective collaboration with other programs and stakeholders.
• Technical Advisory (30%): Provide technical inputs, oversight and advisory services in the design of activities and initiatives to ensure efficient outcome and service delivery.
• Establish partnerships and open channels of communication (10%): Lead and facilitate strategic partnership building and possible resource mobilization with relevant stakeholders.
• Other duties (10%): Perform other duties that may be required by the Team Leader of the Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Programme at the UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Coordinate effective project planning and implementation:

• Deliver project outputs on programme‑based and gender‑responsive budgeting, public investment management, and water‑sector financing.
• Coordinate all technical work: build MoF and partner capacity, keep methodologies consistent, link outputs to national PFM reforms, monitor field sites, and ensure quality.
• Plan, implement and manage activities under the assigned outputs, including:
  • preparation of annual work plans, procurement and recruitment plans;
  • management of the budget and monitoring of expenditures according to UNDP and EU guidelines;
  • quarterly and annual narrative and financial reporting according to the EU guidelines
• Ensure delivery of project activities against approved budgets and work plans in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Ensure integration of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment within project activities, particularly through gender-responsive budgeting tools.
• Ensure compliance with UNDP standard procedures, including procurement, contracting of services and formalizing partnerships.
• Assess performance of specialists working under supervision (if applicable) and provide guidance for effective implementation.
• Align project activities with UNDP mandate and corporate priorities, national strategies and programmes, ensuring contribution to the capacity development of national counterpart institutions.

Technical Advisory:

• Lead technical assistance at national level to the Ministry of Finance and partner institutions on:
  • program-based budgeting and SDG integration;
  • public investment management and appraisal;
  • gender-responsive budgeting;
  • financial planning for basin-level water management.
• Provide advisory services to beneficiaries and partners on substantive aspects of PFM reforms, PBB, SDG-aligned budgeting, public investment management and basin financing.
• Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area. 
• Manage documentation, knowledge products and lessons learned; Monitor action plans, manage correspondence, maintain files, and organize meetings, trainings and workshops related to PFM reform.
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

Establish partnerships and open channels of communication:

• Liaise with key stakeholders and partners to ensure proper coordination and partnership within the framework of project implementation (Ministry of Finance, line ministries, local authorities, civil society, academia, water basin institutions).
• Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify stakeholder needs and how best to leverage their participation and/or strengthen their engagement. Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives. Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.
• Work with media and communication teams to promote project results and visibility in Kyrgyzstan.
• Ensure coordination with national and local government bodies, civil society and target institutions for effective implementation and ownership.
• Work with communications teams to show results and ensure EU visibility.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The PFM Project Coordinator will work under the direct supervision of the Team Leader of the Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Programme (primary supervisor) and in close engagement with the Programme Associate of the SED Programme, and in close collaboration with key national partners - Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and other key governmental bodies and development partners.

The project will be implemented within the UNDP Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Cluster. The project closely coordinates with the relevant activities/projects implemented under all projects and programmes in regions of Kyrgyzstan.

The PFM Project Coordinator will have a supervisory role for the project team and is responsible for managing and coordinating the project at the national and regional levels, day-to-day management and decision-making in relation to the implementation of project. She/he will coordinate all activities with  the UNDP Country Office.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People Management Competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Partnership management     

• 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

Business Direction & Strategy           

• Systems Thinking:
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Management           

• Project Management:
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management:
  • Ability to 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
• Project Management :
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Communication:
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels 
• Operations Management:
  • Ability to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master degree or equivalent) in political sciences, economy, finance, business administration or social sciences or other related field is required; 
• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned fields in combinaison with an additional 2  years of experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant working experience in managing/coordinating projects and hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects in area of economic or fiscal policy and/or in supporting the development of public finance management is required.

Languages:

• Fluency in Kyrgyz, Russian and English is required.

Required Skills:

• At least 2 years of experience in managing/coordinating project staff/ personnel
• Proven experience of working with/in international organizations’ programme and projects.
• Proven experience of working with development methodologies, including participatory approaches to strategic planning, strategic management and the management of institutional change in developing countries.
• Experience working with the international or national organizations, high-level government officials representing central governmental bodies and/or local administrations (fiscal and/or public finance management). 
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.). 

Desired Skills:

• Experience in financial and operational management is an asset.
• Knowledge of fiscal policy, PFM is desired.
• Expertise in managing economic and/or fiscal policy is an asset;
• Knowledge of UNDP rules and procedures with regard to project management is an asset.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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