National consultant - project manager

I. Background
The e-Governance Agency is seeking to enhance its capacity for development and uptake of Government digital solutions for the private sector, to streamline business operations and eliminate the compliance burden. In this effort, the e-Governance Agency is supported by Moldova Future Technologies Activity (FTA), funded by USAID and Sweden, the goal of which is to incentivize digital transformation of businesses and adoption of innovation, enhance the competitiveness of local businesses and Moldova’s transformative economic sectors, develop the digital economy and integration with Western markets.

II. Objectives
A Project Manager will be hired to join the Project Implementation Department of the e-Governance Agency to support development, management and implementation of Government digital solutions for the private sector. The Project Manager’s roles will be to:
- Consult the e-Governance Agency, and Government overall, on assessment, prioritization and development of Government IT solutions for businesses (data exchange, electronic services, access to Government data, etc) to streamline business operations and minimize the compliance burden.
- Manage development and implementation of selected IT solutions for businesses, implemented through the support of the e-Governance Agency;
- Advise on the opportunity for the private sector to use and adapt the existing Government solutions for B2B and B2C transactions (such as electronic payments, digital identity, authentication, data exchange), as well as capture opportunities for the Government to (re)use and adapt existing solutions developed by or in partnership with the private sector minimizing costs and increasing efficiencies.
- Proactively coordinate and orchestrate the policy agenda for digital transformation of businesses and digital economy to ensure alignment of objectives of key stakeholders, including Government, private sector, tech multinationals and development partners

III. Scope of Work
The Project Manager will undertake the following tasks:
1. Lead, coordinate and manage the development of concepts, technical requirements, terms of reference required for development of Government solutions for businesses (data exchange, electronic services, access to Government data) and consolidation of shared Government digital platforms and services associated to this sector;
2. Ensure ongoing monitoring. mapping and prioritization of needs and opportunities for IT solutions used by the private sector;
3. Develop roadmaps for implementing IT solutions;
4. Moderate working groups and task forces established for developing IT solutions for businesses;
5. Contribute to development of bidding documents, in collaboration with the project implementation unit, as required;
6. Take part in selection process of contractors for digitalization of public services, including, evaluation of technical proposals, assisting the project implementation unit in compiling the evaluation report, taking part in contract negotiations;
7. Manage the contractors and stakeholders in implementing the information systems supporting digitalization of Government services for businesses, according to agreed timeframes, budgets and quality criteria;
8. Manage and coordinate the needed integration between information systems (Mconnect interoperability platform);
9. Validate and coordinate any modifications, change requests, new functionalities of the information systems under development, , according to agreed timeframes, budgets and quality criteria;
10. Perform day-to-day project management activities, including, but not limited to:
a) Develop, organize and keep project records based on PMI PMBOK , Agile development methodology and eGA templates as appropriate for the project
b) Store all project records using eGA infrastructure (O365 SharePoint and/or Azure DevOps);
c) Estimate the resources needed to achieve project goals;
d) Maintain overall control of the scope, schedule, tasks and deliverables;
e) Maintain effective communication with all project stakeholders;
f) Manage project expectations with team members and other stakeholders;
g) Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path;
h) Proactively manage changes in project scope, identifying potential crises, and devising contingency plans;
i) Build and develop relationships with project stakeholders, vital to the success of the project;
j) Develop lessons learned, best practices and tools for project management;
k) Develop and deliver and present periodic progress reports to project stakeholders;
l) Assist eGA and beneficiary institutions with validation and sign-off of project deliverables.
m) Identify, together with eGA legal team, beneficiaries and suppliers, legal changes required to implement the services and platforms according to newly designed processes and contribute to their development;
n) Participate in technical team meetings internally and externally with counterparts, as appropriate, to help identify and implement integrated IT solutions;
o) Provide ongoing support to eGA counterparts in the implementation of ICT systems related to the organization’s work plan.
p) Based on lessons learned, provide recommendations to improve future performance on projects.

IV. Outputs
The outputs of the Project Manager will include, for each project:
1. Technology Roadmap for Government Services for businesses (with quarterly updates)
2. Complete project records (for each project), uploaded to eGA Knowledge Base;
3. Provide on-time full set of project deliverables, including those specified in the relevant ToRs for the contractors on new functionalities development in the existent information systems in the education sector, as well as project management artifacts (project plans, status reports, risk/issue logs, project and sprint backlogs) validated and signed off by appropriate stakeholders;
4. Concepts, technical specifications, terms of reference etc.;
5. Monthly Progress Reports.

V. Timing
This is a full-time assignment expected to commence in December 2021 with a three-month trial period. The initial contract will be signed for a period of 6 months and can be extended subject to the Consultant’s good performance and the same fee rate.

VI. Institutional arrangements
The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of and report to the Head of Project Implementation Department/ Chief Digital Officer of the eGA. The eGA will assign projects to the Consultant, in coordination with Future Technologies Activity, funded by USAID and Sweden. The assigned projects must be in line with the goals and objective of Future Technologies Activity.
After the trial period, the Consultant will undergo an evaluation of performance using an individual standard eGA Performance Evaluation Form. Performance Evaluation will be completed every 12 months.

VII. Resources
The eGA will provide necessary working space, as well as any other necessary means and support for Consultant to carry out this assignment. A laptop computer will be provided by the FTA project. The Consultant will be hired within Future Technologies Activity, funded by USAID and Sweden.

VIII. Qualification requirements
Mandatory requirements
• University degree in areas such as Economics, Computer Sciences, Engineering, Telecommunications, business administration, public administration;
• Demonstrated experience in IT project management in public or private sectors (5 years);
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• Demonstrated experience in managing development of enterprise-level ICT systems;
• Familiarity with PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK);
• Familiarity with Agile software development methodologies;
• Familiarity with software development lifecycle, enterprise architecture, cloud computing and SOA concepts;
• Excellent communication skills, written and spoken, in Romanian. Knowledge of English would be a strong asset;
• Excellent time-, team-, meeting- and conflict- management skills;
• Strong self-organization and planning skills;
• Autonomy and ability to work with minimum supervision.

Preferred requirements
• International certification in project management (PMP, PRINCE2, Certified Agile Product Owner / Scrum Master/Practitioner or equivalent) would be an asset;
• Knowledge of e-Governance agenda would be an asset;
• Knowledge of the digital needs for the private sector would be a strong asset.
• Experience with development organizations and public-sector reform would be an asset.