OSCE Presence in Albania - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 
 

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Vacancy Notice Number: VNALBC00307
 Vacancy Type: Experts/Consultants
Field of Expertise: ECONOMIC & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Post Title:
Grade:
OSCE Mission/Institution: OSCE Presence in Albania
Duty Station: Tirana,
No. of Positions: 1
Date of Entry on Duty:
Vacancy Notice Issue Date: 01-Jul-2016
Deadline for Application: 17-Jul-2016
 
Background:
By request of the Ministry of State for Local Issues the Presence will provide technical assistance to the Government of Albania in cooperation the Agency of Inventory and Transfer of Public Properties (AITPP) and Albanian municipalities to address issues related to the process of public property transfer and management at local level. The analysis of the Presence in the framework of the support to the drafting process of the Decentralisation Strategy showed that the effective and efficient implementation of the decentralised functions by municipalities depended on a series of factors and required the addressing of several additional issues. Hence, the transfer of decentralised functions set in the new Law on Local Self Governance needs to be associated with a reviewing of specific sectors’ policies and regulatory frameworks in order clarify the conflicting situations in different sectors and to allow for an effective local governance that is able to carry out its functions.
For instance, the Article 9, letter b, of the Law on Local Self Governance provides to the LGUs the Property Right and Responsibility. The public property transfer started in 2001 and since then the process has continued to be largely stagnant. The stagnation stage varies from LGU to LGU because the transfer of public property from central to local level is a process involving and requiring action from a series of institutions at central and local level. In addition, there are many cases of public property transfers that have been completed from the administrative aspect, but the municipalities are not able to register them because the transfer is not associated with the necessary documentation. The properties to be transferred are owned by different line ministries. Each of these central institutions recorded their properties according to the sector’s standards of use, without holding any of the necessary documentation required from the Immovable Property Registration Office, or even a registration number. Furthermore the Agency of Inventory and Transfer of Public Properties, at the Ministry of Interior, has had frequent staff turnover and has very weak institutional memory on the process. This was defined during the interview meeting that the Presence had with the staff of the agency while trying to understand more in depth the issues and the ways forward.
On the other hand, at local level a consolidated practice in dealing with public property transfer and management does not exist. The staff of the municipalities have difficulties in managing the additional records that came after the merging of local government units, and need clear instructions on how to handle the data.To address this complex situation it is needed a careful analysis and detailed examination of the state of this process at central and local level in order to provide recommendations for systemic solutions of these issues. The inventory of public property is another element which needs to be examined in order to identify the problems deriving from the reorganisation of the territory. Jointly agreed recommendations, between central and local governments, need to be provided to the government in order to give a sustainable systemic solution to these issues.
ObjectiveThe objective of this assignment is the identification and addressing of issues related to the process of public property transfer and management at local level. To achieve this objective it is required the engagement of an expert to work closely with the project manager, AITPP and 4 selected municipalities to carry out the following activities: The assessment of the situation regarding property transfer and management at local level; and Capacity building of target local officials on the transfer and management process. The expert/consultant will provide expertise regarding the issues related to public property transfer and management at local level and the preparat
 
Tasks and Responsibilities:
The expert/consultant will review the operating procedures of AITPP and the institutions related to the process, including 4 selected local government units and will carry out a general assessment;
Following the assessment, the expert will prepare a report with findings and recommendations on how to address the issues that impede the completion of public property transfer at local level;
Upon completion of the assessment, the expert in cooperation with the project manager and representatives of AITPP will organise a focus group meeting to share and discuss the findings and recommendations with representatives of local authorities and central government dealing with public property transfer and management at local level;
The expert will finalise the report reflecting the relevant input from the focus group meeting.
Further in cooperation with the project manager, AITPP, Ministry of State for Local Issues and the project manager, the expert will identify specific implementable measures to be addressed at local level (such measures may include local inventory adjustments and other actions related to property management, such as the evaluation of property, calculation of amortisation and completion of the documentation, upon confirmation from the assessment).
In this regard, the expert in cooperation with AITPP and the project manager will prepare a training module which will be further presented to the representatives of Albanian municipalities in 6 regional workshops.
 
 
Necessary Qualifications:
University degree relevant to the assignment;At least 10 years of experience in the areas of local governance and property; Specific expertise related to property transfer and management process is necessary;Specific expertise related to property registration is an asset;Working experience with Government and Donors agencies;Previous experience in carrying out comprehensive assessment and analysis for the implementation of specific decentralisedfunctions;Proven experience in the implementation of enterprise wide systems; Excellent analytical and creative problem-solving skills; Excellent listening, interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; Excellent written and spoken English.
The Expert/Consultant will be required to conduct an on-site assessment of the Property Transfer Process including the relevant central institutions and 4 municipalities Tirana, Vlora, Gjirokastra and VauiDejes, in 40 working days extended over a period of 4-months.
Deliverables
A draft report of the assessment by 10 September 2016;The final assessment report by 01 October 2016;The modules of the regional workshop;The final report on all the tasks is foreseen in this assignment by the end of the assignment.
 
Remuneration Package:
The Consultant will be paid in the accordance with OSCE Presence in Albania Consultancies remuneration package
Tentative Schedule:
Start Date: 01 August 2016End Date: 20 November 2016 No. of Days/Weeks/Months: 40 working days over a period of 4 months upon work intensity requested by the project manager.
DSA is applicable: In compliance with the OSCE PiA regulation for in-country travel of local staff.
 
 
All applications are due by 17 July 2016. If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under http://www.osce.org/employment
The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment at a lower grade or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.
The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the organization.
Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process