PROJECT MANAGER

DUTY STATION:                 Sarajevo

CONTRACT TYPE:            Short-term consultancy (International); 1 position

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF POSITION:

The resolution of State Property issues is an important component in the international community’s efforts to strengthen state institutions and to underpin prospects for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s functional sustainability as a state. In this context, the Peace Implementation Council established the “Acceptable and Sustainable Resolution of the Issue of Apportionment of Property between State and other Levels of Government” as the first of five objectives for the transition of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) into the Office of the European Union Special Representative (EUSR). 

Implementation of the State Property Objective requires, as a first step, an inventory of all State Property subject to apportionment as defined by the BiH Council of Ministers’ Decision Establishing the Commission for State Property, for the Identification and Distribution of the State Property, and the Specification of Rights and obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Entities, and the Brcko District of BiH, (“Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina” 65/05).

State Property subject to apportionment broadly encompasses (1) property belonging to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in its international personality, in accordance with the Agreement on Succession Issues of the Former Yugoslavia and (2) property over which the institutions of the former Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina held rights of management and disposal as of 31 December 1991.

The State Property Inventory Project, which is being implemented with the donor assistance of the international community and under the auspices of the Office of the High Representative, provides personnel and resources to compile an accurate, timely and comprehensive inventory of immovable State Property.  The aim is to complete the inventory within 30-45 working days, audit the results as needed, and to generally facilitate a speedier resolution of the State Property transition benchmark. 

The initiative will be implemented through 16 Field Consultants and 2 Project Coordinators that will be responsible for reviewing property records in Land Registry Offices throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in cadastre offices, as necessary. They will conduct the review of property records and compile the relevant data and documentation in accordance within defined guidelines and within set timelines.

The Project Manager will be responsible for supervising the work of the Project Coordinators, for compiling and summarizing the data received from them, and for compiling the final inventory of the entire State Property, in accordance with defined guidelines and within set timelines.

The Project Manager will be expected to carry out his/her tasks independently, within the established guidelines. He/she will report to the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, in coordination with the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit, a plan of action for the gathering and compilation of State Property data from Land Registry Offices, Cadastre offices and other relevant institutions.
•   Develop and manage the daily schedule and workloads of Project Coordinator and Field Consultants in the process of gather and compiling data.
•   Monitor and supervise the work of the Project Coordinators, provide support and advice them. Ensure that the review of property records and compilation of the relevant data is conducted in accordance with the defined guidelines, which may include spot checks, as necessary.
• Develop, in coordination with the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit, recommendations to overcome any  obstacles in the process of compiling complete and accurate data.
• Compile and process the relevant data and documentation on State Property in accordance with the defined guidelines and forward the established data bases (containing all relevant data, i.e. inventory of the entire State Property) to the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit and the Head of OHR Department for Legal Affairs.
•   Provide full report on the conducted data compilation to the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit and the Head of OHR Department for Legal Affairs, including the established deficiencies in the compiled data and documentation, as well as other relevant information.
• Coordinate the workload and cooperate closely with the Project Coordinators and the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit, in order to ensure maximum efficiency.
• Other tasks as required by the Head of the Commercial and Fiscal Law Unit or the Head of the OHR Department for Legal Affairs.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS

·                    Law Degree;

·                    Have at least five years of relevant professional experience;

·                    Experience with and/or knowledge of laws regulating in rem rights, property relations and land books is a strong advantage;

·                    Full computer literacy;

·                    Experience with data bases is an advantage;

·                    Very strong organizational and managerial skills;

·                    Excellent knowledge of English language;

·                    Ability to travel throughout the country and work in the field, also long hours;

·                    Ability to work with minimal supervision and to operate as a part of a team;

·                    Proven ability to work under stress and considerable pressure.

Any person with the above qualifications should provide (in English) a CV with a one-page cover letter and references to the following:

No telephone inquiries please