Program Officer- Uzbekistan

Position: CIPE Representative

Reports To: Central Asia Program Officer

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is seeking a CIPE Representative for a twenty-two-month full-time engagement of a US-government funded project. The project aims to develop bottom-up strategies that empower workers’ and employers’ organizations to implement solutions independently of the state that improve working conditions at the ground level in Uzbekistan’s cotton production sector. CIPE will bring leading cotton clusters in Uzbekistan together to receive training on worker’s rights and labor compliance; establish and implement labor standards for the Uzbek cotton market; and support clusters in implementing compliance programs. CIPE will also aim to bring local cotton businesses, global brands, government officials, and worker representatives together to exchange information, build trust, and develop shared understandings of how to assure standards of transparency, demonstrable commitment to labor rights, and good corporate governance.  

The Program Officer will lead all project management tasks of CIPE’s program in Uzbekistan, including all project activity implementation, financial compliance, and reporting. S/he will represent CIPE in Uzbekistan in coordination with local partners and project beneficiaries.  The CIPE Representative will work to facilitate dialogue within the private sector around creating a competitive and compliant business climate in the cotton sector, as well as supporting the development of training programs on labor rights and compliance. The Program Officer will also engage the public sector, through a alliance of private sector and labor stakeholders, and in coordination with the CIPE Central Asia Program Officer, to pave the way for efficient and effective advocacy for transparent market and governance norms that would positively impact the cotton industry in Uzbekistan.

This full-time position is available in April 2023 contingent on the receipt of US-government funding. This position is based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and will report to CIPE’s Central Asia Program Officer. CIPE will complete a project orientation with the successful candidate, including training on CIPE operational systems and standards as well as project management expectations.

Founded in 1983, CIPE is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a core institute of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), working at the intersection of economic and democratic development. CIPE partners with business associations, chambers of commerce, think tanks and other groups to implement homegrown, business-led solutions to local development challenges. CIPE’s program areas are: Anti-Corruption & Ethics; Enterprise Ecosystems; Business Advocacy; Democratic Governance; Trade; and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Based in Washington, DC, CIPE teams are active in over 20 countries through field offices and representatives, with a network of partners in over 70 countries. CIPE has implemented projects with funding from the NED, USAID, the US State Department, EBRD, the donor agencies of Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and others, as well as private foundations.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Coordinate in-country activities for the program in Uzbekistan with oversight by CIPE’s Central Asia Program Officer. Responsibilities include coordination with partners and managing logistics and travel requirements.
• Monitor local political and economic developments in Uzbekistan and Central Asia, broadly, as they pertain to the WBA program.  Report on these developments in weekly staff meetings, monthly written reports, and more frequently by email when the situation requires it.  
• Draft monthly internal reports to CIPE’s Washington, D.C. office and contribute to funder reporting, translating documents when necessary.
• Provide interpretation during meetings to all CIPE staff visiting the region in coordination with Central Asia Program Officer.
• Update and oversee the maintenance of a database of Clusters Associations, entrepreneurs, civil society, academicians, government representatives and other key stakeholders involved in the program.
• In coordination with the Central Asia Program Officer, oversee and participate in partner activities and represent CIPE, when appropriate.
• Adhere to appropriate office procedures as dictated by CIPE and its funding representatives.
• Ensure compliance with donor guidelines and procedures in managing programs. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications include:

• At least three years of demonstrated experience in project management.
• Bachelor’s Degree in related field.
• Knowledge of political and economic dynamics of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
• Full professional proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Effective interpersonal and teamwork skills and the ability to work independently, and as part of a small team.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to free market principles and the democratic ideals of freedom, equality, inclusion, participation, prosperity, and growth.
• Strong writing abilities and analytical skills.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple, detail-oriented, tasks simultaneously with limited supervision in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to develop and monitor project budgets.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Outlook, and Word.

Other desired qualifications include:

• Experience in project management for US or other foreign-funded projects.
• Demonstrated understanding of public-private partnership models, mechanisms, and advocacy.
• Demonstrated understanding of international labor standards and corporate governance norms.
• Excellence in writing, reporting, and English composition.