National Project Coordinator Tax for SDGs at United Nations Development Programme: (Deadline 16 May 2024)

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Office/Unit/Project Description

Mission and objectives

Within the framework of Delivering as One UN in Rwanda, UNDP works closely with the Government, as well as with development partners and civil society, and all other UN agencies operating in the country to build institutional capacity and effect sustainable development. UNDP Rwanda support the Government of Rwanda effort to achieve the agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (SDGs) through technical support that includes developing human and institutional capacities, demonstrating solutions, building partnerships, and raising funds for development.

UNDP programme and activities respond to challenges facing the country achieve its short- and long-term development goals. Much of Rwanda’s impressive growth over the past two decades was a result of governance reforms to consolidate peace, build strong and accountable public institutions and create a safe, stable environment conducive to investment and growth. Areas of the justice system also require attention. While a legal aid policy was adopted in 2014 to increase access to justice, citizen satisfaction with access to legal aid remains low. Special focus is needed on female victims of gender-based violence

Context

Tax remains a primary source of revenue for both central and local governments in Rwanda. With the decline in Official Development Assistance (ODA), the country has been undertaking several initiatives to strengthen its domestic revenues and improve management of its expenditures with a view to accelerating implementation of its priorities. These measures include improving capacity at the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) to deepen the implementation of the MTRS such as improve tax compliance, enhancement of trade facilitation initiatives, promotion of equitable service delivery and tax reform initiatives. These measures are helping the government increase its revenue collections as well as strengthen its tax collection systems to operate in a more transparent manner. However, the tax-to-GDP ratio re-mains low despite gradual growth in the last ten years (15.9% of GDP in 2021/22).

However, given the structure of the taxpayer population, which is dominated by MSMEs, tax authorities face capacity challenges in tax estimations and identification of new taxpayers. Most of MSMEs are mobile and informal businesses that keep most of their transactions off-book, tend to switch businesses, and misreport their income, expenses, and losses.

The challenge of tracing and ensuring appropriate taxation is significant. In response, the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative focuses on building capacity for additional tax revenue mobilization and achieving SDGs. By enhancing domestic revenues, UNDP envisions that Rwanda will be able to implement the investments identified and achieve development aspirations within a short to medium period. Accordingly, the project proposes to support the Government and people of Rwanda in addressing the issues of low tax morale among taxpayers, economic inefficiencies, equity, high tax administration costs, tax avoidance and evasion, transfer pricing, and inadequate tax systems. More specifically, the initiative will support to the Government, at different levels, and the people of Rwanda through different interventions:

1. Strengthening tax collection by increasing digitalization and harmonizing with the taxpayer identification system;
2. Assess the option of instituting an innovative taxation framework, including green and gen-der-responsive taxes system and in line with international efforts to improve taxation and alignment with national priorities and SDGs;
3. Conducting tax gap analysis on income and wealth, corporate tax, direct/indirect taxation, health related taxes, gender sensitive taxation and property taxes;
4. Reviewing the legal framework for tax exemptions and incentives Interlinking Rwanda Revenue Authority and UNDP, the Project Coordinator will support the day-to-day coordination of the Initiative, ensuring delivery of planned activities as part of the Initiative’s Country Engagement Plan (CEP).

The Project Coordinator is also expected to contribute to providing advice to UNDP Senior Management on macroeconomic policies and trends and their linkages to UNDP programmes in order to enhance impact. The project coordinator will manage and support the implementation of the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative and provide support to UNDP Rwanda on tax-related engagements as part of their plan of financing the SDGs in the country. She/he will contribute to the analysis and formulation of strategies and briefings, closely collaborating with Government counterparts to identify policy options and solutions.

Scope of Work:

Under the direct supervision of the Country Programme Specialist/Inclusive Green Economy Unit, the project coordinator will undertake the following tasks:

Strategic and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement:

• Support the Head of IGEU in embedding the Tax for SDGs Initiative in UNDP’s broader SDG finance portfolio in UNDP Rwanda;
• Lead implementation and multi-stakeholder engagement for the Initiative in Rwanda, including engaging with tax experts, bilateral, regional, and multilateral organizations, Government (central and local governments);
• Support UNDP Rwanda in building strategic alliances and partnerships with Governments, think tanks, academic institutions, development partners and others to expand UNDP’s work on tax and fiscal policy;
• Work with the Head of IGEU to support UNDP COs and the network of Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) Economic Advisors to learn from the Rwanda experience in designing and implementing the CEP and in their broader engagement on tax and fiscal policies within the over-all Initiative;
• Provide a secretariat and technical support to the Development Partner Group on Tax or Public Finance Management in line with the requirements of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF).

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieve Result: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact;
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems;
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences;
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands;
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results;
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration;
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

People Management

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction and Strategic Thinking

• System Thinking
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Partnership Management – Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding

• Partnership Management
  • Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.

Partnership Management 

• Resource Mobilization
  • Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

Business Development 

• Knowledge Generation
  • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.

Business Management

• Result-based Management
  • Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Communication
  • Public Sector Finance (Tax and domestic resource mobilization, public financial management and public expenditure).

Requirements:

Minimum education requirements:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in taxation, law, economics, project management, financial accounting, development studies or relevant related field is required OR;
• A first level degree in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of an advanced degree.

• Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible work experience in a position directly related to taxation is required.

Required Skills:

• Experience in project management is required;
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP.

Desired skills:

• Experience in working with Rwanda Revenue authorities and other regional Revenue authorities in Africa with focus to tax administration and fiscal polices is desired;
• Experience of working in or with different regional African countries in tax issues is desired;
• Knowledge of current trends regarding taxation issues in Africa is desired;
• Experience in policy research and writing for different audiences is desired;
• Experience with UNDP or UN-system is an advantage.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda is required.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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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