Proje Uzmanı

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Project Specialist (Based in Ankara)

 

Are you a motivated professional looking for an opportunity to contribute to impactful international development projects in a dynamic and inspiring environment? Do you want to further develop your skills in capacity development, financial and administrative processes, project implementation, and stakeholder communication while working with a multicultural team? If so, this full-time Project Specialist position may be the right opportunity for you!

 

 Background and Introduction

German Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation (DSIK) is the international consultancy and development company of the Sparkassen, the largest network of German retail banks. DSIK’s mission is to promote financial inclusion all over the world. Funded by its member banks, the German government and other donors, German experts advise partners in more than 40 countries on topics such as financial literacy and consumer protection, triple bottom line banking, capacity development, small and medium enterprise finance and others.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has commissioned German Sparkassenstiftung for internationale Kooperation (German Sparkassenstiftung) with the implementation of the project “Financial Inclusion for Refugees and Host Communities in Türkiye” since April 2021. The project focuses on enhancing the living conditions of refugees and host communities in Türkiye, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the social and economic participation of women and youth in both target groups. Its primary goal is to promote the financial and economic inclusion of refugees and economically disadvantaged local populations through financial education, support for entrepreneurial activities, and integration into the Turkish financial sector.

To achieve these objectives, the German Sparkassenstiftung collaborates with governmental and non-governmental partners, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), the Turkish Grameen Microfinance Program (TGMP) and local Chambers of Commerce in the pilot cities. The project is implemented in Ankara, Bursa, Gaziantep, İstanbul, and Konya, aiming to strengthen the financial and business knowledge of the target groups and facilitate their integration into the formal financial system. Within this respect Sparkassenstiftung Türkiye will hire a full time Project Specialist to support project team.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Specialist will play a key role in the implementation of German Sparkassenstiftung’s projects in the designated region, with a particular focus on capacity development activities, financial processes, and the financial inclusion of target groups. The position requires close engagement with beneficiaries, local stakeholders, partner institutions, and relevant public and private sector actors.

The primary responsibilities of the Project Specialist include planning, organizing, coordinating, and monitoring trainings, workshops, seminars, meetings, and other project-related activities. The Specialist will support entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business development, and capacity-building activities targeting MSMEs and other beneficiary groups, while strengthening cooperation with local partners and stakeholders.

In addition, the Project Specialist will contribute to the implementation, monitoring, documentation, and reporting of financial and operational processes within the project framework. This includes supporting application, evaluation, follow-up, and reporting procedures related to beneficiary support activities, while ensuring compliance with donor requirements, institutional procedures, transparency standards, and financial accountability principles.

The role also involves conducting field visits, needs assessments, stakeholder meetings, and regular follow-up activities to monitor progress, identify challenges, and contribute to the effective implementation of project activities. Furthermore, the Project Specialist will support monitoring and evaluation, reporting, communication, and coordination processes in close collaboration with project teams, external experts, local stakeholders, and other German Sparkassenstiftung offices when necessary.

 

A. Conducting Trainings and Capacity Building for Partner Institutions

• Support the planning, implementation, and monitoring of training and capacity development activities under the supervision of the Training Coordinator.
• Collaborate with partner institutions, trainers, and relevant stakeholders to ensure the effective planning and implementation of training programs.
• Support the preparation, adaptation, review, and updating of training modules and educational materials in line with the needs of target groups and project objectives.
• Monitor training activities and prepare related reports, evaluations, participant records, and follow-up documentation.
• Ensure the quality, accessibility, and relevance of training content and contribute to the continuous improvement of learning materials and methodologies.
• Support trainers and experts by identifying operational and training-related needs and facilitating smooth coordination throughout the implementation process.
• Organize and coordinate logistical arrangements for trainings and events, including venue booking, transportation, accommodation, catering, stationery, and other operational support services when required.
• Contributes to the management, maintenance, and updating of the DSIK digital training and e-learning platforms, ensuring accessible and user-friendly content.
• Support communication, outreach, and participant coordination processes to facilitate the active participation of target group and beneficiaries in project activities.
• Coordinate closely with project teams, local stakeholders, and partner institutions to ensure the effective delivery and sustainability of capacity development activities.

 

B. Financial Process & Management

• Support the implementation and monitoring of financial and operational processes within the project framework under the supervision of the Financial Sector Coordinator.
• Support beneficiary-related financial processes, including documentation, verification, follow-up, and reporting procedures, while ensuring transparency, compliance, and accountability.
• Support the compilation of documents from beneficiaries for grant disbursement.
• Assess the target group for financial support in alignment with project standards.
• Monitor grant utilization and provide recommendations for effective fund management.
• Collect, verify, and organize financial proof documents (e.g., invoices, receipts, contracts) for auditing purposes.
• Track microfinance loan disbursements made to micro-entrepreneurs by partner institutions.
• Assist in budget planning and track expenditures related to project activities.
• Coordinate with relevant project teams in the preparation of financial, operational, and progress reports, ensuring proper documentation and compliance with internal procedures.
• Perform and support routine financial and administrative tasks, including bookkeeping support, transaction tracking, maintaining records, and organizing supporting financial documentation.
• Follow up on payments, invoices, bank-related processes, and other financial transactions while ensuring proper filing, accuracy, and compliance with institutional procedures.
• Assist in the preparation of financial documents for legal audits, in coordination with accounting teams.

 

C. Support for Project Management & Organization

• Support partner institutions in the planning, coordination, and implementation of trainings, workshops, and other project activities.
• Provide continuous operational and coordination support to trainers, consultants, and partner organizations throughout project implementation processes.
• Collaborate with the Training Team and project staff in the development, adaptation, and improvement of training materials, reporting tools, and learning content when required.
• Prepare and follow up on procurement-related documentation, including Terms of Reference (ToRs), contracts, quotations, and other administrative documents in line with institutional procedures.
• Support procurement, contracting, and payment processes for third-party services, consultants, trainers, suppliers, and event-related expenditures while ensuring compliance with project and donor requirements.
• Assist in budget tracking, bookkeeping support, expenditure monitoring, invoice collection, payment follow-up, and maintaining accurate financial and administrative records.
• Coordinate with finance and project teams to ensure proper documentation, filing, and reporting of operational and financial processes.
• Support project team members during field visits, monitoring activities, beneficiary meetings, and stakeholder engagement processes in target regions.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for field activities, trainings, workshops, and meetings, including travel arrangements, accommodation, transportation, venue coordination, and participant communication.
• Maintain organized project documentation and assist in the preparation, compilation, and archiving of project reports, records, and supporting documents.
• Contribute to the smooth implementation of project activities by ensuring effective coordination, communication, and operational follow-up across different project components.

 

D. Effective Communication and Coordination

• Support the DSIK Country Representative and other Coordinators in managing and organizing project activities.
• Assist in creating and maintaining an expert pool for relevant assignments.
• Strengthen coordination and collaboration between German Sparkassenstiftung experts, suppliers, and partner institutions.
• Conduct on-site visits to target groups to monitor project activities, assess challenges, and ensure alignment with project goals.
• Support the team in documenting success stories by collecting relevant public relations materials from the field.
• Ensure timely and effective communication among all stakeholders, including beneficiaries, partner institutions, and field teams.
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing initiatives within Sparkassenstiftung and between local actors.
• Translate documents, training materials, meetings and other project-related content between English and Turkish ensuring accuracy and consistency, if necessary.
• Mobilize participants to attend project and ensure effective communication with beneficiaries.
• Support close collaboration with trainers, field teams, and local stakeholders.
• Maintain regular communication with the project coordination team to ensure smooth and timely implementation of activities
• Perform other project related duties and tasks as requested by management.

 

Place of Duty

The office base for the position will be in Ankara. There may be occasionally travel to other cities in Türkiye as needed to support project-related activities, under the guidance and supervision of the project team.

 

Contract and Duration

The position will commence in July 2026 and continue until the end of July 2027, with a possible two-month prolongation period during which either party may terminate the contract upon notice. The contract may be extended based on performance and project needs.

 

Qualifications and Skills

• University degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Social Sciences, Communication, Public Administration, Finance, or a related field. A master’s degree is considered an asset.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in international organizations, NGOs, donor-funded projects, development cooperation, livelihoods, financial inclusion, capacity development, entrepreneurship, education, or humanitarian programs.
• Proven experience in project implementation, stakeholder coordination, training and workshop facilitation, field operations, and beneficiary engagement processes.
• Experience collaborating with public institutions, local authorities, partner organizations, private sector actors, and community-based stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of project management, operational processes, financial administration, budgeting, procurement, reporting, and donor compliance procedures.
• Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks, data collection, reporting methodologies, and project documentation processes.
• Strong analytical, quantitative, qualitative research, and report-writing skills with high attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and financial records.
• Excellent organizational, coordination, communication, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams in both office-based and field environments.
• High level of professional integrity, responsibility, and sensitivity toward cultural, social, and gender-related dynamics while working with diverse and vulnerable groups.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook; familiarity with project management, communication, and digital collaboration tools is considered an asset.
• Excellent written and spoken Turkish and English skills, including strong drafting, reporting, and presentation abilities. Knowledge of Arabic is considered an advantage.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and critical-thinking skills with the ability to adapt to dynamic working environments and changing project needs.
• Willingness and ability to travel within Türkiye and project regions when required.
• Completed military service for male candidates.

• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize responsibilities, and work under deadlines.
• Willingness and ability to travel within Türkiye when required.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a dynamic and multicultural team environment.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and eager to learn in a fast-paced international working environment.

 

Application Process

1. Application Submission: Interested candidates should send their CV to [email protected] and write the reference code PS-28 in the subject line of the e-mail.
2. Motivation Video (Shortlisted Candidates Only): Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and asked to submit a self-recorded motivation video (maximum 2 minutes).
   In the video, candidates are expected to briefly introduce themselves and explain their motivation.
3. Case Study & In-Person Interview: Candidates who meet the requirements of the position and pass the stage will be invited to the office for an in-person interview.
   As part of the process, they will be expected to complete a case study task.
   The case study and interview together are expected to take approximately 3 hours.
4. Final Interview: Candidates who reach the final stage will be invited for a final interview with the Country Representative.
5. Final Evaluation and Selection: Following the final interview, the selected candidate will be notified, and the recruitment process will be completed.

 

https://www.sparkassenstiftung-turkey.org/