Francesca Cioni Email & Phone Number

Bangkok, Bangkok City, Thailand

Responsible for measuring market development and providingproject implementation support to UNCDF in the Asia Region.· Oversee market-level monitoring and ensure that data gatheredfrom the countries are accurate and reliable.· Liaise with the teams in the region to ensure the accurate reportingof corporate financial data while rolling out corporate planning systems,tools, and standards.· Support in resources mobilization by assisting country and regionalteams in developing the results frameworks of new proposals tofunders and make sure they are aligned with the corporate strategy, and“Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy.· Support projects reviews and evaluations in the region incollaboration with UNCDF Evaluation Unit.· Provide guidance on progress report writing (for country, regionalprojects and corporate level) to ensure a comprehensive and detaileddescription of the achievements towards projects’ goals.· Advise on project implementation and operational matters tocountry teams upon request.· Facilitate sharing of success stories and

Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand

• Act as focal point for monitoring projects implemented in the Asiaregion. Based on lessons learned, provide suggestions on how toimprove projects implementation.• Conduct projects’ mid-term reviews and monitoring visits to ensurethat the implementation of the initiatives proceeds smoothly and targetsare timely met.• Support UNCDF Evaluation Unit in carrying out projects’ externalevaluations in the region.• Provide timely support for project formulation. Worked onformulating several new initiatives: a US$30 million project in Myanmar;a US$20 million regional project for South Asian countries; a joint projectwith UNDP in DRC worth US$ 15 million.• Ensure that the start-up and implementation phases of the newinitiatives proceed smoothly by applying PRINCE2 and POPP principles.• Provide guidance to project teams in their day-to-day managementof the various initiatives and contribute to collect and aggregate theresults achieved regionally.• Provide guidance in progress report writing (for country, regionalprojects and corporate level) to ensure a comprehensive and detaileddescription of the achievements towards projects’ goals.• Liaise with colleagues in the region for the timely submission of theannual financial inclusion report to colleagues in HQ to ensurecomparability of data and avoid double counting of results in the region.

Kabul Afghanistan

• Provided quality assurance and strategically directed TKG’s projects department. Established key strategic partnerships and tripled the local NGO projects portfolio, from USD 2 million to USD 6 million, in 1.5 years, by contributing in writing several successful proposals for EU, UNICEF, UNFPA, US Embassy, Finnish Embassy, among others.• Ensured quality implementation of various projects following PRINCE2 principles.• Regularly monitor projects’ progress and provide guidance on potential adjustments to ensure that foreseen results are met in a timely manner. • Supervised a team of 10 people spread across various provinces of the country, to ensure timely implementation of project activities using a variety of tools as Microsoft Teams, Trello etc.• Ensured projects’ visibility and dissemination of lessons learned by writing donor reports and drafting communications materials describing the main implementation achievements. • Drafted several communications materials (brochures, briefs, leaflets, press-releases etc.) describing the main implementation achievements of the various projects to raise the profile of the local NGO. • Built and maintained strategic relationships with a range of stakeholders, including EU, Embassies and UN agencies among others, to increase the profile of the local NGO.

Jerusalem Area, Israel

• Provided support in running a €120,000 interest-free micro credit fund aimed at promoting micro and small enterprises led by young people and women.• Provided support to local entrepreneurs to prepare strong applications for funding. • Oversaw the due diligence process that enabled the selection of 17 investments, ranging from support of Palestinian women-led micro-enterprises to promotion of Palestinian small shops and artisanal activities in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah with the aim of improving economic development, particularly for women and youth through digital solutions.• Set up monitoring systems using market development approaches. Created dashboards and established performance-based indicators, to track investments progress in achieving agreed targets and conducted regular monitoring visits to the various investments.• Wrote detailed progress reports on the activities implemented and results achieved by the funded projects with key elements and findings presented into concise, coherent language and timely submitted them to the Foundation. • Increased the visibility of the initiative by widely disseminating success stories from the grantees on local media and organizing lessons sharing workshops among them on a regular basis.• Built strategic partnerships with a range of stakeholders and secured additional 100,000 Euro funding for another round of the micro credit fund.

Jerusalem Area, Israel

• Successfully provided support to management in running a 53 million Euro credit facility benefiting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) led by Palestinian young people and women applying PRINCE2 principles.• Contributed to the launch of two rounds of calls for proposals and facilitated a thorough review of the applications, including basic financial analysis, to ensure quality partnerships.• Closely monitored the 4 investments funded by the credit facility, ranging from supporting SMEs run by Palestinian women or employing women, to Palestinian SMEs providing digital solutions in more disadvantaged areas of the West Bank.• Regularly conducted monitoring visits and stakeholders’ interviews. • Created dashboards and established performance-based indicators to track the 4 investments progress in achieving agreed targets using market development approaches and investigating their transformational impact to the economy.• Timely wrote quarterly reports presenting key elements/findings into concise, coherent language and submitted them to donors to ensure project accountability.• Frequently wrote news items on the grantees based on the information collected through the monitoring and supported arranging an event where grantees had the chance to share respective experiences, challenges and successes with the investments received from the credit facility.• Engaged with the European Union and other stakeholders to facilitate co-investment for upcoming rounds of the credit line.• Organized a series of workshops with relevant donors active in private sector development and digital solutions to facilitate synergies and avoid duplication of efforts.

Beirut District, Lebanon

• Supported the implementation of several projects, primarily focused on economic development and women empowerment, applying PRINCE2 principles for a total value of around USD 8 million.• Ensured results-based monitoring by supporting colleagues in establishing solid monitoring systems and regularly tracking projects progress using market development approaches and investigating various projects impact.• Conducted periodic monitoring visits, focus groups discussions and stakeholders’ interviews, particularly in rural areas, to ensure the projects achieve the foreseen results.• Elaborated progress reports for the Italian Government and other stakeholders presenting key findings in a concise manner. • Elaborated communications materials, such as press-releases, brochures, info graphics, executive-level presentations, to increase the visibility of the initiatives implemented and facilitate knowledge sharing among the projects implemented in the country.• Contributed to draft a successful proposal to support the rural development of the Bekaa Valley raising 1 million USD.• Undertook a research on the local economic and social context of the Chouf area focusing mainly on women and youth and how to support them in meaningfully contribute to the local economy.

Msc In Economics, Political Economy Of Development

MSc in Economics: Political Economy of Development Main courses “Growth and Development”, “Research Methods I and II”,“Political Economy.

Specialist Degree, Political Science; Local And International Cooperation And Development

Main courses: “Public economics”, “Political economics of conflicts”, “Theories and practices of Mondialisation”

Master Of Science, Political Science, 110 Cum Laude

MSc in Economics: Political Economy of Development Main courses “Growth and Development”, “Research Methods I and II”,“Political Economy.

Political Science, International Development And Cooperation, 110 Cum Laude

Main courses “Growth and Development”, “Research Methods I and II”,“Political Economy of Institutions”, “Financial Systems and Economic.