Country Portfolio and Grants Analyst

Contract

This is a NO-B contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 4,609 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Background Information - Job-specific

Background Information – The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) Operational since July 2021, SHF is a new and innovative Fund dedicated to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund is a UNOPS Trust Fund committed to saving lives and improving the well-being of people by improving access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health hygiene. The Fund will invest in country-led programmes to accelerate progress and sustainable impact toward the achievement of SDG 6.2.

The Fund will maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of international development assistance and national investment. Staff at the Fund manage grants and other financial modalities, coordinate with partners, support countries, monitor and evaluate results, report on progress, manage donor relations and raise funds.

At the core of the new architecture is a country funding model designed to be an efficient and effective mechanism that can operate at scale and deliver impact supported by a suite of policies that define how funding is to be invested. The SHF uses development, impact and innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and the long-term sustainability of its programs.

The SHF is looking for mission-oriented, collaborative, open-minded and flexible candidates who are passionate about global development.

Role of the Country Portfolio and Grants Analyst

Reporting to the Country Fund Portfolio Manager and maintaining close collaboration with functional teams, the Country Portfolio and Grants Analyst will provide technical input to manage countries’ progression throughout the SHF grant life cycle and engagement processes and contribute to supporting the risk management processes of the portfolio at the country level.

The Analyst will also support procurements, grants and contracts management, as well as other related matters. They would also advise on UNOPS rules and regulations in the above-mentioned areas to ensure a fully compliant and effective service of the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Portfolio grant cycle management

• Prepare and review grant award requests, draft grant agreements and subsequent amendments, using the approved templates ensuring that all agreements and amendments are constructed and issued in line with UNOPS legal and financial rules and regulations;

• Act as the secretary of the Grant Selection Committee and facilitate the decision-making process of the committee through coordination with Grantees (Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners) and all relevant teams to ensure quality documentation promptly;

• Ensuring that the onboarding of new partners is adapted to the partners’ needs and is aligned with SHF and UNOPS rules and regulations

• Supports to operations team in reviewing grant budgets, and financial reports against approved budgets, to provide critical feedback to the Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners, programme teams, operations and support services, as relevant;

• Verify reporting requirements are adhered to and ensure teams liaise closely with relevant teams in UNOPS and SHF on any delays or other difficulties;

• Review disbursement requests and ensure payments are processed based on the grant agreement, agreed disbursement schedules, and agreed targets and results;

• Support the design and formulation of processes related and relevant to UNOPS OI for grants - including risk management, quality assurance and quality control;

• Communicate with and provide guidance/advice to Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners on grant-related and financial matters, in collaboration with the Operations Team;

• Resolve operational and process issues related to grant management, and refer complex issues as relevant (supervisor and/or operational team) with recommendations for courses of action;

• Contribute to the coordination and follow-up on spot checks, reviews and audit recommendations of Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners;

• Support the coordination of the process of operational and financial closure of grants and projects;

  2. Contracts Management

• Support drafting Terms of Reference for subcontractors and consultants, suitable firms/institutions and support the evaluation of proposals received and recommendations for contract awards and negotiations as per UNOPS procurement policy;

• Initiate drafting and finalization of Contracts with vendors, including Amendments;

• Maintenance of Contracts filing system/database and support the implementation of Procurement Strategy;

• Monitoring compliance and risks as regards Contracts Management.

  3. Capacity Strengthening and Risk Management:

• Organize and support Partner’s capacity development and training in financial and any other organizational management aspects that may arise from the Country Monitoring Agent’s capacity assessments and highlighted in Risk registers;

• Support training opportunities to be able to provide contributions on the relevant tools, approaches and procedures, and ensure effective project implementation.

• Provide day-to-day help and guidance to the Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners to ensure their understanding of, and compliance with, any relevant operational guidelines, terms and conditions of the grant agreement, and UNOPS requirements;

• Actively liaise with UNOPS grants teams to align to the extent possible Primary Recipient/Implementing Partner capacity development efforts as well as streamlining and harmonizing of practices and tools with UNOPS Geneva;

• Actively compiling lessons learned and best practices, and sharing knowledge and best practices within the UNOPS Geneva Office and with Primary Recipients/Implementing Partners, on financial and organizational management.

  4. Knowledge, , Grant Systems Administration and Documentation

• Draft lessons learned and best practices, and share knowledge and best practices within the project team and other relevant fora.

• Ensure that all records are collected and maintained, both hard and electronic copies for easy reference and retrieval.

• Support and influence the design and adoption of a suitable grant management system and ensure efficient use of the system.

• Maintain a database /archive of all grant-related information and documentation of all the Implementing Partners.

• Collaborate with country stakeholders and SHF Technical Advisory Services to feed information relevant to SHF portfolio investments to SHF partners and/or teams;

• Review collate and analyze data on potential opportunities to inform SHF strategic positioning and contribute to an ongoing database of identified entry points for SHF engagement with Governments and potential investors;

• Support research to monitor needs, trends and developments to inform market shaping, enabling environment and grant funding work to further evolve SHF workstreams;

• Support development of knowledge assets around innovation scaling from analyzing lessons learnt and good practices;

• Draft and finalize talking points, including for the Directorate, and contribute to the drafting and development of documents, articles, and publications.

• Support the organization of events, workshops and conferences as required.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:- A master’s degree in political science, international development, social sciences, environment-related sciences, water and sanitation engineering, economics, and business.

• A Bachelor's degree with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree.

Experience:- Minimum 2 years experience as a Project Officer/Analyst with a development organization, public health, or finance institutioni required;

• Experience in grant management, budgeting, and/or contract management is required;

• Strong computer skills, including internet navigation and office applications (Google Workspace/MS Office); good knowledge in the use of Excel spreadsheets/Google sheets is required;

• Good knowledge of UN contractual and accounting principles and modalities is strongly desirable;

• Previous experience with UNOPS is desirable;
• Experience in collating and analyzing information and preparing concise reports for decision-makers is desirable.

Language Requirements: - Fluency in English (i.e. writing, reading and speaking) is required.

• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language, particularly French, is an asset.

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment (FTA - UN Staff Contract) Contract level: ICS-9 / NOB Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

This is a local position, therefore only Nationals of the duty station or applicants who are legally entitled (i.e. those with valid residence/work permit) to be employed in the duty station will be considered.

For more details about United Nations staff contracts, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/UN-Staff-Contracts.aspx

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.