Grant Monitoring Advisory Specialist

Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the UNOPS Geneva office (UNOPS GVA) manages a diversified portfolio of global and country specific funds, programmes and projects. The GVA services includes hosting, fund management, advisory services, project/program implementation, procurement, financial and human resources support.

UNOPS GVA implements and manages a large number of programmes, mainly through implementing partners (IPs), from a central location (head office and/or regional office). The specific set-up of these programmes can present numerous challenges when it comes to establishing monitoring and assurance systems of the implementation by IPs. The geographic diversity, the resource limitations and the size of the portfolio often force global programmes to rely on remote monitoring practices and/or third party service providers.

UNOPS GVA plans to enhance the capacity of its Portfolio Management Office (PMO) to include Programme Monitoring and Assurance (PMA) services focused in supporting programmes to manage downstream grant implementation risks.

By including PMA services to its PMO, UNOPS GVA aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. Strengthening the programmes’ capacity to effectively undertake efficient and high-quality assurance and monitoring activities during the implementation phase (e.g. IP capacity assessments, spot checks, monitoring of IP capacity improvement plans, and any other monitoring and quality control activities) required to comply with the UNOPS grants management policy as well as the programmes’ respective standards and procedures;
2. Offering access to a large number of technical experts and to an efficient mechanism able to manage constraints and challenges linked to assurance and monitoring activities:
3. Promoting and supporting a standardized and consistent approach in assurance and monitoring activities, in line with UNOPS grants management policy and other operational framework such as HACT;
4. Offering all the required planning, coordination and quality control activities/processes necessary for the implementation of these specific services;
5. Taking advantage of the portfolio grants high-volume and geographical diversity to reach economies of scales that will directly benefit the programmes financial performances; and
6. Assuring independence, segregation of roles between the programme management teams and the assurance activities, in line with UNOPS policy; and
7. Strengthening donors/stakeholders confidence in UNOPS GVA programmes capacity to provide independent, cost effective and high-standards assurance and monitoring activities.

The main services to be offered will cover the following activities:

• Capacity assessment
• PSEA assessment
• Spot checks on delivery performance
• Capacity improvement plan definition, and implementation monitoring
• Downstream grant risks management strategies
• Any other activities identified through consultation with the programs

Reporting directly to the UNOPS GVA Head of Programme, and under the technical guidance of the Advisory Services Portfolio & Partnership Manager, the grant monitoring advisory specialist will lead the structuring and launching phase of the PMA services . The responsibilities, once the set-up phase completed, will include the overall management, coordination, and quality control of the PMA services including, with the collaboration of UNOPS GVA HR unit, the management of the consultants rosters, and with the collaboration of UNOPS GVA procurement unit, the management of Long Term Agreements (LTAs) for the delivery of services.

The Grant Monitoring Advisory Specialist will directly interact with the UNOPS GVA programmes from the definition of the service needs to the delivery of the final reports.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Lead the structuring and launching of the PMA service - Take the lead in the set-up of the dedicated PMA services for UNOPS GVA programmes; - Develop the appropriate SoPs and ToRs required to effectively carry out the defined services; - This will include the review of existing tools, processes within the GVA portfolio and other known best practices within the UN, INGOs, and IFIs; - Together with the finance unit, develop the cost-recovery mechanism of this dedicated unit; - Together with the HR department, develop and maintain rosters of expert consultants that can provide timely support to UNOPS GVA programs in diverse areas of expertise and geographical implementation; - Together with the procurement department, establish LTAs with services provided at country and/or regional levels;

2. Lead the delivery of the PMA service - Take the full lead in the promotion, planning, coordination, delivery, and quality control of the PMA services. - Assist and advise the programmes on the good practices and activities to be implemented based on their needs and UNOPS compliance requirements; - Develop technical and financial proposals according to the UNOPS financial rules and regulations and related program/project policies; - Work with the global programs in the planning, coordination and quality control of the advisory services to be performed in support of the implementation of their respective annual work plans; - Working with programmes/projects, to ensure that pipeline activities are communicated to expert resources to keep the market engaged and informed; - Monitor across the UNOPS GVA programmes/projects portfolio delivery progress against the work orders, advising and guiding respective programmes/projects on assignment progress and deliverables; - Review products and assessments on a sample basis to ensure that they meet the set quality criteria, and ensure high quality outputs are delivered in a timely manner; - Effectively sequences and prioritise services and activities in a systematic way to avoid conflicting schedules where resources are spread across multiple assignments; - Effectively manage and categorise the pool of experts and service providers under LTAs by agreed criteria (location, technical expertise etc);

3. Support capacity building activities across the GVA portfolio - Support the ongoing digitalization process and knowledge management as applied to grant management capacity assessment and PSEA monitoring; - Keep abreast of changes to the programmes guidelines and/or UNOPS grants management policies, to adjust the modalities for service delivery and reporting on an ongoing basis, as may be required; - Engage with the established UNOPS communities of practice (COP) on grants, M&E and other relevant COPs; - Promote and engage in the optimum use of the UN-Partner Portal to ease capacity constraints and support fulfillment of policy requirements; - Support the preparation of success stories and good practices for inclusion in internal and external communication products;

Impact of Results

The effective and successful achievement of key results by the Grant Monitoring Advisory Specialist is essential to ensure the smooth implementation of the Programme Monitoring and Assurance (PMA) services, with primary focus on supporting programmes to manage downstream grant implementation risks.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. 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.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education - A Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Business Administration, or related fields is required. - A combination of a Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

b. Work Experience- A minimum of 5 years proven experience in grant management activities, mainly in the provision or coordination of monitoring and advisory services or related fields is required. - Experience of collecting and analyzing results from development programmes is required. - Experience in directly managing experts, including recruiting and retaining talent, is strongly desirable - Demonstrated experience using a range of monitoring, statistical and evaluation tools, techniques and methods and delivery of reports is desirable.

c. Languages

• Fluency of English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language, particularly French and/ or Spanish, is a strong asset

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement Contract level: ICS10 / IICA-2 Contract duration:12 months, renewable subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and to satisfactory performance.

This position is based in Switzerland, and the contract fee is not exempt from Swiss laws, including but not limited to laws regarding taxation, social security, accident and health insurance.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.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.
• Geneva , Switzerland is a UN family duty station

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.

Background information- ECR

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centres, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

ECR ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between business units and projects across the entire region.

ECR strategy is to:

• Strengthen UNOPS role in operationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals with particular emphasis on health, environment and economic development.
• Position UNOPS in the Balkan sub-region, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
• Strengthen the implementation of ECR global and regional programmes, with revitalized partnerships in infrastructure, procurement and project management.

ECR operates global portfolios from offices in Geneva, Brussels and New York, and country-specific programmes from its operations and project centres located in Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries.