Grants Senior Officer

Contract

This is a IICA-1 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 2 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-1 contracts.

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.

Background Information - Job-specific

Launched in September 2010, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement catalyses collective action towards ending malnutrition in all its forms. Led by 60 SUN Countries and four Indian States, the SUN Movement is an unprecedented effort to bring together stakeholders – governments, national and international civil society organizations, businesses, the UN system, researchers and scientists across different sectors – to create an enabling environment to improve nutrition.

SUN countries and all stakeholders in the Movement are committed to scaling up nutrition, by strengthening four strategic processes at country-level as set out in the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap 2016-2020:

• Expanding and sustaining an enabling political environment;
• Prioritising effective actions that contribute to good nutrition;
• Implementing actions aligned with national common results frameworks;
• Effectively using and significantly increasing, financial resources for nutrition.

The SUN Movement Secretariat was established in 2012 as a small coordinating mechanism to support SUN countries, helping them connect with each other for support and advice, and ensuring coordinated and coherent support from actors in a series of networks. The Secretariat also maintains momentum across the SUN Movement, catalyzing interest and action in new or problematic nutrition issues. Finally, the Secretariat tracks and communicates the progress made by each SUN country, and the Movement as a whole.

The Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Pooled Fund (The Pooled Fund) is being used as a source of last resort funding for catalytic and innovative projects to support Multi-Sector/Stakeholder Platforms in SUN Countries to increase the effectiveness and impact of national efforts to end malnutrition in all its forms. Pooled Fund grants will promote engagement of additional relevant actors in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder national plans for nutrition, at national and sub-national level. The Pooled Fund concept was developed in 2017 with the aim to strengthen the capacity of non-governmental systems in SUN Countries. It takes into consideration the lessons-learned from the 2012-2015 Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Evaluation, its Management Response, and the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap (2016-2020). The Pooled Fund is coherent with the SUN Movement stewardship arrangements and processes at national and global levels. The Pooled Fund is administered by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Under the overall guidance Portfolio Manager and direct supervision of Grants Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for preparing call for proposals for the SUN Movement Pooled Fund, drafting and tracking Grant Agreements, financial tracking and lead on the development of the annual and interim narrative and financial reports for donors.

Functional Responsibilities

The specific responsibilities of the Grants Senior Officer include

• Act as the main focal point in drafting of the Call for Proposals (CFP) process in coordination with the Grants Officer and Pooled Fund Coordinator;
• Administer the CFPs process in line with UNOPS policies and procedures; this includes dissemination and collection of CFPs, preparation for review by grant selection committee, preparation of evaluation reports and the submission to relevant authority for awards;
• Take responsponsibility for coordinating and facilitating the work of the grant selection committee;
• Draft and monitor Grant Agreements in accordance to UNOPS policies and procedures;
• Manage day-to-day administration of the grant management activities, tracks and review grant reports, processes grantee registrations, payments and access grantee capacity;
• Perform review, analysis and reconciliation of accounts, investigate discrepancies and initiating timely corrective actions; in consultation with project management team implement effective risk management actions as per risk-established risklog for the overall and country-specific Pooled Fund project;
• In consultation with the project, undertake finance related action for timely disbursements of funds to Grantees and other recipients of funds for the Pooled Fund project.
• Provides regular insight and updates the Pooled Fund Grant Guidelines in coordination with Pooled Fund Coordinator.
• Maintain grantee’s financial management system, controlling budget line expenditures and encumbrances, including record keeping to reflect all transactions related to grant activities in proper categories in accordance with the established guideline and financial rules and regulation;
• Draft annual and interim narrative financial reports for Pooled Fund donors as required in project agreement documents and with inputs from the M&E Specialist and Pooled Fund Coordinator.
• Undertake financial spot checks and review technical and financial report from grantees to ensure that all Grantees execute their contractual responsibilities.
• Perform other related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

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.

Education

A Master’s degree in International Development, Public Health Finance, Business Administration, Management or a related field. Or, a first level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant experience.

Experience

Minimum of 2 years of progressive experience in grants and/or project management is required.

Highly desirable and considered an asset:

• Knowledge of UN rules and regulations with regards to grant making, procurement and financial procedures is an asset.
• Ability to handle multi-dimensional portfolio in challenging and complex environments is a strong asset.
• Experience in dealing with large financial systems with budgets exceeding $10 million annually is an asset
• Good knowledge of financial management and ERP systems.
• Experience in multi-donor and multi-agency grants and projects.
• Experience in financial aspects of programming activities.

Languages

Fluency in both written and spoken English. Knowledge of French is highly desirable and Spanish is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International ICA Contract level: I-ICA 1 Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to the project duration, organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.'

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 Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

*It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

***********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.************

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.