Project Management Support Specialist (Capacity Assessment (CA) Coordinator)

Mid Senior Leadership

Overview

Coordinate capacity assessments for grant management.

You have:

• Master's degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Sciences, Finance, Economics or related field.
• A Bachelor's degree may be considered with two additional years of experience.
• Professional certifications in project/grants management (e.g., Prince 2).
• Five years of progressive experience in a project management or coordination role.
• At least 2 cumulative years in grants management, reviewing agreements and financial management.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Proficiency in another UN language is an advantage.

Contract

This is a LICA Specialist-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA Specialist-10 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO)

The Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) is part of the UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on: - Infrastructure - Procurement - Project Management (full service, back on track) - HR and Transactional Services - Grants Management - Technical and Advisory Services

WEC Background:

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio under the UNOPS Austria Multi-Country Office has built strong partnerships and has effectively been managing a portfolio of 490 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.

WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

AUMCO WEC is also providing advisory services for Capacity Assessments (CA) of grant recipients/implementing partners for several of its projects, including the UNOPS support to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the NDC Partnership, among others. UNOPS is responsible for undertaking the assessment of grant recipients/implementing partners in accordance with clearly identified fiduciary principles and standards and has engaged a group of reviewers for the assessment of relevant information supporting the assessments. Findings and recommendations based on established assessment criteria are made available to partners and project managers for a risk-informed assessment of the grant recipient institution's management capacity.

The CA Coordinator will be responsible for the supervision and coordination of the CA reviewers team. The CA Coordinator will directly coordinate with grant recipients/implementing partners concerning the completeness of the submitted documentation. The CA Coordinator will be responsible to keep information about the status of individual reviews updated and available, ensure the timely submission of CA Draft Reports, as well as conduct presentations of findings and responses to questions from partners and project managers, as may be required. The incumbent will review and finalize the draft reports, including proofreading or quality assurance, as per the project requirements.

The position is a home based retainer position and requires the CA Coordinator to undertake the required work on an ad hoc basis, in line with the request for services by partners and project manager, and in line with the pre-approved work plan with the supervisor.

Functional Responsibilities

The CA Coordinator is responsible to ensure the provision of high quality CA team coordination, review and quality assurance services. Specifically, the CA Coordinator has the following key responsibilities:

• Provide guidance to grant recipients/implementing partners on required information they need to make available for the assessment;
• In cooperation with the CA reviewers, identify gaps and/or risks in the grant recipients/implementing partners’ capacity, based on the submitted policy and procedural frameworks;
• Review the draft CA Reports and perform Quality Assurance if and when required in relation to the established fiduciary standards, clarity and readability of the report;
• Follow up with stakeholders related to the CA, as necessary;
• Distribute assignments to the team of reviewers and coordinate timelines for assigned work;
• Participate in meetings and review groups, as required;
• Lead on regular reviews of templates and processes and make concrete recommendations for improvements to ensure fit for purpose, efficiency and due diligence of the CA services .

Procedures

• Contribute to fine-tuning workflow, management tools (online log etc.) and standards in relation to the assignment;
• Oversee the maintenance of a document shared drive in line with UNOPS policies and procedures;
• Ensure adherence to UNOPS PM policies and procedures as applicable to the CA component, including maintenance of risk and issue logs, ensure relevant lessons are recorded and shared, prepare reports and plans as needed, and other as required;
• Adhere to UNOPS AUMCO Programme and Operational guidance, as per established SoPs, Instructions, and other.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education: - Master’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Sciences, Finance, Economics or related field. - A Bachelor degree in the above-mentioned areas may be considered provided the candidate can justify two (2) additional years of experience.

Certification:

• Professional certifications in project /grants management (such as Prince 2) are an asset.
• Financial Management, Certified Auditor, Certified Public Accounting (CPA) are an asset.

Experience:

A minimum of five years of progressive experience working in a project management or coordination role. Within the 5 years, at least 2 cumulative years is required in one or more of the following domains: - Grants Management, including planning of activities/deliverables - Reviewing of agreements and other administrative documents - Financial Management and Reporting - Use of Reporting and financial systems

Desirable experience: - Audit and/or Financial Management Assessments - Capacity Assessment of organizations - Organizational Maturity and/or Financial Capacity Assessment - Budget Management

Language Requirements: - Fluency in English is required for this position. - Proficiency in another UN language or language spoken in a country of implementation of the portfolio’s activities is an advantage.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA Contract level: L-ICA-10 (ICS-10) Contract duration: Retainer position (up to max. 220 working days, with possibility to extend based on performance and availability of funds).

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

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.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) 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.

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.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.unops.org