Small Grants Associate

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

The war in Ukraine has already resulted in significant loss of life, unprecedented displacement, internally and towards neighbouring countries, and devastating destruction of infrastructure. Early projections by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggest that if the war deepens and expands, up to 90 percent of the population of Ukraine could be facing poverty and vulnerability to poverty by the end of 2022, and 30 percent of the population are likely to require life-saving humanitarian assistance. Eighteen years of socio-economic achievements in Ukraine are at risk. UNDP’s core interest is to preserve development gains as fully as possible, and to return Ukraine to pathways to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as quickly as possible. UNDP has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP). The UN RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect women’s and men’s priority needs in the region: Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.

In October 2018, UNDP signed an agreement for a multi-year project under the EU Support to the East of Ukraine programme. In 2021, the EU-funded project was amended to extend its scope though the EU4Resilient Regions programme. It has recently been amended to ensure that the approach implemented under UN RPP can help address the devastation and increased needs of the civilian population as a result of the ongoing war, and where it will be required. UNDP Ukraine invites applications from highly qualified and experienced Ukrainian professionals for the post of the Small Grants Associate. This position falls under the third component of the RPP – i.e., Community Security and Social Cohesion (CSSC).

• Perform administrative support functions to facilitate the implementation of the programme component activities related to grant-making process; • Assure smooth operational running of the programme small-grants related activities by following established operational rules and procedures, including preparation of the supporting documentation for contracts, grant agreements and payments; • Support the implementation of the call for proposals and grantee selection processes including through review and assessment of concept notes and full-fledged proposals, accompanying budgets and monitoring and evaluation frameworks; • Participate in data collection, analysis and maintenance of grants management related database and files; • Keep accurate electronic and paper filing, information and records systems; • Maintain the grants application system; • Support close and effective cooperation with community mobilization team, rule of law, social cohesion and community security team, decentralization and support to small business components on the issues of implementation of the planned grants related activities; • Facilitate provision of guidance to all potential grant applicants to support the completion of applications, including concept notes and full-fledged proposals; • Implement the grant allocation processes ensuring coordination with all relevant stakeholders, in line with the grant agreements and/or guidelines; • Support monitoring recipient organizations’ compliance with programmatic and financial rules; • Ensure a centralized portfolio of all active and closed grants is up to date; • Support cooperation with the project partners that provide assistance in the implementation of the project small grants scheme to ensure its effectiveness; • Support monitoring grantee performance to ensure achievement of project performance targets and proper use of funds by reviewing grantee programmatic and financial reports, performing site and event visits to grantees; • Consult grantees on financial accounting and reporting issues concerning grant project budget is in compliance with the UNDP SOPs; • Ensure mainstreaming of gender equality considerations in the field of expertise, promotion of a safe and enabling environment free of any kind of discrimination and abusive behaviour, collection of data disaggregated by sex, age and other identifiers, and gender-responsive communications based on corporate principles;Undertake technical and monitoring missions to grant recipient projects; • Facilitate and provide support to programme grants management related monitoring, evaluation and audit missions; • Prepare and monitor operations budget for small grants, assist in preparation of programme component budget and maintain necessary budgetary controls and records related to small grants; • Prepare requests for direct payment to UNDP CO Finance unit in accordance with the approved programme component budget; • Ensure process of payment requests and payments within the limits of the programme component budget for small grants; • Prepare accurate budget revisions related to small grants activities; • Maintain the filing system; • Ensure close and regular coordination with partner agencies regarding planned and implementing activities related to the small grants support; • Prepare small grants related correspondence, maintain contacts with governmental and nongovernmental institutions, local authorities, NGOs, etc.; • Facilitate small grants related training/learning activities; • Participate in programme component activities (meetings, round tables, conferences, other public activities); preparation, implementation and follow up, take meeting minutes etc.; • Provide support to communication activities and events of the programme component; • Perform other duties as assigned by the Small Grans Officer and Community Security and Social Cohesion Specialist and/or UNDP management

The assignment requires travel to field locations for monitoring purposes.

Under the overall supervision of Community Security and Social Cohesion Specialist, operational daily supervision of Community Security and Social Cohesion Coordinator and direct supervision of Small Grants Officer, Small Grants Associate will be responsible for assisting and supporting of the management and oversight of the grant-making process, its operations and efficient delivery of the results.

Achieve Results Learn Continuously Adapt with Agility Act with Determination Engage and Partner Enable Diversity and Inclusion

the field of civil society, administration, finance, programme/project support or other relevant fields. • Experience in grant management, especially in the areas of community security, local development, social cohesion, civic engagement, support to civil society is an advantage; • Previous experience within UNDP or other UN agencies, a governmental, other multilateral or civil society organization is highly desirable; • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the volunteer shall organise his/her accommodation by themselves.

Entitlements of National UN Volunteer Specialist (Poltava and Dnipro Duty Stations)

This is a full-time assignment. The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to the availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Allowances:

• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) 1268 USD (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Well-Being Differentials for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”. • USD 400 entry lump sum, one-time payment.

Medical and life insurance:

• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date.

• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum. Leave entitlements:

• Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment. • Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period

• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.

• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos