ACBAR

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

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

Working with us

We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.

Background Information - Afghanistan

Afghanistan

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

Background Information - Job-specific

The Grant Management Specialist will be working within the CRLP Office at AFCO

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of key results:

1. Grant management  

2. Capacity assessment and Capacity building

3. Team Management (structure/number to be decided)

4. Knowledge management and innovation

1. Grant management  

The Specialist will supervise and manage his/her team to deliver on following activities: 

• Preparing and managing the Call for Proposals (CFP), conducting and managing the submission and evaluation of proposals as per the UNOPS policies.

• Manage day-to-day administration of grant management activities and the implementing partners , including but not limited to:

  1. Communicate with and provide guidance to implementing partners on grant-related matters  in collaboration with the project team;

  2. Coordinate due diligence processes, including capacity assessments and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse capacity assessment (PSEA) and monitoring associated action plans; 

  3. Review and consult on implementing partner documentation and work plans, budgets, and results frameworks. Facilitate orientation sessions and routine dialogue with implementing partners;

  4. Timely preparation of grant award requests and amendments, and the preparation of implementing partner legal agreements in consultation with legal advisors and amendments thereof, using the approved templates ensuring that all agreements and amendments are constructed and issued in line with UNOPS legal and financial rules and regulations;

  5. Track and review routine implementing partner narrative, data and financial reports, manages amendments and payments, and provide critical feedback to implementing partners, project team, as relevant. Verifications of reporting requirements and ensuring adherence to those requirements;

  6. Review of payment requests and supervise processing payments based on the agreed payment schedules;

  7. Follow up and work with project teams to monitor the implementation of implementing partner activities based on the approved work plan, budget and results framework and track the start and completion dates of activities and proactively highlight activities with risk and delays to senior management;

  8. Coordinate and follow-up on implementing partner assurance activities, such as routine monitoring, financial spot checks, audits, and evaluations. Facilitate sharing of lessons learnt between implementing partners. 

• Advise senior management by liaising closely with the Finance, Programme, and M&E teams and other UNOPS subject matter experts on any delays, risks or other difficulties in grant management;

• Coordination of the process of the operational closure of implementing partner grants and UNOPS project closure;

2. Capacity assessment and Capacity building 

The Specialist will ensure the following activities are successfully delivered for respective programmes:

• The team contributes to the review, monitoring and updating of the UNOPS implementing partner capacity assessment and PSEA capacity assessment , incorporating best practices and assessment tools.

• IP capacity development and training in financial and organisational management and PSEA are organized and delivered.

• Day-to-day help and guidance to the IPs is provided and coordinated with the Programme Team to ensure IP understanding of, and compliance with, these standards.

• IPs receive required assistance in developing or strengthening their internal guidelines and policies to guide their project financial management and organisational activities and to ensure accountability.

• Standardization to the extent possible of IP capacity development efforts by UNOPS.

3. Team Management 

• Oversee and manage the work of others working on grants management by establishing team objectives, a work plan with key performance indicators and measurements, standards and expected results.

• Attract and retain talent and develop an agile and empowered team with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance and ability to respond to changing environments.

• Plan and propose to the Director required resources.

• Plan effectively and allocate resources to achieve goals and ensure the cost effective and appropriate use of resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework.

• Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing the team with clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

• Continuously assess team and individual performance and effectiveness and recommend changes and/or corrective actions in the team structure and/or operations to enhance and maintain effectiveness in a changing environment

4. Knowledge management and innovation 

• Keep abreast of and incorporate latest/best practices, approaches and technology to enhance the programme delivery and results. 

• Institutionalise and share best practices and lessons for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to align grant operations with changing environments.

• Lead the planning, implementation and organization of strategic capacity building of personnel, implementing partners, clients and stakeholders especially in the field of grant management. 

• Coordinate with the UNOPS Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) for tailoring good practices to meet the specific needs of UNOPS Afghanistan. 

Other
 

• Establish a solid working relationship with implementing partners as needed.

• Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

• Manage the information flows between the implementing partners and team through consistent and consolidated reporting using dashboards to provide a high-level overview of performance.

• Ensure smooth workflow and communication with Programme and Finance teams.

• Update the Director on any deviations, outside of established tolerances, from the programme plan and the impact of changes or issues that arise during implementation accompanied by a range of solutions where possible. 

• Identify and manage risks across all implementing partners to attain a programmatic overview of risk exposure.

 Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education 

• A Master’s degree in business administration, finance, development studies, international relations, project management or relevant discipline is required. 

• A Bachelor's Degree in combination with 2 additional years of experience relevant to above duties and responsibilities may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s Degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in grant management is required. Additional experience in project and/or financial management operations at either public sector organizations and/or private sector companies is an asset. 

• Experience in grant management operations and reporting is required.

• Prior experience in working in Asia is an asset.

• Experience with and a good knowledge of the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, working with UN, Donors, NGOs is required. 

• Experience in building and leading successful teams is an asset

• Experience with G Suite is an asset.

Languages

• Full working knowledge of English is required. 

• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.

Please click on the below link for actual vacancy announcement to see the complete details and submission guideline as this is only an attempt for attracting female applicants for gender parity in organization. Please make sure you fill your profile/application properly with all relevant details in order to be considered for the next stage of recruitment/selection.

https://jobs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=30892  

https://jobs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=30892