Senior Programme Manager (Global Manager - GEF Small Grants Programme)

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.

The New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management. The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York.  SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement to implement the project activities for Small Grants Programme (SGP)

SGP grantmaking supports community-based innovation in addressing global environmental issues and improved, more sustainable livelihoods through initiatives led by civil society and community organizations, with special consideration for indigenous peoples, women, youth and persons with disabilities. SGP has supported over 25,000 community-based projects in over 125 countries aimed at biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable land management, protection of international waters, and sound chemicals and waste management. Over the years, SGP has developed extensive partnerships at global, national and local levels. See http://sgp.undp.org for further background information. 

The incumbent of this position will be a UNOPS supervised personnel..

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, including public-private, government and civil society dialogues; and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Hub, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: 

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; 

• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; 

• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; 

• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; 

• Sustainable Energy; 

• Extractive Industries; 

• Chemicals and Waste Management; 

• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. 

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships in Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds (VFs), UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) is implemented by UNDP on behalf of the GEF Partnership. As one of the responsible Executing Agencies, UNOPS provides services to UNDP for administrative, financial and legal aspects of grant-making and country operations. UNDP oversees the Small Grants Programme (SGP) through the Vertical Hub and the Nature Hub of BPPS. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Small Grants Programme efficiently channels direct grants to non-governmental and community-based organizations to help them cope with climate change; conserve biodiversity; protect international waters; reduce the impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants; and prevent land degradation. Helping communities with their initiatives for sustainable livelihoods while generating global environmental benefits is the core inspiration of the Small Grants Programme.

Launched in 1992 as a corporate programme of the GEF, the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) has supported local action for over thirty years to address global environmental concerns.  SGP aims to deliver global environmental benefits in the GEF focal areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, prevention of land degradation, and elimination of persistent organic pollutants through community-based approaches. To date, SGP has funded over 27,000 community-based projects covering more than 120 countries. It has gained considerable experiences at the community level, including adapting to climate change while addressing issues of the GEF focal areas.  Further information can be found at: https://sgp.undp.org/.

Strategizing future programme directions and development

• Provide strategic leadership of the Programme, identifying innovations to programming and execution at country and global levels in technical, managerial and operational areas of work;

• Provide inputs to policy dialogues relevant to the Programme , as requested by UNDP senior management; 

• Advocate use of the SGP as a delivery mechanism for UNDP programming, as relevant and appropriate.

• Under the guidance of the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Hub of BPPS and the Nature Hub, liaise with the GEF Secretariat and GEF Council on project implementation and Operational Phase funding replenishments;

• Prepare reports for GEF Council at the request of the GEF CEO, GEFSEC and UNDP and represent the Programme at GEF CSO Consultations and, if so requested, GEF Council and Assembly-related events;

• Consult with GEF Implementing Agencies, multilaterals and other donor partners regarding upstream mainstreaming and potential collaborative programming, under the guidance of the SGP Project Steering Committee and UNDP.

• Under the guidance from the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Hub and the Nature Hub, prepare reports and participate as relevant to the SGP Steering Committee meetings.

Programme Management 

• Supervise, coordinate, and support programme establishment, operations, implementation and monitoring in participating countries;

• Provide overall management of the CPMT team comprised of a small number of professionals and support staff to achieve the SGP’s overall objectives, and recruit new staff as required;

• Oversee preparation and monitoring of individual staff work plans, ad hoc work assignments, and mission travel;

• In coordination with COs, ensure the continuous effectiveness of the SGP Country Programme teams 

• Periodically update SGP operational material under the supervision of the Vertical Fund Hub and the Nature Hub, including the global strategic framework, operational guidelines, M&E framework, resource mobilization and communications strategies, as well as, production of any additional documentation, as necessary;

• Provide guidance to SGP Country Programmes on new areas of work of GEF and selected issues, including participatory methodologies, landscape management approaches, support to Indigenous Peoples, gender equity, and other topics;

• Promote coordination and integration of SGP Country Programmes with UNDP core activities and with large and medium-size GEF projects, and in support of the SDGs and UNDP Strategic Plan;

• Provide day-to-day responses to high-level ad hoc requests from National Coordinators (NC) and UNDP Country Offices (CO) for guidance and advice, particularly in problem solving and troubleshooting, as needed in coordination with the Regional Team Leaders and SGP Regional Technical Specialists;

• Liaise with UNOPS and other executing agencies on administrative and financial matters, including monitoring of expenditures, new grant allocations, and NC performance evaluation;

• Guide and supervise Regional Technical Specialists in country start-up, including establishment of National Steering Committees, staffing and recruitment, briefing of CO staff on financial transfers, Memorandum of Agreement, and development and review of Country Programme Strategies (CPS).

Resources mobilization 

• Under the supervision of Nature Hub PTA, assist in the development of the necessary documentation (PIF, CEO-ER, UNDP ProDoc) for submission and approval of the four-year Operational Phase financing to be provided by the GEF;

• Ensure GEF Council benchmark for co-financing is met, including identifying and actively pursuing opportunities for global level co-financing, including with UNDP itself, other UN systems, multilateral and bilateral donor governments, foundations, international NGOs, and other appropriate sources.

• In collaboration with UNDP COs, and under the guidance of the Nature Hub PTA, assist in identifying and securing non-GEF financing for SGP programmes in participating countries.

Development Impact 

• Provide guidance to National Coordinators through UNDP COs and SGP Regional Technical Specialists for impact-oriented Country Programme Strategies (CPS) that produce global environmental benefits, support innovation, increase resilience, involve all relevant stakeholders, identify potential partnerships, and are aligned with Country Office strategies supporting government efforts to achieve the SDGs;

• Provide guidance to National Coordinators through UNDP COs, SGP Regional Technical Specialists and other Regional Hub staff for the development of landscape management strategies aimed at enhancing climate resilience based on local actions to produce global environmental benefits, and increased productivity and sustainability;

• Provide guidance to National Coordinators for the formation of Technical Advisory Groups to support the National Steering Committees and their reviews of Country Programme Strategies, landscape management strategies, and grant project proposals;

• With guidance from the Vertical Fund Hub, supervise the continuous development and implementation of a robust, streamlined Monitoring and Evaluation system using digital means of data gathering and reporting on CPS, landscape strategies, global environmental benefits and other aspects;

• Under the oversight of the Vertical Fund Hub and the Nature Hub, ensure high quality reports to the GEF Secretariat on SGP progress in relation to delivery of GEF funding, as well as to donors for their contributions;

• With the support of the Vertical Fund Hub and the Nature Hub, support the periodic evaluations by the UNDP and GEF Independent Evaluation Offices on SGP. 

Learning, Knowledge Management, Communications 

• Promote identification, analysis, documentation and dissemination of Programme experience and learning at project, Country Programme, regional and global levels;

• Organize SGP participation in relevant international fora, including conferences and other meetings such as Conference of the Parties (COPs) and NGO activities related to environmental agreements, and workshops on issues of direct interest;

• Maintain an SGP global website and ensure linkages to other relevant sites, as appropriate.

• Organize and participate in SGP global and regional workshops;

• Supervise the continuous development and adaptation of a Communications strategy aimed at multiple audiences, including donors, the GEF Council and Secretariat, UNDP COs and Regional Bureaux and others, as relevant.

Education

• Master’s degree or higher in management of non-profit organizations, and sustainable natural resource management, or other closely related field, preferably including technical familiarity of local level development and application of measures for biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, integrated water resources management, agroecology and sustainable land management, and local level pollution from plastics, PCBs.

Experience

• At least ten (10) years’ experience in community or rural development in developing countries, including familiarity with the roles of local agencies and institutions, community-based organizations, NGOs, local governments and the MSMEs in local action and sustainable natural resource management; experience or close familiarity with the work of UNDP or other UN system development agencies at the developing country level is a distinct asset;

• Within the above ten years’ experience:

  • At least four years of experience in senior level programme management, including substantive, personnel, financial and administrative management;

  • At least four years of experience working in developing countries. Experience in more than one geographical region highly desirable;

• Solid familiarity with and experience in applying participatory methodologies to enable local actor agency and empowerment through collective action;

• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, interpersonal and intercultural);

• Demonstrated resource mobilization capacity.

Language requirements

• Fluency in written and spoken English;

• Working knowledge of Spanish and/or French is highly desirable.

Contract type: Staff (Fixed Term Appointment) 
Contract level: P5 
Contract duration: One (1) year (with possibility of extension based on performance and budget availability)

• 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.