Project Management Support Officer (Grants)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. 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.

​UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster (WEC) supports the design and management of multi-stakeholder initiatives by providing services in financial and grant management, procurement, human resources, and project management.

The cluster has supported projects in the areas of water resource management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and transparency, energy access and distribution and environmental conservation under the Paris Agreement. The WEC has also supported operations and financial management services, in Vienna, the rest of the ECR region and beyond.

The main partners include UN agencies, bilateral agreements (with the Nordics, Germany, and Italy), the Green Climate Fund and several philanthropic organizations (such as CIFF and CWF).

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has established a funding programme, the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme and Project Preparation Facility (RPSP/PPF), to assist developing countries in accessing funding from the GCF for their climate resilient and low emission transformation, and to enhance ownership of the countries’ envisaged low carbon trajectory. To meet this objective, the RPSP/PPF project aims to maximize the GCF’s effectiveness through empowering developing countries in the following activities: 

• Engaging across governments at various levels, and with civil society and private sector stakeholders

• Developing strategic frameworks for engagement with the Fund 

• Support for accreditation and accreditation direct access entities 

• Formulation of national adaptation plans and/or other adaptation planning processes 

GCF has selected UNOPS to provide grants management support on their behalf, to Delivery Partners globally that wish to obtain support from the RPSP/PPF programme. The Grant Management Services that UNOPS is providing are captured in the Project Agreement, signed by GCF and UNOPS, signed on 28 February 2018. 

The Project Agreement outlines a clear division of responsibilities between the GCF and UNOPS concerning the management of Grant Management Services for the RPSP/PPF projects. Whereas GCF defines and approves the scope of each grant including the budget, assesses the Delivery Partners’ substantive and financial management capacity, UNOPS is responsible for providing Grant Management Services to the Delivery Partner throughout the implementation of the projects. In addition, UNOPS is responsible for ensuring that the Project Agreement and the individual projects are implemented in full compliance with agreed GCF and UNOPS rules and regulations. Finally UNOPS has a financial and programmatic reporting responsibility defined in the Project Agreement as well as reporting to the GCF-UNOPS Project Board. 

As of September 2021, UNOPS is providing Grant Management Services to approximately 120 Readiness and PPF projects globally. It is anticipated that the number of projects will double before the completion of the project in January 2023. 

To provide the Grant Management Services, UNOPS has established a dedicated project team (GCF Project Team) within WEC and based in Copenhagen. Due to a significant increase in the number of projects UNOPS has been asked to manage the key work processes, additional support in the form of Project Management Support Senior Officer is needed. 

The Project Management Support -Senior Officer will support in providing grant management services for a selected portfolio of projects. The incumbent will work closely with all project partners and stakeholders in all aspects relating to grant management services and general financial management.  The Project Management Support -Senior Officer will support the Project Manager in ensuring full compliance with all relevant procurement guidelines and regulations and is responsible for ensuring that administration of grants by UNOPS are in accordance with the applicable UNOPS Regulations and Rules and Administration Instruction(s). 

• Support preparation of work plans, budgets, financial reports and ad-hoc updates on cash-flow status, contractual commitment and expenditure status draft appropriate comments on audit reports, as necessary.

• Act as focal point for all procurement, admin and grants management issues and support needs, facilitating delivery of effective services.

• Drive the regular data updates and related exercises especially related to project level and financial reporting.

• Contribute to the management of HR, procurement and grants management processes, including systematic management of data needs, issue resolution, and results reporting and coordinating responses to requests for information from other internal units and from external parties.

• Coordinate with the respective WEC and ECR teams on specific cases and best possible support for timely provision of guidance on operational processes and procedures.

• Participate in training and providing sound contribution on the relevant tools, approaches and procedures, to ensure effective project implementation

• Perform other related duties and tasks as needed for effective implementation of grants, narrative reports, financial reports, targets and Key Performance Indicator as related.
  
  

2. Grant Set up

• Collect, analyze and review all documents relevant to grant set up 

• Prepare the request for Awards for new grants and seek approval from the appropriate UNOPS Delegation of Authority holder

• Prepare, review and finalize Grant Agreement in full compliance with UNOPS’ Grant Management Rules and Regulations and Project Management Manual. 

• Provide inputs on the negotiations and communication with the Delivery Partner on the Grant Agreements and project planning.

• Set up supplier profiles for Delivery Partners in collaboration with the Shared Services Center
  
  

3. Grant Management Implementation Support

• Act as focal point for the day-to-day administration of the grant management activities, track reports, and process grantee registrations and payments.

• Upon verification of availability of funds, create oneUNOPS Purchase Orders and Request for Payments to facilitate Grant Payment Process

• Analyze grant data and trends, monitor the cash flows and provide relevant input to the project’s delivery targets and projections.

• Review Requests for Changes to the approved GCF proposal submitted by the Delivery Partners and seek approval from the supervisor/Donor
  
  

4. Grant Monitoring Support

• Implement the M&E framework, coordinate with implementing partners the application of M&E tools, such as reporting templates and evaluation surveys to ensure the adequate data collection and quality assurance.

• Review Interim Progress Reports and Project Completion Reports, Financial (Audit) Reports submitted by the Delivery Partners(the assessment and analysis will be done using the Performance Assessment Tool specifically designed for the GCF grants administered by UNOPS on behalf of GCF). 

• Prepare summary note of each assessment highlighting results and challenges identified as part of the assessment

• Monitor implementation of grants by tracking timely start and completion of all activities and proactively highlighting for discussion and action the activities that are at risk of getting delayed.  

• Research and collate information of individual grant performance into quarterly portfolio reports for the substantive and financial performance of the grant portfolio. 

• Update UNOPS Internal Tracking Database for GCF Projects and GCF’s FLUXX Database. 

• Prepare quarterly financial reports and the annual financial report as per the donor agreement, as well as preparation of Quarterly Progress Reports for GCF and for UNOPS Quarterly Assurance meetings Project Board. 

• Establish an effective system of communication with the Delivery Partners on upcoming reporting requirements (Interim Progress Report and Completion Reports and financial reporting)
  
  

5. Grant Closure

• Verify all obligations with regards to the grants that are fulfilled by the Delivery Partner.

• Analyze and review the final financial report submitted by the grantee. 

• Perform the initiation of the grant closure process. 

• Work with the UNOPS Finance Team to ensure that financial statements are prepared and shared with the funding source as required. 

• Draft grant closure notification for the Project Manager’s approval

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) preferably in public administration, business, economics, international affairs, development studies, environmental science, political science, or related areas.
  
  
• A first-level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and two years of additional experience related to the nature of the position may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

b. Experience

• Minimum 2 year of experience in project management is required.
  
  
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office/Google Suite is required.
  
  
• Experience with fund and/or grants management is a distinct advantage.
  
  
• Experience with stakeholder and partner management, including interacting with government officials and/or donors is desirable.
  
  
• Past professional work experience with UN/UNOPS is desirable.
  
  
• Exposure to and a good understanding of environmental issues is desirable.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: ISC8 - IICA1
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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.