Grant Support Management Advisor (Retainer, multiple positions), Multiple positions

** IMPORTANT INFORMATION **

Retainer positions are not full-time positions. They constitute a contract whereby the Retainer may be requested to provide a specific output/deliverable within a specified period of time, on short notice. When holding a retainer contract, individuals may receive ad-hoc requests from the UNOPS project teams or country offices, and the quantity of requests will vary depending on the current needs. UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA. It is possible to have multiple consultancy contracts with or outside UNOPS, as long as it is declared to the UNOPS Ethics Office. Read more about the ICA retainer modality here. 

UNOPS strategic focus places increased emphasis on national capacity development and sustainable approaches to project management, procurement, and infrastructure services.  A key objective is to be recognized as an organization that delivers world-class infrastructure and project management, which is both economically and socially sustainable, even in the most challenging environments. To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG). 

Within UNOPS, IPMG’s objectives are to serve the organization’s personnel and partners by broadening their infrastructure and project management capabilities, while disseminating best practices in both of these areas. Through this work, the group helps facilitate the successful delivery of programmes and projects around the world.

To achieve its objectives, IPMG has established three interrelated and interdependent technical streams, namely, Strategic Initiatives, Standards, and Engagement Assurance, that are supported by the Portfolio Support team. IPMG is managed overall by the Director of IPMG. 

UNOPS Corporate Retainer Pool

Background Information – Job Specific 

Grant Support is defined in UNOPS policies as “a UNOPS project activity, which is outside the framework of procurement activities, and is undertaken by way of grants, credits or loans carried out through an implementing partner." UNOPS financial management services include managing grants/funding (including selecting implementing partners, monitoring and exercising due diligence), managing pooled funds and providing advice and oversight. UNOPS plays different roles in financial management services provision including executing small and large grant support programmes, selecting grantees through a range of various methodologies, disbursing and monitoring grants/funding in a variety of contexts, including peace and security, and ensuring funds are spent in a transparent and efficient manner, in line with partners' objectives; as well as building UNOPS implementing partners' capacity towards efficient and responsible use of grant funding. This retainer position will focus on strengthening the implementation of UNOPS grant support and implementing partner requirements. 

This retainer position falls under the UNOPS CRP, and the Standards team will be responsible for the technical onboarding and supervision of the Grant Support Management Advisors (Retainer). All corporate retainers are invited to participate to a one-hour induction session (or two 30 minutes sessions) where they are guided through the UNOPS retainer management tool, the retainer contract modality and their expertise area in the UNOPS context.

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit, while the Standards team will exercise an oversight function. Under this contract type, the assignments will vary in scope and duration - ranging from short term assignments of a few hours at a time to longer blocks of time (e.g. several weeks or months full time, and up to a year). Work may also vary with regards to the time zone / location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in HQ and/or international travel on occasion, including to remote or post-conflict environments. Whilst the successful incumbent can be based in different time-zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap with the teams ordering the retainer’s services. 

While the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an ICA retainer contract on project or assignment basis, UNOPS may offer on a need basis a full-time employment for a specified consecutive period of time (up to one year maximum) - with the possibility to go back and forth between the two contract modalities, pending acceptance of the incumbent of the assignments proposed to him/her.
All retainer assignments will be managed via the UNOPS online retainer management tool managed by Portfolio Support (PS), including the request for the retainer’s services and the provision of feedback for each assignment. 

The Grant Support Management Advisor (Retainer) specific tasks could include one or several of the tasks, though not limited to, the following:

Grants Support Policy and Guidance

• Draft, develop and revise the UNOPS Grant Support Operational Instruction and other grants and implement partner management policies, processes, tools, templates and guidance content. 

• Provide thought leadership and technical inputs into grants support and implementing partner management in humanitarian and fragile states contexts. 

• Provide expert technical guidance  to UNOPS Offices to implement and document UNOPS Capacity Assessment of Implementing Partners Requirements, including implementation of the Implementing Partner Protocol on Protection of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. 

• Provide advice on complex issues and participate directly in negotiations to meet donor requirements, while at the same time ensuring compliance with UNOPS policy and in support of UNOPS’ mandate.

• For complex grant support programmes/projects, provide technical input and/or expert advice to the country/regional offices throughout the UNOPS engagement development process by carrying out local context analysis for grant support activities, developing components of the entire proposal and writing the project initiation document.

• For complex grant support programmes/projects,provide technical input to UNOPS Offices and projects on the grant support process, including but not limited to, developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Call for Proposals (CFP), capacity building plans for implementing partners etc. 

• For complex grant support programmes/projects, provide technical advice in  conducting proposal evaluations, be a member of proposal evaluation teams/review committees and/or conduct IP capacity assessment etc.

• For complex grant support programmes/projects, provide technical advice in monitoring and evaluation, review of the reports submitted by the IP including the narrative reports, monitoring and evaluation reports etc.

• Engage with  UNOPS projects and programmes and work closely with the Legal Group as well as the Partnerships Group, in the negotiation of grants and framework agreements, particularly clauses that require compliance with fiduciary duties.

Grant Support and Implementing Partner Capacity Building

• Develop content for e-learning modules and in-person corporate training activities in grant support and implementing partner management. 

• Deliver UNOPS workshops, training and capacity building activities in grant support and managing implementing partners.

• Facilitate country-specific, interregional and/or global dialogues on grant support and implementing partner management. 

• At the request of UNOPS Offices, and dependent upon budget availability, provide training to UNOPS implementing partners on UNOPS grant support policies and procedures at country and local levels.  

Communications and Knowledge Management  

• In consultation with respective colleagues, provide expert advice to document/develop   UNOPS grants support processes and systems.

• In consultation with respective colleagues, provide expert advice to document  UNOPS emerging/promising and good practices in grants support and implementing partner management.  

• In collaboration  with communications colleagues, provide substantive inputs to produce grants support and implementing partner profiles, stories and social media content. 

• Contribute to the development of internal communications products on grants support and implementing partner management.

• Facilitate global and regional dialogues on best practice in grants support and implementing partner management with internal and external partners. 

• Support as requested with other knowledge management initiatives across the organisation related to grants support. 

Education

• An advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Development Studies, Education, International Relations, Social Science, Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, Accounting, Project Management or in any relevant area is required.

• A university degree (Bachelor's degree level) with a combination of 2 years of relevant professional experience in Development Studies, Education, International Relations, Social Science, Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, Accounting, Project Management or in any relevant area is required.

Experience

Required Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in grant support and implementing partner management  is required. The experience must include: 

  • Experience in report writing or policy/process/template/manual content development is required.

  • Experience in training and capacity building is required. 

  • Advisory or consultancy experience is required.

  • Experience in stakeholder capacity assessment and capacity building is required.

Desired Experience:

• Previous work experience applied to grants with the UN system, international NGOs or International Donors is desirable.

• Experience implementing the IP Protocol on the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is strongly preferred. 

• Knowledge and understanding of UNOPS Rules and regulations is an asset.

• Experience in multi-donor or multi-agency grants and projects is an asset.

• Experience working with civil society and community based organisations is an asset. 

• Experience working in fragile states and/or humanitarian contexts is preferred.

Language

• Fluency and proficiency in English is required. 

• Proficiency in another UN language, such as French or Spanish is desirable. 

• 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 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.