Programme Management Senior Officer (Contracts Management)

The Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC) was established in 2018 for efficient delivery of grants and funds management, and the provision of quality pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.  The ARHC aims to significantly impact the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goal on good health and well being by expanding the population benefitting from UNOPS-managed health-related engagements across the Asia Region.

The ARHC portfolio manages the Principal Recipient (PR) Programme of the Global Fund in Myanmar since 2011 and in Asia since 2013. The Global Fund, which has been providing financial support to the Greater Mekong Sub-Region for malaria programs since 2003, has selected UNOPS as a PR, responsible for delivering the targets set out in the grant agreements, in collaboration with selected Sub-Recipients (SRs) from the National Programmes, international and local non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Contract Management

2. Grant Tracking, Monitoring & Controls

3. Database, Documentation & Library Custodian

4. Liaison & Support to Head of Programme Management Office

5. Ensure effective financial reporting and control

6. Team Management

• Assist the Head of Programme Management Office in strengthening the operational risk management and internal control processes, especially in areas related to grant/contract management.

• Assist in establishing assessment measures, including standards for performance evaluation, of the delivery of Fund Beneficiaries’ financial management & reporting responsibilities.

• Liaise with the UNOPS legal team for advice on appropriate practices, legal considerations and risk assessments. Analyse different contracting modalities to optimize practices, make suggestions and bring any issues to the attention of the Head of Programme Management Office.

• Draft the request for award (RFA), grant support agreements (GSAs) and subsequent agreement amendments with the guidance of the Head of Programme Management Office. Assists in ensuring that all GSAs and subsequent amendments are constructed and issued in line with UNOPS legal and financial rules and regulations.

• Ensure timely submission of RFA to Regional Director before facilitating grant signing process with implementing partners (IPs) / sub-recipients (SRs). 

• Organize and conduct training for the IPs/SRs on legal and contract-management-related topics.

• Liaise and coordinate with IPs/SRs on all contractual issues.  

• Prepare the Grant Tracking Sheet and ensure timely submission/sharing to all respective units along with up-to-date information on grant agreement amendments.

• Follow SR payment schedules and provide necessary documentation for grant release. 

• Assist in overseeing & coordination of the process of closing projects, initiate action to be undertaken (e.g. project audit, final project reporting, non-expendable equipment, closing of projects and ensure adherence to required procedure before final payment is released.

• Maintain updated and effective contracts database system in One UNOPS and Library for all IPs/SRs supported by the PR-GFATM.

• Collect and assemble data related to programs/projects and provide updated information for analysis and report purposes. 

• Ensure accurate and timely contract management data entry and that data are readily available as appropriate to the stakeholders. Must ensure that the data in the contract management system is accurate and regularly updated.

• Develop an alert system, so that the respective units are alerted at different stages, for example-missing data, delay in progress against plan etc.

• Assist in the preparation of the PR-GFATM  statistics.

• Maintain records of grant agreement documents and other support documents in hard and soft copies.

• Coordinate and Liaise with client/s on the progress of project implementation and when project scope and budget revisions are required.

• Maintain close communication with Support Units to ensure constant exchange of best practices and standardization of approaches.

• Provide inputs and suggestions to streamline workflows/business processes and document templates/formats.

•  Preparation of Periodic Financial Report and ad-hoc reports as required by donor.

•  Review quarterly partner cash reports.

• Prepare a financial report template and share with partners in advance of the financial report submission period.

• Review partner financial reports, record and confirm liquidation of all partner expenditures by grant on a regular basis.

• Accurately record disbursement payments to partner and make sure they are correctly reflected with approved budget, coding and proper control of the supporting document

• Any additional tasks requested by the manager

• Facilitates the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.

• Provides oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.

• Oversight, supervision, and coordination of the work of Compliance Associate in the Programme Support Unit.

Impact of Results 

Overall ARHC efficiency in contractual and grant management activities utilizing a strategic approach with effective and efficient legal support and timely and appropriate delivery of services will ensure client satisfaction and overall effective delivery of UNOPS programmes and projects.

• A Master’s degree preferably in Social Sciences, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, International Relations, Development Studies or other related fields is required.
• A Bachelor’s or equivalent in the above mentioned areas in combination with an additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience

• A minimum 2 years of professional-level experience in the field of contracts management and/or project and administration management and its relevant fields is required.
• Knowledge of contracting principles & modalities and program administration is required. 
• Experience in management information systems and contracts management databases and local/web interfaces is desired.
• Experience and knowledge of financial/budget preparation, revision and monitoring are desired.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (e.g. MS Office newer versions, Google Suite Applications) is required.
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial rules and regulations is an asset.
• Working knowledge of ERP and electronic financial management systems are desired.

Language

• Fluency in English and Myanmar language is essential

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: LICA9, ICS9
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• 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.