Project Management Support - Analyst (Grant) , Multiple positions

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development. UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources. Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage the recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work-life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Project Background Information – Job Specific 

To strengthen the effective and efficient delivery of ongoing and future projects, the Transactional Portfolio seeks a Project Management - Grants Analyst with a primary focus on project implementation support.

Under the direct supervision of the Transactional Portfolio Manager or  Project Management-Senior Officer , the analyst will ensure the implementation of grants projects in accordance with organizational standards and donor expectations. 

Under this contract type, the assignment 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 defined time period). Work may also vary with regard to the time zone/location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in the UNOPS office and field locations. Whilst the successful incumbents can be based in different time zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap to deliver the assignment.

Summary of Functions/Key results area:

• Grant Management
• Due Diligence Assessment and Capacity Building
• Documentation
• Programme Management Support (Finance)

Grant Management

• Prepare grant awards requests, draft grant agreements and subsequent amendments, using the approved templates, ensuring that all agreements and amendments are constructed and issued in line with UNOPS legal and financial rules and regulations;

• Review grant budgets submitted by implementing partners, verify their consistency with prevailing market rate; assist in discussion/negotiation of costs/fees as required; provide critical feedback to the implementing partners.

• Ensure that reporting requirements are adhered to and liaise closely on any delays or difficulties; 

• Highlight risks and delays to the supervisor as appropriate

• Review financial reports and inform the project focal points or the supervisor of the findings;

• Work closely with the Finance/Project Team on changes in the grant values, update on payment schedules for cash flow planning, and keep an updated grant finance database.

• Review payment requests and ensure payments are processed based upon the grant agreement and agreed payment schedules;

• Communicate with and provide analytical support to implementing partners on grant-related and financial matters.

• Resolve routine operational and process issues related to grant management, and refer complex issues to the supervisor with recommendations for courses of action;

• Ensure operational and financial closure of grants in line with requirements;

• Contribute to the coordination and follow up on the audits of Implementing Partners as may be required;

• Improve efficiency and effectiveness of processes and procedures wherever possible, reducing burden on partners in line with localization principles.

• Work creatively to find solutions that are acceptable under the UNOPS procedures and well adapted to the reality of partners on the ground and principles of localisation.

Due Diligence Assessment and Capacity Building

• Implement supportive and inclusive Due Diligence Assessments (DDA) on all new implementing partners, liaising with other UN Agencies wherever possible to reduce partner burden. Develop comprehensive assessment reports based on DDA

• Capacity Assessments:  Compiling, organization and quality assuring and analyzing results from UNOPS's Capacity Assessment of Implementing Partners Requirements, including the implementation of the Implementing Partner Protocol on Protection of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

• Participate in Financial Monitoring Visits/ Spot checks aimed at managing risks and improving the implementing partners' capacity as required.

• Work with implementing partners to develop improvement plans and support their implementation, including ensuring available financial resources. Ensure completion of any follow-up actions in assessment reports.

• Actively liaise with other grants teams to align to the extent possible IP capacity development efforts, as well as streamlining and harmonizing practices and tools within UNOPS.

• Contribute to the overall knowledge sharing and collaboration within UNOPS on grant management, due diligence assessment and improvement plans.

Documentation 

• Monitor information related to contractual arrangements – on audits, inventories, utilization and all such elements in the contracts and grants.

• Ensure that all records are collected and maintained, both hard copies and electronic copies, for easy reference and retrieval.

Programme Management Support (Finance)

• Support in the preparation of programme/ fund financial updates and reports

• Support in review and reconciliation of programme/fund financial data, and keeping up-to-date budget and financial data in the ERP system

Impact of Results

• The effective and successful achievement of results by the Project Management Analyst (Grants) directly will impact the efficient management of resources entrusted to UNOPS by donors. It enhances the organization's financial and programme performance, demonstrating UNOPS’ effective stewardship of donor and partner funds. These promote the credibility of the organization as an effective service provider in project services and management.

• A Bachelors Degree in Finance, Accounting, Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Project Management or equivalent is required.
• A Master's degree, preferably in Finance, Accounting, Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Project Management is an asset and may be accepted in lieu of respective years of experience. 

• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in grant management is required
• Supporting grantees/implementing partners through the grant process is required.
• Stakeholder capacity assessment and/or capacity building is required.
• Conducting training and developing training resources is required. 
• Experience in managing, analyzing and reporting data is required. 
• Previous work experience in grant management within the UN system, Foundations, NGOs or International Donors is required.

• Knowledge and understanding of UN 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 organizations is an asset.
• Experience working in fragile states and/or humanitarian contexts is strongly preferred. 
• Experience with Google Workspace (G Suite) is an asset.

• Fluency in written and oral English is required.  
• Knowledge of a second UN working language, such as French, Spanish and Arabic, is highly desirable.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) - Homebased Retainer Contract
Contract level: Local ICA Specialist - 8 (ICS 8)
Contract duration: Open ended subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

A Retainer contract:-  is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work.

Please attach a cover letter highlighting the experience, knowledge and qualifications relevant to the position.

• 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. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.