DEEP Grants Manager

Job ID/Title : DEEP Grants Manager
Brand:UNDP
Application Deadline :21-Sep-11
Duty Station :Ramallah
Duration of Initial Contract :One year
Expected Duration of Assignment :4 years

Background:
In its second phase (2011-2014), the DEEP will be executing an intervention involving 35 local regional and international implementing agencies,  12,000 Palestinian families, and 90 million USD worth of investments in the form of seed capital grants and revolving micro-finance funds. This will require the expansion and organization of the project team to function within a more controlled environment that ensures the application of good practice in results based management including the establishment and alignment of financial, planning, monitoring, and extension systems within the project implementation unit. Consequently, the program will require the establishment of a new senior post to build, develop, and manage the required systems needed to handle the implementation challenges of DEEP Phase II. This new post will be titled  Grants Manager.
Under the general guidance of the Poverty Team Leader and the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Grants Manager will assume the responsibilities of managing the execution of  partnership agreements with local, regional and international implementing agencies. The Grants Manager will ensure high efficiency and effectiveness in all financial and technical aspects related to the implementation of project activities and will work towards the achievement of desired outcomes from the different project portfolios including seed capital grants and micro-finance services for the establishment and development of micro-business enterprises.
 
Therefore, the Grants Manger will lead the implementation of the project components with the help of a specialized team of financial, planning, micro-finance, and poverty experts. The Grants Manager will work in close collaboration with the UNDP Poverty Team Leader and Project Manger to develop the functional capacities of the project implementation unit to achieve all its desired objectives.
The project that is implemented by UNDP/PAPP is seeking qualified candidates for the Grants Manager Position in Ramallah. The vacancy post will be part of the UNDP’s Project Management Office (PMO) based in Ramallah and under the direct supervision of the project manager.
 
Description of Responsibilities:
Summary of key functions:
-Implementation of project strategies and policies
-Management of project execution with local, regional and international implementing partners, including supervising the technical staff responsible for providing support to the implementation of ongoing partnership agreement
-Provision of top quality management and system development services to the partner NGOs, Government and other stakeholders and facilitation of knowledge building and sharing.
-Development of required systems to better align the project implementation functions of planning, financial management, monitoring, and quality assurance.

1-Implementation of project strategies and policies:
-Contribute to the development of the project as an essential component of the National Social Protection Programme and a complementary poverty reduction strategy to the existing social protection programs.
-The DEEP Grants Manger will be responsible to organize creative and invocative knowledge sharing and advocacy settings to harvest and capitalize the experiences, knowledge and intellectual contributions of prominent duty holders.
-Contribute to all planning elements and participate in integrating these inputs and lessons learnt from implementation into the overall program plans.
 
2-Management of project execution with local, regional and international implementing partners:
-Manage all technical and financial matters related to the grants and cooperation agreements with partner implementing agencies including NGOs and MFIs and governmental bodies.
-supervising the technical staff responsible for providing support to the implementation of results.
-Lead the planning process and set out all necessary plans for implementation, procurement and delivery.
-Work closely with project manager and the team on find solutions to obstacles and risks which may appear, and find the proper systems and business process       
-Ensure the achievement of outputs in line with the approved work plan through the day-to-day planning, management coordination and implementation of activities.
-Monitor and follow up progress of funding agreements with NGOs and MFIs in oPt through conducting field monitoring visits to project sites and report on project progress and constraints to the Project Manger.
-Preparation of inputs for reporting, including donor reporting.
-Review incoming operational and financial reports in terms of completeness and formal correctness in cooperation with the Project Manager.
-Participate in the overall project decision discussion including the physical and intellectual presence in Monitoring, meetings and project events.
-Lead the identification, revision and selection of proposals submitted by NGOs and MFIs
-Follow up the project operations, Staff and Assets; represent the project and liaison in Gaza under the overall Leadership and guidance of Project Manager.
-Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring achievement of results.
-Lead the operational management of the project in accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.
-Design and formulation of project components within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
-Preparation of a detailed work-plan to implement proposed activities and submit for approval to the UNDP Team leader for poverty reduction.
-Preparation of  AWP, HR Plan and Procurement Plane in line with the project activities.
-Create requisitions under the projects in their portfolio and Sign Administration payments against projects.
-Manage the procurement of works, goods and services, prepare procurement request, sign receiving & inspection reports and verify delivery of services.
-Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the project, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of the project.
-Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
-Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.
 
3-Provides top quality advisory services to the Government / NGOs and  ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
-Coordinate and conduct training workshops and technical assistance support for NGOs and MFIs implementing project activities in coordination with the PM and the technical team.
-Develop innovative project ideas and solutions to better meet the poverty problems of oPt in General and the Gaza Strip in particular. 
-Carry the functions of finalizing and evaluating the project outputs and products and make sure to mainstream these products and outputs with relevant partners systems of work as capacity building.
-Coach implementing NGOs on the best suitable interventions that meet families’ needs, market and NGO field of expertise.
-Organization of training for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.
-Any other duties as assigned by the project manager to achieve project goals.
 
 
Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the success of project within specific areas of cooperation. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets, and achieving the success implementation of the project sub-component to reach all project goals and objectives.
 
 
Competencies :
Corporate Competencies:
-Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
-Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
-Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
-Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
-Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
-Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness
-Ability apply conceptual models in support of formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects, mobilize resources
-Good knowledge of the Results Management Guide and Toolkit
-Strong IT skills

Management and Leadership
-Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
-Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
-Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
-Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
-Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities

Qualifications :
Education:
Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Management or Finance
Experience:
Minimum of six years work experience focusing on grants management for poverty reduction.

Language Requirements:
Fluency in the English and Arabic.
“UNDP/PAPP is an equal opportunity employer: applications from both internal and external men and women will be considered equally”

UNDP actively supports the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the United Nations General Assembly


Important message to all applicants!
-Please be aware that the UNDP/PAPP will review your application only if you have uploaded Personal History Form (P.11) to your application. Please download the form from the following link: http://jobs.undp.ps.
-You will get the opportunity to upload the P-11 at when you apply for the position.
-Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date will not be given consideration. Please note that only applications that are under consideration will be contacted.
UNDP/PAPP is an equal opportunity employer-
Applications from men and women will be considered equally