Grants & Finance Specialist

Job Highlight

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to private sector development in a challenging environment, working with a diverse team and international partners to achieve significant impact.

About The Project Office

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Role Purpose

To ensure effective grant management, stakeholder engagement, sound financial management, fiduciary oversight and risk mitigation of the Private Sector Resilience Program (PSRP), contributing to the program's objectives and managing dedicated grants personnel.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Grant Management
• Preparing and managing the Call for Proposals (CFP), conducting and managing the submission and evaluation of proposals as per the UNOPS policies.
• Manage day-to-day administration of grant management activities and the implementing partners.
• Communicate with and provide guidance to implementing partners on grant-related matters in collaboration with the project team.
• Coordinate due diligence processes, including capacity assessments and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse capacity assessment (PSEA) and monitoring associated action plans.
• Review and consult on implementing partner documentation and work plans, budgets, and results frameworks. Facilitate orientation sessions and routine dialogue with implementing partners.
• Coordinate the timely preparation and processing of grant award requests, amendments and implementing partner agreements, in consultation with relevant legal and other advisors, and ensure compliance with UNOPS legal, financial and policy requirements.
• Follow up and work with project teams to monitor the implementation of implementing partner activities based on the approved work plan, budget and results framework and track the start and completion dates of activities and proactively highlight activities with risk and delays to senior management
• Establish and maintain effective and professional working relationships with implementing partners and facilitate timely resolution of grant-related issues.
• Coordinate and follow-up on implementing partner assurance activities, such as routine monitoring, financial spot checks, audits, and evaluations. Facilitate the sharing of lessons learned between implementing partners.
• Establish and manage effective information flows between the implementing partners and team through consistent and consolidated reporting using dashboards providing a clear overview of grant performance, progress, risks and key issues
• Coordination of the process of the operational closure of implementing partner grants and UNOPS project closure
• Preparing and managing the Call for Proposals (CFP), conducting and managing the submission and evaluation of proposals as per the UNOPS policies.
• Manage day-to-day administration of grant management activities and the implementing partners.
• Communicate with and provide guidance to implementing partners on grant-related matters in collaboration with the project team.
• Financial Management
• Establish and maintain effective financial management arrangements for grants and related project activities, in coordination with the Program Manager and Finance.
• Support the preparation, review and consolidation of grant budgets and relevant project financial plans, ensuring alignment with approved work plans, results frameworks and financing arrangements.
• Monitor grant expenditures, commitments, budget utilization, cash-flow requirements and financial forecasts, identifying variances and emerging financial risks.
• Review grant payment requests, budgets, financial provisions and amendments, ensuring compliance with approved agreements, payment schedules and UNOPS requirements.
• Monitor advances, expenditures, liquidations and outstanding balances, and follow up with implementing partners on financial issues and overdue submissions.
• Review implementing partner financial reports for completeness, accuracy and compliance with approved budgets and grant agreements, and reconcile reported information with UNOPS records.
• Prepare consolidated project financial information, dashboards and management reports, highlighting budget utilization, expenditure, forecasts, variances and key financial risks.
• Prepare consolidated project financial information, dashboards and management reports, highlighting budget utilization, expenditure, forecasts, variances and key financial risks.
• Prepare regular project financial reports with inputs from relevant focal persons and manage their finalization and submission, including preparation and submission of disbursement requests.
• Provide financial inputs to project and donor reporting, financial reviews and project closure, ensuring consistency between financial information, implementation progress and reported results.
• Capacity Assessment and Capacity Building
• Lead the review, monitoring and updating of the UNOPS implementing partner capacity assessment and PSEA capacity assessment, incorporating best practices and assessment tools.
• Organize and deliver IP capacity development and training in financial and organisational management and PSEA.
• Provide day-to-day help and guidance to the IPs and coordinate with the Project Team to ensure IP understanding of, and compliance with, these standards.
• Provide IPs with the required assistance in developing or strengthening their internal guidelines and policies to guide their project financial management and organisational activities and to ensure accountability.
• Standardize, to the extent possible, IP capacity development efforts by UNOPS.
• Knowledge Management and Innovation
• Keep abreast of and incorporate latest/best practices, approaches and technology to enhance the programme delivery and results.
• Institutionalise and share best practices and lessons for corporate development planning and knowledge building.
• Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to align grant operations with changing environments.
• Lead the planning, implementation and organization of strategic capacity building of project personnel, implementing partners, clients and stakeholders especially in the field of grant management.
• Coordinate with the UNOPS Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) and AFCO peers for tailoring good practices to meet the specific needs of UNOPS Afghanistan.
• Risk Management and Compliance
• Identify and assess potential risks associated with grant implementation, and develop mitigation strategies in coordination with the project team.
• Ensure compliance with UNOPS financial rules and regulations, procurement procedures, and relevant donor requirements.
• Support regular audits as per agreement with the donor and conduct spot checks of grant activities to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Oversee and ensure the implementation of the FundsChain blockchain platform for transaction traceability from the Bank to end-beneficiaries for transactions involving implementing partners
• Stakeholder Communication and Coordination
• Serve as the primary point of contact for grantees, providing guidance and support throughout the grant lifecycle.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration between grantees, UNOPS project team, and other stakeholders.
• Organize regular meetings and workshops to share information, best practices, and lessons learned among grantees.
• Prepare regular progress reports and presentations for senior management and donors on grant activities and outcomes.
• Program Development and Improvement
• Contribute to the development of new grant programs and initiatives based on identified needs and priorities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing grant programs and recommend improvements to enhance their impact and sustainability.
• Conduct research and analysis on best practices in grant management and private sector development, and incorporate findings into program design and implementation.
  
  

• Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, International Development, or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; OR a Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience.
  
  

• Experience in project/programme management, with a focus on private sector development, grant management, or economic development in complex environments is considered relevant
  
  

• Experience making grants to private sector entities and/or developing and managing complex grants.
• Experience working with the World Bank or other international financial institutions.
• Experience in FCV contexts.