Grants Management Assurance Specialist

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations.  With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it.  By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support. As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management.

The Water, Environment, and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna with offices worldwide, is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO). Over the past 15 years, WEC has built strong partnerships and effectively managed a portfolio exceeding 500 million USD, supporting key initiatives through fund management, project implementation, and administrative support.

WEC translates partners' agendas into action through global, regional, and country-specific initiatives focused on climate action, environmental protection, and conservation. Partners benefit from WEC’s ability to implement and scale their strategic priorities, including support for key multilateral environmental and climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In recent years,  UNOPS gradually updated its grant management policy framework by introducing rigorous due diligence and risk management measures. This includes, among others, mandatory Capacity Assessments (aligned with UN Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) methodology) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation,Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) compliance for all implementing partners (IPs). The risk-based approach ensures fund utilization is efficient and ethical through robust accountability mechanisms, such as: mandatory due diligence and capacity assessments prior to award, milestone-based disbursement, and regular monitoring, spot checks, and the right to audit. This framework is critical for effective delivery, fostering trust and accountability, and protecting both partners and long-term project success.

To support the project teams to effectively manage these new requirements, GPO/GVA/WEC is looking to strengthen and diversify its pool of Grants Management Assurance Specialists.

The Grants Management Assurance Specialist is a home-based retainer responsible for conducting due diligence and assurance measures for Implementing Partners (IPs) which receive grants through UNOPS. They will be supervised by the WEC Programme Management Specialist and operate under the overall guidance and direction of the WEC Portfolio Management Team. 

The Grants Management Assurance Specialist will be engaged for a particular assignment through a task note, at the request of the Programme requiring a grant assurance service. 

Capacity Assessment:

• Undertake the Capacity Assessment by conducting a desk review and meeting(s) with the IPs;

• Review for completeness of submitted self assessment questionnaires and supporting documentation;

• Provide guidance to IPs on required information;

• Recommend additional information to be provided by IPs as required;

• Review and analyse submitted documentation, relate findings to risk categorization indicators; 

• Identify gaps and/or risks in the IP capacity, including submitted policy and procedural frameworks; 

• Based on the review outcome, assign final risk ratings to the IPs;

• Develop a comprehensive Capacity Assessment report for each IP, including institutional and project-based recommendations;

• Follow up with stakeholders related to the assurance activities, as necessary;

• Draft and/or contribute to the Capacity Strengthening Plan when the IP is not rated as having full capacity;

• Proactively participate in process optimisation through regular reviews of templates and processes and make concrete recommendations for improvements to ensure fit for purpose, capacity building, efficiency and due diligence of the grant management assurance services.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation,Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) Assessment:

• Review the IP self-assessment and supporting documents to verify the PSEA risk rating in the UN Partners Portal (UNPP).

• Request clarification and/or additional supporting documentation from the IP as necessary.

• Jointly develop a comprehensive Capacity Strengthening Implementation Plan with IPs rated as having ‘medium’ or ‘low’ PSEA capacity.

• Conduct monitoring and support activities, including reassessments, of the IP's progress against the Capacity Strengthening Implementation Plan, as necessary.

Spot Checks: 

• Conduct HACT compliant spot checks during and post-implementation for grants subject to a Capacity Assessment;

• Discuss recommendations with theIP following a spot check and issue the corresponding report.

Grants Closure:

• Undertake financial closure procedures for grants and issue a financial closure report;

• Provide support for the financial aspects of the grant closure process, particularly for projects managing a high volume of grants.
  
  

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Finance, Economics  or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in Financial Management, Certified Auditor, Certified Public Accounting (CPA) is desired.
• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in project management (such as Prince 2) is desired.

Required

• Relevant work experience in a financial role including at least 2 years of experience in one of more of the following domains: 

  • Grants Management, including planning of activities/deliverables 

  • Drafting of agreements and other administrative documents 

  • Financial Management and Reporting

  • Use of reporting and financial systems

Desired

• Experience in audit and/or financial management assessments

• Experience in capacity assessment of organizations through HACT compliant methodology

• Experience in PSEA Assessment 

• Experience in organisational maturity and/or financial capacity assessment 

• Experience in budget Management

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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 [link removed]. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here. [link removed]
• 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.