Project Grants Manager

Uzbekistan is globally and regionally important in terms of its biodiversity due to its location between the European, Middle Eastern, and Asian biogeographical regions. Its varying landscapes of high mountain ranges, wide steppes, deserts, riparian wetlands, and the Aral Sea has results in a wide diversity of habitats. UNDP, for many years, have supported the Government of Uzbekistan in tackling environmental challenges, including in the area of biodiversity.

UNDP/GEF and Republic of Uzbekistan project on “Sustainable natural resource use and forest management in key mountainous areas important for globally significant biodiversity” will further support the country in addressing biodiversity conservation challenges, specifically with focusing on mountain ecosystems such as the western-most outliers of the western Tian Shan (Chatkal, Pskem, Ugam and Kuramin ranges) and Pamir-Alai (Gissar, Turkestan and Zaravshan ranges), which are home to the endangered snow leopard, and provide important habitat for its key prey species.

The project objective is ‘To enhance the conservation, and sustainable use, of natural resources in the biodiverse high altitude mountain ecosystems of Uzbekistan’, and the project is structured into four components, with each component comprising a complementary suite of two to three outputs:

1. Component 1: Landscape level planning and management decision-making;
2. Component 2: Strengthening key biodiversity areas;
3. Component 3: Sustainable economic development incentives for communities;
4. Component 4: Promoting cooperation and collaboration.

The project will implement a micro grants programme within Component 3 for sustainable pasture and forest management within project target areas, mainly on livestock health improvement, intensive livestock farms establishment, establishment of small plantations/woodlots, and installation of alternative energy technologies.

Under direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Grants Manager is fully responsible for the administration, management and monitoring of the micro grants programme (under Outputs 3.1 and 3.2) within the project and for fulfilling the following functions.

The Project Grants Manager (PGM) will be responsible for overseeing on a day to day basis the sound and timely implementation of all relevant technical tasks related to the grants program. Specific responsibilities will include:

Work planning and Reporting

• The PGM will provide support and inputs to the Project Manager in the preparation of all required work planning and reporting in terms of their technical content including AWP, Quarterly reports, Combined Project Implementation Review/Annual Project Report (PIR/APR), Technical reports, quarterly financial reports, Terminal Project report and other reports as may be required by the Project Manager.
• Develop administrative and financial guidelines, procedures and templates for the grants programme.
• Prepare informational material for farmers, seed producers and food processors/retailers seeking financial and technical support under the grants programme.
• Support the grants program steering committee to evaluate and review applications for grants, authorise grants.
• Draft grant agreements with selected grantees and monitor grant compliance.
• Ensure the timely and cost-effective implementation of all activities under the micro grants programme.

Technical Reports Oversight and finalization:

• The PGM will be responsible for reviewing, following up and finalization of all relevant technical reports, best practices, lessons learned, publications, etc. prepared under micro grants programme of the project.

Technical Coordination Group and Liaison with Project Technical Partners

• The PGM will contribute to the work of the Project Interagency Working Group and will ensure that it effectively achieves its objectives (i.e. to achieve technical coordination and information exchange in the field between various project partners to ensure complementarity and collaboration).
• Work with the Project Field Coordinators, state organisations, local government, self-governing community organisations and Pasture Use Associations to ensure that individual applications for support align with the project objective and outcomes.

Liaison and Support to International Technical Adviser (ITA)

• The PGM will liaise and consult closely with the ITA in order to ensure that the technical direction of the project implementation remains on course.
• The PGM will directly support and work closely with the ITA in order to facilitate effectiveness of results and reach clear understanding of technical tasks to be achieved during the project duration.

Monitoring and evaluation

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• The PGM will play a central role in supporting the process of undertaking the mid and terminal Independent Evaluations.
• Coordinate and assist expert teams and project partners with the initiation and implementation of any field studies and monitoring activities of the micro grants programme.
• Review financial and performance reports of grants.
• Maintain a detailed record of grant agreements issued and disbursements to grantees.
• Maintain proper auditable documentation with adequate detail about the processed grants.
• Carry out regular, announced and unannounced inspections of all project sites.

The PGM will perform other duties in the scope of the current post.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team leader and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• informed and transparent decision-making.

Communications and Networking

• Has excellent oral communication skills;
• Has excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non-government.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the team through leadership and personal example;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to participate in strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to participate in formulation of strategies and their implementation;
• Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities;
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
• Has experience in rural sustainable development and/or financial management or accounting, or a combination such as experience in micro-finance for rural development
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;

Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Education:

University degree in environmental management, agriculture, economics or equivalent.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant work experience in the administration of environmental/agricultural grants and subsidies. Working experience in similar development partner funded projects and/or with agricultural micro-loan/grant organisations, is highly desirable.

Language Requirements:   

Proficiency in Russian and Uzbek is a requirement, while knowledge of English is an advantage.

Other competencies:

•    Preferably experience working within the context of international donor projects;
•    Experience with GEF projects will be an asset;
•    Ability to effectively coordinate and interact effectively with a wide range on national, provincial and local actors;
•    Ability to effectively plan work and apply adaptive problem solving skills in order to achieve desired results;
•    Ability to work effectively with counterpart staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the project;
•    Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills;
•    Strong computer skills;
•    Excellent written communication skills.
 

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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