Finance and Grants Management Intern

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is a global, multi-stakeholder membership and partnership organization that works with poor people, organizations, governments and local entrepreneurs to improve sanitation and hygiene at scale.

Founded in 1990, WSSCC’s mission is to ensure sustainable sanitation, better hygiene and safe drinking water for all, with focus on the poorest and most marginalized members of society in Africa and Asia. WSSCC facilitates sector coordination at national, regional and global levels, and engages rights holders and duty bearers to adopt policy guidelines on menstrual hygiene and disability. WSSCC also supports national sanitation and hygiene improvement programmes, coordinates knowledge platforms, and advocates on behalf of the 2.3 billion people without access to improved sanitation across the globe. UNOPS is the legal and administrative host of WSSCC.

WSSCC partners with UN agencies, governments, and private corporations to promote SDG 6.2, which includes equal access to sanitation and hygiene for adolescent girls, people with disabilities and the elderly. The partnerships combine traditional and non-traditional modalities, innovative ways of working, networking, policy advocacy, knowledge sharing and learning, as well as targeted communications and media outreach. Much of this support is directed to coalition building and sector coordination to bring about policy reforms and large-scale improvements in sanitation and hygiene. Read more at www.wsscc.org

The Finance and Operations directorate is under the direction of the WSSCC Executive Director, provides support on financial and grant management processes and issues such as budget management and supporting grants development and compliance. The internship will be placed within the Finance and operations Unit within the directorate to support the finance and grants operations working under the supervision of Head of Finance and Operations Unit.

The Directorate of WSSCC is looking for a dynamic and motivated intern that will support staff tasks related to Finance and Grant management.  The internship involves exposure to financial review of grant documents, budgeting and financial reviews. The Intern will work full time (40 hours a week) in an office space provided by WSSCC in Geneva.

More specifically, key functional responsibilities include:

As part of his/her assignment the Finance and Grants Management Intern will undertake the following tasks:

Follow up of processes related to Grants Management

• Support the Finance Operations Unit in updating follow up tools (Projects and Proposals, follow up tables) on a continuous basis.
• Produce / review project related tools and processes (project codes, factsheets, kick off meetings, reporting reviews, completion reviews)
• Support the Finance Operations Unit in reviewing the requests for new grants, extensions and amendments.
• Contribute to the development of guidance, tools, and templates notably those geared towards improving the functionality of the grants and commitment management
• Assist in filing finance and project documents.
• Assist in recommending and reviewing the payment in respect of the grants.

The intern is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

Based on these terms of reference and initial briefings, the selected candidate will develop upon the start of the internship a work-plan which will be reviewed at regular intervals during the internship period and will serve as a basis for his/her evaluation upon completion of the internship. As part of this review and workplan, the tasks to perform and level of responsibility will progressively evolve.

Training components

• Previous relevant work experience would be an advantage, especially in areas of accounting or Financial management.
• Academic exposure to grants management, program management and/or monitoring and evaluation is an asset

• Attentive to detail, meticulous and organised.
• Proactive team player with the ability to think and work independently
• Excellent communicator, who shares ideas and discusses solutions
• Critical thinker, who identifies problems and proposes solutions
• Ability to work in a dynamic, multicultural environment, to work under stress and to meet tight deadlines
• Fast learner and resourceful individual, able to take on a challenge and try new approaches
• Previous experience in the non-profit sector
• Knowledge of donor/institutional funding mechanisms

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

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 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 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 recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

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