Financial Management Capacity Assessment (FMCA) Specialist , Multiple positions

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centers, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

UNOPS is also providing advisory services for Financial Management Capacity Assessments (FMCA) of grant recipients to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). UNOPS is responsible for undertaking the assessment of Grant Recipients in accordance with fiduciary principles and standards of the Funding Source (GCF), including submitting the findings and recommendations of the assessment to the Funding Source classifying Grant Recipients’ as per the established assessment criteria.  As part of this work, UNOPS has engaged qualified Consultants who conduct the FMCA work and submit the recommendations to UNOPS Geneva coordination function for final quality assurance prior to submission to the GCF.

As the GCF includes the appraisal of the grantee as an integral part of its grant selection and approval process, the provision of the FMCA advisory services by UNOPS is time and quality sensitive. In other words, any delay in the submission of the FMCA reports or any qualitative challenges negatively impacts on the GCF approval process of Readiness grants and the GCF’s performance in general.  As such, the coordination and QA function is critical to the programme.

The FMCA Specialist will be responsible for undertaking the review of submitting organizations Self Assessment and supporting institutional documents vis-à-vis the development of an organizational capacity assessments. He/She will be responsible to coordinate with Development Partners concerning the ‘completeness of application’ via review of critical organizational documents; the review of organizational Self-Assessments, and the development of comprehensive FMCA Reports across the five (5) pillar review categories.  The FMCA Specialist will be responsible to coordinate with the FMCA Project Lead concerning schedules and availability to undertake reviews; the status of review of applications; the submission of FMCA Draft Reports for Quality Assurance (QA) by the FMCA Project Lead, and; participation in Review Working Groups (virtually) with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) concerning overall ratings across the 5 Pillar Categories as reviewed and agreed upon with the FMCA Project Lead.

The FMCA Specialist is responsible to ensure the provision of high quality FMCA review/report services to the GCF.  Specifically, FMCAs are managed through multiple stages, as led by the FMCA Project Lead, with the FMCA Specialist responsible for a number of key review and coordination areas: 

• Review of organization supporting critical organizational documents as part of the application process

• Coordination with FMCA Project Lead and Development Partners on ‘completeness of application’ re: provision of institutional documents; 

• Review of institutional documents in support  of Risk identification  and drafting of FMCA Report, including: Financial, Procurement and Project Management areas; 

• Identification of gaps and/or risks in the potential grantee Policy and Procedure Frameworks; 

• Development/submission of Draft FMCA Report, as well as follow up with stakeholders as necessary

• Coordination with FMCA Project Lead on Timelines for submissions, and agreements on evaluations

• Participation in Review Working Groups based on evaluation on ad hoc basis; 

Stakeholder management

• Establish solid working relationship with the FMCA Project Lead and Development Partners (applicant organizations); 

• Manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of Application status, progress, and follow up actions 

Procedures

• Maintain a document archive in line with UNOPS policies and procedures

• Ensure adherence to UNOPS PM policies and procedures as apply to the FMCA component, including maintenance of risk and issue logs, ensure relevant lessons are recorded and shared, prepare reports and plans as needed, and other as required

• Adhere to UNOPS Geneva Programme and Operational guidance, as per established SoPs, Instructions, and other

A minimum of five years (with master's degree) or seven years (with bachelor's degree) of professional experience working in a financial role, preferably with at least 2 years of post-qualification experience related to the following is required.  

• Grants Management, including planning of activities/deliverables (required)

• Organizational Maturity and/or Financial Capacity Assessment (preferred) 

• Drafting of agreements and other administrative documents (required)

• Budget Management (preferred) 

• Financial Management and Reporting (required)

• Use of Reporting and financial systems (required)

• Audit and/or Financial Management Assessments (preferred)

• Capacity Assessment of organizations (preferred)

1. Contract type; INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT (ICA)
2. Contract level : ICA Local Specialist Level 10  (where local fee scales are unavailable the contract will be issued at International ICA Specialist Level 2)
3. Contract duration: RETAINER CONTRACT up to 100 working days. Renewable subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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
• 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.