NDC Partnership - Project Management Support Senior Officer - Maternity Cover

Summary of functions:  

Coordination of PAF Window 1

• Regularly update the PAF Window 1 guidance note to reflect any process or requirement changes, ensuring the latest version is accessible and readily available to staff and hosts. 

• Centralize process questions, general queries and other clarification requests and provide timely responses and guidance, liaising with others in the team and relevant hosts’ personnel as needed. 

• Ensure that the PAF Window 1 planner is up to date, engaging the Country Engagement team when information is missing or needs to be revised / clarified. 

• Conduct a preliminary review of PAF Window1 requests, checking for completeness of requirements and that information is accurately reflected in the Window 1 planner.

• Collect information on the status of each request (e.g., advertisement stage, interview stage, written test stage, etc.), identifying delays, challenges and bottlenecks when they arise.

• Provide regular, consolidated reports to the PAF Program Manager on request processing status, flagging any delays or challenges that demand action / troubleshoot. 

• Support the Program Manager in presenting consolidated information for approval and decision-making on all requests (for instance, on available / remaining PAF funds, funds allocated to a given country, and estimated contract value), liaising with the hosts operations / financial officers as needed. 

• Liaise with hosts’ fund / operations managers to ensure final contract value and duration are accurately included in PAF project management tools, formal reports, and reflected in the Support Unit’s knowledge management system (kNook).

Coordination of PAF Window 2

• Engage the Country Engagement team in preparing requests for Calls for Proposals (CFP), providing guidance on templates, process, timelines, and eligibility.

• Manage the CFP data collection templates, ensuring latest changes are reflected and requests for clarification are addressed by relevant staff.

• Consolidate draft CFP guidance documents, working closely with both hosts to ensure requirements are accurately reflected in the invitation to submit proposals and in other annexes / documents as needed.

• Pre-populate the proposal submission templates with information on all requests included in CFPs. 

• Organize information sessions implementing partners prior to the launch of every CFP, leading the consolidation of materials (slides, talking points, etc.) and logistics (attendance, recording, follow – up emails to attendees).

• Manage the collection of queries from partners during the proposal preparation stage, liaising with the Country Engagement staff to provide responses in a timely manner.

• Support outreach to NDC Partnership members, coordinating organizational assessments that enable their eligibility for PAF funding, centralizing the collection of relevant documents and answering clarifying questions.

• Coordinate proposal screening:

  • Prior to proposal reception, assemble proposed technical screening teams for clearance of Program Manager and approval of the Country Engagement Deputy Director.

  • Upon reception, conduct a preliminary screening of proposals, checking for completeness of requirements. 

  • Collect all requests for clarification for Program Manager approval and share back with the relevant partners within the established timeframes.

  • Serve as a contact point to receive and compile all clarifications / updated proposals provided by partners in response to the Support Unit’s questions.

  • All above activities should be systematized through templates and documented processes.

• Coordinate Evaluation Committees (ECs):

  • Upon proposal reception, work with the Program Manager to confirm the host / funding source for all CFP requests, for approval of the Country Engagement Deputy Director.

  • Assemble proposed ECs and assigned roles (from EC members and accompanying PAF Core Team staff), considering host requirements and country-specific knowledge, for Program Manager clearance and approval of the Country Engagement Deputy Director.

  • Join ECs as a voting member as needed.

  • Work with the Program Manager to confirm available capacity / staff that will undertake Reasonableness of Costs analyses when these are needed.

  • Work with the Program Manager to confirm note-taking and follow-up roles for each EC.

  • Organize information sessions for EC members prior to the launch of every CFP, leading the consolidation of materials (slides, talking points, etc.) and logistics (attendance, recording, follow – up emails to attendees).

  • Distribute proposal packages to Evaluation Committee members and information on requirements, deadlines, and other important aspects to consider.

  • Work with the Country Engagement team to ensure Evaluation Committee meetings are scheduled within the CFP’s established timeframes.

  • Track the status of each EC (partner selected, awaiting clarifications, etc.), identifying delays and bottlenecks and flagging these to the Program Manager.

  • Compile Evaluation Summary Reports for all ECs and lead the preparation of Evaluation Summary Reports for the ECs for which this task was allocated. 

  • Inform partners of EC decisions and clarify next steps and their timelines. 

• Coordinate the preparation of Scopes of Work (SOW)

  • Pre-populate SOW document and circulate to selected partners and relevant Country Engagement staff along with timeframes and clear instructions for finalization. 

  • Take notes and answer operations questions during coordination calls with Partnership’s selected implementing partners and member countries for SOW finalization. 

  • Track the status of each SOW, identifying delays and bottlenecks and flagging these to the Program Manager.

  • Facilitate coordination for troubleshoot (coordination calls, drafting emails, etc.). 

  • Answer questions from partners at the SOW preparation stage and budget finalization.

  • Upon completion of SOW, compile grant preparation packages for submission to the relevant host’s operations dependency. 

• Serve as a focal point for grant preparation and finalization.

  • Submit grant preparation packages to the relevant host, ensuring information is clear and complete.

  • Conduct coordination calls with partners to understand their setup, challenges, and specific conditions to consider in grant setup. 

  • Upon grant award, work with the Program Manager to define milestones, installments, reporting dates and other key conditions to be included in the grant minutes. 

  • Liaise with the relevant staff / dependencies from hosts’ offices and with partners to clear grant agreement texts.  

  • Engage relevant dependencies / staff from hosts’ offices and partners to troubleshoot as needed. 

  • Track the status of processing of each grant, flagging any bottlenecks or delays to the Program Manager and informing the relevant Country Engagement staff when grants are signed, and project implementation can start.

  • Include regular updates in the PAF grant tracker and PAF Master List. 

  • Work with the Project Management Support Officer to ensure grant agreements are correctly included in the PAF Library or other relevant folders.

• Following up grant implementation and closure.

  • Track payment schedules, working in close coordination with the Project Management Support Officer and operations staff to understand any concerns and reasons for delay, and flagging these to the Program Manager when relevant.

  • Collect / centralize concerns or requests from partners during grant implementation, providing advice and solutions and escalating to the Program Manager as needed.

  • Work closely with the Project Management Support Officer and the Country Engagement team to anticipate any need for the amendment of grants.

  • Support project closure as needed, working with the Project Management Support Officer and PAF Operations staff to ensure documents needed are in place. 

Cross-cutting coordination 

• Serve as a key point of contact with UNOPS Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) and other dependencies as needed, and with WRI’s Grants and Contracts, to request grant preparation and Window 1 recruitments. 

• Coordinate – and lead, when relevant -- the delivery of capacity-building / training activities to Support Unit staff on key issues / themes relevant to PAF such as project costing, reasonableness of cost assessments, good practice for evaluation committees and recruitment.

• Provide outlines and content drafts per request of the Program Manager in preparation of the development of PAF progress reports.

• Lead the dissemination of regular and ad-hoc reporting on PAF performance, to ensure funders have access to accurate and relevant information.

• Engage in regular and ad-hoc coordination activities with the Knowledge and Learning team to ensure process / workflow efficiency and alignment to accurately reflect responses to requests for support in the Support Unit’s knowledge management tools.

• Work closely with PAF’s Project Management Support Officer to flag success stories, learning and impact from partners’ deliverables, and be informed of progress around programmatic monitoring, and evaluation of implementing partners.

• The incumbent will participate in PAF weekly team meeting calls to report on progress relevant to the team, highlight milestones and identify areas of collaboration.

• The incumbent will define his/her own performance indicators responding to the priorities identified with his / her supervisor.

• Other duties may be assigned as the evolving nature of the PAF management.

• A relevant university degree (bachelor’s degree / first level) preferably in Project Management, Business Administration, Economics, Public Administration, International Development, Political Science, Communications, International Relations or another relevant discipline is required.
• Advanced degree (master’s level or above) is desired and can substitute the 2 years of experience. 
• PRINCE2 or PMP or similar project management certification at the foundation level will be considered an advantage.

• A minimum of 4 years of relevant and progressive professional experience (or more, depending on the academic credentials) in the field of supporting project implementation and delivery activities, is required.
• A minimum of 1 year experience in the field of procurement is desirable.
• Experience with project planning, operations management, monitoring and reporting is required.
• Progressive experience with international organizations, preferably in UNOPS or another UN agency, is required.

• Proficiency in English is required. 
• Fluency in French or Spanish is an asset.