Since 2014, IUCN has served as an accredited Implementing Agency for the Global Environment Facility (GEF). In this capacity, IUCN provides support for the identification, development, and oversight of the execution of IUCN-led, GEF-funded projects, ensuring that the project is implemented in full accordance with the GEF-approved project document and in accordance with all IUCN and GEF fiduciary, environmental and social safeguards and requirements. In some instances, IUCN also serves on the execution team of a GEF-funded project, responsible for the day-to-day management of project-support activities and functions. Execution functions can include sub-contracting a portion of the project work to external parties and organizations, and ensuring the delivery of all sub-contracted work.

In December 2025, the GEF approved an IUCN-implemented project, the GEF Small Grants Program (SGP) Civil Society Organization (CSO) Challenge Program (GEFID 11757) – a four-year global project that seeks to “to recognize and support innovative environmental solutions from civil society organizations and actors, including from youth, women and indigenous peoples”. The program will establish and operate an inclusive, open, competitive, transparent call for proposals from civil society organizations (CSOs) in GEF-eligible countries for work that meets the program’s objectives and eligibility requirements. Selected CSOs will be provided with direct grants of up to $300,000 USD for CSO-led sub-projects up to 2 years in length, as well as a number of other program supports including demand-driven capacity building, and support for communications and exchange. A minimum of 24 CSO grantees will be selected and supported by the program.

The Finance Officer will support a partial execution role for IUCN of this project that includes servicing the 24+ execution grants to CSO Challenge Program grantees using IUCN financial and program management tools and procedures. The position will report directly to the IUCN Multilateral Finance Unit’s Senior Finance Officer who is based in IUCN Headquarters (Gland, Switzerland), and with a matrix reporting line to the IUCN GEF GCF Portfolio Manager for Global Initiatives, who is based in the IUCN North America Regional Office (Washington, DC). The role will require liaising with the Lead Executing Agency for the project, RTI International, which provides day-to-day project management and operational functions of the project.

This position will meet the growing needs of project financial services and help to provide support with procurement, drafting sub-grant contracts, purchase orders, and project audits, among other tasks specified further below.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Perform due diligence for all GEF SGP CSO Challenge grantees (minimum of 24 CSOs). This includes review of CSO due diligence submitted by RTI (Lead Executing Agency for the GEF SGP CSO Challenge Program), facilitate sign-off with regional head of finance, contact CRM team to create new partner, upload signed due diligence to IUCN Union Portal.
Facilitate contracting for all GEF SGP CSO Challenge grantees (minimum of 24 contracts). This includes:
Review of all CSO contracts submitted by RTI and facilitate sign-off by M level - regional director
Review CSO contract budgets submitted by RTI and create sub-award + upload subaward budget and setup codes in IUCN NAV
Facilitate funding disbursements to all GEF SGP CSO Challenge grantees (minimum of 24 contracts, 2 times per year). This includes:
Review of all disbursement requests and supporting docs from CSOs submitted by RTI, create PO, facilitate sign-off in NAV
Review PO supporting documents and create payment journal
Facilitate recording for all GEF SGP CSO Challenge CSO expenditures (minimum of 24 contracts, 2 times per year. This includes review of all CSO financial reports submitted by RTI and recording these in IUCN NAV
Provide other needed supports during implementation of the GEF SGP CSO Challenge Program. These include
Review amendments and No Cost Extension requests for CSO contracts submitted by RTI and facilitate sign-off (M level - regional director)
Support procurements and logistics of CSO Challenge Program events (Inception workshop, 4 side-events to showcase SGP, technical trainings, write-shop, lessons learned workshop)
Review CSO contract budget amendment submitted by RTI and create amendment to sub-award + amend subaward budget in NAV
Review procurement supporting documents and create payment journal
IUCN staff time management for IUCN execution team and TMS allocations
Other duties as required by the MFU Finance Lead for Centers and the GEF GCF Portfolio Manager for Global Initiatives
This position will work closely with other IUCN MFU colleagues and IUCN Center staff members based in IUCN HQ and other offices that are part of the GEF SGP CSO Challenge Program execution team, and liaise with RTI, the external organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, that is the lead executing agency for the GEF SGP CSO Challenge Program