Funds Monitoring Specialist, (P-3), Education Cannot Wait (ECW), New York, USA, Post#129294, REQ#573100

ECW Finance and Operations Unit is looking for a Funds Monitoring Specialist who will facilitate smooth grant management processes, including grant-making, processing, contracting, data collection and maintenance, reporting, and monitoring by following established procedures. It also aims to improve communication and coordination between programme managers and grant recipients, as well as with UNICEF Funds Support Office (FSO). Ensuring effective and efficient administration of ECW funding and increasing ECW’s exposure among stakeholders are the main outcomes.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Education

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the first global movement and fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. It was established in 2016 during the World Humanitarian Summit by international humanitarian and development aid organisations, along with public and private donors, to help reposition education as a priority on the humanitarian agenda, usher in a more collaborative approach among actors on the ground and foster additional funding to ensure that every crisis-affected child and young person is in school and learning.

Based on the recognition that continuous access to quality learning is a priority for children and families affected by conflicts, natural disasters and displacement and that no programme nor organisation can do it alone, ECW comes as a ground-breaking initiative bringing together public and private partners eager to work together differently and mobilize the funding required to deploy immediate and sustainable solutions.

ECW’s mandate is articulated around five core functions:

1. Inspire political commitment, so that education is viewed by both governments and funders as a top priority during crises.
2. Plan and respond collaboratively, with emphasis on enabling humanitarian and development actors to work together on shared objectives.
3. Generate and disburse additional funding to close the $8.5 billion funding gap needed to reach 75 million children and youth.
4. Strengthen capacity to respond to crises, nationally and globally, including the ability to coordinate emergency support.
5. Improve accountability by developing and sharing knowledge, including collection of more robust data to make better-informed investment decisions, and knowledge of what works and does not.

Education Cannot Wait is hosted by UNICEF. The Fund is administered under UNICEF’s financial, human resources and administrative rules and regulations, while operations are run by the Fund’s own independent governance structure.

How can you make a difference? 

The role of the Funds Monitoring Specialist is to facilitate smooth grant management processes, including grant-making, processing, contracting, data collection and maintenance, reporting, and monitoring by following established procedures. It also aims to improve communication and coordination between programme managers and grant recipients, as well as with UNICEF Funds Support Office (FSO). Ensuring effective and efficient administration of ECW funding and increasing ECW’s exposure among stakeholders are the main outcomes.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Execute the ECW Annual Work Plan for the designated area to guarantee the prompt and efficient administration of top-notch grants. This should be done in compliance with the ECW Annual Work Plan and the Operational Manual as sanctioned by the Executive Committee.
2. Enhance and solidify support and oversight mechanisms to foster stronger partnerships with ECW grantees by collaboratively engaging with Programme Managers and UNICEF FSO. This collaborative effort aims to secure the approval of top-tier grants while emphasizing accountability.
3. Receive and review critical information from potential grantees for due diligence, initiating seamless communication with FSO to streamline and expedite prospective grants’ pre-approval and approval processes.
4. Review and assess the management of ECW grants by grantees to identify risks and potential challenges. Share pertinent information promptly with Programme Funding Managers and Programme Managers to ensure proactive resolution and mitigation of issues.
5. Deliver strategic, logistical, and programmatic support to the Programme Funding Manager and other ECW Secretariat staff in their interactions with the ExCom, donors, and key partners.
6. Build and sustain a comprehensive understanding of current and potential grants and grant recipients, enhancing ECW’s knowledge base on grants management and partnership cultivation.
7. Serve as a central figure within the ECW Secretariat for grant management, overseeing issue resolution and institutional knowledge sharing. This includes anticipating and addressing concerns and priorities of ECW Secretariat staff and grantees, ensuring they are well-informed on ECW’s perspectives, policies, priorities, and capacities.
8. Undertake additional responsibilities as directed by the supervisor to support the achievements of the ECW Grants Management team. This may involve providing guidance, training, and coaching to temporary staff, such as interns and consultants, as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree is required in business administration, public administration, or development studies. MBA or MPA is highly desirable.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience with non-profit organizations, preferably in grant management or fund management as a specialized area. Of the five years of professional experience, at least two years must be with a recognized international civil society organization in the field.
• Diplomatic communication and coordination skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships for achievement of objectives and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Current knowledge of development and humanitarian issues, strategies, as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation.
• In-depth knowledge of project management and fund management, with emphasis on finance and accounting.
• Demonstrated ability to formulate new approaches in respect of grants and data management.
• Skill in the identification of new opportunities or requirements to meet challenges in the field and propose changes.
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written.
• In-depth familiarity with political and governmental processes as well as civil society organizations and their management and networks.
• Ability to conduct sound policy and managerial analysis.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

1. Builds and maintains partnerships
2. Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
3. Drive to achieve results for impact
4. Innovates and embraces change
5. Manages ambiguity and complexity
6. Thinks and acts strategically
7. Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from a programme country are encouraged to apply. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.