Quality Assurance Specialist – 2 years, Co-Terminus – P3  

Organizational Setting

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Corporate Services Support Group (CSSG) comprises of:  

     (i) Office of the President and the Vice-Presidents (OPV)

     (ii) Office of the General Counsel (LEG),

     (iii) Office of Audit and Oversight (AUO);

     (iv) Planning, Organisational Development and Budget Division (POB),

     (v) Quality Assurance Group (QAG);

     (vi) Office of Enterprise Risk Management (RMO) and

     (vii) Ethics Office (ETH), a stand-alone unit.

The Quality Assurance Group (QAG) has three core functions:

1. To support the IFAD President, Vice President and Associate Vice President PMD as Chairs of the Operational Strategy and Policy Guidance Committee (OSC) in the review, clearance and further development of Country Strategic Opportunity Papers (COSOPs), loan and grant concept notes and operational strategies/policies for IFAD’s Governing Bodies;

2. To support the IFAD Vice President and/or Associate Vice President PMD to ensure the quality of the loans and grants programs through review and clearance of design documents and President’s Reports prior to approval; and

3. To deliver robust knowledge products and facilitate knowledge sharing with IFAD, based on lessons learned from all quality assurance review processes.

The Quality Assurance Specialist works under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance and supervision of the Director QAG.

Job Role

The Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for providing oversight and quality assurance support for loan and grant programmes as well as for contributing to the knowledge management agenda of QAG.

Key Functions and Results

1. OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ON CORPORATE PROGRAMMES:  The Quality Assurance Specialist

a) Critically reviews COSPOs, loan and grant Concept Notes (CNs) and designs reports presented to Operational Strategy and Policy Guidance Committees (OSCs)  and/or Design Review and Quality Assurance Meetings, and participates in  OSC, Design Review and Quality Assurance meetings as QAG resource person;

b) Prepares QAG review notes and decision memos, and conducts quality assurance reviews on final COSOPs and grant and loan funded projects and programmes before submission to the Executive Board and/or the President for consideration; and 

c) Contributes to the smooth implementation of the  Regular Grants Policy and Grant Financing Procedures, developing guidelines and templates and disseminating these effectively, and provides guidance to grants sponsoring divisions on the grants procedures.

2. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: The Quality Assurance Specialist

a) Synthesizes cross-cutting and systemic issues, good practices and lessons learned based on QAG quality assurance reviews;

b) Participates in internal and external knowledge and learning events, workshops and conferences, and makes presentations and engages in dialogues on knowledge and lessons based on QAG reviews; and

c) Conducts analyses on specific themes, partnerships and/or issues of corporate interest and strategic relevance in promoting sustainable and inclusive rural transformation.

3. MONITORING AND ANALYTICAL REPORTING:  The Quality Assurance Specialist

a) Monitors and manages information and data related to the Grants Programme of Work and Budget;

b) Prepares the Information Note presented to the Board on the Small Grants approved by the President. Prepare the Grants Secretariat’s contribution to the corporate Annual Report;

c) Contributes to QAG’s annual reporting exercises (e.g. through the RIDE, to OMC sessions, etc.);

d) Contributes to the further development of QAG’s quality assurance methods, processes and guidelines.

4. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Quality Assurance Specialist is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes accountability for assigned financial and material resources and related processes including contracting. It may include, people management through support to recruitment of technical specialists and technical leadership/capacity development, coaching and mentoring of new and/or more junior staff, a supervisory role and evaluation of the performance of professionals and general service staff under their purview.

5. ADVICE ON CORPORATE PROGRAMMES: The Quality Assurance Specialist:

(a) Prepares the Grants Secretariat’s contribution to the corporate Annual Report;

(b) Contributes to the preparation of the annual stand-alone progress report on the implementation of the Regular Grants Policy submitted to the Executive Board, and to the preparation of the dedicated section on the implementation of the Regular Grants Policy included in the midterm review report presented by Management to the Board at each replenishment consultation;

(c) Contributes to the self-evaluation of the implementation of the Regular Grants Policy and the results achieved through grant-funded projects to be carried out by Management after the completion of two full replenishment cycles.

Key Performance Indicators

Assignments require the provision of seasoned technical expertise with regard to IFAD’s programme of work, as well as knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. The work goes beyond technical analysis and synthesis to include substantive inputs to proposals undergoing quality assurance review and related activities, and systematic capture and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices. The work is considered moderately complex, requiring in-depth technical analysis and reporting skills.

Working Relationships

The Quality Assurance Specialist provides technical inputs on quality assurance processes, builds and maintains collaborative working relationships with IFAD colleagues and other partners to enhance effectiveness of all review processes for COSOPs, loans, grants, and corporate policies and strategies. QAG internal partners are:

a) Colleagues in IFAD’s FOD, LEG, PMD, SKD and ERG Departments;

b) The President, Vice President and Associate Vice President PMD as Chairs of the review meetings; and

c) IFAD’s Executive Board Members, who rely on quality assurance reviews for approval of country strategies, loans and large grants

The Specialist will participate in selected platforms of relevance to QAG’s work, inter-alia, to build partnerships and networks, promote a culture of quality in development cooperation, as well as to share and acquire knowledge and lessons on substantive and methodological issues.

Job Profile Requirements

Organizational Competencies:

Level 1:

• Building relationships and partnerships – Builds and maintains effective working relationships
• Communicating and negotiating – Communicates effectively; creates understanding between self and others
• Demonstrating leadership – Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Focusing on clients – Focuses on clients
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating – Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge & innovates
• Managing time, resources and information – Manages own time, information and resources effectively
• Problem-solving and decision-making – Demonstrates sound problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Strategic thinking and organizational development – Personal influence
• Team working – Contributes effectively to the team

Education:

• Level – Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in a job related field
• Areas – agriculture, and rural development, international cooperation, business administration, economics, agricultural economics, or related disciplines.
• Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in an International development agency, working on issues related to rural transformation.
• Two (2) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope.

Languages:

• English (4 – Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Spanish and/or Arabic (3 – Good) 

Skills:

• Risk & compliance: Know-how in asset liability management, risk reporting, capital adequacy, quality assurance and compliance (e.g. Anti-money laundering (AML), Know your customer (KYC) processes), etc.
• Economic analysis: Know-how in Programme/Project economic analysis
• Economic evaluation: Know-how relevant to specific role in Evaluation roles (e.g. Monitoring and managing evaluation processes and methodologies, carrying out Programme/Project evaluation, Impact evaluation, Corporate-level evaluation)
• Analytical skills: Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations
• Data management: Data collection, cleaning, transformation and consolidation; data-base architecture & development; data presentation
• Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD’s activities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a “Culture Carrier” demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through his/her work.
• Integrity and ethics: Strong emphasis on acting with honesty, not tolerating unethical behaviour, demonstrating equity, impartiality and sensitivity in exercising authority and interacting with staff, and other  stakeholders. Conduct must be guided by IFAD core values, the Code of conduct and a high sense of ethics.
• Written communication: Clear, succinct and convincing written communication in the language needed for specific role; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language (e.g. for drafting of position papers, briefings, etc.)

Other Information

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD’s Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation.

Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org.

In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

* This is a two-year fixed-term co-terminus position fully financed with supplementary funds. Contract renewal depends on funding availability and/or duration of the project. There is no guarantee of renewal or conversion into another kind of contract.

In accordance with IFAD’s provisions, all new staff members will normally be placed at the first step in the grade level for which they have been selected. For information on IFAD’s remuneration package, please visit IFAD’s compensation and benefits page on our website. Applicants are invited to use the ICSC compensation calculator to estimate the salary and benefit entitlements.  See here. 

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