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Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist

Home Based - May require travel

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Home Based - May require travel
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Legal - Broad
    • Procurement
    • External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
    • Ombudsman and Ethics
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume, and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional referees of previous jobs (supervisors and peers). 

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Travel:   

UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.

Office/Unit/Project Description  

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work is carried out through a network of advisors and specialists located at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, to ensure that local knowledge and context specific expertise is linked to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP provides its policy advisory and programme support functions through the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains, in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan and works closely with the Crisis Bureau (CB) that has the responsibility to guide and implement UNDP’s corporate crisis-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery. The Nature, Climate and Energy Team as part of the GPN, supports countries to promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas. 

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

Management of this portfolio of investments requires (i) at a corporate level, alignment of all UNDP policies and operating processes with the policy requirements and fiduciary standards of the vertical funds, and (ii) at a project level, detail-oriented review of the legal requirements of each project that is receiving funds, as well as, assessment of the project’s compliance with said requirements as part of standard quality assurance provided by the headquarters Directorate. Transparent and detailed review of related programme documents and contracts is necessary to ensure that they adequately reflect legal commitments to the vertical funds. 

In addition, UNDP’s internal audit processes assess UNDP’s policy framework and operational implementation and compliance of the organization with the policies on a rolling basis through audits, both at a corporate level (global, regional or country), as well as, in relation to specific projects. Any legal and compliance risks identified during such audits require close monitoring and, where necessary, adjustments to the policies and operating procedures governing UNDP’s programming activities. In particular, in relation to the vertical fund portfolio, there are currently multiple organization-wide audits underway in 2021, which will require additional contract management oversight and review.

Within this overall background, UNDP is seeking the service of a Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist to support the NCE on corporate level policy guidance, contract management and compliance review of audit-related documents, as well as, project-level contract management and compliance review of VF programme documents, contracts, and implementation arrangements. 

Institutional Arrangement

  • The Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist will report to, and be directly supervised by the Environmental Policy Specialist, based in New York;
  • The Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist  will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment;
  • The Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist  will be responsible for providing her/his own work station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection;
  • Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist  is expected to be reasonably be flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones;

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Contracts Management and Compliance Specialist  is expected to assist with the following functions:

  • Support audit processes by (a) coordinating with other policy units at the corporate level within UNDP, as well as, with the regional bureaus and country offices where relevant, (b) handling interactions with external auditing firms performing the audits, (c) facilitating discussions and briefing UNDP management on audit issues raised, and (d) where required, assist in follow-up actions towards the vertical funds;
  • Review audit checklists and provide quality assurance, provide follow-up when necessary with related parties and document changes that need to be made in project design or project structuring guidance as a result, and answer related queries from colleagues;
  • Propose necessary changes to project design, project structuring or Programme and Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) guidance and provide related support to RTA’s on said changes as needed;
  • Write SOPs and guidance and ensure that project design and implementation complies with UNDP’s policies and SOPs (including updating Delegations of Authority for ongoing projects; providing project extension guidance and SOPs);
  • Write detailed guidance and answer queries related to execution/oversight of vertical fund projects;
  • Support review of projects and liaise with other relevant UNDP policy units to ensure compliance of the vertical fund portfolio with UNDP’s policy framework;
  • Review project-specific contracts and legal/compliance documentation to ensure alignment with vertical fund policy requirements;
  • Support Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) and Regional Bureaux in the roll-out of updated policies, procedures and tools (including the application of the Country Office capacity Assessment tool for programming, project origination and pre-investment screening processes, delegations of authority, etc);
  • Draft specific policy guidance for design and implementation of global and regional projects.

       

Competencies

 

Competencies

Corporate

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Professionalism

  • Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously, and self-motivated and proactive;  
  • Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
  • Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

Teamwork

  • Works well in a team;
  • Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
  • Focuses on results for the client;
  • Welcomes constructive feedback.

Communication

Excellent inter-personal and communication skills

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications

 

Min. Academic Education

Master’s degree in law, international relations, finance, or other field related to environmental issues.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

At least 2 years of relevant work experience in legal analysis, quality assurance, and/or compliance

Required  skills

Skills

  • Experience in providing high quality contract management and compliance advice and guidance 
  • Experience in drafting and reviewing contractual documentation
  • Experience in drafting and applying policy documents and procedural manuals
  • Progressively responsible experience in environmental or policy formulation field involving extensive writing, technical drafting and negotiation of agreements and other instruments Experience in portfolio management for large portfolios, data analysis and knowledge management
  • Experience working in international organization
  • Excellent negotiation skills

Desired additional skills 

  • Experience and knowledge in managing portfolios of environmental vertical fund projects (Global Environment Fund and/or Green Climate Fund in particular) or similar funding organisations would be highly desirable.
  • Knowledge of UNDP policy framework  
  • Knowledge of Vertical Fund contracting structures and compliance criteria
  • Knowledge of environment, climate change, energy, or other related field is desirable
  • Working knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English languages is essential.

 

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