Country Fund Portfolio Specialist

Background information
The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund is a UNOPS Trust Fund committed to saving lives and improving the well being of people by improving access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health hygiene. The Fund will invest in country led programmes to accelerate progress and sustainable impact toward the achievement of SDG 6.2.

The Fund will maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of international development assistance and national investment. Staff at the Fund manage grants and other financial modalities, coordinate with partners,support countries, monitor and evaluate results, report on progress, manage donor relations and raise funds.

At the core of the new architecture is a country funding model designed to be an efficient and effective mechanism that can operate at scale and deliver impact and supported by a suite of policies that define how funding is to be invested. The SHF uses development and impact innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and the long term sustainability of its programs.

The SHF is looking for mission-oriented, collaborative, open minded and flexible candidates who are passionate about global development.

Role of the Country Fund Portfolio Specialist

Reporting to the Country Fund Portfolio Manager, the Country Fund Portfolio Specialist is responsible for supporting the implementation of SHF’s funding application and programme cycle, including allocation and implementation oversight in the portfolio of assigned countries.

The Country Fund Portfolio Specialist delivers timely integrated, proactive support, identifies risk and elevates where necessary, to secure countries’ access to, and effective/efficient use of, SHF resources to achieve tangible results.

Functional responsibilities

A. Funding application

Within the portfolio of assigned countries:

• Coordinate the compilation and analysis of complex data and qualitative information as required to support eligibility and prioritisation determinations per the SHF policy.
• Draft relevant communications to countries, for example regarding eligibility status, allocation, and transition.
• Prepare materials required (including managing appropriate translations) for SHF eligible countries to submit clear applications in line with SHF strategy and policies.
• Manage timely responses to questions submitted by applicants regarding the funding process by liaising as needed across SHF teams.
• Ensure the timely compilation of all materials, including the SHF eligibility list for publication on the SHF website.
• Ensure relevant sections of the SHF website are up to date with the most current information for stakeholders on all aspects of the SHF funding processes.
• Prepare relevant communications to national governments regarding co-financing and leveraging requirements.
• Monitor and provide solutions for resolving SHF funding/co-financing issues arising on a country-by-country basis, escalating where required.
• Track co-financing requirements for clear and transparent documentation.
• Responsible for risk identification, manage through implementation of the SHF risk register(s) and manage or elevate appropriately.
• Prepare and maintain country records, status and progress trackers, including for audit but also for decision making purposes.
  B. Support to country application and review
• Act as the focal point for preparing documentation required for application review processes for countries within the assigned portfolio, including applicant materials.

C. Grant management

Within the portfolio of assigned countries:

• Provide technical advice with the delivery of all SHF pre-financing activities in eligible countries leading to the development of high quality investment cases and bankable projects.
• Facilitate, coordinate and support all steps of the SHF funding process for grants and other types of investments (application, funding decision, disbursement, monitoring, renewal).
• Coordinate and ensure the development of high quality and country-specific grant documents.
• Deliver efficient and proactive coordination of all SHF processes with a country, including clear and comprehensive communications consistent with SHF strategy and policies.
• Review and analyse key documentation from countries or partners; ensuring compliance with policies, requirements, agreed timelines, formats and quality standards.
• Manage systems for maintaining organized documentation of all country correspondence.
• Work in collaboration with the Finance Unit to advise on disbursements to SHF recipients.

D. Knowledge management, partnerships and innovation

• Act as the focal point for capturing feedback and ensuring that lessons learned across countries, technical partners and other teams inform updated application materials.
• Represent SHF in meetings and dialogue with relevant finance and development partners in the region, including the African Development Bank, financing organizations and UN agencies, for the purpose of gathering intelligence and establishing partnerships.
• Manage the development and introduction of innovation to ensure SHF is continually incorporating best practice approaches.

This position is expected to travel frequently around the region and occasionally outside the region.

a. Education

Advanced university degree preferably in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or other relevant field is required.

A bachelor’s degree with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
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b. Experience**

Minimum of five years of progressively responsible investment structuring or fund/grant management experience is required.

Experience of supporting government, donor or investor engagement while working for an international organization or related experience is required.

Prior experience in supporting or managing implementation of multi-donor supported projects would be a strong asset.

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c. Language **

Fluency in English and French is required (writing, reading, speaking).

Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement Level 2 – ICS10
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Should the preferred candidate be a national of the country where the position is based, a LICA contract at the same level could be applicable.

Additional considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• This position is expected to travel frequently around the region and occasionally outside the region.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.