Background

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), is a Corporate GEF Programme, established in 1992 and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to provide financial and technical support directly to community based organisations, civil society organisations and other sectors to address local environment issues consistent with local livelihoods and supportive to sustainable development. Thailand has participated in GEF SGP since 1993 and is one among 125 participating countries worldwide. For 20 years, GEF SGP in Thailand has supported 384 projects implemented in most if not all provinces with a majority of projects focusing mainly on international waters, climate change mitigation and biodiversity, enabling the target communities to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing their well-being and livelihoods.

The Small Grants Programme in Thailand aims particularly at enhancing community capacity and networks on environmental conservation and sustainable development, by making funds available to small scale projects operating in communities. It works to support local, district and provincial level policy related issues on sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, community-based management, institutional development, knowledge management, and capacity building opportunities. SGP in Thailand allows communities and CSOs, in particular those with potential to build on innovative ideas or development/conservation initiatives, to access the appropriate level of funding as they develop their capacity and for the programme to take measured risks in testing new methods and technologies and to innovate as needed.

SGP has a multi-sectoral National Steering Committee (NSC) which assures a “country-driven” approach to SGP implementation and allows community empowerment and capacity building in the management of a national programme. This serves as a useful platform for community-government dialogue and consultations as well as broader national sustainable development concerns.

Built on the already established GEF SGP, UNDP Thailand has adopted and developed a small grants facility with two entities since 2008.

First, the Mangrove for the Future Small Grant Programme (MFF-SGP), which focuses on supporting coastal communities to conserve mangrove ecosystems for disasters prevention and improve local livelihoods in Southern Thailand. This collaboration was developed after the Tsunami catastrophe in 2004, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. The funding is from the Clinton Foundation, and UNDP has applied the small grant mechanism to administer the grant disbursement since 2008 till present.

Second, the Water for People Partnership Small Grant Programmme (WPP-SGP), established in 2011. UNDP has partnered with the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) to be an effective and capable delivery mechanism for channeling funding from MWA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programme (CSR) to communities along the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong under the Water for People Partnership’s Small Grants Programme to promote water conservation and water quality improvements.

The Project Coordinating Associate – Small Grants Facility (SGF) will coordinate and facilitate the above-mentioned two UNDP’s SGF projects and work in close collaboration with the GEF SGP National Coordinator and the National Steering Committee to foster operational and policy linkages between WPP-SGP/MFF-SGP under UNDP Thailand and the GEF-SGP.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the GEF SGP National Coordinator and the Programme Specialist of the Inclusive   Green Growth   and Sustainable   Development (IGSD) Unit, UNDP Thailand, the SGF Project Coordinating Associate will be responsible for coordinating and facilitating the implementation of two small grants facility projects: Water for People Partnership and Mangrove for the Future. S/he will coordinate with the SGP National Team, the National Steering Committee and the SGF grantees, and provide administrative and management support to the Small Grants Facility, including the planning and implementation of work streams and budgets, managing the meeting of project timelines and milestones, facilitation and organisation of training workshops, facilitation of the SGF allocations, press releases, project/UNDP/donor briefing notes, translations etc., and support on administrative matters. Key duties and responsibilities will include:

Management support:

  • Provide support on the general administrative requirements of the two small grants projects (WPP and MFF), including those related to project management and funding;
  • Prepare the information to support budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial close of the project;
  • Prepare and facilitate the annual call for proposals;
  • Provide support to the small grants projects/grantees/communities to assure uninterrupted and smooth communication on project implementation;
  • Assist in preparing the annual grants work plan and budget plan;
  • Assist in ensuring that the small grants projects are executed in a timely and appropriate manner;
  • Maintain regular contact with project counterparts, UNDP Country Office, the GEF SGP National Team and the National Steering Committee on project implementation issues;
  • Support in preparing necessary project progress reports, as well as, any other reports requested by the implementing partners and UNDP;
  • Assist in monitoring the work of the small grants projects and payment schedules;
  • Assist in project related activities, where required. These may include planning for meetings, local consultations, field visits and other project related activities;
  • Maintain linkages with the GEF SGP National Team and members;
  • Present information for audit of the project, and support implementation of audit recommendations;
  • Any other duties assigned by the IGSD Programme Specialist.

Financial Oversight:

  • Support the grants budget, overseeing overall resource allocation;
  • Facilitate the annual SGF allocations (administrative and grants), ensuring financial integrity and effective use of SPF resources;
  • Review Financial Reports, track and report on mobilized resources;
  • Ensure financial resources/grants are disbursed on time to grantees;
  • Maintain records of expenditures and collaborate in financial reporting.

Knowledge Sharing:

  • Assist in the preparation of SGF project evaluations;
  • Assist in documentation and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices in SGF projects for scaling up and replication.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:             

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda

  • Identifies relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

  • Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
  • Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals.

Building Strategic Partnerships

  • Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives;
  • Maintains databases of donor information;
  • Tracks and reports on mobilized resources.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

  • Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches;
  • Responds positively to new approaches.

Resource Mobilization: (Field Duty Stations)

  • Maintains information/databases on potential and actual donors;
  • Maintains database of project files;
  • Provides data and information needed for preparation of project documents.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

  • Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

  • Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
  • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
  • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
  • Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools, and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

  • Identifies relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences.

Client Orientation

  • Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
  • Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
  • Responds to client needs promptly.

Core Competencies:

  • Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
  • Creating synergies through self-control;
  • Managing conflict;
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
  • Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Thai national with Secondary School Diploma;
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in development studies, environmental studies, economics, business administration, or other related fields is desirable.

Experience:

  • At least 6 years of relevant experience with High school diplomat, or 4 years with Bachelor’s degree, experience in project coordination, project administration, and community empowerment;
  • Previous experience in development assistance, small grants programme or related work for a UN agency, a donor organization, or international NGO is an advantage;
  • Familiarization with UNDP/GEF SGP operating and reporting systems is an advantage;
  • Good experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) with advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web-based management systems;
  • Demonstrate ability to administer  project  budgets,  and track financial  expenditure;
  • Demonstrate ability to maintain effective communications with project counterparts and teams.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English and Thai.

Remuneration:

  • Starting Baht 717,305 per annum.

Remark: