Background

The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has established the Small Grants Programme (SGP) IN Sierra Leone to support projects consistent with global environmental priorities. The SGP supports activities of NGOs and Community-Based Organizations towards climate change abatement, conservation of biodiversity, protection of international waters, reduction of the impact of persistent organic pollutants and prevention of land degradation while generating sustainable livelihoods.

 The SGP is hosted by UNDP in Sierra Leone and implementation is funded by the Global Environmental facility. More information about GEF-SGP can be found on http://sgp.undp.org.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Results Expected:

Managerial Functions

  • Supervise the national SGP team members and provide necessary guidance and coaching;
  • Promote and maintain a suitable environment for teamwork within the SGP team, the National Steering Committee members, and with the UNDP CO team;
  • Prepare annual workplan, including strategic and/or innovative initiatives to be undertaken/explored, and set delivery and co-financing targets;
  • Set annual performance parameters and learning objectives for the SGP team, assess their performance and provide feedback;
  • Build and maintain an effective relationship with key partners and stakeholders, and keep CPMT, UNOPS and UNDP CO informed as appropriate.
  • Report on annual performance and results through the matrixed management system of the annual SGP Performance and Results Assessment (PRA), with inputs of CPMT, UNDP CO, UNOPS, and National Steering Committee chair.

 Programme Development and Management

  • Keep abreast of the national environmental concerns and priorities as well as the socio-economic conditions and trends as they relate to the GEF-SGP and its focal areas, and assess their impact on SGP’s work and programme.
  • Contribute to the formulation of the Country Programme Strategy (CPS) and its biennium review and update;
  • Exercise quality control over the development of a portfolio of project ideas and concepts, and closely monitor the programme implementation progress and results;
  • Organize periodic stakeholder workshops and project development sessions for NGOs, Community Based Organizations (CBO) and local communities, and other stakeholders to explain about SGP, and to assist potential applicants in making the link between local environmental problems and the global concerns of the GEF focal areas and operational programmes;
  • Work closely with NGOs and CBOs in preparation of project concepts and proposals to ensure that individual projects fit the GEF-SGP Strategic Framework;
  • Authorize and manage project planning grants as required.
  • Conduct periodic programme monitoring field visits and provide technical and operational support and guidance to SGP grantees as required;
  • Work closely and support the National Steering Committee and its deliberations during the process of project proposal selection and approval, especially the initial appraisal of proposals and assessment of eligibility.
  • Foster operational and policy linkages between the GEF-SGP and the large or medium-sized GEF projects, planned or underway in the country, as well as those of other donors and development partners.

Resource Mobilization

  • Establish and maintain close working relationships with stakeholders, advocate SGP policies, comparative advantages and initiatives, and ensure visibility.
  • Assess programme interest and priorities of key donors and other development partners, develop SGP advocacy campaigns and develop/update the SGP Resource Mobilization Strategy;
  • Identify opportunities and areas eligible for GEF-SGP support, and mobilize resources from the Government, donors and other partners to best leverage the GEF-SGP resources.

Knowledge Management

  • Assist in the preparation of SGP project/programme evaluation;
  • Assist in the documentation lessons learned and best practices in SGP programme/project development, implementation, and oversight;
  • Raise awareness of Programme Team on corporate strategic issues, plans and initiatives to maximize highest impact and effectiveness;
  • Access UNDP’s world-wide and regional knowledge, distill best practices and facilitate their dissemination within CO and to counterparts and partners;
  • Access global best practices, share them with other local and international stakeholders and ensure their incorporation into the SGP portfolio and project design process.

Impact of Key Results:

Sound programme development and build up, consistency of programme focus with national needs and priorities and in the GEF-SGP Strategic Framework and the focal areas, high efficiency in the use of resources to create maximum project/programme impact.  Increased trust by clients and donors and increased opportunities for visibility, partnerships and co-financing.

  • Effective management of the GEF-SGP (Global Environment Facility – Small Grants Programme) local team, the SGP programme and its portfolio -- from programme strategy to individual project concept and design to technical support to SGP grantees, monitoring and evaluation --  to ensure compliance with the overall approved global SGP Strategic Framework, the SGP Operational Guidelines, the SGP annual work programme, the national environmental priorities, as well as the annual delivery of the national SGP targets;
  • Building strategic partnerships with development partners, such as donors, foundations, private sector and civil society, to promote SGP and mobilize resources;
  • Contribution to GEF-SGP’s efforts to develop effective national, regional and global networks for technical support and knowledge management, within the GEF SGP and with external institution, including academia;
  • Abide by the conditions of a United Nations contract holder which includes inter alia an agreement not to undertake any additional remunerated employment outside the UN; follow the SGP operational guidelines and the UN staff ethics policy; adhere to the UNOPS financial regulations and rules; abide by the UN staff security requirements during visits to the field; as well as to complete the relevant gender awareness, disability training, and other human resource requirements.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Professionalism

  • Demonstrated problem-solving skills and judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of complex issues/problems;
  • Ability to negotiate and to influence others to reach agreement;
  • Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
  • Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
  • Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
  • Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of the project;
  • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
  • Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment through leadership and personal example;
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

  • Ability to lead oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project activities;
  • Ability to apply results-based management;
  • Ability to apply development theory to the project context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging;
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills
  • Excellent teamwork and people management skills;
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.

Partnerships

  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Ability to work with diverse partners including Government, donors and civil society.

Communication

  • Demonstrates outstanding communication skills oral and written communication skills;
  • Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree in environmental management, biodiversity conservation, or similar professional area.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of relevant experience in sustainable development work, including programme/project management, preferably with specialized experience in any of the GEF-SGP focal areas at the national level;
  • Experience working in an international context would be preferred;
  • Proficiency in standard computer software (word-processing, excel, presentations, databases and internet.

Language Requirement

  • Fluency in both written and spoken English.