Small Grants Programme Knowledge Facilitator

his is a UNOPS Vacancy Announcement.

The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) supports activities of non-governmental and community-based organizations in developing countries 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. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as a corporate programme, SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the GEF partnership, and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Given the increasing requirements in knowledge building & management and results-based communication, UNDP/GEF/SGP seeks to fill the position of Knowledge Facilitator based in New York.  Innovation is a critical part of knowledge management efforts to ensure that the SGP plays a pivotal role in terms of its contributions to managing global environmental resources through a variety of bottom-up approaches.

The SGP projects are administered by UNOPS. The contract for this position will also be administered by UNOPS.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Global Manager, the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), the Knowledge Facilitator will contribute to the implementation of the overall programme of the SGP as a member of the Central Programme Management Team (CPMT). The Knowledge Facilitator will be responsible in the performance of the specific duties described below:

Development and implementation of knowledge management and result-based communications strategies

• Assist SGP to develop and implement strategies for knowledge management and result-based communications.
• Work closely with the National Coordinators and Programme Assistants in disseminating the communications and knowledge management strategies and guiding the SGP Country Programmes.

Facilitation of SGP communications activities

• Work with CPMT and Country Programmes to facilitate impact based messaging aimed at targeted audiences.
• Develop media contacts for proactive outreach and increased visibility.
• Coordinate outsourced communications activities or events and products such as publications, videos,and exhibition materials .
• Identify consultants or experts such as editors, creative lay-out artists, and photojournalists for outsourced communications activities ,;prepare terms of reference and manage related contracts.
• Design and implement feedback mechanisms on the effectiveness of SGP communications and knowledge sharing.
• Facilitate liaison with UNDP, UN-wide,GEF, and NGO Communications Offices.
• Implement other relevant tasks to facilitate communications activities.

Preparation of information materials and support to reporting tasks

• Using the SGP database, prepare information summaries concerning the SGP project portfolio to facilitate result-based reporting and analysis of information.
• Prepare best practice stories, fact sheets, lessons-learnt, and other tools for documentation and knowledge facilitation.
• Support SGP programme officers in developing case studies on SGP projects.
• Assist CPMT and Country Programmes to ensure consistency and quality of information.
• Participate in the implementation of portfolio reviews.
• Contribute to the preparation of Power Point, video, and other kinds of presentations for knowledge facilitation and strengthening donor and partner relations.
• Draft replies to queries directed to CPMT concerning SGP activities and applications for grants.
• Implement other relevant responsibilities to facilitate the production of information materials and reports.

Development, management and maintenance of SGP information tools

• In consultation with the SGP CPMT members and UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services), take the lead in proposing enhancements to the SGP website and database to ensure accurate and adequate capture of SGP project information as well as other data such as partnerships and co-financing, to facilitate information management and multiple reporting processes at the global and country programme levels.
• Provide guidance and training to SGP country programmes on the use of the SGP database.
• Periodically review country programme entries in the database to ensure quality of information and take the necessary corrective actions whenever information is not up-to-date or inaccurate.
• Assist SGP CPMT to manage the partnership with UNDP OIST (Office of Information System and Technology) to design, launch, and manage a SGP new database and website.
• Maintain the SGP website as a “one-stop-shop” knowledge resource platform in consultation with CPMT members and Country Programmes, and create/update effective links with UN, GEF, NGO and other relevant partner web-sites.
• Provide advice to the SGP country programmes concerning the design and implementation of country-based websites. This includes ensuring correct application of SGP’s style guide and creating links to the main SGP website.
• Facilitate enhanced utilization of the SGP communications system, including intranet, to improve communications across country programmes and with CPMT.
• Prepare terms of reference for relevant contract(s) for database and website management in collaboration with UNOPS.
• Manage access to the SGP database by supervising the relevant Programme Assistant with regards to assigning username and password .
• Serve as a liaison with the OIST technical team to modify and backstop the SGP database and website enhancement.
• Keep abreast of developments of UNDP financial and administrative electronically-based systems to consider any implications to the SGP database, and take necessary actions in partnership with OIST.
• Assist the team with other tasks that are necessary to improve and maintain the SGP website and database.

Supervision of maintenance of SGP electronic and paper archives

• In consultation with CPMT members, work with the relevant Programme Assistant to design and implement an archiving system to facilitate storage, sharing and retrieval of knowledge materials and information (e.g., photo library, thematic and country files).
• Supervise the implementation and maintenance of the archiving system.

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of the SGP and UNOPS
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
  

• Master’s degree and 2 years of professional experience in relevant field (e.g. Communications, development/ environment management).
• Demonstrated skills in building and implementing communications strategies.
• Experience in content management of websites and databases preferred.
• Solid understanding and experiences in donor relations and media relations.
• Understanding of information needs and result-based communications of multi-country project management, particularly those related to management of environmental projects.
• Familiarity with grant-making processes and information needs of environment/development NGOs.
• Willingness to take initiatives and additional assignments
• Good knowledge in the use of powerpoint, excel, photoshop, and other computer-related tools useful to the design and production of communication products
• Basic knowledge of accounting, finance, and statistics.
• Familiarity with GEF an asset.
• UN experience an asset.
• Excellent command of the English language, with creative and exceptional writing and verbal communications skills.
• Knowledge of French or Spanish highly desired (given these are SGP working languages and database entries are made in these three languages)