Associate Grants Management Officer

OVERVIEW

Position Number: DPA 086

Grade: P-1/P-2

Parent Sector: Division for Partnerships (DPA)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Administration

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Duration of contract: 2 years, renewable

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 02/12/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Partnerships Division (DPA), placed under the Deputy Director-General (DDG), is responsible for coordinating UNESCO’s public and private partners including key interlocutors from bilateral donors, United Nations and multilateral organizations, regional institutions such as the European Union (EU) and regional banks, civil society, philanthropy, foundations and corporations. It works to diversify and expand UNESCO’s donor base and provide backstopping and guidance to UNESCO Programme Sectors, Field Offices, and Category 1 Institutes in support of their efforts to engage with partners and mobilize resources. The Partnerships Division is responsible for the elaboration of strategies for partnership and resource mobilization and manages Grants Agreements.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Director of the Division for Partnerships, the authority of the Head of the Agreement Management Unit and the direct supervision of the Grants Management Officer, the incumbent will contribute to the review of donor funding agreements, will support the Agreement Management Unit in its efforts for guiding implementing units in the area of funding agreements, and for ensuring the proper recording of funding agreements.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Within this context, specific duties of the Associate Grants Management Officer will include:

• Provide support to the Grants Management Officer in the review of funding agreements:
  1. Review agreements submitted by Programme Specialists against the relevant standard template or non-standard agreements previously signed with a donor and provide comments for further decision-making;
  2. Assist in the coordination of internal consultations with relevant services such as Legal Affairs, Ethics and the Division of Financial Services, amongst others;
  3. Support validation processes including the requests for delegation of authorities for the signature of funding agreements.

• Provide advice to Programme Specialists at Headquarters, in Field Offices and in Category I Institutes on the set-up of funding agreements as well as in negotiations with donors; backstopping for the processing of requests in relation to the implementation of funding agreements, in particular amendments for extensions and budget revisions.
• Oversee the upload of signed agreements and related information (amendments, narrative and financial reports) in ERP Systems.
• Ensure that the monitoring list of funding agreements under review is up to date to ensure information of funding agreements in the pipeline is accurate.
• Contribute to internal briefing notes for senior management, the development and update of policies in the area of grants management, standard funding agreement templates and related internal guidance notes as well as the building of institutional memory in relation to the internal agreement review.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Professionalism (C)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of finance, business administration, law, economics, accounting, audit or a related field. A first-level university degree in the afore-mentioned fields, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least two (2) years of relevant professional experience in the field of Agreements Management or a related field, of which preferably one (1) year acquired at the international level.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong understanding of Agreements Management processes, especially on funding agreements review.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the international donor landscape.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, participate in unit meetings and maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment.
• Flexibility to adjust work schedules and manage competing priorities, organizing and prioritizing workloads to meet established deadlines.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English or French and very good knowledge of the other language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Professional experience gained in multicultural working environments.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Familiarity with the work and general functioning of international organizations and/or the UN System.
• Client oriented with ability to identify client needs and suggest appropriate solutions.

LANGUAGES

• Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and/or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 65 970 US $

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies to a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.