Grants Management Senior Officer, Banjul, Gambia

## Grants Management Senior Officer, Banjul, Gambia - Organization:UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services - Office:United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Position Title:Grants Management Senior Officer Duty Station(s):Banjul Seniority Level:Mid Level Contract Type:ICA - LICA - Specialist - Regular Contract Level:LICA 9 Posting Start Date:19-Aug-2026 Posting End Date:02-Sep-2026 The Grant Management Senior Officer will need to interact frequently with the Project Team and staff from different work streams. The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent. About the Country/Multi-Country Office Based in Dakar, Senegal, the West Africa Multi-Country Office (WAMCO) delivers high-quality project management, infrastructure, and procurement services across 16 countries in West Africa and the Sahel, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Aligned with UNOPS' mission, WAMCO supports partners in peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development. WAMCO's portfolio spans key sectors such as health, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, environment, infrastructure, justice, and peace and security. Notable projects include the construction of pre-preschools for early childhood development in Senegal (in partnership with KOICA and UNICEF), capacity-building for national agencies on disaster risk reduction and resource management, and the development of rural mini-grid electrification systems in Sierra Leone. Through these initiatives, WAMCO contributes to inclusive growth and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the region. Background Information - The Gambia The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations. With over 6,000 personnel spread across 130 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,100 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments. The EU-ISEY project is a European Union-supported initiative designed to transform The Gambia's Senior Secondary Education (SSE) sector. Aligned with the EU's strategic frameworks (MIP 2021-2027 and GAP III), the project focuses on boosting quality, inclusivity, and equity to empower Gambian youth—particularly girls and marginalized groups—and encourage careers in teaching. The overarching goal is to enhance SSE completion rates and reduce gender and socioeconomic attainment inequalities across The Gambia - Increasing enrollment and stay-in-school rates for both boys and girls, especially in rural and underserved areas. - Making SSE more gender-sensitive and modern, with a heavy emphasis on STEM, digital literacy, health education, civics, and climate/environmental issues. - Enhancing female representation and leadership within the teaching workforce. The intended outcomes include: - Higher Retention through reduced dropout rates, particularly for rural girls. - Improved educational quality that equips students with 21st-century and STEM skills. - Workforce readiness, through better preparation for graduates entering higher education, vocational training, or tech careers. - Increased female participation as both students and education leaders. The key activities of the EU-ISEY project are designed to address key challenges in Senior Secondary Education (SSE) by focusing on capacity building, gender equity, and digital innovation. Training programs will enhance the skills of in-service and pre-service teachers, emphasizing STEM education, gender-sensitive teaching methods, and digital competencies. The project prioritizes gender equity through targeted initiatives such as scholarships, mentorship programs, and leadership training for female students and aspiring educators. Digital innovation will be fostered by reinforcing existing e-learning centers and integrating offline and online tools to support both teaching and learning. Refurbishments of school-based science labs and/or supply of mobile labs will be provided. Community engagement campaigns, in collaboration with local NGOs, artists (performing art), etc, will address socio-cultural barriers to education, promoting inclusivity and retention for girls and marginalized groups. These activities collectively aim to create a more inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education system in The Gambia. UNOPS serves as the lead implementing partner, leveraging its expertise in project management, procurement, and sustainable development. UNOPS will collaborate with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Expertise France (EF) and other partners to deliver the activities foreseen in the action. Key collaborators include The Gambia's Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (MoHERST), local civil society organizations, and international development partners. Together, they will ensure sustainable, impactful, and community-driven outcomes. Background Information - Job-specific The Grant Management Senior Officer will support the Senior Project Manager in the monitoring of the overall project engagement between UNFPA/ Expertise France/ Local NGO's and UNOPS, as well as of the implementation performance of Delivery Partners at the country level. Functions / Key Results Expected Functional Responsibilities Summary of key results: - Capacity assessment and Capacity building - Project implementation - Knowledge management and innovation Under the supervision of the Senior Project Manager, the Grants Management Senior Officer will be responsible for the implementation of grants work package(s) including: - Facilitating the scoping of the Grants work-package in line with the needs of the project. - Managing work package planning and ensuring their timely implementation; - Preparing and managing the Project Corporation Agreement (PCA)/ Grant Standard Agreement (GSA), Call for Proposals (CFP), Grant Award conducting and managing the submission and evaluation of proposals as per the UNOPS policies. - Manage day-to-day administration of grant management activities and the implementing partners , including but not limited to: - Communicate with and provide guidance to implementing partners on grant-related matters in collaboration with the project team; - Coordinate due diligence processes, including capacity assessments and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse capacity assessment (PSEA) and monito