Grants Officer [Open to internal and external applicants]
- Organisation: UNDP
- Location: Manila, Philippines
- Deadline: 17 November 2026
Duties and Responsibilities
Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
• Tier 0 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1 : Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated : All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
UNDP has been working with national and international partners in the Philippines on the issue of the circular economy. UNDP is working with the European Union in implementing the EU Philippines Green Economy Programme (The Programme). The Programme has the purpose of supporting the Philippines’ transition towards a green economy, including circular economy, reducing waste and plastic, as well as increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation. The Programme acknowledges that the transition to circular economy will have other added benefits such as reduction of the use of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity and natural capital, decreased pollution levels, and climate change adaptation.
The Programme addresses three main levels:
• Establishing a Policy Dialogue Platform at the central government level to mobilize EU expertise to facilitate policy formulation, improve city-to-city collaboration through supporting the development of a National Circular Economy Strategy and Roadmap, extend the dialogue to promote renewable energy/energy efficiency, and to apply the dialogue’s outcomes;
• Working with local government units (LGUs) where EU expertise will support to define and implement circular economy, climate change, and energy policies with a human rights and gender-responsive perspective, outreach and support of local business and civil society, and support less advanced LGUs;
• Enhancing engagement of the private and financial sectors into the circular waste economy creating better conditions for private sector investment by supporting business-driven waste reduction strategies and circular solutions in the production process.
The Programme has 4 specific objectives:
SO1: Improved circular economy and climate change policies and reduced GHG emissions
SO2: Enhanced practices of the circular economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and civil society sector, with a focus on youth and gender equality
SO3: Enhanced engagement of the private and financial sectors in circular, waste-reduction economy
SO4: Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment
UNDP is responsible for the implementation and execution of SO2 with the purpose of enhancing the capacities and practices of local government units (LGUs) on circular waste economy in collaboration with private and civil society organizations (CSOs), with focus on youth and gender equality.
Key results expected at the end of the Project include:
• Reduced volume of waste generated and sent to landfills in partner LGUs
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduced and avoided (tonnes of CO 2eq ) from reduced waste and implementation of circular economy initiatives
• At least 20 LGUs have established circular economy models, including introduction of source separation and collection systems for wastes recycling, diversion, repurposing and other CE initiatives
• Additional number of organizations applying CE and sustainable consumption and production practices in partner LGUs
• Additional jobs (including green jobs) created across the circular economy value chain, disaggregated by gender and groups
• At least 10 LGUs in which nationally defined green procurement criteria have been applied
• About 15 LGUs that feed their NDC reporting with improved gender and youth sensitive data on co-benefits of CE
The Project shall be implemented in partnership with LGUs. A total of 20 Tier 1 LGUs will be supported directly, while 40 LGUs will be supported with targeted assistance on a demand-driven basis.
UNDP Philippines takes overall responsibility and accountability for the delivery of the project outputs. It will be accountable for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project results, and for the effective use of resources, in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations, policies and procedures. These include relevant requirements on fiduciary, procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and other performance standards.
The day-to-day implementation of the project will be led by a Project Manager within a Project Management Unit (PMU) responsible for ensuring that the project achieves the expected targets to the required quality standards and within the specified time and budget allocations. The Project Manager will be supported by a Deputy Project Manager, Project Assistants, technical staff and a pool of contractors and consultants to carry out the deliverables of the project.
As part of key activities, the EU-GEPP SO2 Green LGUs project will provide grants in support for 1) CSO led CE initiatives with special attention to GEDSI groups and 2) CE education and awareness-raising activities for behavioral change.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, and the direct supervision of Management Specialist (planning), the Grants Officer(s) will be responsible for coordinating and managing the Grants Component of the EU-GEPP SO2 project in liaison with DILG, DENR, and EU.
The Grant Officer(s) will also work closely with all relevant stakeholders (i.e national and subnational government partners, other SO implementing partners, UNDP CO, etc.), in the identification, design and implementation of grant component activities for GEPP. The position will also require engagement, partnership building with national partners, including civil society and non-governmental organizations, women's organizations and networks, bilateral and multilateral donors, and private sector actors.
Co-Design and launch calls for grants
• Assist in the design and prepare calls for grant proposals including target groups, selection criteria, evaluation committee, evaluation process and outreach strategies ensuring adherence with the UNDP rules, policies and procedures and contractual agreements with the EU;
• Develop materials, including relevant templates related to the evaluation of applications and implementation of grants;
• Design and deliver ideation and capacity-building workshops to foster innovative ideas from local innovators, CSOs, and introduce them to the EU-GEPP and grant schemes;
• This may include but not limited to ideation, brainstorming sessions, writing workshops for grant proposals, and interactive group activities to share, question, and validate their ideas with one another;
• Design and support launching events and communication outreach for the grant call, in collaboration with the Communication Specialist;
• Facilitate the selection process in cooperation with the evaluation committee;
• Ensure that workplans of each grantees are complete, coherent, and in full alignment for each specific LGU circular economy portfolios;
• Conduct due diligence activities for each grantee before contracting stage;
• Finalize grant agreements together with the procurement team;
• Make announcements of successful applications via social media;
• Ensure timely and effective monitoring and implementation of the awarded grants according to the performance indicators and the approved budget and work plans adhering to relevant EU and UNDP procedures;
• Conduct meetings and monitoring activities in accordance with the grants playbook schedule;
• Maintain and routinely update the online monitoring system for each grantee;
• Review monthly financial reports including attachments and means of verification;
• Review submitted narrative reports and distribute to relevant team members for comments and suggestions;
• Update the risk log and identify mitigation measures;
• Liaise with the relevant national and international stakeholders;
• Lead logistical, financial and contractual-related work;
• Ensure timely implementation and monitoring of the grants program.
Lead and coordinate capacity building initiatives
• Assess the capacities of the grantees;
• Organize training to grantees during implementation: planning and execution, proper record keeping, and reporting of results;
• Design and deliver capacity-building initiatives to address their needs and gaps;
• Ensure implementation and monitoring of capacity-building initiatives;
• Coordinate with respective colleagues within UNDP to provide regular orientations and practical sessions on UNDP’s reporting requirements;
• Ensure timely reporting from the grantees following UNDP reporting guidelines;
• Ensure quality of work through technical review of the deliverables, spot checks and field visits, program and financial monitoring, identify implementation challenges and propose possible solutions.
Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing
• Document best practices and lessons learned and assist in producing publicity materials on community-based planning, circular economy and other thematic areas in collaboration with the Communication Specialist;
• Contributes to knowledge networks where applicable;
• Preparing all reports and other deliverables of Grants Program and checking translations of them;
• Proactively share information in the UNDP country office;