Project Finance Officer at UNDP

Job ID: 11190
Location: Abuja
Grade: SB4
Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
Contract Duration: Initial Contract Duration of 1 year

Background

• This position is with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office in Nigeria (CONIG). Under the direct supervision of the UNODC Finance Officer (CONIG) and guidance of the Project Coordinator, the incumbent is responsible for effective and transparent utilization of project financial resources and integrity of financial services of the project. The Finance Officer promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UN/ UNODC / UNDP rules and regulations.
• S/he analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Officer promotes a collaborative approach consistent with UNODC/UNDP rules and regulations.
• The Finance Officer works in close collaboration with the Finance Team in the UNODC Country Office, UNODC HQ and UNDP in Nigeria, beneficiary Agencies’ officials and Partners, ensuring successful and efficient project financial implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Strategic direction of financial operations:

•  Ensure compliance of project finances with UN/UNODC rules, regulations and policies and UMOJA.  including the formulation of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Finance. Ensure knowledge sharing of lessons learnt/best practices, and sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice, and organization of the operations staff trainings.
• Provide constant monitoring and analysis of project's financial position, including payments and expenditure, and provide timely advice to the Project Coordinator on same.
• Provide guidance on financial administration issues and practices to colleagues and to more junior finance and operations personnel.
• Perform other duties as may be required.

Accounting:

• Prepare and monitor a shadow budget to adequately capture project expenditures by activity.
• Review and analyse data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
• Provide support to the Project Coordinator with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions / revisions.
• Review, analyse and provide input into finalization of project budgets.
• Monitor budget implementation and determine / recommend reallocation of funds when and where necessary.
• Continuously monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels, and that delivery targets are met.
• Administer and monitor budget resources, including review of agreements, grants and cost plans, ensuring compliance with UN regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Prepare relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions and maintain adequate budget /expenditure tracking system, ensuring that 100% of project expenditure are captured.
• Advise project management on all aspects of accounts maintenance, budget control, incomes and other financial issues regarding projects implementation, i.e. obligations and future programme/projects budgetary implications.
• Carry out reconciliation of accounts and expenditures with UNDP Atlas and  UMOJA.
• Supervise the closing of the monthly project accounts, assist in ensuring timely submission of Management Expenditures data to HQ and the requested financial reports to UNDP; reconciliation and replenishment of bank accounts.
• Ensure strategic financial resource management: suggest measures for adequate optional utilization of project funds, and recommend cost savings and redeployments as appropriate.
• Act as key interface for project audits and accounts examinations.
• Maintains corporate automated financial systems (UMOJA); for project finance, supervise upgrades and integrations; trains finance/programme staff on their application.
• Establish and maintain within the Project Core Unit a set of sound policies, procedures, standards and tools, which are consistent with UN policy and practice in order to ensure proper accounting, financial management and control.
• Participate in the preparation and implementation of the project work plan and budget to ensure the compatibility with work priorities and objectives, taking into account the most effective use of resources.
• In collaboration with the Project Coordinator, liaise with UNODC HQ to secure grant approvals relevant to the project.
• Ensure prompt disbursement of grants in line with approved guidelines.
• Monitor grant retirements from grantees.
• Ensure all financial payments are processed in a timely manner with all entries completed no later than one week after any project activities/events.
• Oversee proper recording of all project assets and related data.

General Administration:

• Keep up-to-date documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme/project budget/project assets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Produce reports for management regarding financial/administrative issues.
• Supervise project finance staff and provide advice to project staff on human resource administration, financial administration and management information issues and practices to colleagues (including procurement of supplies and services; transport, travel and traffic, communications, engineering and information technology support and provision of local utilities and service requirements).
• Support the Finance / Administrative Assistants in preparation and implementation of the local elements of the procurement plan, taking into account the most effective use of resources.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Project and UNODC Country Office and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization/conduct of training for the operations/ projects staff on financial management.
• Organization/conduct of training for project beneficiaries focal points.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• UNODC Country Office staff and HQ staff in the Division for Management, Financial Resources Management Service, UNDP Operations Team in Nigeria and project beneficiaries.

Competencies
Professionalism:

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets; manage contributions and investments; manage transactions; and conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of responsibilities and honours commitments;
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost, and quality standards;
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules;
• Takes responsibility for delegated assignments;
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Communication:

• Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, including ability to prepare reports, make presentations in a variety of fora, and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely, conveying maximum necessary information as well as making and defending recommendations;
• Possesses excellent drafting and communication skills with proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to match style and format to audience.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Public or Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Procurement, Economics, Public Administration, or other relevant fields. A first level University degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services and/or managing staff and operational systems including administration, finance and accounting.
• Relevant experience in establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments. Experience in international project finance, and administration is an asset.
• Knowledge of EU operational procedures is a distinctive advantage. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems and ERP systems is desirable. Experience in accrual accounting, IPSAS or IFRS is highly desirable.

Language:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of other UN official languages is an asset.