Programme Associate at UNDP

Job ID: 28911
Practice Area - Job Family: Management - Programme Associate
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background

• The Farmer-Herder Conflict remains one of the most challenging threats to peace and security in Nigeria, especially in the North Central Region (“Middle Belt”) of the country, and adjacent, States, particularly Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba and Adamawa.
• The violence has exacted a heavy toll on thousands of people and has frayed many of the connectors, especially inter-ethnic and inter-religious ones, at the local level.
• The response, however, has remained overwhelmingly security dominated. Lacking effective structures and systems to engage in dialogue in a proactive manner based on early indicators, violence escalates, and a reactive security response is triggered.
• The crisis has highlighted a need to support affected states in enhancing and expanding upon the capacities to engage in this crisis in a proactive and preventive manner that leverages dialogue as a primary tool of mitigating the impact of the conflict.
• In recognition of a growing need to provide a holistic response to the crisis, the Federal Government developed and launched the National Livestock Transformation Plan in January 2019. The framework provides a holistic approach to addressing this crisis, while aiming to lay the foundations for longer term security, peace and transformation of the livestock sector.
• The United Nations has also scaled up its efforts to respond to the crisis, notably through two projects that target the states of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba. The Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis Project was designed to address the farmer-herder conflict through enhancing preventive capacities, by promoting dialogue and proactive engagement; building mutually beneficial economic relationships between farmers and herders; improving the effectiveness of the security response through strengthened human rights monitoring and accountability; and providing an impartial and evidence-based narrative to defuse the politicized debate and help mobilize a broader response.
• The overall goal of the project is to contribute to peaceful coexistence in the Middle Belt, with a focus on Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States. The project is funded by the UN Peacebuilding Support Office. It is implemented by four UN Agencies-UNDP (lead), FAO, UN Women and OHCHR, drawing from their experiences and building on their work.
• In recognition of the cyclical nature of violence in many of the affected communities, the project aims to immediately scale up efforts around promoting dialogue, inter-ethnic and inter-religious understanding, and social cohesion in the target area to support a transformation of the ethnic and communal violence witnessed in the target areas.
• This advert, therefore, seeks the services of a competent national, with expertise in the peacebuilding to support coordinate this project.
• Under the overall guidance of the DRR(P) and direct supervision of the Project Manager (International), the Project Associate (Finance, Admin and Procurement) provides programme support services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work especially as regards procurement and finance.
• The Project Associate (Finance, Admin and Procurement) is responsible for providing overall financial and day-to-day operational support for smooth and effective implementation of project activities and works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project staff in the CO, UNDP Field Offices in Benue and Taraba States and UNDP HQ as required to exchange information and support programme delivery.
• The Project Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with the prevailing rules and regulations and will assist all UNDP peacebuilding National Coordination Units in the preparation and implementation of the budget, ensuring that all funds are spent in line with approved work plans. Other key tasks include the reporting of expenses, preparing for audit, dealing with cash advance requests, and generally ensuring solid fiduciary management of the project.

Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:

• Support to formulation of programme strategies and the Country Programme Action Plan
• Support to management of the CO programme
• Administrative support to the Project
• Maintain and regularly update all requisite financial records on the Project.
• Support to resource mobilization
• Provide inputs to the implementation of procurement management policies and strategies on cost saving and reduction;
• Implement procurement management policies and strategies;
• Contribute to the development of sourcing strategies;
• Support processing of payments as required to IPs, clients, etc. on the Project
• Maintain proper filing and documentation of financial, administrative and programmatic documents on the Project
• Support the rollout of the of e-procurement and e-travel functions.
• Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Support the Project Manager (International) in implementing operational strategies and support the project’s financial systems and procedures, in accordance with UNDP’s existing guidelines and national execution. In consultation with the Project Manager International), the Project Assistant (Finance and Procurement) is expected to:  

• Analysis, researches, summary and presentation of basic information/data on specific finance-related activities on the project;
• Preparation for project finance documents and submission to relevant parties for approval by relevant parties;
• Provide inputs to the preparation of procurement plans for Programmes/ projects;
• Review procurement requests and initiate procurement procedures for office and projects equipment, supplies and services, as necessary;
• Prepare Request for Quotations (RFQ), Invitation to Bids (ITBs) or Request for Proposals (RFPs) documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, as necessary;
• Perform Buyer role in ATLAS, prepare/close Purchase Orders (POs) and contracts in and outside ATLAS;
• Timely processing of vendor creation requests in ATLAS;
• Organize travel including purchase of tickets, Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) calculation for all travelers;
• Prepare submissions to the Procurement Review Committee (PRC), as necessary.

Support to the effective reporting on progress of project implementation:

• Preparation and analysis of project workplan and budget proposals
• Preparation of data for monitoring of projects; categorization, updating, tracking and analyzing data related to projects, e.g. accounting records, outputs, resources utilized, deviations/revisions, etc.; carries out periodic status reviews
• Identification of issues and initiates requisite follow-up actions
• Preparation of reports on budget revisions, expenditures and obligations, verification availability of funds;
• Preparation for financial authorizations for expenditures to be approved and documentation in prevailing budget system;
• Preparation of annual and quarterly audit/project financial reports, operational and financial closure of a medium size project.
• Creation of projects in Atlas, preparation of budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial closure of a project.
• Support to the effective reporting on progress of project implementation
• Provides support in the interpretation of budget guidelines; reviews and coordinates submissions of work proposal and budget estimation, ensuring requisite information is included and justified in terms of proposed activities; propose adjustments as necessary; prepares reports and ensures that outputs/services are properly categorized.  
• Identification of issues and initiates requisite follow-up actions.

Provides administrative support to the Programme Unit and Coordinate contract management processes focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Preparation of non-PO vouchers for development projects.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system including timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Creation of requisitions in Atlas for development projects, register of goods receipt in Atlas.
• Making budget check for requisitions, POs and vouchers.
• Provide administrative support to contract management processes; maintain databases;
• Coordinate submissions of F10 claims;
• Maintain rosters of suppliers;
• Maintain filing system.

Supports resource mobilization and Logistical services focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Review of contributions agreement, managing contributions in Atlas.
• Arrange shipments and conference facilities;
• Facilitate the processing of requests for visas for all UN travelers;
• Support with administrative duties;
• Arrange hotel reservations for visiting UN/UNDP officials;
• Organize hotel and event arrangements for all official UNDP meetings/ functions, engagements, ensure that all requirements are catered for as required;
• Arrange transportation requests for the project;
• Perform other administrative tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of trainings for the project staff.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in project management support function
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Assist Project Manager (International) with financial reporting and other tasks as required.
• Conducts internal capacity building training for project staff to facilitate appropriate management and timely delivery of project outputs including in gender analysis and gender mainstreaming. 

Impact of Results:

• Accurate data entry and financial information have an impact on the quality and implementation of the UNDP programme.  A client-oriented and efficient approach impact on the image of UNDP in the country.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• Support the preparation of information for advocacy
• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences
• Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Contributing to results through provision of information:

• Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation
• Building Strategic Partnerships
• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives
• Maintains databases of donor information
• Tracks and reports on mobilized resources

Maintaining information and databases:

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:
Implementing processes and uses products:

• Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
• Responds positively to new approaches

Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations):
Providing information for resource mobilization strategies:

• Maintains information/databases on potential and actual donors
• Maintains database of project files
• Provides data and information needed for preparation of project documents

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
Basic research and analysis:

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things

Job Knowledge / Technical Expertise:
Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures:

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• 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
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools, and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals:
Research and analysis:

• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences

Client Orientation:
Maintains effective client relationships:

• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
• Responds to client needs promptly.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating / safeguarding ethics and integrity  
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making
• Prince2 training and certification, RMG.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Specialized certification in Accounting and Finance (ICAN). Bachelor’s degree in in Accounting, Finance, Business, or other relevant fields of study would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant finance or procurement experience is required at the national or international level.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is an absolute necessity

 Other Requirements:

• Demonstrated strong familiarity with UNDP development projects in Nigeria.
• Knowledge on various donor’s reporting requirements.
• Strong knowledge and solid experience in coordination of project management support are essential as well as the ability to draft high-quality correspondence on budget-related issues, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
• Good inter-personal and team-building skills.
• Full-time availability for project management support duties is essential.
• Familiar with Government and UN/UNDP procedures would be desirable
• Advanced computer skills required, knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
• Experience in handling of web-based management systems would be highly desirable.

Application Closing Date
19th February, 2020.