Project Associate (NPSA7) at UNDP

The Project Associate will report to the Team Lead for the Jubilees Fellowship Programme and may be required to also follow up with the Operations unit of UNDP on issues that may arise regarding the smooth running of the programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor, the Project Associate will be responsible for the following functions and tasks:

Summary of Key Functions:

• Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight
• Manage the project budget and ensure proper cash management functioning
• Ensure effective information management and reporting
• Ensure proper financial aid controls and risks management mechanisms

Specific Functions/Results expected

Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, including through the following tasks:

• Manage and provide financial analyses and oversight for all resources managed by UNDP programme(s), ensuring full compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies;
• Advise the Programme Manager, Operations Manager and other UNDP staff on financial matters;
• Prepare cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of programme management;
• Monitor the financial performance of programme activities;
• Coordinate annual audits of the Principle Recipient (PR) and Sub-recipients (SRs) as required by UNDP, and ensure that external auditors have all relevant information.

Manage the programme budget and ensure proper cash management functioning, including through the following tasks:

• Prepare and monitor the project’s budgets in UNDP’s enterprise resource planning system (Atlas) and prepare budget revision in Atlas if necessary;
• Organize and oversee project cash management processes, SR relationships, and accounting and reconciliation of all transactions and security for cash assets on site;
• Ensure that Japanese fund contributions are properly transferred to UNDP;
• Follow up on the disbursement of funds to facilitate timely review of cash position to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements;
• Ensure that advance payments and direct payments are properly reviewed and recorded in a timely manner into Atlas;
• Take corrective actions on unposted vouchers or other financial transaction issues.

Ensure effective information management and reporting, including through the following tasks:

• Prepare regular analysis and reporting on the project funds and Country Office budget approvals, including on the delivery of programme activities;
• Support the preparation of annual project workplans, agreements, and budgets;
• Prepare forecasts necessary to support disbursements requests;
• Conduct verification and posting of disbursement requests, expenditure reports, and supporting documentation;
• Submit timely and accurate required financial reports to the donor, as relevant;
• Maintain information flows between non-finance actors to effectively link programmatic results to work plan expenditure and budgets agreed with the donor;
• Respond to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues or to provide information required.

Ensure proper financial controls and risk management mechanisms, including through the following tasks:

• Develop and support the PMU to maintain risk management and mitigation approaches relating to finance;
• Design and implement effective internal controls and financial resources management system;
• Map, establish and maintain standard operating procedures in the project finance unit, implementing improvements where possible;
• Conduct training and other capacity development activities on financial management for personnel in the UNDP PMU and the project team, as required.

Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Management

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization's programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Business Direction & Strategy

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources.
• Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates 'win-win' situations.

Business Development

Integration within the UN: 

• Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work.

• Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary Education with specialized qualifications or Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (Secondary Education) or 4 years (Bachelor's degree) of professional experience in providing programme support and financial resource management services;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft;
• Knowledge of UN/UNDP Financial Resource Management is desirable.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Working knowledge of UN principles, SDGs and international development in Africa is an asset.

Required skills and competencies; 

• Innovation
• Communication
• People Management
• Accounting (General)
• Financial Analysis