Latest Vacancies at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Job ID: 36796
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Practice Area - Job Family: Management - Finance    
Grade: NOB
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Posting Type: External
Bureau: Management   
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background
The nexus of security-humanitarian-development issues around Lake Chad has given rise to an intractable extremist insurgency that has left tens of thousands of people dead, approximately 2.5 million displaced, and more than 10 million people in the region affected and in need. While robust national and multi-national military operations have re-taken territory previously controlled by Boko Haram, UNDP recognizes that a new approach is required to consolidate these gains and establish the conditions necessary to transition from military to civilian responsibility for security, and from the provision of humanitarian assistance to the resumption of stalled development processes. In this context, the UNDP is strengthening its presence in the North East region by establishing a sub-office in Maiduguri. The sub-office will serve as the centre of operations for programming which will include a Regional Stabilization Facility, a Disengagement, Disassociation, Reconciliation and Reintegration (DDRR) and Recovery and Resilience programme. The Sub-Office (SO) for North East Region of Nigeria has been operational since 2017 and UNDP has established an Operations Service Centre to support management and operations functions related to the effective delivery of programmatic results.

Under the guidance of the Head of the Service Centre with close liaison with Head of Stabilization, the Finance Analyst is responsible for effective delivery of financial services, transparent utilization of financial resources and management of the Sub-Office - Finance Unit. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Analyst promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Analyst plays a critical role in managing the finance function in the Sub-Office. The Finance Analyst works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the SO/CO and with UNDP HQs staff and Government officials ensuring successful SO/CO performance in Finance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Implementation of operational and financial management strategies
• Projects budget management and organization of the cost-recovery system
• Control of SO accounts for Programmes and Operations of the SO
• Control of SO cash management
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing
• Ensures implementation of operational and financial management strategies, and adapts processes and procedures, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
• Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
• CO Finance business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance, control of the workflows in the Finance Unit.
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects.
• Elaboration of the framework and conditions of contributions within the CO resources mobilization efforts.
• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies.
• Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors and other UNDP staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Manages the project budgets and organizes an optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets of management projects.
• Establishment of the development projects’ budgets preparation/modification monitoring system, control of budgetary status versus authorized spending limits (ASL) and budgets delivery levels.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management, deficits, unliquidated advances, etc….
• Preparation of cost-recovery bills in Atlas for the services provided by UNDP.

Ensures proper control of accounts for Programmes and Operations of the SO focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Elaboration of the internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas; payrolls are duly prepared; MPOs, travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed, receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals are properly done in compliance with IPSAS and UNDP policies and procedures.
• Treasury right in Atlas.
• Control of accounts closure;
• Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Control of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and maintenance of the General Ledger.
• Ensures proper SO cash management focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions.
• Provision of information to supervisors and other UNDP staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Manage and control Petty Cash and Project Cash account
• Timely preparation of monthly cashflow forecast for use by Operations Manager. Liaison with UN Agencies to obtain estimate of their cash requirements.
• Role as cashier and/or cash custodian for cash disbursements made on site.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization/conduct of training for the operations/programme/projects staff on financial management and RBM.
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Finance.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Impact of Results:

• The key results have an impact on the overall CO/SO efficiency in financial resources management and success in introduction and implementation of operational strategies.
• Accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information, timely and appropriate delivery of services ensure client satisfaction and enhance UNDP credibility in use of financial resources

Functional Competencies
Building Partnerships:

• Maintaining a network of contacts
• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
• Establishes and nurtures positive communication with partners  
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
• Basic research and analysis
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
• Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing
• Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources

Job Knowledge / Technical Expertise:

• Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
• 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
• Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates the same in his/her work
• 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
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

• Basic research and analysis
• Researches and documents best practices in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system
• Demonstrates ability to diagnose problems and identifies and communicates processes to support change initiatives

Design and Implementation of Management Systems:

• Research and analysis and making recommendations on management systems
• Make recommendations relative to work-processing approaches and procedures which would lead to more efficient systems design

Client Orientation:

• Establishing effective client relationships
• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct 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
• Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

• Basic monitoring
• Gathers, analyzes and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment  
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work  
• 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

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance/Accounting, Business, or Public Administration, or a professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy.
• Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• UNDP Advanced Accountancy & Finance Test required.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in providing financial management and accounting advisory services, managing staff and operational systems 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.
• Previous experience with a multilateral or international organization, notably with UNDP, is highly desirable.
• Experience of IPSAS and/or IFRS is required for external candidates.  

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English as well as fluency in spoken Hausa are required.
• The ability to communicate effectively in Kanuri, Hausa, or other local language spoken in the NE region is  an asset. 

go to method of application »

Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Languages Required: English  
Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Jun-2021
Duration of Initial Contract: 40 working days within four(4) months
Expected Duration of Assignment: 40 working days within four(4) months

Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a global organization with 17,000 staff working in approximately 170 offices towards supporting governments in developing strong policies, institutions and partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy.

In order to streamline its financial and investment engagement, UNDP launched the Finance Sector Hub, a finance and innovation platform, that draws on a critical mass of UNDP expertise, initiatives, and partnerships to support the mobilization and leveraging of resources for the SDGs and lead the implementation of the new UNDP private sector strategy and other initiatives.

UNDP’s Work on Insurance and Risk Financing:

• The collaboration between the insurance industry and the development sector has grown significantly over the last five years. Key initiatives, such as the Insurance Development Forum, InsuResilience Global Partnership and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, have evolved into significant policy and standard setting partnerships, bringing together countries, the development sector, and the private and mutual/cooperative sectors of industry. Increasingly, these partnerships are moving beyond policy to programming, with a strong focus on not only delivering insurance and risk financing solutions to countries and communities, but also on long-term transformational change of insurance markets.
• UNDP’s growing work in this space has led to the creation of a flagship initiative on insurance and risk finance, and the creation of a dedicated facility for supporting UNDP Country Offices and country partners worldwide, within the newly created Finance Sector Hub. This work covers a range of critical areas where insurance and risk transfer solutions and collaboration with the industry can add significantly to achieving and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Covering inclusive insurance, sovereign risk financing, insurance investments, natural capital, health, SME development and more, UNDP will work towards developing and delivering insurance solutions together with countries and communities, as well as collaborating with partners to transform insurance markets through enhancing legislation, regulation and institutional capacity

Diagnostics for Insurance and Risk Finance:

• As part of the increasing operationalisation of the work of the Facility - in part through the start of the work of the Tripartite Agreement between UNDP, the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), and the German government (BMZ) - there is a need to prepare a full diagnostic review of all issues relevant to the Insurance and Risk Finance environment in Nigeria. This diagnostic will examine supply and demand issues, everything from the legislative and regulatory environment through to community needs, for insurance and sovereign risk, through to insurance investments and natural capital.

Duties and Responsibilities
Objective the assignment:

• The main objective of the assignment is to lead in the development of a diagnostic report by the UNDP Nigeria office for inclusive insurance and risk finance for Nigeria.

Scope of Work
The assignment will involve the following:

• Develop a list of key insurance stakeholders in country, focusing on providers of inclusive insurance and risk finance
• Arrange and facilitate stakeholder workshops and strategic engagement with key stakeholders at different levels
• Arrange and undertake interviews for UNDP Country Office (CO) with key stakeholders
• Coordinate and collect information and data required from key stakeholders
• Complete analysis of information and data
• Facilitate training courses for CO and government partners on technical aspects of inclusive insurance and risk finance
• Facilitate surveys and focus groups with potential consumers for inclusive insurance
• Regularly advise UNDP institutional advisor and regional IRFF specialist of progress
• Prepare full diagnostic report (see below deliverable).

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

• A high-level inception report; detailing work plan, timeline, a list of national government institutions with contacts of key persons, private sector and other stakeholders to be consulted focusing on providers of inclusive insurance and risk finance and initial information and data collected, and a scan of the environment for inclusive insurance and risk finance in a format that has been standardized by international guidelines (IAIS standards). The institutional advisor will confirm the format and type of information and data required for Nigeria at the beginning of the assignment
• Detailed analysis of data and information collected. The detail and approach for the analysis will be agreed with the institutional advisor once the information and data has been collected by the CO
• Reports of interviews with all key stakeholders
• CO provided with technical knowledge needed on inclusive insurance and risk finance
• Consolidated results of surveys with consumers
• Reports on facilitation of focus groups.

Final diagnostic report on inclusive insurance and risk finance for Nigeria, including a detailed summary of inclusive insurance and risk finance this report will also include full quantitative and qualitative analysis and a baseline for future UNDP engagement with different stakeholders on inclusive and risk financing.

The assignment will be for a duration of 40 working days within a period of four (4) months.
Deliverable 1:

• High-level inception report

Timeline:

• Within 2 weeks after contract signing

Payment Terms:

• 10 % upon submission and clearance of the inception report

Deliverable 2:

• Workshop and stakeholder interview report       

Timeline:

• Within a month after contract signing    

Payment Terms:

• 20 % upon submission and clearance of the workshop and stakeholder interview reports

Deliverable 3:

• A diagnostic report for inclusive insurance and risk finance for Ghana, complete with full quantitative and qualitative analysis

Timeline:

• Within two months after signing of contract

Payment Terms:

• 50% upon submission and clearance a diagnostic report for inclusive insurance and risk finance for Ghana, complete with full quantitative and qualitative analysis

Deliverable 4:

• Training on inclusive and risk financing for CO staff          

Timeline:

• Within three months after the signing of the contract     

Payment terms:

• 10% upon submission of training report

Deliverable 5:

• Final report that covers the key areas the CO and institutional advisor agree are relevant for the country

Timeline:

• Within four months after signing of contract       

Payment Terms:

• 10% upon submission of final report that covers the key areas the CO and the institutional advisor agree.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer:

• Only those candidates that meet the minimum level of education and relevant years of experience requirements will be considered for the technical evaluation. The technical evaluation will include a desk review to select the shortlisted candidates. The technical evaluation may also include interviews with shortlisted candidate(s) or review of writing samples.
• The selection of the best offer from the shortlisted candidates will be based on a Combined Scoring method.

The technical evaluation will be based on the following criteria with the corresponding points (out of a total max 70 points):

• Understanding of the Scope of Work (SoW); comprehensiveness of the methodology/approach; and organization and completeness of the proposal (10 points)
• Excellent understanding of both inclusive insurance and risk financing in Ghana, with additional knowledge of the broader environmental factors (20 points)
• At least 5 years’ experience in data collection and research (20 points)
• Excellent understanding of key relevant areas and stakeholders, such as insurance legislation, regulation and institutions, industry capacity and engagement, consumer awareness et cetera (20 points)
• Experience in high-level knowledge on the important technical aspects of inclusive insurance and risk finance is (20 points)
• Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions (10 points)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% (49 points) on technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

In the financial evaluation the offeror with the lowest price will be awarded the maximum of 30 points. The allocation of points to the other offerors will be calculated as follows:

• p = y (µ/z), where
• p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
• y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
• µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
• z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Academic Qualifications

• University degree (Masters or above) in Business Administration, Economics or other relevant disciplines is required.

Experience:

• Proven track record of 3 years in insurance, and finance through public or private sector is required
• Excellent understanding of both inclusive insurance and risk financing markets, in Ghana, with additional knowledge of the broader environmental factors is required
• At least 5 years’ experience in data collection and research and excellent analytical skills are required
• Excellent understanding of key relevant areas and stakeholders, such as insurance legislation, regulation and institutions, industry capacity and engagement, consumer awareness et cetera is highly desirable
• Experience in high-level knowledge on the important technical aspects of inclusive insurance and risk finance is highly desirable
• Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions is highly desirable
• Ability to convey complex technical details in a concise and understandable manner is an asset.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• Commitment to UNDP's mission, vision, and values
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age differences
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion, and loyaltySelf-starter, proven ability to work independently and in an entrepreneurial setting
• Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under pressure and short deadlines
• Good interpersonal skills and able to coordinate well with UNDP partner agencies
• Proficiency in Excel
• Strong presentation skills
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in and outside UNDP; and
• Respectful of the mandates and roles of different partners, particularly government supported institutions and is able to build and sustain productive and mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues and partners across organizations, while meeting deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: being able to listen and collaborate with a wide range of players, being able to work independently, being pro-active and taking initiatives.

Language:

• Excellent written and verbal English language skills with a proven record of report writing.