Programme Finance Associate

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JOB DESCRIPTION Background Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks. UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 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 this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes.  BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund, in line with UNDP’s HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2022-2025: Connecting the Dots, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the pledge to leave no one behind leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies.

As a long-standing partner of the Global Fund, UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach in supporting to countries with significant national capacity constraints to manage large-scale health programmes. By providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management, UNDP is able to deliver results whilst sustainably transitioning to national entities. UNDP’s track record as PR over the years and capacity to deliver in challenging operating environments has been critical for strengthening its positioning as a health implementation support partner. Based on demand from Country Offices, and building on the relationships, expertise, systems, partnerships, including across the UN family, and comparative advantage established through the Global Fund partnership, the GPN/BPPS/Global Fund Partnership/Health Implementation Support Team (GFPHST, Global Fund Partnership Team) is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health procurement and supply chain management support, and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi-funded activities and Solar for Health. The GFPHST provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g., programmatic, procurement/SCM strengthening, finance, capacity development), leveraging technical assistance and policy support from the HHD Group and other GPN teams.

Objective of the assignment

Under the guidance and supervision of the Finance Specialist GFPHST (Kuala Lumpur), the Programme Finance Associate will provide financial management support services, ensuring effective and transparent utilization of financial resources for the GFPHST and with Country Offices managing Global Fund grants and other health and development programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures effective oversight on GF grant project budgets and monitoring of expenditures:

• Advise Country Offices on available financial tools, preparation of budgets and use of Quantum and Hyperion Planning and Budgeting System.
• Monitor the GF grant expenditures to ensure they are in line with approved budget by the donor and UNDP financial rules, regulations, policies, financial recording/reporting system.
• Provide an advice on project delivery reports to the Country offices  on a regular basis.
• Capacity building of  sub-recipients and other national partners on overall financial management in coordination with the UNDP Country Office Team.
• Periodic review of the project cash balances and revenue schedules with a regular follow up with the country offices and GSSC focal points to ensure sufficient financial resources for the GF projects AWP.
• Periodic review of the GF project resource balances in GL, PPM and budget control to identify mis-recorded items for a timely corrective action by the country offices and GSSC.
• Periodic review of the aging balances of implementing partners, suppliers and open POs to ensure accuracy of financial receivables and commitments of the GF projects for their progress update.
• Periodic review of the project asset balances and  position lists to ensure accuracy of the asset registration, depreciation and payroll charges.

Ensures accurate and timely reporting to donor:

• Co-ordinate the timely submission of financial/programmatic reports (Cash Forecasts, Pulse Checks,  Progress Update and Dsibursement Requests) required by the donors under a direct guidance of the Finance Specialist.
• Conduct periodic review of financial exception reports including financial statement items, liaise closely with GSSC  and  Country Offices, to resolve exceptions and issues in order to advise the country offices on  corrective actions on time.
• Follow up with Country Offices on the financial closure of operationally completed projects within the mandated period in order to meet the reporting requirements of donors.

Effective support for financial assurance activities to the country offices:

• Provide support and analysis to the Finance Specialists on internal and external audit recommendation, donor requirements or other financial matters
• Maintain and track the Sub-Recepient (SR) audit recommendation implementations with a regular follow-up with the respective country offices.
• Support the country offices during the SR audit to prepare the financial reports for the auditors.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Competencies Core Competencies – UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.

• 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 Direction and Strategy – Negotiation and Influence:

• Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations

Business Development – Knowledge Facilitation:

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management – Risk Management:

• Ability to identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Finance – Accounting (General):

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

Finance – Finance business partnering

• Able to support business units and add value by innovating and providing solutions to financial issues/queries, including through FAQs, financial tools, advisory, etc. Influences and appropriately challenges non-finance colleagues for whom the service is being provided. Understands the operations, opportunities, and challenges of the organization. Holds a commercial outlook, demonstrating accountability towards organizational goals.

 Finance – Budget management:

• Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of  GF grant  budget.

Finance – Financial planning and budgeting:

• Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.

Required Skills and Experience Education:

• Secondary Education with specialized certification in accounting and/or Finance is required. Or
• University degree in Finance or Accounting desirable.
•  Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
•  Fully Qualified Accountant, from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy or Full Completion of the
• UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP). No UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) required.
• Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete
  UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. However, UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is not required.
• Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications but with relevant experience must successfully undertake UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) before shortlisting, and must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (with high school diploma) or 4 years (with bechelors degree)  of progressively responsible finance/accounting experience is required at the national (CO) or international level (HQ).
• Advance knowledge of Excel and database applications.
• Strong knowledge and experience of Quantum (UNDP ERP) or other ERP financial management modules
• Knowledge and experience of UN or UNDP operational processes and procedures.
• Financial resource management and donor reporting experience.
• At least three years of  relevant work experience from a developing country.
• Experience working with internal/external auditors
• Familiarity with Global Fund’s financial management, systems, processes and reporting.

Language:

• Fluency in the English language is required;
• Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Disclaimer Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders) Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications. Applicant information about UNDP rosters Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements. Non-discrimination UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. Scam warning The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

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