Finance Analyst

Contract

This is a NO-B contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 3,758 USD.

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Background

ONLY CURRENT AFGHANISTAN NATIONALS AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN KABUL AND THROUGHOUT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION. ALL OTHER APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

The rapidly shifting political and security landscape in Afghanistan has produced significant impacts for both immediate and long-term development and peace in the country. Over 550,000 people have fled their homes due to the conflict between 1 January and 9 August 2021, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 3.5 million (9% of the total population). In addition, at least 30,000 people are estimated to be leaving the country each week. The country is experiencing fragility and faces challenges on multiple fronts including COVID-19, poverty, food insecurity, climate disruption, and impacts on the economy. These developments have both dramatically altered the landscape in which the United Nations operates, producing challenges to ongoing projects, operations as well as the ability to progress towards sustainable development goals articulated in Agenda 2030.

To better respond to the current crisis, UNDP has adopted a highly integrated yet decentralized approach to programming known as the ABADEI Community Resilience Programme for Afghanistan. This is a tailored approach for integrated socio-economic recovery and community resilience, and aims to support the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus using UNDP’s six signature solutions. The programme will provide emergency support for community livelihoods and contribute to greater resilience to future shocks in the most cost effective and sustainable manner as possible. The ABADEI prorgamme will be implemented at the regional (sub-national) level.

As articulated in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, accelerating and scaling development impact, building resilience and human security includes preventive / early action and effective response to crisis. Within the UNDP Global Policy Network, the Crisis Bureau (CB) guides UNDP’s corporate crisis and fragility related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery. The Bureau has the responsibility for support to prevention, crisis response, resilience, recovery and peacebuilding work under the auspices of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. At the country-level, UNDP works with international partners, the UN Country Team and national implementing partners to launch and deliver a comprehensive, risk-informed crisis response programme composed of interventions, inter alia, in the areas of socioeconomic resilience and recovery as well as maintenance of key health services.

The Trust Fund Management Unit (TFMU) is the entity responsible for the operational functioning of the LOTFA and ‘Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA)’ and provides technical and management support to the Steering Committee. The Fund will serve as an inter-agency mechanism to enable donors to channel their resources and coordinate their support for the ABADEI strategy. The Fund will be substantively led by UNDP, and the ABADEI (Area-based Approach for Development Emergency Initiatives) Strategy will be implemented in collaboration with other UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes.

The TFMU is led by the Trust Fund Manager who supports the Trust Fund governance structures for the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) and the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA) to engage with implementing partners, donor community, and development partners through the TF Steering Committee and Technical Coordination Working Group mechanisms. The Finance Analyst will report directly to the Trust Fund Finance Specialist.

The Finance Analyst will:

• Ensure effective financial management of the joint programmes, including planning and reporting and proper control of Trust Fund accounts;
• Coordinate implementation of results-based budgeting;
• Support to the proper and timely project closure of the LOTFA and
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and management on ABADEI among key stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

1) Ensures implementation of operational and financial management strategies, and adapts processes and procedures, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Provide coordination and technical support to all the STFA PUNOs relating to financial management and reporting of the Trust Fund, including development of results-based budgeting systems for the ABADEI programme.
• Full compliance of financial processes, financial recording/reporting system, and audit recommendations with UNDP Financial rules and regulations, policies and procedures, the internal control framework, other policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of cash flow forecasts for the Trust Fund and oversight for all resources managed by the Trust Fund and provision of high-quality professional advice to the management.
• Monitor accurate completeness and timely preparation of a comprehensive set of management, operational and statutory reports through which the organization fulfils in part its accountability requirement to Donors.
• 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/PUNO staff at CO of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Organization and oversight of Trust Fund cash management processes, including liquidity management, risk assessment, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions.
• Support results-based budgeting of the projects in line with corporate and Trust Fund requirements and ensure collection of reliable financial records.Lead implementation of effective mechanisms for financial monitoring of the programmes and projects and provide technical advice on financial management, interpretation and analysis to assess PUNOs financial reports, improve quality of recording and reporting system.
• Lead quarterly and annual reporting using inputs from the joint programmes for dissemination to the donor community, Participating UN Organizations and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure proper and timely project closure of the projects funded through current and previous trust fund managed by TFMU as well as timely refund of the unspent balances to the donors.
• Ensure there is no unrecorded expenditure left against a particular donor.
• Regularly consult with relevant CO operation unit (s) for donor refunding.
• Support to maintain a ‘watch list’ for risk areas and provide risk management support to the Integrated Risk Management Unit team.
• Attend all TFMU meetings (SC, Donors, TCWG and PUNOs) and take notes on financials issues.
• Other tasks as requested by the TFMU Manager or Finance Specialist.

2) Coordinate implementation of results-based budgeting and ensures management of the budgets focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, allocation strategy as well as MPTF guidance.
• Prepare financial schedules and reports; monitors effective and timely execution of the accounting activities for all contributions and other related income, as well as for treasury accounting for Trust Fund finances.
• Review PUNO budgets and ensure monitoring the delivery of the PUNOs, ensure that all the financial transactions are recorded and verified in compliance with IPSAS as outlined in the corporate policies and procedures.
• Prepare AWP of the TFMU and provide entry into ERP.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management
• Apply and provide guidance on innovative financial monitoring tools and practices, including HACT and joint audits.Establish and implement a system for regular financial monitoring and spot checks and follow up on the implementation of recommendations by the PUNOs implementing the projects funded by the Trust Fund.
• Ensure consolidated periodical financial reports (monthly/quarterly/annual) are prepared in line with established requirements and in a timely manner.

3) Maintains revenue management system; maintaining donor contribution agreements; development of donor profiles and updating of the pipeline table:

• Contribute in reviewing of cost sharing and trust fund agreements to ensure compliance with corporate policies and procedures.
• Assist in analyzing and researching on donors’ information, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing on donors, preparation of donor’s profile.
• Coordinate recording of revenue in line with the funding agreements with HQ Units, Regional Bureau and Global Shared Service Centers.
• Follow up on the resource mobilization activities, income and reporting schedules and assist on timely donor reporting.
• Provide advice on different donor reporting requirements; monitoring of financial reports to be submitted to donors.
• Ascertain and monitoring donor reporting requirements, ensuring that donor reports meets donors' informational needs

4) Knowledge sharing and management

• Support implementation of relevant trainings related on reporting, financial monitoring and management.
• Regularly update STFA allocation strategy paper and support compliance with the Trust Fund financial reporting and programme management by reviewing joint programme documents, AWPs and other relevant documents and suggesting any mitigating measures, where required.
• Document and synthesize best practices and lessons learned on joint UN ABADEI programming, including those linked to results-based budgeting and partnership-building to provide contributions that guide decision-making.
• Support the Finance Specialist and Participating UN organizations in preparation of various financial reports for joint the ABADEI programme and STFA.
• Collaborate and coordinate with focal points of the Participating UN organizations other teams on financial management and project management related issues and contribute inputs on project management, financial management and financial monitoring/spot checks/audit to knowledge networks, thematic sub-groups.

Perform other duties within your functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management: N/A

Technical & Cross Functional Competencies include:

• Financial Planning and Budgeting
• Building Partnerships
• Client Orientation
• Accounting
• Financial Analysis
• Risk Management

Required Skills and Experience

ONLY CURRENT AFGHANISTAN NATIONALS AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN KABUL AND THROUGHOUT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION. ALL OTHER APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Min. Education requirement****:

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Public or Business Administration, Development Studies, Economics, Social Policy, Development Studies or a related area is required.

• Those with professional accounting qualification certificate from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage, and those without will require the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test.

  Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• With Master’s five (5) years or Bachelor’s seven (7) years experience with progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in providing financial management services, accounting, and operational systems.

• Mandatory knowledge and experience in the usage of MS Office (Word, Excel and Power point) and Web based accounting applications.
• Proven track record of excellent interpersonal skills in a service provider environment.
• Experience of working in large programme portfolios will be an advantage.

Language

• Proficiency in English is required – both written and oral.
• Knowledge of the local language Dari and/or Pashto is required.