Finance Specialist

Contract

This is a IPSA-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-10 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description

Background

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.

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 work on HIV, health and development, as described in the HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: Connecting the Dots, leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies. UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development.

First, UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals. Second, UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses. Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of the law and legal environments in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property law to lower the cost of medicines and diagnostics. UNDP also works to empower and include marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, including support to municipal action on SDGs, sustainable responses for Health and HIV such as improving sustainability of AIDS financing, sustainable health procurement, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for key populations.

Third, as a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multi-sectoral health and development projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time.

UNDP’s Partnership with the Global Fund

UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on SDG 3 by countries that face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding. UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as interim Principal Recipient in these settings, working with national partners and the Global Fund to improve management, implementation and oversight of Global Fund grants, while simultaneously developing national capacity to be able to assume the Principal Recipient role over time. UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund and other health partners (eg GAVI) is overseen by the Global Fund Health Implementation Support Team (GF/HIST), HIV, Health and Development Group (HHD Group), Bureau of Policy and Programme Support, Global Policy Network.

Based on demands 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 GF/HIST is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health procurement and supply management support (PSM), and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi-funded activities. The GF/HIST provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g.,programmatic, procurement/PSM strengthening, finance, capacity development, Sub-recipient (SR) management and asset management), leveraging technical assistance and policy support from the HHD Group and other GPN teams and advisory services from the Office of Audit and Investigations.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Finance Advisor (New York), the Finance Specialist is required to support the provision and execution of financial management support services, ensuring effective and transparent utilization of financial resources for the GF/HIST and Country Offices managing Global Fund grants and other health and development programmes. S/he will support on the management, oversight and monitoring of the targeted measures in the Risk Management Framework to support effective risk management in the areas of finance management, SR management and asset management. The Specialist promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations, contributing to the country team approach and support to the integration of capacity building activities for Country Offices and SR in the areas of financial management, SR management and asset management.

In 2022, UNDP plans to migrate from the current PeopleSoft ERP to Quantum Cloud ERP in order to improve internal business processes and keep up with evolving industry standards. GF/HIST finance team will be heavily involved in the implementation of the Quantum Cloud ERP including the review and configuration of the new ERP system, its impact on the current financial reporting to the Global Fund and user acceptance testing and subsequent trainings of programme and finance staff in HQ and field offices. This work will require a close and a constant consultation with ERP teams, BMS and BPPS teams based in New York.

Institutional Arrangement

The Finance Specialist will report to the GF/HIST Finance Advisor (New York).

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide advisory and support services, guidance and advocacy to Country Offices in the administration of budgets and monitoring of expenditure(s) focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Ensure full compliance with UNDP financial rules, regulations, and policies, financial recording/reporting system, implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system;
• Support Country Offices in the preparation of grant budget proposals, estimation and costing of detailed budgets in accordance with UNDP POPP and donor funding requirements and sharing the past best practices;
• Support Country offices in setting up initial budget and subsequent budget revisions for the donor funded programmes;
• Monitor expenditures against approved budgets to ensure timely proactive measures to prevent over-expenditure and material budget deviations from the approved budget with the donors;
• Advise Country Offices on project and budget set-up and use of UNDP’s ERP system and Hyperion Planning and budgeting System; including the setup of GMS fee set up.
• Review and ensure integrity and consistency of the Global Fund project information in UNDP’s ERP system and Hyperion;
• Provide regular reporting from Hyperion on the global GF portfolio on grant delivery figures against GF approved budgets; and
• Support COs to prepare annual grant delivery and revenue projections to be included in during the Institutional Budget preparation exercise.

2. Provide financial advisory and support services in monitoring and oversight on during the project implementation in revenue, expense and asset management of donor funds to Country Offices focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Support the Finance Advisor on the timely preparation of grant agreements, and Sub-recipient agreements and processing of Annual Funding Decisions and cash transfers by the Global Fund and the prompt and accurate application of Global Fund disbursements;
• Ensure donor grant agreements and disbursements are recorded to correct projects in timely manner;
• Support Country Offices by following up with the donors when contribution income is delayed and support global tracking of Global Fund disbursements in line with funding decisions;
• Provide timely, analytical support to Country Offices regarding financial queries from donors in coordination with the Country Team;
• Provide oversight on implemented activities and to ensure that financial transactions are correctly recorded according to the approved budgets and workplans in accordance with UNDP financial rules and regulations;
• Support Country offices in asset management in financial recognition, recording and reporting;
• Support Country offices in grant closings by reviewing the final reports, final refunds and asset transfers.
• Prepare financial analytical reports and co-ordinate with Country Offices to verify outstanding financial and/or administrative issues that require reconciliations;
• Analyze and maintain financial oversight for Global Fund resources managed by the Country Offices and at the Sub-recipient level;
• Prepare quarterly, bi-annual and adhoc reports at the Country Office and corporate levels to track delivery of all Global Fund projects and other health projects for the management and programme teams; and
• Prepare management reports for Country Office and HQ managers on Global, Regional, Country portfolio, grant status.

3. Provide support to Country Offices for accurate and timely financial reporting to donors, and risk management focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Advise Country Offices on procedures for reporting to the Global Fund, including but not limited to quarterly reports and disbursement requests, cash balance requests, annual reports, grant renewal applications, concept notes, Sub-recipient financial management and asset management reports through desk support and missions, as needed in coordination with GF/HIST Country Team;
• Co-ordinate and support Country Offices with the timely submission of financial/programmatic reports required by donors;
• Conduct periodic review of financial exception reports including financial statement items, liaise closely with OFM as well as Country Offices, to resolve issues and take appropriate corrective actions;
• In coordination with Finance Advisor, support Country Offices throughout the audit process ensuring effective planning, including timely follow up on audit recommendations and findings from the Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI), the Global Fund’s Office of Inspector General, and Sub-recipient audit reports including, financial management, Sub-recipient management and asset management;
• Support in the analysis of audit and investigation recommendations and findings (OAI, Sub-recipient audits) with the development of action plans to address recurring issues in the areas of financial management, Sub-recipient management and asset management, including through innovative approaches, developing policies, procedures, guidance materials, and trainings in coordination with Finance Advisor and Country Team;
• Support the Country Team in recovery actions in coordination with Country Offices, OAI, Regional and Central Bureaus, and the Global Fund;
• Support Country Offices on the operational and financial year-end closures and closure for completed projects within the mandated period in order to meet the reporting requirements of donors and UNDP procedures; and
• Support the Finance Advisor to oversee the transparency of the financial processes at the Country Office and Sub-recipient level to ensure compliance with Global Fund and UNDP financial guidelines; and
• Report on project delivery on a regular basis in coordination with the Country Team and provide advice on gaps in delivery and required budget revisions and re-programming.

4. Ensure capacity building and knowledge building and sharing for effective financial management of donor funded health programmes and partnership and resource mobilization efforts, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Support the Finance Advisor in the timely development and updating of financial management, Sub-recipient management, enhancement of Atlas and Hyperion reports, and asset management related tools, guidance, SOPs and manuals used by Country Offices and Sub-recipients;
• Support the identification and perform knowledge extraction, codification of results/lessons learned in the financial management of donor funded programmes, Sub-recipient management and asset management and verify that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with corporate guidance and tools;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and sharing of best practices in financial management, Sub-recipient management and asset management support creating strong evidence base of results and impact through conducting survey, research, case studies, crowd sourcing through online portals;
• Capacity building of sub-recipients and other national partners on overall financial management, Sub-recipient management and asset management in coordination with the Country Team, if necessary;
• Support the Finance Advisor, in the focal point role on financial management, Sub-recipient management and asset management for Global Fund, and other partners, including (e.g., PAHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP, WHO) and resource mobilization efforts.

5. Support the GF HIST in the roll-out of the Quantum Cloud ERP, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Review the setup and data configuration of new ERP and assess its impact on the current financial management reports for the GF financed projects;
• Propose business requirements for the financial reports based on the latest financial reporting requirements of the GF in view of sourcing the financial management information from one data source;
• Assess the impact of the final ERP setup on Hyperion and work closely with the service provide to change the business specifications of the current reports and seek solutions for a seamless integration of Hyperion data to the corporate data managent warehouse;
• Data cleansing; GL reconciliations and User testing;
• Supporting new ERP financial management training for HQ and field staff;
• Assist in drafting amendments to assigned financial management procedures and reports;
• Providing Helpdesk support where continued funding is provided; and
• Update “focused” guidelines/SOPs on financial management for the programme.

Competencies

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication:Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Academic Education:

• Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Public Administration or related field;
• Professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinctive advantage;
• Candidates without a professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will be required to take the Advanced UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test.

Minimum years of relevant Work experience:

• A minimum of 5 years experience in the area of resource management of programme projects and financial reporting in UNDP/and or UN agency.

Required skills and competencies:

• Strong familiarity with Global Fund’s financial management, systems, processes and reporting.

Desired additional skills and competencies:

• Experience working with national counterparts in the area of financial management is an asset;
• A sound and detailed understanding of the UN environment, and the Finance and Accounting policies of UN and/or UNDP is an asset;
• Experience in financial management of implementing partners and responsible parties, including Global Fund Sub-recipients is an asset;
• Experience in building financial management monitoring tools such as Powerbi is an asset;
• Experience in audit in the area of financial management is an asset;
• In depth knowledge of the ERP Financials, Peoplesoft and Hyperion is an asset.

Required Language(s) (at working level):

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Knowledge of an additional UN language is an asset.