International consultant: HACT/IP Management - UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a future

How can you make a difference?

Background and Rationale:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. UNICEF works in partnership with a wide range of implementing partners, both government and CSO partners, to deliver results for children across the globe. Effective implementing partnership management is therefore essential for ensuring that resources are utilized as intended and results are being achieved.

UNICEF has adopted the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) as an approach for obtaining assurance that results have been achieved in line with resource utilization. It aims at managing risk related to cash transfers made to implementing partners in support of program implementation, reducing partner transaction costs, and allowing progressive use of national systems for management and accountability of results and resources.

Job organizational context: The consultant will work closely with ROSA Risk & Compliance Manager. The post will provide periodic reviews of CO HACT implementations, especially in making sure HACT audits and special audits are done in a timely manner and proper follow up actions are entered and closed with adequate evidence. This will involve coaching and providing required capacity building to smaller COs like Sri Lanka and Maldives including full adoption and uitlisation of eTools.

Purpose:

This additional consultant role is needed to strengthen the HACT related risk management in a context where the region will have external audits and the CO teams are stretched due to adapting to the new procedure and new eTools platforms.

Key Assignments/Tasks:

• Provide technical and administrative support in the implementation of HACT in line with the new Oct 2022 Programme Implementation procedure, new handbook as well as ePD and PRP in eTools.
• Coordinate and monitor the implementation of 2023 HACT audits, while reviewing action points from 2022 HACT audits and proper closure with evidence.
• Monitor the progress with eZHACT 2,0 adoption and provide necessary support in ensuring no significant delays and refunds pending in the system.
• Monitor over 6 months DCT in COs and provide support in addressing the challenges with ineligible costs and recovery of funds.
• Prepare reports and analyses to the Risk and Compliance manager highlighting risks and issues.
• Support Cos and conduct required pre-audit preparation for Sri Lanka and India CO as well as ROSA for the external audit in November 2023

Key Deliverables:

• Support following up on Sri Lanka peer review recommendations, HACT audit status report; required days – 21; by 15 September 2023
• Support for Bangladesh SOP review and IP training, HACT audit status report; required days – 21; by 15 October 2023
• Document compiled and reviews completed for preparation of external audits (Sri Lanka, India and ROSA); required days – 21; by 15 November 2023
• Document compiled and reviews completed for preparation of external audits (Sri Lanka, India and ROSA); required days – 21; by 15 December 2023
• Support preparing for Bhutan peer review, HACT audit status report; required days – 21; by 15 January 2024
• Final report; required days – 21; by 15 February 2024

Note: Please submit your application with the financial proposal. Applications without the financial proposals will not be considered.

Remarks: Office based consultancy.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

University degree in Business Administration, Financial Management, Economics, Auditing, Accounting, or another relevant technical field; or recognized professional certifications for accounting and finance (such as ACCA, CPA, CFA, etc.)

1. University degree in Business Administration, Financial Management, Economics, Auditing, Accounting, or another relevant technical field; or recognized professional certifications for accounting and finance (such as ACCA, CPA, CFA, etc.)

Work Experience:

A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: audit, financial management, or accounting. Relevant experience in a UN system agency especially in HACT and implementing partner management is considered an asset.

Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.