Project Associate

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Application deadline 11 months ago: Friday 14 Apr 2023 at 00:00 UTC

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This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Insecurity in the North-West (NW) region of Nigeria – especially Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto is characterized by a complex blend of communal conflicts, farmer-herder conflict, armed banditry and organized crime. These conflict drivers are further amplified by demographic pressure, relative deprivation, perceptions of economic exclusion and climate-induced risks. While numerous peace agreements and amnesties including in Sokoto and Zamfara provided some short-term stability, violence that resurged in the North-West, especially in 2020 poses a significant stability risk to the region and country as a whole. The conflict – and especially the bandit phenomenon in the North-West is also rooted in the degraded socio-economic and political context. The adverse effects of climate change on natural resource availability and scarcity have been identified among the root causes of the conflict. The violent conflict has altered the local coping capacities of the rural communities to deal with climatic risks affecting their livelihoods, creating a vicious cycle where natural disasters hit harder, aggravating existing tensions and leading to new conflicts.

UNDP is engaged in the Northwest of Nigeria through an integrated conflict prevention program comprising of three interrelated projects.

Firstly, the “Strengthening Local And State Level Peace Architectures For Peacebuilding and Prevention in Katsina and Kaduna States of North West Nigeria Project” The inter-agency project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with UNDP being the coordinating agency. Additionally, UNDP has entered into an UN-to-UN agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR).

Secondly, to foster resilience against climate and security risks, the North West Climate-Peace Hubs: A Climate Security Approach to Conflict Prevention project, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will through a conflict-sensitive manner contribute towards: 1) improved access to data supporting decision-making for anticipatory actions to climate and conflict risks, 2) increased access conflict sensitive and climate resilient livelihoods and green jobs and 3) strengthened systems and practices for communal management of natural resources. The project pilot states are Katsina and Sokoto, with focus on borderland areas.

Thirdly, the Preventative Action Facility funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs catalyses timely, collaborative, and decisive, State led, cross-state and cross-border prevention efforts to the front-line states of Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina. The aim is to prevent the region from descending into loss of governance control over large swaths of territory, a possible humanitarian crisis and a new foothold for regional violent extremist actors with grave implications to Nigeria’s security.

Therefore, UNDP is seeking to hire a Communications Officer to provide technical guidance and support to the three projects that are interrelated and mutually supplementary, and wider engagement of the various stakeholders, including the Government, Private Sector, Academia, Civil Society, Media and the public.

Under the supervision of the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist, the Project Associate will:

a. Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, including through the following tasks: • Manage and provide financial analyses and oversight for all resources managed by UNDP programme(s), ensuring full compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies; • Advise UNDP staff on financial matters; • Prepare cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of programme management; • Monitor the financial performance of programme activities; • Coordinate annual audits of the Principle Recipient (PR) and Sub-recipients (SRs) as required by UNDP, and ensure that external auditors have all relevant information.

b. Manage the programme budget and ensure proper cash management functioning, including through the following tasks: • Prepare and monitor the project’s budgets in UNDP’s enterprise resource planning system and prepare budget revision if necessary; • Organize and oversee project cash management processes, SR relationships, and accounting and reconciliation of all transactions and security for cash assets on site; • Follow up on the disbursement of funds to facilitate timely review of cash position to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements; • Ensure that advance payments and direct payments are properly reviewed and recorded in a timely manner; • Take corrective actions on unposted vouchers or other financial transaction issues.

c. Ensure effective information management and reporting, including through the following tasks: • Prepare regular analysis and reporting on the project funds and Country Office budget approvals, including on the delivery of programme activities; • Support the preparation of annual project workplans, agreements, and budgets; • Prepare forecasts necessary to support disbursements requests; • Conduct verification and posting of disbursement requests, expenditure reports, and supporting documentation; • Submit timely and accurate required financial reports to donors; • Maintain information flows between non-finance actors to effectively link programmatic results to work plan expenditure and budgets agreed with the donor; • Respond to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues or to provide information required.

d. Ensure proper financial controls and risk management mechanisms, including through the following tasks: • Develop and support maintenance of risk management and mitigation approaches relating to finance; • Design and implement effective internal controls and financial resources management system; • Map, establish and maintain standard operating procedures in the project finance unit, implementing improvements where possible; • Conduct training and other capacity development activities on financial management for personnel, as required.

• Innovation • Communication • People Management • Accounting (General) • Financial Analysis

 Programme support and financial resource management services;  the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.)  the knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages  handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft;  UN/UNDP Financial Resource Management is desirable.  SDGs and international development in Africa is an asset.

Nigeria is a unique country and UNDP is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

Added 11 months ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: unv.org