Project Finance/Admin Associate, Suva, Fiji
Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Country: Fiji
City: Suva
Office: UNDP Suva, Fiji
Closing date: Sunday, 22 January 2023
Job Identification : 7801
Locations : Suva, Fiji
Posting Date : 01/09/2023, 07:52 AM
Apply Before : 01/22/2023, 12:59 PM
Job Schedule : Full time
Agency : UNDP
Grade : NB3
Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area : Inclusive Growth
Bureau : Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
Contract Duration : 1 Year
Education & Work Experience : Bachelor’s Degree - 4 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 7 year(s) experience
Required Languages : English
Vacancy Timeline
2 Weeks
Job Description
Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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 leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
In the Pacific, UNDP provides regional and country support to 10 countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) and regional
support to five countries (Cook Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tokelau), together with a total population of 2.4 million. There are three focus areas of which gender and human rights are mainstreamed:
Effective Governance
Inclusive Growth
Resilience and Sustainable Development
The financing needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will greatly surpass all current development finance flows but can be also raised from the large amounts of (mostly private) investable resources available globally. Domestic public resources, even in low-income countries, can be increased and spending optimized. Financing solutions provide strategies and means to effectively unlock and direct these sources of finance toward realizing the SDGs.
Mobilizing adequate financing for sustainable development will be a challenge for all countries but will be particularly difficult for Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) where financing needs for sustainable, climate-sensitive development are estimated to be among the highest in the world when measured as a proportion of national output. For this reason, UNDP and its partners meet with significant demand for guidance on identifying and operationalizing financing solutions across many sectors and thematic areas. This includes but is not limited to demand for support to build a more integrated approach to financing national development plans and support graduation processes for Pacific LDC’s. UNDP currently supports various Pacific Countries (PIC) to formulate and operationalize integrated, costed financing strategies that bring together the policies and instruments through which governments govern public and private financing. These financing instruments include innovative instruments, such as blue bonds, and will provide a stronger basis for prioritizing and implementing policy changes and reforms that will help to mobilize new resources to support the delivery of national plans in meeting the 2030 agenda as well as to support transitioning out of the LDC status.
Given this growing demand for its services to support the financing of the SDGs in the Pacific region, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji is looking to increase its capacity and establish a new dedicated SDG Finance project management unit. This new unit will be responsible for the management of the various projects and programmes related to the financing of the SDGs that are currently implemented by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and supervision of Programme Manager for the Building Back Project and the Investing in Coral Reef and Blue Economy Project, the Project Finance & Admin Associate is responsible for:
the financial management of the project including the overall budget expenditures according to the Project Document,
advising the Government, PMU and UNDP on the need for budget revision and/or off-track activities,
presenting financial analysis at Project Board meetings.
The Project Finance & Admin Associate is responsible for the following key functions:
Administration and implementation of operational and financial services for the project. This entails functions such as supporting the project team develop budgets, replenishment requests and procurements plans; developing contracts, facilitiating payments and monitoring overall deliverables of contracts; facilitating periodic reporting in collaboration with the project Monitoring and Reporting Officer.
Administrative support to the PMU. This entails cross functional responsibilities with the UNDP Human Resources section on timely salary payments from project funds; troubleshooting financial system errors related to the project in collaboration with the UNDP Finance Team; consistent collarboation with UNDP Procurement Team to support timely project deleirveables; and proactive status update on financial and procurement plans for the project.
Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing. This entails supporting the project team to develop timely and informative information pieces, communication materials and and knowledge products that communicate the acheivements of the project.
Maintain data integrity in the project database and prepare project beneficiary control and analysis reports. This entails timely update of project records as well as maintaining all project documentation in electronic copy format (including financial records such as supporting documents for vouchers and POs and general filing system on project issues), according to UNDP policies and guidelines.
Coordinate assets management in the project office, prepare and submit periodic inventory reports; assist in purchase of the project equipment/services and ensure maintenance as needed.
Competencies
Core competencies:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
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 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
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 competencies:
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: Business Direction & Strategy
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
Business Management
Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity
Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key\ stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee organization’s business process order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Minimum required is high school diploma with 7 years of experience / bachelor’s degree Accounting, Finance or related field with 4 years of experience will be given due consideration
Experience:
4 years of progressively responsible financial management or accounting work experience is required with a Bachelor’s degree OR 7 years of progressively responsible financial management or accounting work experience is required with a Highschool completion
Experience and knowledge of UNDP programme finance and procurement procedures and systems is desirable
Experience and knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is a distinct advantage
Experience and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
Required Skills:
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
Self-development and initiative-taking
Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team
Communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control
Managing conflict
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
Language Requirements:
Fluency in written and spoken English is essential
Note: This position is open for Fiji nationals only
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.
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Link to the organization’s job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1673268936265
