Job Identification : 9386

Locations : Honiara, Solomon Islands

Posting Date : 04/26/2023, 04:05 AM

Apply Before : 05/10/2023, 12:59 PM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : G6

Vacancy Type : Fixed Term

Practice Area : Management

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

Contract Duration : 1 Year

Education & Work Experience : Bachelor’s Degree – 3 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 6 year(s) experience

Required Languages : Fluency in English is a requirement

Desired Languages : Knowledge of Local Language is an added advantage

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.

The United Nations Development Programme (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 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. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives.

UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others. The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on results Management and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance, and strategic communications team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.

On the ground in Solomon Islands since 1999, UNDP has earned a reputation of a trustworthy development partner in the collective effort of supporting Solomon Islands in achieving shared objectives. In a rapidly changing global environment, UNDP Solomon Islands’ work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016 – 2035, and sector strategies.

As part of the MCO, UNDP Solomon Islands contributes to a range of initiatives, including peacebuilding, access to justice, local governance, anticorruption, prevention and elimination of gender-based violence, youth and women’s empowerment, climate change and disaster risk management. While a key international organisation in the country supporting governance, resilience and sustainable development and protection of environment, UNDP is also building its profile in other areas including policy level initiatives, including on the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, digital transformation, formalisation of the informal economy and others.

Within the UNDP Solomon Islands, the Operations team provides backbone support and services to programme related to finance, human resources, digital services, travel and logistics, as well as common services and CO transactions support. The team further provides demand driven Common services to the UN agencies (per agreed procedures). In addition, the team will provide administrative support to UNDP Staff including project personnel e.g., protocol, visa facilitation, travel, and others.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Operations Analyst and direct supervision of the Finance Analyst, the Finance Associate executes financial services ensuring effective and transparent utilization of financial resources and integrity of financial services. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the MCO, UNDP Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP) and UNDP HQs staff to resolve complex financial management and operational-related issues and information delivery. The Finance Associate is responsible for the following:-

•  Administration and implementation of operational and financial management strategies
•  Administration of budgets and effective cost recovery
•  Accounting, finance and administrative support
•  CO cash management
•  Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing
•  Ensures implementation of operational and financial management strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:
•  Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
•  Finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management.
•  Input to implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, elaboration of conditions of contributions within the CO resource mobilization efforts.
•  Contribution to proposals and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.
•  Ensures administration of budgets and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:
•  Preparation and modifications of budgets for UNDP projects, follow up with HQs on authorized spending limits (ASL) for management projects.
•  Contribution to establishment of criteria for pro-ration of Agencies contributions to the common services account, preparation and modifications of the common services budget and follow up on timely recovery of payments.
•  Implementation of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications, budgetary status versus ASL, follow up with HQs on ASL for development projects, maintenance of the General Ledger.
•  Sending project budget to KK if authorized by the Senior Management (can be done only on the basis of signed prodocs and project budgets).
•  Presentation of researched information for planning of financial resources of the office, reports containing analysis of the financial situation.
•  Timely preparation of cost-recovery bills in ERP System for the services provided by elaboration and implementation of the income tracking system and follow up on cost recovery.
•  Provides accounting and administrative support to the Finance Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:
•  Proper control of the supporting documents for payments, review of financial reports for NIM projects.
•  Validating vendor request before submission to GSSC for processing in ERP System (as a senior member of the Finance team).
•  Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers submitted to and processed by GSSC are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP System; payrolls, travel claims, MPOs and other entitlements are duly processed.
•  Timely accounts closure
•  Timely identification and liaison with GSSC for corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
•  Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and follow up with partners on contributions, liaison with GSSC for deposits creation in the ERP and their application to AR pending items.
•  Timely VAT reimbursements, payment of GLOC by the Government.
•  Ensures proper Office cash management functioning focusing on achievement of the following results:
•  Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. Timely identification and liaison with GSSC for recording of receipts for income application.
•  Daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in ERP System to monitor imprest level; identification and liaison with GSSC for recording of contributions.
•  Alternate to Finance Analyst as primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of exchange rate on replenishment. May serve as member of bank signatory panel upon decision of Resident Representative.
•  Preparation and submission of monthly UN exchange rate report to Treasury (if required).
•  Timely and accurate preparation of bank reconciliations.
•  Preparation of bank transfers and deals request for approval and submission to GSSC.
•  Review and confirmation of Paycycle to GSSC (if required)
•  Alternate to Finance Analyst for timely preparation of monthly cashflow forecast for use by Operations Analyst. Liaison with UN Agencies to obtain estimate of their cash requirements.
•  Alternate as cashier for cash disbursements made on site.
•  Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Office focusing on achievement of the following results:
•  Organization of training for the operations/programme/projects staff on financial management.
•  Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in financial management.
•  Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Competencies

•  Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Business Management

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience

Business Management

Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

•  Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.
•  Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
•  Look for was to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests.
•  Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns

Finance

Financial planning and budgeting

Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing, and reporting

Finance

Budget Management

Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Finance

Accounting

Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

Finance

Financial reporting and analysis

Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance

Finance

Contributions management

Ability to receive, record, report and manage contributions received.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•  Secondary Education, with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance is required or
•  University Degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration will be given due consideration.
•  Qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy is a requirement or
•  Long-listed candidates may be required to undergo the UNDP Accountancy & Finance Test (AFT)

Experience:

•  Minimum 6 years with Secondary education or 3 years with Bachelor’s degree of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience.
•  Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP financials.
•  Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS desirable.
•  Fluency in English is a requirement, local language is an added advantage.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.