Job Identification : 11080

Locations : Abuja, Nigeria

Posting Date : 05/31/2023, 10:58 AM

Apply Before : 06/14/2023, 10:58 AM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : NPSA-8

Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Africa

Contract Duration : 1 Year

Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree

Other Criteria : Bachelors Degree – 2 years 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.

Insecurity in the Northwest (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 Northwest, especially in 2020 poses a significant stability risk to the region and country as a whole. In Katsina and Kaduna States for example, organized communal violence and banditry attacks tripled from April to June 2021 and at least 80,150 and 67,192 people respectively are now in IDP camps with many more urbanely displaced.

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 Northwest Nigeria Project” with funding from the Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund Project aims to reinforce non-military responses to conflict and insecurity in Kaduna and Katsina States by strengthening existing infrastructures for peace, providing safe spaces for inclusive (inter-and-intra)-community dialogue, enhancing the resilience of communities directly affected by conflict through the provision of psychosocial support and increasing access to sustainable livelihoods. The inter-agency project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and International Organization for Migration (IOM), with UNDP being the coordinating agency. Additionally, UNDP has entered into a 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 Northwest 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 catalyzes 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.

The three projects are interrelated and mutually supplementary, but with different focus areas and approaches.

Scope of work

Under the direct supervision of the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist, the Programme Analyst will be responsible for the following functions and tasks: Summary of Key Functions:

•  Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight;
•  Manage the project budget and ensure proper cash management functioning;
•  Ensure effective information management and reporting;
•  Ensure proper financial aid controls and risks management mechanisms.

Specific Functions/Results expected: 1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 the donor;
•  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.

4. 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.

Institutional Arrangements

The Programme Analyst would be reporting to the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist.

Competencies

Core Competencies

•  Achieve Result: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by the 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 relationship;
•  Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, be aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Management

•  Results-based Management
  •  Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
•  Project Management
  •  Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
•  Portfolio Management
  •  Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Business Direction & Strategy

•  System Thinking
  •  Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
•  Effective Decision Making
  •  Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.
•  Negotiation and Influence
  •  Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Development

•  Integration within the UN
  •  Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work;
  •  Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Requirements:

Minimum education requirements

•  Master’s degree in International Development/Relations, Economics, Business Management, Political Science, or other relevant field. A first-level university degree with two years of additional relevant experience may be accepted in-lieu of the advanced degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

•  Minimum 2 years’ experience in information management and reporting on project expenditures, budgets, work plans, etc;
•  Experience in managing project financial resources and ensuring project performance;
•  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 of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably Quantum/ATLAS;
•  Knowledge of UN/UNDP Financial Resource Management is desirable;
•  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
•  Working knowledge of UN principles, SDGs and international development in Africa is an asset.

Required skills and competencies

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

Language

•  Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Disclaimer

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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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