Finance Specialist – UNDP

By osama elsheikh Last updated Jun 26, 2021

Job Description

Organization	United Nations Development Programme
Agency	UNDP
Title	Finance Specialist
Job ID	38212
Practice Area – Job Family	Management
Vacancy End Date	08/07/2021 (Midnight New York, USA)
Duty Station	Khartoum, Sudan
Education & Work Experience	I-Master’s Level Degree – 7 year(s) experience
Languages	Required: Arabic, English
Grade	P4
Vacancy Type	FTA International
Posting Type	Common System
Bureau	Management
Contract Duration	1 Year with possibility for extension

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 UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance and supports the results of UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan, focusing on seven outcomes including, strengthening institutions to progressively deliver universal access to basic services (Outcome 3). The HIV, Health and Development Group (HHD Group), within BPPS, is helping to contribute towards this outcome. The HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: ‘Connecting the Dots’ elaborates UNDP’s work on HIV and health in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNDP’s partnership with The Global Fund, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind.

UNDP has an important role in supporting health outcomes by supporting countries to address the social, cultural and economic determinants of HIV and health, in partnership with UN entities and other organizations. This is done through UNDP’s core work in reducing inequalities and social exclusion that drive HIV and poor health, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health. UNDP also contributes through its coordinating and convening role in bringing together multiple partners and resources at national and local levels.

As a trusted, long-term partner of The Global Fund (GF), UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance in over 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach and providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management. Within the HHD Group the Global Fund – Health Implementation Support Team (GF/HIST) is a dedicated team providing support to UNDP Country Offices implementing health and development programmes.

As the interim Principal Recipient for the Sudan GF programmes to be implemented from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023, UNDP is responsible for the financial and programmatic management and the procurement of health products for the Global Fund HIV,TB and Malaria grants to Sudan (the ‘Grants’) in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health, national and technical partners for the achievement of programme results and the effective use of grant resources. UNDP Sudan has established a Programme Management Unit (PMU) which coordinates and oversees the implementation of the Grants.

In order to provide strategic planning, programmatic and operational management, and oversight to the GF portfolio to achieve the defined programme goals, targets and effective delivery, a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) has been established.

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Programme Manager, the Finance Specialist is responsible for ensuring the highest efficiency in financial resources management and the provision of accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information, effective delivery of financial services, and transparent utilization of financial resources and management of the finances for the Global Fund grants. The Finance Specialist supervises and leads support staff of the Finance Unit and ensures strong coordination with programme and procurement staff of the PMU for effective management of programme budgets.

The Finance Specialist works in close collaboration with the Sub-recipients (SRs) of the Global Fund project, the Country Office Operations unit, and project teams in the Country Office in ensuring successful implementation and oversight of GF programme resources and Country Office performance in finance. In addition, the Finance Specialist will play the lead role capacity development of the financial management systems of the national counterparts for the transition of the programmes. This will be done in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures, the grant agreements and corporate agreements with the GF, and working in partnership with national stakeholders, and close coordination with the GF (including Local Fund Agent), CCM, technical partners and UN entities, and the GF/HIST.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Leads on financial analysis and oversight for all resources managed by the Global Fund programmes and provision of high-quality technical financial advice to the Programme Manager and other PMU staff members and Country Office senior management.
Ensures proper planning, expenditure tracking of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, policies and procedures, grant agreements and corporate agreements with the Fund and Global Fund financial management rules.
Maintains robust internal financial management controls over all financial processes;
Maintains adequate financial management arrangements including reviews and reconciliations, to support the deployment of grant resources in an economic, efficient and effective manner to achieve the desired objectives, ensuring expenditures incurred are reasonable and allowable against budgetary allocations and that inappropriate payments and non-compliant expenditures are prevented;
Ensures an efficient financial flow process is developed and implemented and amended to reflect the programme financial management requirements which are guided by risk assessments;
Establishes and maintains a reporting system for internal and Global Fund needs, including Sub-recipients, contractors, service providers, and technical assistance providers;
Ensures an effective information flow between finance and non-finance actors (Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM), Global Fund, Local Fund Agent and Sub-recipients) in order to effectively link the programmatic results to expenditures, as required by Global Fund;
Develops and maintains an organizational structure for the Finance Unit, and leads on the recruitment of staff, fostering diversity, equity and inclusion and builds the technical, management and leadership capacity of staff for promotion of organizational excellence;
Monitors the financial performance of supply management systems/ procurement;
Prepares cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of programme management;
Develops, tracks and reports to management key financial performance indicators; and
Maintains a document management system for UNDP, including Sub-recipients, contractors, service providers, and technical assistance providers records.

2. Ensures implementation of operational strategies and procedures, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Establishes and/or ensures robust financial procedures: e.g. receipts, payments, disbursements and bookkeeping, filing procedures for the GF projects of Sub-recipients;
Ensures that financial procedures in place comply with the financial/accounting and procurement requirement of the Global Fund and UNDP;
Peforms a continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the Global Fund programmes;
Ensures the timely closure of programmes and compliance with Global Fund and UNDP rules, policies and procedures, including the transfer of assets;
Ensures oversight for the transparency of the financial processes and use of funds and compliance with Global Fund and UNDP financial guidelines;
Leads on the preparation of the donor reports, monthly Cash Flow and annual Cash Flow Forecasts, statement of sources and uses of funds in compliance with the Global Fund requirements;
Leads on the preparation of other financial reports to be submitted to the LFA/Global Fund, acting as the Focal Point for financial management information for the LFA/Global Fund;
Elaborates and implements cost savings and reduction strategies under the guidance of the Programme Manager;
Under the guidance of the Programme Manager facilitates audits and investigations by the Office of Audit and Investigations and audits of Sub-recipient(s)) and by the Office of Inspector General in line with corporate agreements with the Global Fund and UNDP rules and regulations and policies and procedures and ensures timely implementation of audit recommendations and findings as they relate to financial, asset and Sub-recipient management;
Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transaction and informs supervisors of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained; and
Leads on preparing timely and quality monthly cash flow forecasts for use by the Programme Manager in liaison with other Implementing Partners.

3. Manages the programme budgets and ensures proper control of programme accounts focusing on achievement of the following results:

Leads on managing financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring, and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Prepares and monitors programme budgets in Atlas and ensures that the budget in Hyperion Planning and Budgeting Cloud system is in line with the approved detailed budget;
Elaborates proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
Ensures that contributions from the Global Fund are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis;
Leads on ensuring compliance with the internal expenditures control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
Leads on arranging quarterly financial management review meetings with Sub-recipients in coordination with other PMU staff across functional areas (programme, PSM, M&E);
Performs Manager Level 1 functions for transactions approval in Atlas; and
Ensures timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers and ensures timely responses to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.

4. Ensures close monitoring of the Sub-recipients and other implementing partners focusing on achievement of the following results:

Assesses financial management capacities of Sub-recipients and develops an action plan to close identified gaps;
Provides guidance and capacity building of Federal Ministry of Health, partners, and Sub-recipients on issues of financial and asset management – from contracting and banking issues to budgeting, accounting and reporting;
Ensures advance payments and direct payments for Sub-recipients and SSR’s vendors are properly; reviewed, processed, and retired, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
Harmonizes reporting and accounting practices of Sub-recipients, including budgeting and key financial performance indicators;
Plans and ensures the Finance Unit team undertakes verifications of Sub-recipients’ expenditures, and promptly follows up on non-compliant expenditures;
Ensures coordination with the Sub-recipients’ auditors to finalize the reports to ensure the final audit reports comply with the approved Sub-recipients Terms of Reference, and follows up in a timely manner to ensure finance related audit recommendations are properly addressed; and
Ensure continuous support for the financial managers of SR organizations.

5. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

Leads on the development of training plan/curriculums for the Sub-recipients financial and accounting staff and conducts regular trainings on GF performance-based funding and financial reporting requirements management system;
Organizes training for the PMU on financial management and oversight;
Actively participates in UNDP and other relevant external networks to promote the programmes and represents UNDP in relevant technical meetings and working groups at country, regional and global level and gathers lessons learnt to apply to the programmes;
Identifies and supports development of communications (print, video) highlighting key financial management achievements, best practices, and lessons learnt and contributes to information sharing with the Federal Ministry of Health, Sub-recipients, UN entities, financial and technical partners, the GF and the CCM.
Ability to represent UNDP and the project when required, and to act as officer in charge of the project if required.

Any other duty assigned by the Programme Coordinator.

Competencies

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work;

Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow;

Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction;

Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others.

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform;

Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others.

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement;

Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions.

Technical/Functional

Primary

Accounting (General)

Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;