UNDP Jobs - 62759- Finance Specialist

Finance Specialist

Location :

Conakry, GUINEA

Type of Contract :

TA International

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2016

Application Deadline :

18-Jan-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-2

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

6 months

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.

Background

After a period of Political deadlock following the Presidential Elections of 2010, the Guinean Government and Opposition have initiated an Inter-Guinean Dialogue. An agreement, signed the 3rd of July 2013, allowed the country to move towards Legislative Elections on the 28th of September 2013. The results of this Election have been accepted by the different Political Actors. Afterwards, the Inter-Guinean Dialogue got broken.

Tensions between Presidential Movement and Opposition got a step further when, in March 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the presidential election will get hold in October 2015, before the Local and Municipal Elections, who will be organized during the first semester 2016.

Indeed, Opposition wanted the Local and Municipal Elections to be organized first, due to the fact that the mandates of mayors, elected in 2005, are expired since 2010. Furthermore, some of those mayors have been changed by the Government, who appointed « Délégations Spéciales » in their place. Those head of « Délégations Spéciales » are suspected by opposition of being closed to the Authority which appointed them. While the Presidential Movement welcomed the Electoral Timetable published by the INEC, the Opposition has decided to immediately suspend its participation in the National Assembly and no longer recognize the INEC. Opposition denounced the Presidential Movement intransigence as Responsible for the breakdown of the Political Dialogue.

In April 2015, the Minister of State for Justice, as Chairman of the Commission for Dialogue, started negotiations to resume the Political Dialogue. For that, he suggested that no precondition should be required by both parts. After weeks of contestations and violence, the dialogue finally resumed in June 2015.

Following the request by the Guinean Government addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations for support in organizing Presidential and Local and Municipal Elections, a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) of the UNDP and UN Secretary General’s Department of Political Affairs’ Electoral Assistance Division was held, and the UNDP established a new step of Electoral Assistance through the PACEG Project, whose mission was to support the 2015-2017 Electoral Cycle, in organizing Presidential, Local and Elections.

Presidential Election was held on the 11th of October 2015. Provisional results gave President Alpha CONDE re-elected from the first round.

Next steps for the PACEG Electoral Assistance Project of UNDP concern two main aspects:

- Support the reform of the INEC. Indeed, the political agreement of the 20th of August 2015 (who concluded the dialogue Inter-Guinean), established that the Law 016 on the set up of the INEC should be reconsidered. The main objective is to replace a Political Commission by an Electoral Management Body (EMB) more technical, in order to establish a credible and lasting EMB.

- Assist the organization of the 2016 Local and Municipal Elections, in order to complete the implementation of real Democratic Institutions.

Therefore, in regard to the issues in future Local and Municipal Elections, the UNDP in Guinea, in collaboration with INEC, is hiring a Finance Specialist, in order to advise and support the INEC in the framework of the Project for the Electoral Cycle in Guinea (PACEG).

Under the overall guidance of the Chief Technical Advisor, Elections and the direct supervision of the Operations 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, transparent utilization of financial resources and management of the Finance Unit.

He/she analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Specialist promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

He/she will provide overall organizational, coordination and managerial support for the project and act as officer-in-charge during the absence of the Operations Manager. She/he will ensure the strategic direction of project operations and coordinate the activities of the Project Team, assess work plans and monitor outputs.

The Finance Specialist will also be responsible for managing financial systems and audit procedures.
The Finance Specialist works in close collaboration with Operations team in the CO and Government officials ensuring successful project performance in Finance.

Duties and Responsibilities

Effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight:

Projects’ budgets management system;
Control of Elections Assistance Project accounts;
Control of Elections Assistance Project cash management;
Preparation of financial reporting of the project to donors and other stakeholders;
Financial management of the basket fund as well as financial reporting.

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

Financial analysis and oversight for all resources managed by the project and provision of high-quality professional advice to the project management;
Proper planning, expenditure tracking of the project in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Organization and oversight of project cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, bank relationship management, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site.

Ensure implementation of operational strategies and procedures, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system;
Project finance business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal standard operating procedures in the Finance Unit; control of the workflows in the Finance Unit;
Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects.
Elaboration of the framework and conditions of contribution within the project resource mobilization efforts;
Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions.
Informs supervisors and other UNDP staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Manage the project budget focusing on achievement of the following results:

Management of all financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Preparation and monitoring of projects’ budgets in Atlas;
Regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation of management projects;
Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
Collection of information on internal and external clients’ satisfaction and needs in order to develop improvements to services;
Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments are properly reviewed and made on a timely basis, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
Ensuring that cost-sharing contributions are properly transferred to the project on a timely basis;
Submission of financial reports to donors on a timely and quality basis.

Ensure proper control of Elections Assistance project accounts, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Elaboration of the internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas; payrolls are duly prepared; monthly payment orders (MPOs), travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed;
Control of accounts closure;
Timely 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;
Responsible to control and monitor the financial closure of the project.

Ensure proper Elections Assistance project cash management, 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 recording of receipts for income application;
Daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in Atlas to monitor imprest level; identification and recording of contributions.

Preparation of financial reporting of the project to donors and other stakeholders:

Prepare on a regular basis a regular report on the financial status of the project;
Present and explain to donors the financial situation of the project;
Take into account remarks from the project board and make necessary adjustment in the project budget and financial reporting.

Financial management of the basket fund as and status reporting:

Monitor pledges and contributions of donors to perform budget revisions;
Report to donor on the status of expenses in the basket fund;
Take into account remarks from the donors and make necessary adjustments.

Ensures proper control of the project Assets focusing on achievement of the following results:

Maintenance and repair of office equipment;
Implementation of Inventory and physical verification check-up in the projects.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the overall CO efficiency in financial resources management and success in introduction and implementation of operational strategies. Accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information, timely and appropriate delivery of services ensure client satisfaction and enhance UNDP credibility in use of financial resources;

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Building Partnerships:

Identifying and building partnerships;
Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Developing tools and mechanisms

Participates in the development of mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

In-depth knowledge of own discipline

Understands advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Continually looking for ways to enhance financial performance in the office.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

Assisting the individuals to cope with change

Performs appropriate work analysis and assists in redesign to establish clear standards for implementation.

Design And Implementation of Management Systems:

Designing and implementing management system;
Makes recommendations regarding operation of systems within organizational units;
Identifies and recommends remedial measures to address problems in systems design or implementation.

Client Orientation:

Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

Anticipates client needs;
Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

Input to the development of standards and policies

Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability.

Core Competencies:

Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics or related field.

Experience:

2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing financial management advisory services and/or managing staff and operational systems;
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;
Thorough professional and technical knowledge of ATLAS Modules or other ERP systems.

Language:

Fluency in French mandatory;
Fluency in English, an asset.