UNDP Jobs - 13660- Finance Specialist

Finance Specialist

Location :

Harare, ZIMBABWE

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

08-Dec-09 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

UNDP is a key partner to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and is the UN agency assuming the role of Principal Recipient of GFATM grants in Zimbabwe. In its role as Principle Recipient, UNDP ensures quality financial management, timely procurement of supplies, and efficient monitoring and service delivery.

UNDP‘s management role consists in implementing grants, ensuring financial accountability, and training of national and international counterparts on programme management and financial accountability.

Under the overall guidance of the GFATM Project Coordinator and daily 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, and transparent utilization of financial resources and management of the finances for the Global Fund Grants. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues.

The Finance Specialist supervises and leads support staff of the Finance Unit. The Finance Specialist works in close collaboration with the sub-recipients(SRs) and sub-sub recipients (SSRs) on the project the CO Operations unit and project teams in the CO, in ensuring successful GFATM Project and CO performance in Finance

Duties and Responsibilities

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 Projects and provision of high-quality professional advice to the Project Coordinator and Operations Manager;
Proper planning, expenditure tracking of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Maintain internal controls over all financial processes;
Ensure an efficient financial flow process;
Put in place a reporting system for internal and GFATM needs;
Ensure an effective information flow between finance and non-finance actors (on Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM), PR, LFA and sub-recipient level) in order to effectively link the programmatic results to expenditures, as required by GFATM;
Facilitate annual audits of PR as required by GFATM and ensure external auditors have all relevant information. Follow-up on audit reports to ensure that gaps in audit reports are closed;
Monitor the financial performance of supply management systems/ procurement;
Undertake cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of program management;
Develop, track and report to management financial key performance indicators.

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

Establish or fine tune financial procedures: e.g. receipts, payments, disbursements and bookkeeping, filing procedures for the GFATM projects;
Ensure that financial procedures in place comply with the financial/accounting and procurement requirement of the GFATM and UNDP;
Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the projects.
Oversight for the transparency of the financial processes and use of funds and compliance with GFATM and UNDP financial guidelines;
Provision of guidance and capacity building of Ministry of Health, partners and sub recipients (SRs) on issues of finance – from contracting and banking issues to budgeting, accounting and reporting;
Ensuring the preparation of the Project’s Quarterly Report and prepare monthly Cash Flow and annual Cash Flow
Forecasts, and statement of sources and uses of funds in compliance with the Global Fund requirements;
Ensuring preparation of other financial reports to be submitted to the LFA/Global Fund. Focal point for finance information for the LFA/Global Fund;
Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies;
Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Manage the Project budget and organize an optimal cost-recovery system, 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;
Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments for SR’s and SSR’s vendors 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 contributions from the GFATM are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis.
Submission of financial reports to Global Fund on a timely and quality basis

Ensure proper control of Project accounts,focusing on achievement of the following results:

Complying with the internal expenditures control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
Perform Manager level 1 function for transactions approval in Atlas;
Ensure timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the voucherswith budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues;
Control of the Accounts Receivables for the projects and follow up with partners on contributions.

Ensure proper Project cash management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Timely review of cash position for the projects to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements;
Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by the Operations Manager in Liaison with other Implementing partners.

Ensure close monitoring of the sub-recipients and other implementing partners:

Assess financial management capacities of sub recipients and develop an action plan to close identified gaps;
Harmonize reporting and accounting practices of sub-recipients including budgeting and financial key performance indicators;
Monitor sub-recipients as to the accuracy of financial information and safeguards to eliminate fraud; ensure annual audits of sub-recipients; and
Ensure continuous support for the financial managers of sub-recipient organizations.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing in the GFATM team, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Develop training plan/curriculum for the sub-recipients' financial and accounting staff and conduct a training on GFATM performance based funding and financial reporting requirements management system;
Organization of training for the project staff on Finance;
Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance;
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Competencies

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.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
Good knowledge of accounting;
Ability to successfully lead the Finance Team;
Excellent IT skills, knowledge of a web-based management system;
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.

Management and Leadership:

Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

UNDP Accounting and Finance Training and certification

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

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

Experience:

7 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;
Previous UN or UNDP experience would be an added advantageExperience in GFATM projects and correct understanding of reporting required by GFATM will be an asset. Knowledge of Atlas desirable.

QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.