Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description 

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF strategy ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ is based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind. For further detail on UNCDF strategy, refer to https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era

Duties and Responsibilities

Training Development and Delivery:

  • Develop comprehensive training materials outlining step-by-step guidelines on Travel Request (TR) creation and post-mission closure processes.
  • Conduct thorough training sessions for new Travel Arrangers and Travel Processors in UNCDF, ensuring all members are well-versed in TR creation and closure procedures.
  • Coordinate compliance of UNCDF to UNDP travel policies and guidelines, ensuring compliance with organizational standards and cost-efficiency. Enforce travel policies, monitor compliance, and conduct regular audits to identify and address policy violations. Provide guidance and training to employees on travel policy adherence.
  • Oversee travel arrangements for employees, including booking flights, transportation, and other travel-related services, ensuring a seamless travel experience.

Expense Management (Submission and Reconciliation): 

  • Implement effective expense management processes, including the review, approval, and reimbursement of travel expenses. Ensure accurate record-keeping and adherence to budgetary constraints. 
  • Coordinate the submission of UNCDF overall reconciliation reports to UNDP and GSSC, focusing on Purchase Order (PO) closure and reporting. This includes 2023 Year-end Financial Closing (Travel, Requisitions and POs for Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE) Practice of UNCDF).
  • Ensure accuracy and completeness in all submissions, addressing any discrepancies promptly.

Weekly Dashboard Reports:

  • Manage the creation and maintenance of a travel dashboard for UNCDF.
  • Coordinate the generation and distribution of weekly dashboard reports highlighting incomplete Travel Requests (TRs) and Travel Claims (TCs) across UNCDF teams.
  • Implement corrective actions based on audit recommendations to ensure compliance and process improvements.

Quality Assurance and System Testing:

  • Conduct regular testing for ongoing development of UNALL/QUANTUM links and Travel Request (TR) module improvements, including the 2023 Third Quarter and 2024 First Quarter UNall Travel User Acceptance Testing for IDE.
  • Provide feedback on system enhancements, collaborating with the IT team to optimize the functionality of travel-related modules.

Procurement Management:

  • Manage low- and high-level procurement cases for the IDE practice at UNCDF. Develop and implement procurement strategies to optimize costs, enhance supplier performance, and ensure timely delivery of goods and services. Align procurement activities with UNCDF organizational objectives.
  • Collaborate with finance and other departments to establish procurement budgets, monitor expenses, and implement cost-saving initiatives. Ensure procurement activities are within budgetary constraints. 
  • Coordinate procurement activities adhere to UNDP requirements and ethical standards. Ensure compliance with organizational standards and cost-efficiency. 
  • Provide feedback on system enhancements, collaborating with the IT team to optimize the functionality of procurement-related modules.
  • Ensure cross-functional collaboration with other departments such as finance, legal, and operations to align procurement and travel activities with overall organizational goals. Foster effective communication and collaboration across teams.

Institutional Arrangement

  • The Procurement and Finance Specialist reports to the Programme Management Specialist of IDE UNCDF.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances

speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate

systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support

their learning

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve

others in change process

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of

pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together,

build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers

in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

 

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

 

Procurement

Procurement

Management

The ability to acquire goods, services or

works from an outside external source

 

Administrations and Operations

Travel Policy and procedures

Knowledge of travel policy and procedures; ability to interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel-related

matters

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

  • Master’s degree in project management, economics, public/business administration, social sciences, accounting or related discipline with an additional 5 years of experience or equivalent Bachelor’s degree with an additional 7 years of experience.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

  • A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible procurement, finance and travel arrangements experience is required.

Required skills

and competencies

  • Recent experience of the use of Enterprise Resource Planning Software (i.e. ATLAS, Oracle or Quantum) is required
  • Previous relevant work experience at any UN agency as well as experience with UN rules and regulations for operations is required
  • 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 is required. 

Desired additional skills and competencies

  • Core behavioral Competency: Consistently strive to meet or exceed excellence standards

Required Language(s) (at working level)

  • Excellent command of English and French are both required. 

Professional Certificates

  • Procurement certificate (e.g. CIPS) is an advantage.