Background
*The candidates who have previously applied to this position need not to reapply
The Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI) reports to the Administrator and is responsible for internal audit and investigations services to UNDP and its affiliated entities. OAI provides independent, objective assurance on the effectiveness of risk management and the effectiveness and adequacy of internal controls. OAI also responds to allegations of misconduct by conducting and reporting on investigations.
The Investigation Section of OAI is responsible for conducting investigations into allegations of misconduct, such as mismanagement, fraud, corruption, retaliation on whistleblowers, workplace harassment, abuse of authority, violation or willful disregard of UNDP regulations, rules, and administrative instructions, that involve UNDP staff, contractors and other applicable persons. The Investigations Section is also tasked with investigating allegations against parties external to the UNDP of financial irregularities committed to the detriment of UNDP. In addition, OAI undertakes proactive investigations in high risk areas that are susceptible to wrongdoings, fraud and corruption.
OAI conducts investigations in accordance with the Uniform Principles and Guidelines for Investigations, the UNDP Legal Framework for Addressing Non-Compliance with UN Standards of Conduct, and the OAI Investigation Guidelines.
The number of allegations received through OAI’s reporting mechanisms fluctuates from month to month. OAI needs to engage analysts on contract from time to time when the number of cases requiring assessment and investigation are above staff capacity. For this purpose, OAI enlarges its pool of LTA holders who are suitably skilled and experienced analysts to call upon as required.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI, the Individual Consultant will undertake the following activities:
Researches and analyzes:
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) related cases across countries and regions and over different periods of time to identify patterns, trends and problem clusters.
Risks faced by the implementation of GFATM Grants, such as how the risks change over time, how cases are detected and how could they be identified more easily.
Reports, graphs and charts on GFATM related information, as part of OAI’s risk mitigation and to advise Country Offices and Bureaux of red flags and raise awareness on fraud and corruption issues.
Information pertaining to investigations to aid in the planning of processes and deployment of investigation resources.
Information to identify similarities, patterns, trends and problem clusters across different countries and regions to assist in identifying lessons learned from reported cases.
Assist in reporting to various internal and external stakeholders and partners on fraud related issues.
Provides tactical intelligence support to the Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI, particularly on more complex cases.
Develop specialized and innovative research techniques, including data mining, forensic analysis and open source search to identify elusive data sources, internally and externally.
Prepares and analyses information to identify emerging trends and risks across the regions in order to strategize pro-active investigations.
Maintains reference data and lessons learned from cases reported.
Drafts and presents reports and statistics.
Assist investigators on complex cases by conducting in-depth analysis (for example, on company structures and individuals) and preparing link charts using specialized software.
Assists investigators with case assessments and investigations.
Participate in investigations where required, including travel as necessary.
Maintain contemporaneous records of all actions undertaken.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
Information analysis from internal and external data sources, social media and open source information and develops relevant new data sources.
Reconstructed financial data and forensic accounting analysis.
Contribute inputs to OAI’s research reference library.
Draft research and analysis reports of a high standard, providing an objective and factual summary of the data with soundly based conclusions and recommendations.
Presentations on lessons learned to OAI and the Partnership with The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
Regular oral and written briefings to auditors, country offices and Bureaux with professional information based on lessons learned, research and analysis and fact-finding results, in order to mitigate risk.
Draft memoranda case assessments, investigations related documents, reports and management letters as necessary and under the direct supervision of the Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI.
Written investigation-related documents such as assessment reports, closure notes, investigation plans, mission plans, vendor sanctions memos and investigation reports.
Timeline and payment milestones will be determined in association with each task/deliverable.
Competencies
Communication: The individual consultant should be able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.
Professionalism: The individual consultant should be capable of working in a high pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously; Able to handle a large volume of data and reports accurately and thoroughly, with great attention to detail; Exercise the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.
Teamwork: The individual consultant should work well in a team; Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks; Focuses on results for the client; and welcomes constructive feedback.
Technical Skills: The individual consultant should be able to draft and edit documents in word and excel in English; French and/or Russian are an asset; Have excellent computer skills; Demonstrates a strong understanding of information security and confidentiality issues relevant to investigations.
Knowledge Management and Learning: The individual consultant should willingly share knowledge and experience and make contributions to UNDP practice areas (e.g., documented knowledge, community of practice building initiatives); actively develop substantive understanding and experience in one or more knowledge areas, including process and/or technical knowledge.
Required Skills and Experience
Advanced university degree in audit, forensic audit, finance, actuarial science, intelligence research and data analysis, investigations, or risk management is required;
Minimum of three (3) years of working experience of providing financial analysis, forensic audit and research services in an international organization is required;
Working experience with GFATM grant implementation is an advantage;
Working experience with GFATMrelated grants with the United Nations is highly desirable;
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in fraud and financial investigations is essential;
Ability to use and apply the following technical process of aides, in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of OAI services:
Microsoft Office Suite
Social Media and Open Sources
Investigations software
Database applications
Forensic and Analysis tools
LANGUAGE SKILLS
- Fluency in oral and written English is required.
- Fluency in oral and written French is required.
- Working knowledge in Russian or Spanish is desirable.
For additional information please see below or visit the Procurement Notice through the following link:
http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=35367
Travel
The position may require the incumbent to travel to hardship locations where UNDP is a Principal Recipient of GFTAM funds. The Individual Consultant may be required to work from its premises in New York, USA.
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT
The Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI, will facilitate access to all records and to all persons as necessary for the Individual Consultant to objectively review the case folders and related documents.
The Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI, will task the Individual Consultant. All work product produced by the Individual Consultant, as a result of this engagement, is owned by UNDP and shall be submitted to the Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI.
The Investigations Advisor (GFATM), OAI, will approve the Individual Consultant’s official travel requirements.
DURATION
The contract analyst will be engaged on an ‘as needed’ basis. In other words, as and when OAI requires the services of one or more contract investigator/s, a selection will be made from the roster, according to investigation skills, language abilities and value for money of the contract analysts on LTA (different investigations may require certain languages or specific investigation skills).
PAYMENT TERMS
The consultancy fee will be paid per working day. Payment will be made upon submission of invoice and approval of deliverables by OAI. Invoice to be submitted shall contain dates, document information and deliverables on each approved case. All prices shall be quoted in United States Dollars (US$).
FINANCIAL PROPOSAL
All interested individual consultants are requested to submit an itemized Price Proposal. The Price Proposal should be fixed and ‘all-inclusive’. This means that all costs (professional fees and other related costs, if any) that could possibly be incurred by the individual consultants are factored into the final fixed price.
Recommended Presentation of Proposal
Interested individual consultants MUST submit the following documents/information in his/her application:
Cover Letter - Explaining why you are applying for the position and highlighting any factors that are particularly relevant to your application;
Completed and signed P11 - form including past relevant experience and contact details of 3 referees. A blank P11 form can be download from the Procurement Notice (link above); and
Financial proposal - indicating the proposed daily fee rate in United States Dollars [US$].