Administrative and Finance Associate (Roster) (NPSA-6)

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.

UNDP is the United Nations' global development network, an organization helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion by supporting countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience to sustain development results. The network is active in about 170 countries and is present in Tajikistan since 1994. Our current focus in the country is on sustainable economic development, good governance, building resilience to climate phenomena, developing the country’s potential on green energy, and reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS.

UNDP Tajikistan is announcing the position of the Administrative and Finance Associate for several development projects to support implementation of project activities as assigned by and under direct supervision of UNDP Project Manager. The Administrative and Finance Associate collaborates with UNDP relevant staff both in UNDP Country office in Dushanbe, relevant project personnel, as well as in the Local Implementation and Innovation Centre in regions.
This is a multiple post in a multiple duty stations in Tajikistan. The three (3) top recommended candidates will be offered an employment opportunity with the designated Projects. Should the recruitment activity results in more than three (3) selected applicants, the remaining candidates will be included into the UNDP Tajikistan Roster for the position of Administrative and Finance Associate (NPSA-6) and will remain in the Roster for the duration in line with the corporate provisions. The Rostered candidates will be invited to participate in the validation interview for the position(s) once it becomes vacant and/or available, depending on the Projects/Office needs. The offer will be made based on the validation interview outcome.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Administrative and Finance Associate will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

Actively participate in the preparation of annual work plans, and project operational planning.
Perform a variety of administrative tasks related to project implementation, including screening, and collecting all programme/ project documentation, archiving of project documents.
Collect, compile, and provide information when required as well as provide assistance and support to programme and project staff in preparation of different presentations, reports, etc.
Liaise with the Country Office Operations team, counterparts, and other parties in the preparation of contracts, budget, and payments, as tasked by the project manager.
Maintain an appropriate filing financial system documenting the implementation of activities.

Finance and Budget Management:

Ensure full compliance of financial processes and financial records with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Support in budget preparation, budget clearance, budget set-up and budget revision.
Develop forecasts of budget utilization, the extra budgetary and the expenses related to activities as required.
Monitor financial expenditure of the project and ensure that financial delivery of the project is in accordance with the project document and annual work plans.
Support with preparation of regular progress reports in line with reporting schedule, as well as any other reports requested by UND and, donor.
Verify all supporting documentation for payment requests, disbursement vouchers, Implementing Partners’ financial reports and other financial documents, when required; ensure timely follow up actions on pre-payment vouchers.
Prepare Purchase Orders, Receipts and PO based vouchers.
Manage project budget in accordance with the UNDP financial rules and regulations and donor requirements.
Ensure timely preparation of financial reports to donors in accordance with the reporting schedule and in line with specific requirements of the donor.
Maintain internal expenditures control system by ensuring that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas.
Ensure timely corrective actions on Purchase Orders and vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved PO and vouchers
Provide the accurate information to the Finance and HR Units for the monthly payroll.
Suggest changes or improvements to increase accuracy and efficiency.
Prepare mid- year and annual budget expenditure reports as per UNDP and donor requirements.
Ensure preparation for, and support to the annual project audits.
Ensure regular follow up to audit recommendations.

Procurement:

Assist to the Project Manager in designing the Procurement Action Plan for the project.
Contribute to design of the Requests for Quotations, Requests for Proposals, Invitation to Bids, including Terms of References for recruiting short- and long-term consultancies and for the project related activities and ensure full compliance with standard requirements.
Registration of tender cases, posting on the website and further facilitation of the evaluation and contracting processes (creation of requisition, PO, RDCs, contracting, others).
Maintenance of the procurement related documents.
Contribute to finalization of minutes and liaising with the selected vendor on procurement of solicited items.
Provision of support in timely extension and/or termination processes of the contracts (Note to files, Memos, Amendments).

Travel:

Make the required travel arrangements, accommodation, venue, and other logistics for workshops, trainings, seminars, etc.
Ensuring the project’s travel needs are satisfied. Be directly responsible for the coordination and liaison with UNDP CO’s Travel Assistant for travel reservations and issuance of travel tickets.
Preparation and timely submission of Travel Authorizations (TAs) and travel claims. Ensure all travel related files contain up to date information.

Assets Management:

Ensure inventory and asset management according to IPSAS requirements.
Track and monitor the incoming shipments.
Ensure availability of space in warehouse/distribution plans; maintains appropriate filing of logistics and shipping documents.
Participate in regular warehouse physical inventory verification and submits subsequent inventory reports, produce the required release and receiving documents.

Administration:

Perform a variety of standard tasks related to programme development, including screening, and collecting all programme/ project documentation, archiving of project financial documents.
Collect, compile, and provide information when required as well as provide assistance and support to programme and project staff in preparation of different presentations, reports, programme profiles.
Ensure timely submission of the documents for the project personnel contracts’ issuance and extensions.
Maintain the project personnel Attendance Sheets.
Assist with the induction process of the newly hired project personnel.

Institutional Arrangement

The Administrative and Finance Associate will directly report to the Project Manager of the relevant projects of UNDP Tajikistan.
Competencies

Core Behavioral Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-functional and technical competencies

Business Acumen

Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks.

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.

Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Finance- Accounting

Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situation.

Finance- Financial planning and budgeting

Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.

Finance- Audit risk management

Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.

Finance- Financial reporting and analysis

Understands changes in regulatory, legal, and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings, and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social, and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.

Desired additional skills and competencies

Knowledge of IPSAS is an asset.
Experience in working for the complex local development programmes is an asset.
High sense of responsibility, willingness to take initiative, excellent communication skills and team spirit are important assets.
Affinity with the mandate and role of the United Nations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance, Mathematics, Computing, Development and/or Business Administration or other related subjects would be desired.

Experience:

6 years of progressive experience in administration and finance.
Alternatively, if in possession of Bachelor’s degree, three (3) years of relevant work experience in administration and finance would be required.
Previous experience of working for national and international organizations in administration and finance.
Experience with donor funded projects will be an advantage.
Experience with national financial systems or financial reporting is considered as advantage.
Demonstrated experience in preparation of financial reports and budget variance analysis.
Outstanding computer skills, including the ability to apply existing and develop new financial management systems.

Other

Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), PeopleSoft (Atlas, UMOJA, others) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Travel:

Official travel within the country.