Program Admin & Finance Analyst

Background

The Economic Recovery and Institutional Development (ERID) Portfolio directly contributes towards programme priority 3 for “Sustainable Natural Resources Management for Inclusive Economic Growth” of UNDP Country Programme (2021 – 2025). The core business of the Portfolio can be encapsulated in three main thematic areas that take gender mainstreaming to be a core of its modus operandi. Gender mainstreaming is embedded in all projects and activities by ensuring that gendered principles on planning, service delivery, innovation, financial inclusion, and other areas are financed and included.

1. Institutional and Capacity Development for core functions of government institutions: This involves the important function of ensuring that key government offices are equipped with human and operational resources to deliver core government functions and policies in areas of national/sub-national planning, data management, anti-corruption, statistics, reporting, aid coordination and management among others.
2. Economic development and livelihoods recovery for vulnerable populations: This work stream of the portfolio responds to key vulnerable population groups such as women,
3. youth, and Displacement Affected Communities (DACs) and their host communities in a bid to provide them with sustainable resilience and coping mechanisms to the shocks of natural disasters, insecurity, limited-service delivery, and poverty. The strand also works at the national level in a bid to create the right platforms for local and international investment promotion as well as ramping up the drivers of employment creation through digital transformation initiatives among other interventions.
4. Decentralization initiatives: these interventions seek to support the localization of policy and development support down to the Federal Member States (FMSs) where it is then cascaded to the district levels finally reaching the local community on the ground through service provision, capacity building and inclusive citizen participation and engagement.

The Joint Programme on Strengthening Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (Dowlad-kaab Programme) aims to strengthen local governments to effectively respond to the needs and rights of all citizens. By creating an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable governance systems at the district level, the programme seeks to enhance basic social service delivery, state legitimacy, and trust-building. Funded by the UN Somalia Joint Fund (SJF), Dowlad-kaab Programme is implemented by three UN agencies; UNDP, UN HABITAT, and UNICEF, together with sector ministries at federal and state levels led by Ministry of Interior Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MoIFAR). The programme will It covers all Federal Member States (FMSs) and Mogadishu Municipality by enhancing local governments’ legitimacy, functionality, and delivery of quality services. Furthermore, Dowlad-kaab Programme will have lighter footprints in Somaliland and Puntland, primarily to further institutionalize local governance, deepen knowledge management and use their relatively advanced capabilities as an innovation hub to showcase on the best practices and lessons learnt for adaptability and scalability, additionally the graduation strategy of SL and PL including for other intervention districts will be developed during the implementation phase from the 2nd year of the implementation. During the implementation, Dowlad-kaab Programme is expected to transform from a traditional development funding into a catalyst for capacity development program, unlocking development financing that enables local governments mobilize resources for sustainable and inclusive public service delivery. The Dowlad-kaab Programme is expected to commence in July 2024, centers on community needs, and aspires for collaborative, participatory development and lasting change at the local level.

Under the direct supervision of the Program Specialist/Portfolio Manager, the Program Admin and Finance Analyst will manage the financial and administrative aspects of program activities. The analyst processes payment requests made by the various Federal and member state RPs and oversees the efficient implementation of the program s’ financial and administrative functions. Working closely with the program coordinator, program specialist and portfolio manager, the Admin and Finance analyst will collaborate with ERID Portfolio team, POQA unit, the CO operational team, and program focal points in federal member states to ensure effective coordination and communication.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

1. Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight of the program.
2. Performs account reconciliations, oversight reports and provide support in certification, reporting and closures of the program.
3. Ensures compliance with the strategic direction of program operations.
4. Support efficient and effective administrative operations.
5. Facilitates capacity building, knowledge building and management.

Detailed functions and duties:

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

• Leads on financial analysis and oversight for all resources managed by the program and provision of high-quality technical financial advice to the Portfolio Manager, Program & Unit staff members and Country Office senior management.
• Assist formulation and design of the programme and preparation and revision of project Annual Work Plans (AWPs), including preparation of budget estimates and budget revisions.
• Ensure timely updating of UNDP’s results-management systems including the Quantum project management module.
• Pro-actively contribute to day-to-day program implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and program work-plans.
• Full compliance with donor and UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Ensures implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement full compliance with UN/UNDP rules and regulations of financial processes.
• Follow-up on timely disbursements and ensure that adequate financial controls are in place to maintain proper accountability of expenditures.
• Ensure that all project transactions are in compliance with POPP guidelines.
• Ensure the financial transactions are properly authorized, recorded, and supported with adequate documentation.
• Establish a computer-based monitoring system for expenditures.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for all payments and new vendors forms.
• Liaise with UNDP’s program oversight unit to ensure compatibility of the program financial management.
• Provide and interpret financial information, analyze changes and advise accordingly.
• In case required, provide assistance with internal or external audit requirements.
• Maintains a document management system for UNDP, including Sub-recipients, contractors, service providers, and technical assistance providers records.
• Carry out any other financial assignments as requested by the Program & unit managers.

Performs account reconciliations, oversight reports and provide support in certification, reporting and closures of the program, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Ongoing monitoring of Program resource balances, expenditures and accurate use of funds, including ensuring income is allocated to the program and fully budgeted, and forthcoming expenditure can be met by available resources.
• Monitor budgets and expenditures and contribute to preparation of budget revision and maintain a proper record of approved program budgets and their revisions.
• Preparation and analysis of monthly financial oversight reports for the program expenditure.
• Facilitate audit and spot check exercises, including by preparing documentation, liaising with auditors, providing clarification and ensuring the implementation of audit recommendations.
• Resolve any issues relating to transactional processing including any exceptions identified in Power BI reports, CO Finance dashboards and other reporting tools.
• Timely follow up and action (correction/reversals) of all oversight queries.
• Act as focal point for program partners’ financial and operational issues. Oversee advances and liquidations through the HACT system, monitoring aging advances and taking action where necessary.
• Record findings from audits and spot checks of implementing partners, monitoring and updating action taken on the findings.
• Advising the program Coordinator/Portfolio Manager of any concerns regarding implementing partners’ financial and operational management.
• Lead on the preparation of the donor reports, monthly Cash Flow and annual Cash Flow Forecasts, statement of sources and uses of funds in compliance with the donor requirements.
• Lead on the preparation of other financial reports to be submitted to the donor, acting as the Focal Point for financial management information for the donor.

Ensures compliance with the strategic direction of program operations focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Ensures compliance of operations with UNDP rules, regulations and policies, implementation of program operational strategies and monitoring achievement of results.
• Provides advice on strategies, policies and plans affecting program operations, delivery of practice advisory, knowledge and learning services in general, and in particular provides extensive input to review and amendment of guidelines and documents pertaining to local authorities with focus on planning, financial management and reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Contributes to the design of longer-term strategies and approaches to local governance
• Contributes to enhancing the synergies and links between UNDP activities on local governance and other approaches to local development by other agencies.
• Establishes collaborative arrangements with program potential partners and appropriate operational partnership arrangements.
• Provides constant monitoring and analysis of the operating environment, quick readjustment of the operations, advice on legal considerations and risk assessment.
• Provides input to knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations in the program.
• Ensures proper program-filing system of documents.
• Ensures timely follow up of routine actions and deadlines.

Support efficient and effective administrative operations focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support and provide the appropriate trainings for financial and administrative to the RPs staff, as well as to programme staff as required, to ensure compliance with UNDP financial procedures.
• Review official program mission travel requests, including timely follow-up action on medical/security clearance, claims, signatures as appropriate and ensuring preparation of the necessary documents in Quantum and UNall.
• Monitor all travel-related payments for the program, liaise appropriately with country office admin & finance units.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, country/region-specific meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences, retreats and any other special events organized by the Project.
• Preparation of procurement plans against program budgets and work plans.
• Prepare payments requests for operational expenses, services provision, purchases, etc.
• Closely work with Procurement unit for all programs’ procurement related activities, create requisitions, submit UNall requests, track contracts and so on.

Facilitates capacity building, knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support capacity building and skill strengthening of the RPs’ finance and administrative staff.
• Provide mentoring as appropriate to support learning of best practices by other program staff.
• Identifies and synthetizes lessons learnt and best practices in the area of work.
• Actively promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture within the program.
• Identifies and supports development of communications highlighting key financial management achievements, best practices, and lessons learnt and contributes to information sharing with the responsible parties, UN entities, financial and technical partners.

Institutional Arrangement

The Program Admin and Finance Analyst will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the program Specialist/Portfolio Manager of ERID Portfolio and will work in close collaboration with the UNDP Programme Oversight and Quality Assurance Unit (POQA) in the country office and project team, UNDP Finance Unit, Donors, UNDP counterparts.

Competencies

Please refer to the competency framework site for the entire list of competencies and further explanations.

Required Skills and Experience

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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