Administration and Finance Analyst

Administration and Finance Analyst

Job Identification: 15804
Locations: Kathmandu, Nepal
Job Schedule: Full time
Agency: UNDP
Grade: NPSA-8
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Management
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
Contract Duration: 1 Year
Education & Work Experience: Master’s Degree
Other Criteria: Bachelor’s Degree with 2 years of experience
Required Languages: English and Nepali
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks

Job Description
Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

Nepal’s Constitution has established food security, the right to food, and food sovereignty as fundamental rights, with the government entrusted to uphold them. However, Nepal ranks 73 out of 117 food-importing nations in the 2022 Global Hunger Report, with approximately 45 out of 77 districts facing food insufficiency. To address this challenge and align with Sustainable Development Goals, UNDP will implement the “Renewable Energy for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (RERAS)” in 11 local governments across Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Bagmati provinces to enhance agriculture productivity and food security by leveraging affordable energy solutions, empowering local farmers through modern technology, and partnering with government bodies and national organizations with the support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The project aims to contribute to the “improved food and nutrition security of the communities in targeted municipalities of Sudur Paschim and Karnali provinces by promoting indigenous crop varieties through mechanization of agriculture using renewable energy-based technology.” The project will support establishing dedicated funds at local level to support the farmers for use of modern technology in production and processing. The project will work with local and provincial governments, cooperatives, traders, and service providers to enhance their knowledge on use of modern technology for food production and sustainable food system management through capacity building and provisions for climate information, policies, finance, and farm research. Extensive use of energy-based and climate smart technology will help reduce the cost of production and increase local food supply. This will also support economic empowerment of women and marginalized groups through job creation and contribute to environment.

In the context, UNDP is looking to recruit a full-time, dedicated, experienced and competent Administration and Finance Analyst for the Renewable Energy for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (RERAS) project. Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Senior Coordination / Project Specialist, the Administration and Finance Analyst will be responsible for ensuring smooth administrative management, human resource, and financial management of the project. The incumbent shall be responsible for the overall supervision and guidance of support staff. S/he will be responsible for all aspects of project administration and finance of project interventions in 3 provinces and 11 municipalities.

The incumbent will report to the Project Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Accomplish assigned finance related responsibilities:

• Lead financial planning exercise to produce project annual and quarterly work plan/budget and implementation of day-to-today project activities within the timeline in coherence with set guidelines and procedures and quality standards
• Prepare programs and budgets, and lead on periodic expenditure reporting, project auditing, donor reporting and other financial reports
• Prepare payments of all programme expenses are made in time, and maintaining records of financial accounts
• Undertake all tasks related to annual audit exercise and draft management response on audit comments
• Monitor and update financial delivery of the project and share to the Senior Coordination / Project Specialist and project team for corrective actions
• Keep abreast of the financial regulations of UNDP and the Government regarding the taxation and ensure compliance of all the provisions of UNDP regarding personnel management, procurement, subcontract, and financial management
• Maintain efficient internal control system
• Supervise Admin Finance Assistant (Field) to prepare vouchers and process payments for all the financial transaction and process payment request to UNDP country office;
• Supervise and provide support to all administrative and finance support personnel and their works (procurement, filing, record keeping of personnel management) of PMU and PIU (Field);
• Backstop, monitor and provide training to the field-based programme and finance/ administrative staff as well as implementation partners in the areas of financial and administrative arrangements, monitoring and reporting;
• Prepare monthly financial reports (FR), and FACE to be submitted to UNDP Country Office (CO) in first week of the next month.
• Assist the Senior Coordination / Project Specialist for preparing work plan, expenditure reporting, donor reporting and other financial and administrative reporting.

Carry out Administrative Responsibilities:

• Maintain up-to-date personnel files, employment contracts systematically and periodically, and report the Senior Coordination / Project Specialist on the necessary follow-up actions
• Maintain administrative and financial records of the staff as required
• Manage all correspondence related to administrative, financial and security matters
• Undertake human resources development initiatives for building capacities in the areas of administrative and financial management for project staff, line agencies and other partner organizations.
• Provide additional support to the Senior Coordination / Project Specialist for preparing annual work plans, multiyear plans and periodic reports
• Ensure logistic support in organizing training/workshop/seminars including conduction of project board meetings and other consultative meetings
• Supervise the performance of administrative staff.

Effective coordination at national, provincial, and local level including with the partners and counterparts of the project :

• Maintain proper coordination and communication with project line agencies, implementing agencies and partners in related to finance in realizing the overall objective of the project
• Support Senior Coordination / Project Specialist in provide technical guidance to project team, government officials and other stakeholders, in preparation of detailed project workplan and budget,
• Maintain good working relations with key stake holders and partners – WFP, ICIMOD, AEPC to support smooth implementation of the project and ensure their ownership of project results
• Prepare grant agreements inline with project deliverables with partner agencies
• Oversee the financial and administrative management of programmes and responsible parties, including internal audit (if needed);
• Liaise with partner agencies for timely financial and progress reporting inline with UNDP’s mandate.
• Support Senior Coordination / Project Specialist for organizing Project Board meetings on a regular basis; consult with the Project Board on any issues that require the Board’s attention, including issues related to deviation from the approved work plans and deviation from the approved target and/or budget

Planning and Management of goods and service procurement and inventory management:

• Maintain list of different vendors for goods and services following standard UNDP procedure
• Prepare various contractual documents related to procurement of goods and services ensuring adequate protection of the interest of the programme and follow-up on the status of the contract
• Support the CO Procurement unit for procurement of goods and services e.g., planning, preparation of specification of goods, demand approval, call for RFQ, evaluation process, purchase order, good receive note (GRN) and properly maintain records and financial payment to vendors.
• Ensure procurement and human resource plan are timely implemented
• Ensure inventory records of all fixed assets are properly maintained and organize physical verification semi-annually capital assets and make marking and coding of assets properly.

Gender and Social Inclusion and monitoring responsibility:

• Prepare and finalize financial progress reports periodically as agreed in monitoring and reporting time line and deliverables as per the standard template of UNDP and donor.
• Prepare and submit periodic delivery reports and submit to UNDP CO and share to project team
• Conduct analysis of programme budget allocation and expenditure from a gender and social inclusion perspective under the guidance of the project manager and Gender and
• Social Inclusion Advisor;
  Ensure GESI budgeting is done in the annual work plan;

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies:

Core competencies:

• 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.

People Management competencies:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business strategy and Direction

• Effective Decision making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

Business Management

• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Finance

• Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.
• Financial Reporting and Analysis: 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.
• Audit (General): Understands how regulations and professional standards in internal and external audit underpin audit work in the public services; Understands the key stages of audit work, including planning, documentation, testing and reporting; Ability to examine and verify accounts and records; Understands wider mechanisms for assurance and scrutiny; Understands the law and best practice relating to anti-bribery and corruption controls and the fraud risks faced by public bodies.

Procurement

• Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender: Gender and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Master’s) University Degree in Finance and/or Accounting is required. Or a first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Candidates with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.
• Candidates satisfying the two above criteria are exempted from undertaking the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT).
• Candidates with MBA or masters in finance with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting.

Experience:

• Up to 2-years (with master´s degree) or minimum of 2 years (with bachelor´s degree) of working experience in the area of leading Admin and finance for projects
• Good knowledge of computer applications, especially MS Office Good understanding of other application for data management and project monitoring
• Strong experience in the areas of budgetary planning and audit is desired.
• Knowledge and experience of office management including account and financial management; and international funded project management procedures will be an asset.
• Demonstrated experience of work in various aspects of contract management and project procurement will have an advantage.
• Ability to operate financial ERP packages and write reports will have an advantage.
• Good knowledge of computer applications especially MS Office, Power Business Intelligence (PBI), SPSS
• Good understanding of other application for data management and project monitoring.

Required Languages;

• English and Nepali

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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Apply Before: 02/06/2024, 11:59 PM