Project Associate - NPSA7 at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Associate - NPSA7

Job ID: 1953
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Practice Area: Inclusive Growth
Grade: NB3
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Languages Required: English
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension

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.
• Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with an estimated population of 206 Million1 and an annual population growth rate of 2.6%2. By 2050, the country’s population is expected to have doubled, reaching more than 400 million and thereby becoming the third largest country in the world3. More than half of its population will be under the age of 30 years.
• At the same time, unemployment and under-employment are one of the key development challenges facing young people in Nigeria and undermining the prospects of the country to achieve its development aspirations and fulfil its potential as the continent’s largest economy.
• According to the National Bureau for Statistics’ report of 2018, over 13.9 million youth are unemployed. The highest unemployment rate was recorded for youths between 15 – 24 years standing at 40.8%, followed by those aged between 25 – 34 years at 30.7%4. Investing in Nigeria’s youth is therefore becoming more urgent than ever.
• In response to this complex development challenge, the Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other partners, seeks to invest in the next generation of leaders through the establishment of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (JFP) - a platform for empowering young Nigerian graduates with practical on-the-job skills and leadership competencies through a twelve-month paid placement opportunity.
• Under this programme, highly qualified recent graduates of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme will be provided with work opportunities within private sector organisations, the public sector, UN agencies and development organisations.
• The goal of the NJPF is to enhance these Fellows with professional and leadership capacities thereby enabling them to positively contribute to the social and economic development prospects of Nigeria. The enrolment of an initial 20,000 Fellows is envisaged followed by a scaling up of the programme in the coming years.
• The Jubilee Fellows Programme will expand opportunities for learning to work transitions for fresh graduates in Nigeria through placement opportunities, job market information, skills transfer and facilitated learning.
• It is designed as a partnership platform that brings together private and public sector actors – including learning institutions to co-create and deploy to scale a viable solution that enhances youth employability, entrepreneurship and retention of national talent.
• To this end, UNDP Nigeria is seeking a Project Associate to ensure effective delivery of programme finance services and transparent utilization of financial resources ensuring the integrity of financial services. The Project Associate contributes to the effective implementation of financial monitoring and evaluation policies, works with the operations team and ensures the programme and operational integrity of the Jubilee Fellowship.
• With proper and accurate project financing, the incumbent, supports the design, planning and management of the Jubilee Fellowship. In doing so, s/he works in close collaboration with project staff, other staff of the Unit, operations team, Programme and projects staff in the CO and UNDP HQs staff for resolving complex programme and operations-related issues, ensuring successful CO performance in Finance.

Scope of Work

• Under the direct supervision of Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor, the Project associate will be responsible for the following functions and tasks:

Summary of Key Functions

• Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight;
• Manage the project budget and ensure proper cash management functioning;
• Ensure effective information management and reporting;
• Ensure proper financial aid controls and risks management mechanisms.

Specific Functions / Results Expected
Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, including through the following tasks:

• Manage and provide financial analyses and oversight for all resources managed by UNDP programme(s), ensuring full compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies;
• Advise the Programme Manager, Operations Manager and other UNDP staff on financial matters;
• Prepare cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of programme management.
• Monitor the financial performance of programme activities;
• Coordinate annual audits of the Principal Recipient (PR) and Sub-recipients (SRs) as required by UNDP, and ensure that external auditors have all relevant information.

Manage the programme budget and ensure proper cash management functioning, including through the following tasks:

• Prepare and monitor the project’s budgets in UNDP’s enterprise resource planning system (Atlas) and prepare budget revision in Atlas if necessary;
• Organise and oversee project cash management processes, SR relationships, and accounting and reconciliation of all transactions and security for cash assets on site;
• Ensure that Japanese fund contributions are properly transferred to UNDP;
• Follow up on the disbursement of funds to facilitate timely review of cash position to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements;
• Ensure that advance payments and direct payments are properly reviewed and recorded in a timely manner into Atlas;
• Take corrective actions on unposted vouchers or other financial transaction issues.

Ensure effective information management and reporting, including through the following tasks:

• Prepare regular analysis and reporting on the project funds and Country Office budget approvals, including on the delivery of programme activities;
• Support the preparation of annual project workplans, agreements, and budgets;
• Prepare forecasts necessary to support disbursements requests;
• Conduct verification and posting of disbursement requests, expenditure reports, and supporting documentation;
• Submit timely and accurate required financial reports to the the donor, as relevant;
• Maintain information flows between non-finance actors to effectively link programmatic results to work plan expenditure and budgets agreed with the donor;
• Respond to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues or to provide information required.

Ensure proper financial controls and risk management mechanisms, including through the following tasks:

• Develop and support the PMU to maintain risk management and mitigation approaches relating to finance;
• Design and implement effective internal controls and financial resources management system;
• Map, establish and maintain standard operating procedures in the project finance unit, implementing improvements where possible;
• Conduct training and other capacity development activities on financial management for personnel in the UNDP PMU and the project team, as required.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The project associate would be reporting to the Team Lead for the Jubilees Fellowship Programme and may require to also follow up with the Operations unit of UNDP on issues that may arise regarding the smooth run of the programme.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Secondary Education. Bachelor’s degree or specialized qualifications equivalent with 04 years of relevant work experience would be considered.

Experience:

• 7 years of professional experience in providing financial resource management services, project assistant support;
• 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 and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft;
• Knowledge of UN/UNDP Financial Resource Management is desirable;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Working knowledge of UN principles, SDGs and international development in Africa;
• Demonstrate the ability to showcase cross-disciplinary and cross-functional experience and expertise.

Competencies
Innovation:

• Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully
• Contributes to prototyping, piloting, and evaluating lessons / feedback Leadership: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others;
• Actively shares knowledge.

Communication and relationship management:

• Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis
• Communicates ideas and positions with command and confidence;
• Finds common ground to solve problems.

People Management:

• Models independent thinking and action
• Demonstrates behaviors of teamwork, collaboration, knowledge sharing, maintaining relationships.

Delivery:

• Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services.
• Embraces complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done;
• Ability to embrace challenges with minimal supervision;

Works to develop organizational awareness of UNDP’s approach to client service delivery and integrity and accountability.

Technical / Functional Competencies:
Primary:

Accounting (General):

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Financial Management
• Ability to create a process to achieve financial goals  

Secondary:
Financial Analysis:

• Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner
• Risk Management
• Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize action around mitigating them.

Language:

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Application Closing Date
13th January, 2022.