National Project Coordinator - IRFF Project (NPSA9) 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 of:

Job Title: National Project Coordinator - IRFF Project (NPSA9)

 Job Identification: 8615
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Schedule: Full time
Grade: NB4
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Inclusive Growth
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks
Mobility required/no mobility: no mobility required

Background

• Promoting inclusive growth and innovative financing including risk and insurance solutions is one of UNDP’s key priorities in Nigeria under its strategic policy and inclusive economic growth unit. In this regard, UNDP has been facilitating public-private knowledge-sharing dialogue and partnerships to promote risk financing and inclusive insurance in Nigeria.
• In order to streamline its financial and investment engagement, UNDP launched the Finance Sector Hub, a finance and innovation platform, that draws on a critical mass of UNDP expertise, initiatives, and partnerships to support the mobilization and leveraging of resources for the SDGs and lead the implementation of the new UNDP private sector strategy and other initiatives.
• The Hub is an integral part of both the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), as well as part of the GPN. The Finance Sector Hub team in Geneva works across a range of work relevant to financing and investment for the SDGs, with strong links to financial, private and institutional sectors.
• UNDP’s growing work in this space has led to the creation of a flagship initiative on insurance and risk finance, and the creation of a dedicated facility for supporting UNDP Country Offices and country partners worldwide, within the newly created Finance Sector Hub. This work covers a range of critical areas where insurance and risk transfer solutions and collaboration with the industry can add significantly to achieving and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)
• The UNDP Nigeria Country Office seeks to engage the services of a National Project Coordinator who will be responsible for Day-to-Day Administration and will manage and deliver the work of the insurance/risk finance portfolio in-country, supported by the CO Programme Support Unit as well as dedicated consultancy support (both technical and logistical) through the life of the Programme. The Coordinator will work closely with national stakeholders and lead on the planning of workshops and events, liaise with the insurance industry working on ISF initiatives at the country level including national monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• S/he will ensure implementation mechanisms such as a technical working groups are established and meet regularly and that that all planned activities are organized in a timely manner and that they meet expected quality standards.

Duties and Responsibilities
Project Planning and Management:

• Oversee the identification, selection and supervision of national consultants and experts, in close consultation with the UNDP Country Office Programme Support Unit and the IRFF Regional Advisor;
• In consultation with the UNDP Country Office and Global IRFF Team S/he will undertake the work-planning process. He/se shall ensure that the workplan and a fully costed budget are prepared in accordance with POPP/PPM Guidelines and signed off by the Deputy Resident Representative and Team Leader of the IRFF;
• Supervise the work of national experts and coordinate with institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards;
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure administrative requirements and budgets are managed and executed in a timely and appropriate manner and within UNDP and donor rules and regulations;
• Organize all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of Insurance and Risk Finance stakeholders, including the government, private sector, NGOs, donors and academia;
• Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and communication to the UNDP SMT and the global IRFF team;
• Organize bi-monthly meetings of with the Technical Advisors and Regional Specialist from the global IRFF team;
• Supports in resource mobilization efforts and project development;
• Undertake risk assessment for local private partners under the guidance of IRFF Operations and Coordination team.

Project Administration:
Timely and efficient projects administration according to plans and UNDP procedures:

• Prepares all payment requests, financial record-keeping and preparation of financial reports required in line with both the National Implementation and Direct Implementation financial rules and procedures;
• Maintains the budget and expenditure of projects within a portfolio, including formulation, revisions, and record keeping in ATLAS, monthly status reports, and reporting and liaising with the UNDP on budget matters;
• Supports updated project information in ATLAS;
• Supports project audit and facilitate access by auditors to project documentation, personnel, and institutions involved in the project;
• Supports organization of HACT assurance activities, including spot checks and programme visits;
• Regularly advises Implementing Partners or Responsible Partners on HACT related issues;
• Initiates procurement actions for ICs, goods, works and services according to procurement plans;
• Compiles supporting documents for procurement processes and ensures that supporting documents are complete;
• Creates e-requisitions in ATLAS to initiate procurement processes, ensures the accuracy of the COA of the e-req;
• Facilitates the periodic asset, inventory and supplies verification.

Reporting / Communication / M&E:

• Signal any delays in national deliverables compared to the workplan to the UNDP Country Office and the Global IRFF Team;
• Lead project monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national level, draft monthly and quarterly reports for review by the lead expert and submission to the global IRFF team;
• Update Country Risk Log and monitor UNDP SES Requirements;
• Prepare quarterly and Annual Progress Report;
• Develop workshop reports for the inception workshop and all technical workshops;
• Develop briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles and other media products as required;
• Assist with research and write and edit sections of technical reports as required;
• Review all national level deliverables to ensure quality and consistency with the IRFF methodology.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The National Project Coordinator will be based in the Strategic Policy and Inclusive Economic Growth (SPIEG) unit and work under the direct supervision of the Head of the unit (Economics Advisor) with a secondary reporting line to the IRFF Regional Specialist.

Competencies
Core 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

Technical and Cross-functional Competencies:
Business Management:

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment

Business Direction & Strategy:   

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources
• Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates 'win-win' situations

Business Development:

• Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work;
• Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master's Degree in Development Finance, Actuarial Science / Insurance, Economics, Business Administration, Development Management, Public Policy or related field, combined with relevant work in Financial Services/Insurance Industry experience.  Bachelor's degree in relevant field with additional two years of qualifying experience may be given due consideration in lieu of advanced degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years (Master’s Degree) or 4 years (Bachelor’s degree) relevant working experience in the implementation of projects relevant to insurance and risk finance, sustainable finance, or financial inclusion; 
• Prior experience with UNDP projects would be an asset;
• Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions;
• Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office);
• Experience in the area of insurance and risk financing, sustainable financing or financial inclusion;
• Experience in project cycle management (in particular project administration) in the public or private sector or international organizations;
• Work experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning software is desirable;
• Experience in UN organization is an asset.

Language: 

• Fluency in oral and written English is essential.

Application Closing Date
7th March, 2023.