Job: FINANCE SPECIALIST (GLOBAL FUND)

Location :

Port-au-Prince, HAITI

Application Deadline :

31-Oct-13

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Post Level :

P-3

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

1 Year

Background

UNDP is key partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and is the UN Agency assuming the role of Principal Recipient of HIV – RCC and TB Round 9 grants in Haiti. In the Role of PR, UNDP is responsible for the financial and programme management of the Global Fund grants as well as the procurement of pharmaceutical, non-health items and required services. In all areas of implementation, UNDP provides capacity development services to relevant institutions, sub-recipients and implementing partners. Under the direction and supervision of the Global Fund Operations manager, the Finance Specialist leads the finance section, supervises the transparent use of funds under all contractual arrangements, and is involved in the capacity building of the national staff and project partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight;
• Implementation of operational strategies and procedures;
• Projects' budgets management and organization of an optimal cost-recovery system;
• Proper control of project accounts Close monitoring of the sub-recipients and other implementing partners;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and sharing in the GFATM team.

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

• Financial analysis and oversight for all resources managed by the project and provision of high-quality professional advice to the Project Coordinator, the RR/RC;
• Proper planning, expenditure tracking of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;.
• Maintaining internal controls over all financial processes;
• Ensuring an efficient financial flow process;
• Establishment of a reporting system for internal and GFATM needs;
• Effective information flow between finance and non-finance actors (on Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM), PR, LFA and sub-recipient level) in order to effectively link the programmatic results to expenditures, as required by GFATM;
• Facilitation of annual audits of PR as required by GFATM and ensuring that external auditors have all relevant information;
• Follow-up on audit reports to ensure that gaps in audit reports are closed;
• Monitoring of the financial performance of supply management systems/ procurement and SR's;
• Tracking and reporting to management of key financial performance indicators;
• Verification of monthly disbursement reconciliation prepared by the Finance Assistant, examines the variances and implements remedial actions;
• Oversee the integrity and consistency of the project information in ATLAS.

Ensure implementation of operational strategies and procedures, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Establish or fine tune financial procedures: e.g. receipts, payments, disbursements and bookkeeping, filing procedures for the GFATM project;
• Ensure that financial procedures in place comply with the financial/accounting and procurement requirement of the GFATM and UNDP;
• Continuously analyze and monitor the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the project;
• Oversee the transparency of the financial processes and the use of funds and compliance with GFATM and UNDP financial guidelines;
• Provide guidance and capacity building of Ministry of Health, partners and sub recipients (SRs) on issues of finance from contracting and banking issues to budgeting, accounting and reporting;
• Ensure timely preparation of quarterly financial reports, prepare monthly cash flow and annual cash flow forecasts, and statement of sources and uses of funds in compliance with the Global Fund requirements;
• Ensure preparation of other financial reports to be submitted to the LFA and the Global Fund;
• Draft, implement and report cost saving and reduction strategies;
• Routinely monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained;
• Recommend strategies for the improvement of financial, management accounting and information systems within the unit and of the project partners and help implementing solutions

Manage the Project budget and organize an optimal cost-recovery system, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Manage all financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Define the financial needs together with sub-recipients, Program Unit and Procurement Unit;
• Prepare the annual work plans and the introduction of information into ATLAS, ensures ATLAS budget revisions as needed;
• Prepare and monitor projects' budgets in Atlas;
• Develop proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
• Ensure that advance payments and direct payments for SR's and SSR's vendors are properly reviewed and made on a timely basis;
• Ensure that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
• Ensure that contributions from the GFATM are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis;
• Ensure timely submission of quality financial reports to Global Fund.

Ensure proper Project cash management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Timely review of cash position for the projects to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements;
• Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by the other managers.

Ensure close monitoring of the sub-recipients and other implementing partners:

• Oversee large financial transactions with sub-recipients and other project partners;
• Assess financial management capacities of sub recipients and develop an action plan to close identified gaps;
• Monitor sub-recipients as to the accuracy of financial information and safeguards to eliminate fraud;
• Ensure annual audits of sub-recipients;
• Ensure continuous support for the financial managers of sub-recipient organizations.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing in the GFATM team, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Develop training plan/curriculum for the sub-recipients' financial and accounting staff and conduct a training on GFATM performance based funding and financial reporting requirements management system;
• Organize training for the project staff on finance;
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in finance;
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability .

Functional Competencies: Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Good knowledge of accounting;
• Ability to successfully lead the finance team;
• Excellent IT skills, knowledge of a web-based management system;
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrate good oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's Degree or equivalent in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration Economics Accounting or related field.

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing financial management advisory services and/or managing staff and operational systems;
• 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;
• Experience in GFATM projects and correct understanding of reporting required by GFATM is essential;
• Knowledge of Atlas as well as UNDP accounting and financial procedures is also essential.

Language:

• Fluency in French with good verbal and written skills;
• Good working knowledge of English Language.

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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.

More Info and Application