Administrative and Finance Associate

Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. 

Following the power shift in August 2021, the situation for the country remains largely unchanged, with the majority of Afghans facing increased vulnerabilities affecting their well-being, safety, and security. Among the major challenges, that directly affect human needs and their socio-economic recovery, half of the population, especially women, are disproportionately affected by their limited freedom of space, mobility, their limited rights to education, access to health services, and their right to earn livelihoods, and their participation in the governance system and public life.  Currently, for essential needs, the urgency of the interventions has intensified due to continued neglect of development interventions and focus on humanitarian aid. The absence of an internationally recognized government, and the continued challenge of coordination with the de facto Authorities (DFA) at the national, and provincial levels, continue to test how partners deliver critical services at the provincial level with coherence, which is further exacerbated by the disconnection between the central and local levels in regulations and guidelines. 

To reduce deteriorating poverty and vulnerability, UNDP Afghanistan is supporting a localized, integrated response to strengthen local community socio-economic resilience and recovery. Through its Transitional Country Programme Strategy (TCPS) for 2024-2025, UNDP is supporting the restoration of basic services including access to green energy, fostering economic empowerment, especially for women, through livelihoods and private sector recovery including access to finance, tackling climate change and disaster risk reduction, and strengthening social cohesion. UNDP is on the ground helping with the recovery and resilience of communities in dealing with multiple crisis (i.e. affected by drought, floods, earthquakes, poppy bans, internally displaced and returnees from Pakistan). 

Afghanistan remains one of the most gender-unequal countries in the world, with women facing systemic discrimination, reduced access to education, employment and livelihoods, healthcare, and justice. Despite the restrictions, UNDP remains committed to women's empowerment through capacity-building initiatives, livelihoods and self-employment/employment support, enhancing gender-responsive decision-making at community level, and supporting local communities to include women, in line with UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace, and Security). 

Continuing efforts to promote the protection and promotion of human rights in Afghanistan are crucial, especially when there are significant risks to marginalized communities, such as ethnic minorities, women, and children. 

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks and crises that the world is facing and that calls for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. 

The Area-Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI) Project has been designed as a response to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan upon a call of the UN Executive Committee Working Group for Afghanistan. The ABADEI Strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihoods and the strengthening of community resilience. It is centered around addressing worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, and enabling the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure vital for basic human needs. It supports the creation of immediate sources of income through cash-for-work, cash for market, small businesses and livelihood opportunities with particular focus on agri-business and regenerative agriculture infrastructure and services (critical for food security) that are under threat. It is sensitive to the chronic and newly emerging vulnerabilities of Afghan women and girls and aims at providing them assistance in a manner that does not exacerbate their susceptibility to violence and deprivation of opportunities and rights.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achieving the following results: 

• Support ABADEI PMU to ensure proper planning, adherence to internal control systems and safeguarding of measures for efficient and effective use of financial and other resources of the ABADEI project.
• Ensure full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting systems.
• Maintains robust internal financial management controls over all financial processes. 
• Support in maintains adequate financial management arrangements including reviews and reconciliations, to support the deployment of grant resources in an economic, efficient, and effective manner to achieve the desired objectives, ensuring expenditures incurred are reasonable and allowable against budgetary allocations and that inappropriate payments and non-compliant expenditures are prevented. 
• Maintains a document management system for UNDP, including responsible parties, contractors, service providers, and technical assistance providers records. 
• Undertakes periodic review of Quantum vouchers and other entries and provides documentation to support necessary corrections including raising zero-dollar invoice where necessary. 
• Support in conducting monthly analysis and monitoring of budget and expenditures. 
• Support in the preparation of budgets, periodic expenditure reporting, donor reporting and other financial reporting.

  Support in implementation of operational and financial management strategies, focusing on the following results:

  • Maintain complete sets of books of accounts and financial records on a daily basis following standard accounting principles.  
  • Support in the analysis and monitoring of financial facts, presentation of forecasts for the ABADEI project, monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities and transactions.
  • Ensure financial transactions are authorized, recorded, and filed with their required supporting documentation.
  • Provide coordination support during the audit and spot check processes in accordance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures, including in pre-audit preparations and ensure the follow ups on the implementation of audit findings.
  • Ensure all ABADEI project’s RPs submit their financial reports on quarterly basis, review the submitted financial reports, provide feedback to RPs, obtain management approval and ensure the reports are incorporated in the ERP system on a timely basis.
  • Ensure all ABADEI project’s vendors are paid on a timely basis, invoices received, goods and services delivered, payment is processed accordingly and reflected in the ERP.

    Ensure effective administrative support, focusing on the following results

    • Provide administrative support for smooth implementation of ABADEI project. 
    • Assist in preparing annual and quarterly work plans and periodic reporting.
    • Assist in coordinating personnel travel, consultants and partners which relates to the implementation of the ABADEI work plan. 
    • Ensure availability, efficient deployment and regular maintenance of project equipment, including computers, and other equipment for operational purposes.
    • 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.
    • Perform other administrative duties related to the ABADEI project as assigned by finance specialist.

      Ensures knowledge building and knowledge sharing, focusing on the following results

      • Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing and provide guidance to all stakeholders on financial and administrative matters 
      • Support the organization/conduct of training on financial management and administrative procedures.
      • Document lessons learned and best practices in finance and administration.

        Institutional Arrangement

        Under the overall guidance and direction of the ABADEI Project Manager and the direct supervision of the Finance Specialist, the Administrative and Finance Associate will be responsible for providing administrative, coordination and financial management support.

        Competencies

        Core Competency 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 

        Cross-Functional & Technical competencies Thematic Area Name Definition Administration and Operations Assets Management Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; maintain Asset Management Module in Quantum, Asset Dashboard; develop supporting tools for assets certification and further enhancements for AM module; design and run training programs, etc. on assets management and assets recording; run APAM interface; perform AP-AM-GL reconciliation; perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset information Administration & Operations P-card program management Knowledge of policy & procedures on P-Card management; ability to perform delinquency review and management, as well as P-Card compliance reviews and reporting; develop supporting tools to enhance P-card program and management Administration & Operations Documents and records management Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving Finance Budget management Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budget Finance Financial reporting and analysis Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. 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 Business Management Customer Satisfaction/Client Management Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns Business Management Monitoring and evaluation

        Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. 

        📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

        ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

        Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. 

        Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

        Required Skills and Experience

        Education:

        • Secondary Education with specialized certification in accounting and/or Finance. University degree in Finance or Accounting desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.  (The degree must state that the major is in accounting or finance. Degrees in Business Administration or Public Administration are not considered equivalent.)”
        • Fully Qualified Accountant, from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy or Full Completion of the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP). No UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
        • Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. However, no UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
        • Candidate with no professional accountancy qualifications but with relevant experience must successfully undertake UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) before shortlisting and must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

          Experience:

          • Minimum of six (6) years (with secondary education) or three (3) years (with bachelor's degree) of relevant experience with financial transactions processing and monitoring financial management and spot-check of financial transactions, work in various aspects of administration, including general administration and procurement.

            Required skills:

            • Experience in the use of Office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Power Point) is required.
            • Demonstrable experience in financial management, including financial planning and processing, financial monitoring and financial reporting is required.
            • Demonstrable experience in project administration including office procedures, logistics, meeting arrangements and event management, project implementation support is required.

              Desired skills:

              • Experience in compiling project reports, including quarterly financial reporting.
              • Prior UN/ UNDP experience and familiarity with its policies and procedures, particularly in the applicable job area.
              • Ability to work independently, taking initiative, proactive, reliable and impartial.

                Languages:

                • Fluency in English and Dari and/or Pashto is required.

                  Professional Certificates:

                  • Procurement certification would be an asset.

                    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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