Finance Assistant

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.  

The Egyptian Red Sea Initiative (ERSI) is an important new programme that aims to reduce drivers of coral reef degradation while simultaneously developing new finance sources and mechanisms for reef positive business and livelihoods.  To ensure that the Egyptian Red Sea region’s coral reefs continue to provide vital ecological and socio-economic services, the programme will also advance science on coral reef resilience, identify and protect climate refugia1, and implement sustainable financing mechanisms for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that harbour critical coral reef ecosystems.   

Through the establishment and operationalization of a new Egyptian Fund for Coral Reefs (EFCR), which will leverage finance for reef-positive businesses that support conservation, economic development, community livelihoods, and enhanced community resilience to climate change, the programme will accelerate the development of reef-positive business models, especially in the ecotourism, sustainable fisheries, and waste management sectors.   

With additional finance for conservation and investment from the private sector, the programme is expected to leverage at least an additional USD 45 million in grants through the Egyptian Fund for Coral Reefs (EFCR) to support coral reef conservation in the Egyptian Red Sea.    
  Duties and Responsibilities
 

The Finance Assistant will be responsible for providing back-office/financial support to the Project Lead and National Project Coordinator including:  

Support implementation of operations strategies  

• Financial tracking of activities and expenses 

           Monitoring project activities and expenses to ensure accurate budgeting, timely reporting, and compliance with organizational or donor requirements. 

  • Support with project budget and payments. 

             Support the project budget and payments by ensuring timely disbursements, accurate tracking of expenditures, and adherence to financial guidelines. 

    • Request new tranches. 

               Request new tranches of funding, provide a detailed financial report of the previous tranche, highlighting the expenditures, project progress, and remaining balance.  

      • Liaising with UNDP country office and global ERSI administrative team to facilitate financial reporting and compliance with UNDP Financial. 

         

        Provide project budget management support. 

        • Provide support with all financial and administrative requirements of the project, especially those related to project funding and accounting. 
          • Assist in ensuring that project is executed in a timely and appropriate manner. 
            • Facilitate, guide, and monitor the work of the national ERSI team; manage payment schedules. 
              • Assist in project related activities, and project budget. 
                • Any other duties assigned by the National ERSI Leader or National Project Coordinator that have direct relevance to the project. 

                    

                  Provide financial oversight support. 

                  • Support in managing the project budget, oversee procurement and accounting, together with the UNDP Country Office and the global ERSI Team. 
                    • Ensure financial resources are disbursed on time to implementing partners. 
                      • Maintain records of expenditures and collaborate in financial reporting. 

                         

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

                         

                        Key deliverables (products and processes): 

                        • Develop calculations for the development of the annual workplan/budget. 
                          • Assist in processing budget revisions. 
                            • Monitoring budget and expenditures, while solving budget errors 
                              • Ensuring sufficient funds available to cover expenses and requests. 
                                • Revising needed budgets and ensuring no misspending or overspending is taking place.  
                                  • Processing payments, on time, using corresponding UNDP DIM forms. 
                                    • Supporting audits 
                                       

                                      Institutional Arrangement  

                                      The Project Management unit (PMU) will consist of a Project Manager, a Finance Assistant (this position), a coordinator an administrative officer and a driver. The Finance Assistant will be responsible for providing finance support to the Project Lead and National Project Coordinator. 

                                      
                                        Competencies  

                                      Core 

                                      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: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process  

                                      Act with Determination:  

                                      📚 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!

                                      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 

                                      Business Management  

                                      Operations Management  

                                      Ability to effectively plan, organize and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms. 

                                      Finance 

                                       

                                      Accounting (General) 

                                      Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations. 

                                       

                                      Finance 

                                       

                                      Budget management 

                                       

                                      Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets. 

                                       

                                      Finance 

                                       

                                      Management and cost accounting 

                                       

                                      Ability to produce periodic qualitative and quantitative performance reports to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Ability to use a range of costing techniques and analyze cost related data to provide quantitative information to the users of reports. 

                                      
                                        Required Skills and Experience
                                        Education: