Background
UNDP is the United Nations global development network, advocating for sustainable development, inclusive growth, and resilience building. With a presence in over 170 countries, UNDP supports countries to find home-grown solutions to complex development challenges.
The Nigeria Country Office is implementing its 2023โ2027 Country Programme Document (CPD), aligned with Nigeriaโs national development aspirations, Agenda 2030, Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). To address the countryโs dynamic challenges, UNDP Nigeria is transitioning towards integrated and portfolio-based programming, leveraging innovation, digital transformation, and development finance.
The Programme Management Support Team (PMST) and Portfolio Advisory Team provides advisory and quality assurance services across the programme cycle, ensuring policy compliance, delivery acceleration, integrated planning, and improved resource mobilization. In this context, the role of Programme Finance Analyst becomes strategic to embed stronger financial management, cross-portfolio analysis, and investment intelligence into programme operations.ย
Position Purpose
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Program Management Support Team (PMST) and with matrix reporting to the Portfolio Advisor and the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), the Programme Finance Analyst ensures effective financial oversight and operational support for the COโs portfolio of programmes and projects.
In addition to traditional finance management functions, the incumbent will contribute up to 20% of their time to supporting portfolio management and investment analysis, helping the Country Office adopt a more integrated and adaptive approach to programme planning, delivery, and financing. This includes contributing to results-focused investment planning, resource mobilization analytics, donor compliance, and cross-cutting portfolio performance management in line with corporate portfolio guidance.
The Analyst works in close collaboration with Programme, Operations, Project Teams, the Partnerships & Innovation Team, Regional Hubs, and GSSC, and serves as a resource for programme finance quality assurance, integrated portfolio data insights, and funding pipeline analysis.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions:
Programme Financial Management and Operational Oversightย HACT and Audit Coordinationย Cost Recovery, Resource Planning, Knowledge Management & Capacity Developmentย Portfolio Management and Integrated Programmingย Investment Analysis and Resource Mobilization SupportยA. Programme Financial Management and Operational Oversight
Ensure full compliance with UNDP financial rules and procedures (POPP) in budgeting, accounting, and reporting. Conduct programme finance business process mapping and support development of SOPs. Lead ERP-based budget formulation (Project Tree and Pipeline), expenditure tracking, and delivery forecasts. Monitor financial performance and exceptions across projects and advise on remedial actions. Guide programme/project managers on budget revisions, cash flows, ASL, and donor compliance. Prepare dashboards and management briefs on financial status, delivery rates, and operational efficiency.B. HACT and Audit Coordination
Serve as HACT focal point; coordinate assurance planning and conduct spot checks with implementing partners. Liaise with auditors and IPs during DIM and NIM audit processes; review and upload final reports to CRADS. Monitor follow-up actions on audit recommendations to ensure closure and institutional learning. Train programme and operations teams on audit compliance and internal control frameworks.C. Cost Recovery, Resource Planning, Knowledge Management & Capacity Development
Support implementation of cost recovery and direct project costing mechanisms. Oversee Accounts Receivable management and ensure compliance with cost-sharing and trust fund agreements. Maintain accurate financial records in ERP (Quantum), ensuring reconciliations and internal controls. Facilitate donor reporting and verification processes as per funding agreements. Organize training on programme financial management, RBM, and audit preparedness for staff and partners. Document lessons learned and share best practices across CO and the regional community of practice. Provide coaching and technical advice to programme teams on financial planning and portfolio integration.D. Portfolio Management and Integrated Programmingย Support the implementation of portfolio-based management approaches aligned with UNDPโs Strategic Plan and CPD priorities.
Provide financial analytics and operational inputs to portfolio design, pipeline planning, and delivery tracking. Collaborate with programme clusters and PMSU to enhance horizontal integration across portfolios (e.g., governance, inclusive growth, energy, climate). Support preparation of portfolio performance reviews, adaptive planning sessions, and results forecasting. Use tools and data visualizations to promote portfolio insights and learning loops for adaptive management.E. Investment Analysis and Resource Mobilization Supportย Track and analyze donor contributions, funding gaps, and co-financing across programmes and portfolios.
Provide input to investment cases, resource mobilization pitches, and donor-specific financial reporting. Assist in mapping financing partners and opportunities, including IFIs, philanthropic actors, and private sector players. Support development of tools and templates for investment planning, results-based budgeting, and funding scenario analysis. Collaborate with the Partnerships & Innovation Team to maintain a dynamic funding pipeline dashboard and support compliance with donor agreements. ย Serve as CO focal point for financial compliance in innovation and integrated development financing initiatives. Perform other duties as required.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.
ย Competencies ย Core Competencies Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work. Think Innovatively:ย LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking. Learn Continuously:ย LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning. Adapt with Agility:ย LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process. Act with Determination: LEVEL 2:ย Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously. Engage and Partner:ย LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership. Enable Diversity and Inclusion:ย LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.Functional/Technical competencies
Business Direction & Strategyย
System Thinking:ย 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.ยBusiness Management: Portfolio Management
Business Developmentย
Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.ยFinance
Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.ยFinance: Financial Risk Management
Ensures financial resilience through proactive assessment of risk, implementation of controls and taking mitigating action.ย Understands risk and reward in relation to collaborative and commercial projects. Ensures a culture of positive risk management.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.Finance
Audit Risk Management: Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced University Degree (Masterโs degree or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or related field is required;ย A first-level university degree (Bachelorโs degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree is required; A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Masterโs) University Degree in Finance and/or Accounting is required. Candidates with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage; Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited; Candidates satisfying the two above criteria are exempted from undertaking the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT); Candidates with MBA or master's in finance with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting.Experience:
Minimum 2 years (with masterโs degree) or 4 years (with bachelorโs degree) of relevant experience in providing financial management services, and/or managing staff and operational systems is required;ย Experience in providing Resource Planning and Analysis is desired; Quality assurance oversight and close monitoring of implementing partners activities is desired; 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 Quantum (UNDP ERP provided by Oracle) is desirableย Experience in Portfolio management and some level of Investment analysis would be an asset; Experience of IPSAS and/or IFRS is required for external candidates; Experience working in the UN System is an asset.ยRequired Language(s):
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is 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.ย
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.ย
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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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