Project Finance Specialist

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.

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.

Scope of Work:

Under the direct supervision of the Project Finance Specialist (International FTA) and overall management of Programme Coordinator, the Project Finance Specialist will aim to:

1. Ensure effective controls are in place on the use of Global Fund grant monies and that all payments are eligible, justified and represent value for money;
2. Ensure that financial records for all transactions are maintained accurately and on a timely basis;
3. Mitigate the risk of fraud or misuse of grant funds and reduce the ineligible expenditures reported by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Local Fund Agent (LFA);
4. Ensure the continuity of the program implementation in high-risk environments and that safeguards are in place with respect to Global Fund investments;
5. Ensure that reporting to the PR is accurate, timely and in accordance with the PIP- and Grant Agreement and the applicable policies and regulations of the Global Fund

Financial Compliance: Risk Management

• Ensure that there is an effective system of internal controls in place in order to prevent and detect fraud, misappropriation and misapplications;
• Recommend improvement for effective internal control mechanisms to ensure adherence to the Finance Manual and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); 
• Carry out periodic risk assessment and test whether the controls in place respond to the risks identified;
• Ensure effective internal controls are in place for the preventive measures and quality actions are taken on the recommendations after verification exercises and actively follow-up of GF recommended management actions.

Financial Management and procedures:

• Monitor Sub-recipient (SRs)´s compliance with UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations, Global Fund financial rules, policies and Financial Manual and financial management, accounting rules and practices established in Angola to mitigate the risk of fraud or misuse of grant funds and reduce the ineligible expenditures;
• Ensure that there is clear adherence, application and understanding of the content of the Finance Manual;
• Ensure that internal finance management and administrative guidelines are aligned with UNDP/GF guidelines;
• Conduct regular meetings among relevant SR departments to ensure standardization and coherence in the day-to-day functions related to internal financial management and controls within SR and ensure timely implementation of corrective measures.

Financial Compliance and Verification of Transactions:

• Oversight on expenditure of SR´s to ensure that they are in accordance with the approved budget and work plan and in full compliance with the SOPs and Finance Manual; 
• Ensure that all transactions are supported by original Documentation; 
• Quality review of the payment processed to minimize audit and LFA findings; 
• Conduct periodically cash count and surprise cash count;
• Review and improve the existing process flow to ensure that approvals related to payments are processed in a timely manner in consultation with the line manager at UNDP and relevant management units in SRs; 
• Provide guidance to national program and sub national offices in developing budget plan, financial expenditure report on a timely manner and with quality;
• Ensure that there are controls in place to separate grants funds from other sources of funds.

Financial Compliance: Accounting

• Ensure that books of accounts are kept and reporting is done according to the Grant Agreement and generally accepted accounting principles in Angola;
• Ensure that all transactions are appropriately coded and recorded so that the required data for the Annual Financial Report (AFR) and for Progress Update and Disbursement Report (PUDR) is generated automatically with minimal manual intervention;
• Ensure that monthly bank reconciliations and reviews of accounting entries are performed;
• Oversee the month-end close-out procedures performed in the accounting system and support SRS in conducting annual fixed asset verification;
• Monitor and report on measures taken by the SRS to ensure that the Grant funds under the Grant Agreement are free from taxes, and duties imposed under the laws of Angola, as provided for in the Grant Agreement;
• Support the SRS to ensure that a system to track tax exemptions and reimbursements is in place and shall ensure that the SRS takes all necessary steps to obtain reimbursement for taxes where direct exemption is not available.

Institutional Arrangements

The Project Finance Specialist will be stationed in Luanda office and closely working with the SRS finance team. S/he will be also working with PMU Finance team to improve and strengthen the overall financial management. The Project Finance Specialist will be under the direct supervision of the Project Finance Specialist (International FTA) and overall management of Programme Coordinator. 

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieve Result: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact;
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems;
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences;
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands;
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results;
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration;
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Lead with Humility

• Effective leadership
  • Be authentic and transparent, act with integrity;
  • Be accessible and available to team members;
  • Encourage debate and discussion, create a culture where people are comfortable to challenge senior leaders and feel listened too;
  • Be modest, giving credit for success to others and admit own shortcomings. 

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.

Business Development

• UNDP Representation
  • Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies.

Business Management

• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Demonstrate Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

• People Management
  • Genuinely care about people; demonstrate empathy with joys and pains of others;
  • Enable the wellbeing of the team(s);
  • Read a group’s emotional currents and power relationships, identifying influencers, networks, and organizational dynamics; adapt leadership styles at the appropriate times.

Build an Enabling Workplace

• Workplace management
  • Create a working environment where people are engaged and want to do their best; empower and enables team members to perform and have a positive workplace experience;
  • Promote honestly, openness, trust and psychological safety and create opportunities to innovate and learn;
  • Recruit and promotes individuals based upon objective measures and meritocracy; acknowledge and utilize the talent of others Encourage collective action and integration.

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability

• Accountability and performance management
  • Ensure regular conversations with people about work;
  • Provide positive and constructive feedback;
  • Identify root causes of poor performance and find solutions;
  • Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability.

Requirements:

Minimum education requirements:

• A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Masters) 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; 
• No professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance. The candidates 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 Masters 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.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to take the UNDP Accountancy & Finance Test required. Only candidates who pass the Test will be interviewed.

• 7 years (with Master’s Degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s Degree) of relevant experience in providing financial management advisory services, and/or managing staff and operational systems;· 
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages; · 
• Experience of IPSA’S and/or IFRS is required for external candidates;
• Experience with audits of development aid programmes or the projects funded by international donors and institution is required;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills is preferable;
• Good knowledge of donor organizations and experience in working with Public Institutions would be an asset.

Required Skills:

• Financial and compliance auditing (5 or 7 years);
• Financial Management (5 or 7 years);
• Financial Reporting (5 or 7 years);
• Facilitation in capacity-building workshops (3 years);
• Project Management (3 years).

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Experience with Global Fund funding and/or international Projects;
• Experience working with government institutions related to health.

Language

• Fluency in Portuguese, both written and verbal;
• Good working knowledge of English, both written and verbal.

Professional Certificates

• CPA, Chartered Accountant, ACCA.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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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