1. Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of this consultancy is to ensure continuity, advisory support, and institutional memory in ISA’s finance, audit, fund management, and governance functions.
The assignment focuses on providing advisory and technical support in respect of financially critical infrastructure and high-value funds, while executive and financial control authority rests between the designated Finance incumbent and the Consultant.
2. Nature of Engagement
This assignment is purely advisory and consultative in nature. The Consultant shall co-own financial authority, financial signatory powers, approval or certification authority. All line-management responsibilities will rest with the designated finance incumbent. The Consultant’s role shall be limited to specific, project-based advisory assignments rather than day-to-day operational or line functions.
3. Scope of Work
A. Advisory support on Workflow & Process Redesign & Documentation
The consultant shall provide advisory inputs for creation of SOP’s, process maps and also in evaluating any changes to existing workflows including changes in Chart of Accounts.
This will also include advising on preparation of reporting structures/templates and frameworks for different stakeholders.
B. Advisory Support on ERP Transition from SAP to Odoo
The consultant shall provide inputs on the transition from present ERP – SAP to Odoo especially considering the ISA’s Financial Windows (Core / GSF / MDTF / BRE / India MDTF / GCC)
C. Advisory Support on Financial Control & Assurance Functions
The Consultant shall provide advisory input and technical review, on a project-specific basis, in respect of ISA’s financial control environment, including review of accounting trails, treasury and investment matters, MIS outputs, internal controls, audit preparedness, and compliance with Financial Regulations, Framework Agreements, Headquarters Agreement, and the ISA Manual of Regulations. Day-to-day monitoring and control functions in respect of these areas shall remain with the designated Finance incumbent.
D. Advisory Support on ISA’s Financial Windows (Core / GSF / MDTF / Re-invest)
Notwithstanding the advisory nature of the assignment, the Consultant may, on a need-based and project-specific basis, provide advisory support across ISA’s financial infrastructure, including corpus, re-investment mechanisms, trust funds, and special facilities. This includes legacy clarification, and risk mitigation support for all financially sensitive mechanisms. All operational and control functions in respect of these mechanisms shall remain with the designated Finance incumbent.
This shall explicitly include, but not be limited to:
· Advisory input on corpus, treasury and re-investment structures, including interest optimisation, liquidity planning, preservation of capital, and continuity of trust-based fund stewardship for ISA’s aggregated funds;
· Global Solar Facility (GSF) and Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) financial structures, fund flows, SOP preparation and SOP interpretation, audit readiness, donor compliance, and institutional precedents;
· Technical participation in discussions with donors, financial institutions, auditors, and partners as subject-matter expert, without approval or signatory authority.
· Coordination with different units on their pipelines and projections
E. UN and International Staff Entitlements
Expert advisory support on UN-aligned finance issues and international staff entitlements, allowances, benefits frameworks, privileges and immunities, and related financial interpretations, ensuring policy compliance, cost discipline, and audit defensibility.
F. Audit, Governance and Institutional Memory
Direct technical participation in statutory, internal, donor, and special audits for clarification of legacy transactions, investments, fund management decisions, and preparation of technically sound responses for management approval. Support shall also include structured transfer of institutional financial knowledge to the replacement incumbent.
The Consultant shall also provide input & advice to the Cyber Security Audit.
4. Duration
The engagement will be valid for 12 months, extendable for another year basis performance and relevant approvals.