Accelerator Lab Project Analyst

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and inequality pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP has begun incubating a number of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the Country Accelerator Lab Network. The initiative is a recognition that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for an interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of variety of partners and tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and the solutions. The initiative is also a recognition and an investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP country offices around joining together disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate impact and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Us:

We are building the largest and fastest learning global network of Accelerator Labs (initially setting up 60 labs in 60 countries) embedded within UNDP’s global architecture and country platforms. The new offering builds on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact.

Our network will surface and reinforce locally sourced solutions at scale while mobilizing a wide and dynamic partnership of actors contributing knowledge, resources and experience. The idea is to transform our collective approach by introducing new protocols, backed by evidence and practice, which accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. This will enable the global community to collectively learn from local knowledge and ingenuity at a speed and at a scale that our societies and planet require. This will be achieved by:

• Building on locally-sourced solutions, finding things that work and expanding on them.
• Rapid testing and iteration to implement what works and go beyond the obvious solutions.
• Combining the best understanding, ideas and expertise to generate collective knowledge.
• Accelerating progress by bringing expertise, creativity and collective intelligence to bear.

The Accelerator Labs will undertake i) external facing interventions addressing priority development challenges, and ii) internally facing experiments to embed new ways of doing development within the existing UNDP portfolio.  

You:

You are a doer and make things happen when the rest of the team thought it might be impossible. You love the feeling of knowing who to call and how to solve things. You understand systems, the good, the bad and the ugly, and are capable of working within them to help your team and others to move things along. Any system is a labyrinth for others but you.

You have a creative mind but always follow the rules and regulations when finding the right solutions. You are good with numbers and excel is your bread and butter. Problems are just finding the right formula to solve them. You envision scenarios and find yourself planning in advance to be sure you are as ready as you can be for what is next.

You are creative when finding the right solutions but have always in mind that rules and regulations matter – no way around that. You are digitally savy, you hack tools, and you are keen to be a part of a large global organization exhibiting United Nations values.

Financial management and services for the Accelerator Lab network

• Ensure full compliance of financial transactions/activities, recording/reporting system and audit follow up to ensure full compliance with and consistent approach to UNDP rules, regulations policies, and strategies.
• Analyze the financial rules and regulations and provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial issues.
• Monitor and implement an effective internal control and proper design and functioning of a financial resources management system.
• Monitor and analyze the financial situation and present forecasts for development and management of the project, keeping stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions.
• Monitor financial exceptions and report for unusual activities and transactions.
• Investigate anomalies or unusual transactions report on them and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions.
• Recommend and/or implement cost-saving and reduction strategies.

Budget pla​nning, administration, management and oversight of project expenditures

• Management of the Accelerator Lab Network financial resources through planning, guiding and monitoring, including reports containing an analysis of the office’s financial situation (expenditures versus budget allocations), in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Prepare and monitor budgets for the Accelerator Lab Network; follow-up with UNDP’s Office of Planning and Budget on authorized spending limits (ASL) and monitor budgets’ delivery levels and status versus ASL.
• Elaborate proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Control of the accounts receivables for UNDP projects and monitor and maintain the general ledger.
• Prepare cost recovery bills for the services provided by the Accelerator Lab Network on a timely basis.
• Elaborate and implement the income tracking system and follow-up on cost recovery.
• Coordinate the account receivables with UNDP/OFA and Treasury and ensure the correct application of contributions and cost-recovery.

Procurement management for the Accelerator Lab Network:

• Timely and duly preparation of procurement plans for the Accelerator Lab Network and monitor their implementation.
• Manage and implement procurement processes in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations. Procurement process will include managing request for quotations, proposals as well as invitations to bid.
• Prepare, upload, review and certify submissions to the Contract, Asset and Procurement Committee and Advisory Committee on Procurement.
• Manage negotiations with vendors and procurement contracts and, upon delegation of responsibility, perform Manager Level 1 functions in Atlas for approval of purchase orders.
• Implement internal control system to ensure that purchase orders are duly prepared and dispatched.
• Prepare cost-recovery bills in Atlas for procurement services provided by UNDP to other Agencies.

Don​or reporting and resource mobilization support

• Together with OIMT support colleagues to design and manage links between Atlas and Power BI to feed management decisions.
• Determine Atlas fields and ensure quality reporting from Atlas to management dashboards.
• Develop and update budget scenarios based on available funding.
• Ensure quality financial reports for donors on a quarterly basis.
• Support resource mobilization efforts as needed. 

Data visualization

• Clean and manipulate raw data and prepare them for analysis.
• Support structuring and collecting data for program monitoring and reporting.
• Provide technical support in data visualization and storytelling.
• Communicate findings from data analysis to range of audiences.

Core

Innovation Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully

Leadership Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 4: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others

People Management Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

  Level 4: Models independent thinking and action 

Communication Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis

Delivery Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or service

Technical/Functional

Primary

Level 4: Originate (Peer Regarded Lead Expert)

Anti-Corruption Knowledge of anti-corruption concepts, principles and policies and the ability to apply in strategic and/or practical situations

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise Ability to formulate and manage budgets; manage contributions and investments; manage transactions; and conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery

Accountability and Results-Based Ability to input to the development of standards and policies Management

Design And Implementation of Management Systems Makes recommendations regarding operation of systems within organizational units

Level 2: Execute & Learn (Perform defined tasks)

Project Management Understands the risk leading to an expected outputs and finds suitable solution to deliver as expected 

Secondary

Level 2: Execute & Learn (Perform defined tasks)

Knowledge Management Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

Identifying and building partnerships Competency Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances

Communication and campaigning Exercise all the other competence having the end goal of communicating and campaigning for the SDGs

Education

• Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance or Accounting, or a professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy. Those with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• Bachelor's Degree will also be acceptable, with two additional years of experience.

Experience

• Four years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience is required if bachelor’s degree. Two years if Master’s degree.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required.
• Advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages; experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft, is required. 
• Knowledge of IPSAS and IFRS is desirable.

Language Requirements

• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Knowledge on another UN language will be an advantage.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning