Background

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all.

With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.

UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:  

• Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs.
• Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized.
• Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability.

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP India’s Health Unit is implementing a wide range of projects in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and State Governments. Together, these initiatives form one of the largest UNDP health portfolios globally, implemented at the national, state, and district levels. The Finance Officer will be a senior member of the Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) project team, leading and managing the project finance team to ensure robust financial oversight, donor compliance, and fiduciary integrity across all project components.

The HSS project portfolio plays a central role in strengthening India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) by leveraging digital innovations and system improvements. The overarching goal of these projects is to ensure universal, equitable, and sustainable access to immunization services, combining digital health platforms, capacity building, and increasing state ownership of financing.
Current initiatives include:
1.    HSS III: Funded by Gavi, this project is scaling up digital solutions such as U-WIN, India’s nationwide digital immunization registry, supported by the Community of Practice for Demand (CoP-D) and advanced data analytics to identify and monitor zero-dose children.
2.    eVIN State Support:  Initially funded by Gavi and now financed through state-level MOAs under the National Health Mission (NHM). This project sustains and expands the use of digital platforms such as eVIN, which have transformed vaccine logistics and immunization tracking in India.
3.    Other digital health initiatives: Including Co-WIN and TB-WIN, which build on India’s digital health architecture to strengthen service delivery and monitoring.

The Finance Officer will work under the supervision of the Project Manager and provide strategic leadership to the finance function of the HSS projects, overseeing an annual portfolio of more than USD 30 million. As head of the project’s finance team, the role will ensure sound financial planning, full compliance with UNDP, donor, and state-level requirements, and the establishment of robust systems for expenditure tracking and reporting. The Finance Officer will also advise project leadership on financial risks, opportunities, and resource allocation, ensuring that financial management effectively supports project success.

Operating in a complex environment with multiple funding streams and a transition from donor to state financing, the Finance Officer will be responsible for safeguarding fiduciary integrity and maintaining the confidence of government and donor partners. By building strong financial systems, the role will enable UNDP to deliver on its commitment to strengthening immunization systems and advancing the principle of Leaving No One Behind.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting To: Project Manager – Vaccine Intelligence
Reporting to this position: - 2 Project Finance Associates (NPSA 6) 
 

The Finance Officer will provide leadership and oversight of financial management across UNDP India’s Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) projects, including HSS III, eVIN State Support, and Co-WIN. In close coordination with Country Office Finance Team, the position will ensure compliance with UNDP, donor, and government requirements while strengthening systems for planning, reporting, and risk management.  Leading the project’s finance team, the Finance Officer will oversee cash flows and fund utilization, enforce strong internal controls, and drive process improvements. By delivering timely financial analysis and advice, the role will safeguard fiduciary integrity, support effective resource allocation, and advance the long-term financial sustainability of UNDP’s health portfolio in India.

Financial Strategy and Oversight

• Lead the implementation of financial strategies for HSS in line with UNDP rules, donor agreements, and project objectives.
• Ensure compliance, strong internal controls, and the effective functioning of all financial management systems.
• Recommend and implement cost management strategies, including cost recovery and cost-effective financial arrangements.
• Implement forecasting models and financial tracking mechanisms to provide real-time visibility on cash flow, donor contributions, and utilization of funds.
• Provide continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial and programme financial situations and potential risks; and provide forecasts for allocated development and management projects, transactions, and activities.
• Routinely monitor exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions.

Budgeting, Reporting, and Analysis

• Oversee preparation and timely submission of Statements of Expenditure (SoEs), Utilization Certificates (UCs), and donor reports with full accuracy and compliance.
• Manage multi-donor budgets, ensuring correct processing in systems, alignment with approved workplans, and transparent allocation of resources.
• Monitor expenditure against budgets, identify gaps, and provide high-level financial analysis to guide resource allocation and corrective action.
• Manage financial resources through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP POPP guidelines

Process Optimization and Risk Management

• Strengthen and streamline processes for cross-charging, payments, certification, and documentation to ensure transactions are processed on time.
• Ensure the project is audit-ready through systematic documentation, proactive monitoring, and timely implementation of audit recommendations.
• Ensure financial activities, recording/reporting system and audit follow-up comply with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and strategies. Provide support in closure of audit gaps and implement effective internal controls.
• Identify and address financial risks, gaps, and systemic bottlenecks by introducing improved tracking tools, dashboards, and SOPs.

Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with UNDP financial regulations, donor agreements, and government financing frameworks.
• Provide financial quality assurance across SoEs, UCs, cross-charging, and payment documentation to uphold transparency and accountability.
• Manage complex multi-donor fund flows to ensure efficient, transparent utilization of resources and timely settlement of claims.

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Provide direction, mentoring, and performance management for the finance team, ensuring effective workload distribution and delivery against objectives.
• Build financial capacity at regional and state levels, strengthening collaboration with programme, operations, and procurement colleagues.
• Promote best practices in financial management, contributing to knowledge sharing for both donor- and government-financed health projects.

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

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People management

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.  

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

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 
• Financial planning and budgeting. Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting 
• 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 
• Finance business partnering. Able to support business units and add value by innovating and providing solutions to financial issues/queries, including through FAQs, financial tools, advisory, etc. Influences and appropriately challenges non-finance colleagues for whom the service is being provided. Understands the operations, opportunities and challenges of the organization. Holds a commercial outlook, demonstrating accountability towards organizational goals. 

Business Management     

• Resource Management. Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity
• Risk Management. Identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Business Direction and Strategy    

• Strategic Thinking. Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Master’s) University Degree in Finance and /or Accounting is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Candidates with 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 an 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 of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience providing financial management advisory services, managing personnel and operational systems.

Required skills:    

• Demonstrated experience working with financial regulations, policies, and systems in international organizations, including:
• Financial resource planning (FRP) and budgeting processes, including forecasting, pipeline management, and variance analysis.
• Experienced in using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (Oracle PeopleSoft/Quantum/Atlas, SAP Umoja, or equivalent) for financial transaction processing, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Donor financial policies, reporting, with emphasis on compliance with cost classification standards, budget utilization, certified reporting requirements, and audit preparedness.
• Experience in financial analysis and interpretation of complex accounting and financial information, such as organization financial statements
• Experience in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)and/or International Financial Research Analyst (IFRS)
• Experience in use of computers and office software including web-based management systems and ERP financial modules including the accounts closure process.

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

• Experience with UNDP or UN financial systems and regulations is highly desirable. Candidates with prior UNDP experience and knowledge of UN ERP systems (e.g., Quantum/Atlas, Umoja) for financial processing and reporting.
• Ability to translate complex financial data into clear insights using dashboards, visualisation tools, and narratives tailored for non-finance stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams, including supervising personnel, setting priorities, providing guidance and feedback.
• Strong writing skills, including drafting financial policies and processes.

Required Language(s):   

• Fluency in Hindi and English is required.

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. 

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. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

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