Programme Finance Associate

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. UN Women places women’s rights at the centre of all its interventions and leads and coordinates United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Government efforts on the empowerment of women and gender equality building an effective partnership with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women in Nigeria is working with the Government, other UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations, local actors to promote gender equality and empower conflict-affected women and girls and improve their access to opportunities, rights and services including justice and livelihoods in Northeast Nigeria. North-East Nigeria has experienced heightened crisis since 2009 due to the insurgency by the Non-State Armed Groups and counter-insurgency operations by the Government of Nigeria generating a grave humanitarian challenge in Nigeria. The crisis has caused displacement, disruption of livelihoods, food insecurity, increasing rates of severe acute malnutrition, and weakened basic social services and protection mechanisms severely impacting women, men, girls and boys in deferent ways.

In the context of the strong ongoing partnership between the UN and the Government of Nigeria in providing life-saving and recovery assistance to the conflict-affected population in the Northeast, UN Women Nigeria in 2018 established an operational field office in Maiduguri, Borno State-the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency- to oversee programme implementation across the three most affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. In addition to this targeted programming, the field office is engaged in coordination and technical support across the sectoral responses; capacity building for humanitarian workers; and undertaking various assessments and related initiatives to allow for evidence-based, gender-responsive interventions to address the evolving crisis in the North East.

Under the overall guidance of the Operations Manager and the daily supervision of the Programme Coordinator Gender and Humanitarian and Sub-office Office in Charge, the Programme Finance Associate is responsible for the execution of a wide range of financial services and administrative processes in the Sub-office, and will work in close collaboration with the Operations and Programme teams in Country Office, Abuja to ensure timeliness, efficiency and transparent use of financial resources and delivery of services as per organizational financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures and approved allocations. The Programme Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations, standard practices and guidelines.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide financial support to the management of the Programme in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

• Review and verify financial transactions, activities, and documentation; taking corrective actions as needed and reporting any unusual activities;
• Monitor financial exceptions reports for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions;
• Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
• Provide administrative support in monitoring budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; including the finalization of FACE forms;
• Review partners financial reports and supporting documents;
• Assistant for Project audit  and support implementation of audit recommendations;

Prepare , monitor and track  Programme budgets in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

• Draft project budget in consultation with Project Manager, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and draft revisions according to the needs of the programme;
• Track the expenditures regularly
• Assist in Annual Work Plan entry in Results Management System (RMS) and activities mapping in ATLAS as & when required
• Undertake corrective actions on project un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers. Respond to CO, RO /HQ requests to resolve financial data issues;

Provide administrative support to the formulation and management of the programme

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for the organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers.

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
• Provide technical guidance to the partners on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances; 
• Prepare information for the audit of projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;  
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers;
• Tracking and reporting on mobilized resources;
• Prepare inputs to report, prepare public information materials and briefing packets, assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations;
• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for the organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Make travel arrangements for the Team, including travel requisitions and claims

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Provide administrative support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
• Collect and compile lessons learned and best practices in financial management and services.
• Conduct training and/or helping organize training events and activities; as well as participate in training;
• Contribute to financial business operational practices and management innovations.
• Disseminate to clients and stakeholders as appropriate to build capacity and knowledge;

Key Performance Indicators

• Timely, complete and accurate financial transactions/activities/documentations
• Timely and accurate support to events, workshops, and missions.
• Timely and regular monitoring of financial resources management system and timely expenditure of financial resources
• Timely accurate support to budget formulation and controlling allotments
• Full compliance of administrative activities in line with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Timely and accurate verification of financial documents;
• Timely recording of overall Sub-office projects finances;
• Timely and accurate tracking of data for CO management and donor purposes;
• Quality maintenance of internal systems.

Competencies

CORE VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

• Integrity:

Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

• Professionalism:

Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

• Respect to Diversity:

Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Working in Teams
• Self-Management and Emotional intelligence
• Ethics and values

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Completion of secondary education required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Public Administration is an asset.

Experience:

• At least 3 to 4 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support.
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages

Language Requirements:

• Excellent oral and written English language skills
• Knowledge of Hausa is an advantage