Background

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operation the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly, which shall function as an autonomous organisation of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developed countries, in developing their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance through grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDF’s vision is to help mobilise and catalyse increased capital flows for SDG-impactful investments in member states to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries, contributing to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity. 

UNCDF utilises its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans, and guarantees to crowd in finance to scale development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are most significant, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realisation of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031. 

As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organisation and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States’ requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG-aligned projects in partnership with the private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems and new markets and mobilise and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset, which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways to mobilise investment flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions that are highly impactful but also recognise the need to multiply the impact of its capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.  UNCDF’s work is focused on five thematic areas, including:  

  • Climate, Clean Energy, and Biodiversity Finance 
  • Local Transformative Finance 
  • Women’s Economic Empowerment 
  • Sustainable Food Systems Finance   
  • Inclusive Digital Economies 

Following a recent restructuring, UNCDF’s organisational setup includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), an Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), an Operations and Oversight Division (OOD), and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya), and Bangkok (Thailand), with sub-regional presence in several locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based in New York, USA. Under General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).  

In Bangladesh, UNCDF is actively focusing on improving the financial well-being of migrant families by enhancing remittance management, providing financial and entrepreneurial literacy, and developing relevant financial services. This initiative also seeks to influence policy reforms for the financial inclusion of migrant workers. Concurrently, UNCDF promotes green financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through different policy-level activities. This involves advocating for policy reforms to create an enabling environment for green finance, ultimately enhancing economic opportunities and resilience for marginalised populations and communities across the country. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Country Lead Technical Specialist (Digital Finance), and in coordination with the UNCDF Bangladesh team and operations unit, the Administration Associate will: 

Ensure governance, compliance & internal controls while managing day-to-day administrative activities of UNCDF Bangladesh 

  • Ensure compliance with UNCDF/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies. 
  • Prepare information for audits and coordinate audit processes. 
  • Track and implement audit recommendations to closure. 
  • Maintain and update the internal control framework/SOPs. 
  • Conduct periodic compliance and control reviews (checklists, spot checks). 

Maintain the highest level of transparency and adhere to regulations while managing procurement, asset management, and HR related functions 

  • Manage administrative processes for procurement, HR-related activities, office workspace, and equipment using Quantum or other service management tools. 
  • Maintain and reconcile the inventory of programme/project assets and manage correspondence/files. 
  • Support the procurement of goods/services and recruitment processes (ICs, internships, institutional contracts, etc.). 
  • Maintain an updated procurement plan and monitor proper procurement cycle progress. 
  • Create requisitions and register goods receipts in Quantum. 
  • Manage registry and filing for projects; provide other relevant operational support tasks as requested. 

Manage the travel, events, and protocol operations in coordination with internal teams and external stakeholders 

  • Organize events, meetings, workshops, and conferences (logistics, venue/vendor coordination). 
  • Perform the Originator role (travel arranger) for official travel. 
  • Perform the Travel Processor role (certifying officer) per UNDP rules. 
  • Manage UNLP, visas, and stay permits in coordination with regional and UNDP teams. 
  • Coordinate travel itineraries, approvals, and DSA calculations in Quantum. 

Manage the programme planning, performance monitoring, and stakeholder coordination 

  • Develop annual/quarterly workplans with activity-level planning and delivery projections. 
  • Monitor implementation of milestones and delivery targets; flag variances. 
  • Produce periodic progress reports using data extracted from Quantum. 
  • Coordinate and maintain effective communications with UNCDF countries, regional, and HQ teams. 
  • Maintain activity trackers/calendars and organize review and coordination meetings.  

Prepare the budgets, take active participation in financial operations, and Resource Mobilization 

  • Provide inputs for cost-saving and reduction strategies. 
  • Prepare cost-sharing and trust fund agreements; follow up on contributions. 
  • Ensure new contributions are accounted for in Quantum (project and award creation). 
  • Control supporting documents for payments; prepare vouchers; execute payments. 
  • Maintain internal expenditure controls and ensure correct recording/posting in Quantum. 
  • Take timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers (budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers). 
  • Ensure timely payments for services and goods, and correct erroneous data in Quantum. 

Support knowledge building, knowledge sharing and capacity building relevant to the project.

  • Participate in training and organize briefings on internal procedures for the project. Provide support to other capacity building activities, including to the design and delivery of tools, materials for workshops, or platforms that tap into the collective intelligence of communities and mobilize action.
  • Provide support in the dissemination and sharing of relevant data and lessons learned within the CO and regionally. Keep a pulse on emerging best practices nationally, regionally, and internationally that relate to the work of the project.
  • Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Support compiling and systematizing project knowledge, products and tools as well as their wide distribution to partners.

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

Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: 

  • Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline 

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: 

  • Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, and makes improvements  

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: 

  • Open-minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback 

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: 

  • Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, and is flexible 

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: 

  • Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in the face of adversity, confident 

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: 

  • Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships 

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: 

  • Appreciate/respect differences, be aware of unconscious bias, and confront discrimination  

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management: Working with Evidence and Data      

  • Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.

Business Management: Digital Awareness and Literacy      

  • Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. 
  • Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends. 

Business Management: Customer Satisfaction/Client Management     

  • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of the customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
  • Ability to anticipate the client's upcoming needs and concerns. 

Business Management: Communication      

  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels 

Business Management: Monitoring and evaluation     

  • Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.  
  • Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmarks, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. 
  • Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate the client's upcoming needs and concerns. 

Finance: Budget management      

  • Ability to support budgetary aspects of the work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets  

Procurement: Procurement management      

  • The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Secondary education is required.
  • University degree (bachelor’s degree) in Business Administration/ Accounting/ Finance/ Management/ Economics will be given due consideration, but is not a requirement. 

Experience:

  • Minimum 6 years (with secondary education) or 3 years (with bachelor´s degree) of practical experience in providing financial management and accounting support services and operational systems. 
  • Experience in development projects.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP financials. 

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

  • Experience with UNCDF and UNDP’s policies, procedures, and practices, or familiarity with the system. 
  • Previous working experience with development organizations in Bangladesh.  
  • Experience in the preparation of financial reports and overviews. 
  • Experience with monitoring and evaluation tools. 
  • Experience in procurement procedures of national/international organizations.

Languages:

  • Fluency in English and Bangla is required. 

Professional Certificates:

  • Certifications in finance, accounting, or procurement are desirable. 

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 a similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.