Assistant Project Control Officer, NOA [Fixed-term Appointment]

Duties:
- Participate in the annual assessment and planning cycle.
- Assist with the review of project agreements, ensuring that they are in conformity with Country Operation Plans and UNHCR¿s rules, policies and procedures.
- Assist with the formulation and implementation of a performance project monitoring plan in collaboration with the Programme Unit and the Multi-Functional Team.
- Assist with the development of the direct implementation monitoring plan in collaboration with the Programme Unit and other relevant functions.
- Assist with the support of Programme and other relevant functions in the selection of implementation modalities.
- Contribute to tracking the management of project and direct implementation risks in collaboration with the Programme Unit, and report major risks to senior management.
- Contribute to reviewing, analysing and verifying Financial and Performance Partner Reports (PFR and -PPR), and to checking accuracy and consistency between PFR and PPR, in accordance with partnership agreements.
- Monitor, track and verify that expenditure for direct implementation by UNHCR is in line with the approved budget.
- Conduct reviews of the internal control systems of partners implementing projects and provide advice as required.
- Provide input on identified variants, risks and issues to partners, Programme Unit and escalate to management as required.
- Support timely project closure in coordination with the Programme Unit.
- Provide input to the mid- and end-year programme review process on issues related to project control.
- Maintain professional relationships with partners implementing projects and UNHCR¿s contractors.
- Keep up-to-date with all UNHCR rules, regulations and procedures necessary to perform these duties.
- Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications:
- Education & Professional Work Experience: Minimum 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree.
- Field(s) of Education: Business Administration; Economics; Management; or other relevant field.
- Certificates and/or Licenses: Accounting; Auditing; Associate Chartered Certificate Account Chartered Institution Of Management Account Institute of Management Accountants Chartered Accountant; Certif. Practising Accountant
- Relevant Job Experience: Essential: Good knowledge of international auditing standards. Desirable: Good understanding of the workflows of major Enterprise Resource Planning financial
  modules (such as PeopleSoft, SAP or Oracle). Working experience with accrual accounting (such as IPSAS or IFRS).

Functional Skills:
- PC-Project Control;
- FI-International Auditing Standards; FI-Auditing practical experience; MS-Monitoring & Evaluation;
- MS-Data Collection and Analysis; MS-Reporting skills;
- UN-UN/UNHCR Financial Rules and Regulations and Procedures; Core Competencies:
- Accountability Communication Organizational Awareness Teamwork & Collaboration
- Commitment to Continuous Learning Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies:
- Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies:
- Analytical Thinking
- Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Planning and Organizing - Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of English.
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the UN agency charged with the protection of refugees and persons displaced within their countries due to conflict or persecution, and with promoting durable solutions for their plight. The Office has been present in Colombia since 1997 and has been assisting the Colombian Government in the response to the needs of the population who has been internally displaced as a result of the armed conflict. According to its mandate, UNHCR also promotes and supports the protection of refugees, asylum- seekers and other persons in need of international protection arriving in Colombia. With over 1.8 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants and more than 800,000 Colombian returnees from Venezuela, Colombia is the country most heavily affected by the Venezuelan displacement in the region. The over 946,624 Venezuelans who have not been able to regularize their migration status in Colombia, have limited access to basic services and lack opportunities for income generation.  The worldwide COVID-19 health emergency has further impacted the protection risks of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, displaced and confined populations, Colombian returnees and other persons of concern. More than 116,000 Venezuelans have returned to Venezuela through humanitarian corridors since the borders closed in mid-March last year, most of them due to loss of income, evictions, food insecurity and other protection risks related to the inability to respect quarantine conditions. However, re-entries into Colombia have been on the rise starting September 2020 through informal crossing points.

The Assistant Project Control Officer is part of the multi-functional team in UNHCR Colombia and responsible for coordinating the Project Control function in the entire operation (10 field offices in addition to the Representation office and Field Unit in Bogota). In coordination with DSPR¿s Implementing Partnership Management Service at UNHCR Headquarters, with the national Programme Unit in UNHCR Colombia, and with all field offices, s/he is responsible and accountable for providing substantive support, guidance, and oversight on the effective management of the Enhanced Framework for Implementing with Partners (the Framework) as well as oversight on the effective management of Direct Implementation.

Complementary to programme management, s/he will support and conduct analysis and assessment of risks associated with partnerships and direct implementation, policy compliance, operational practices, mitigation measures and gaps and make technical recommendations or decisions in line with the principles of the Framework, of UN/UNHCR¿s financial rules, policies and regulations and operational context. The Assistant Project Control Officer will also be the operation¿s focal point for internal and external audits, as well as annual external project audits carried out by an auditing firm hired by UNHCR Headquarters with a selected number of UNHCR Colombia implementing partners.

The incumbent will promote partnership integrity and other safeguarding mechanisms for ensuring sound stewardship and accountability of funds entrusted to partners or through direct implementation arrangements (e.g. contracts for the procurement of goods and/or services) to ensure resources are used in the most efficient and effective manner to attain the best results for persons of concern.

The Assistant Project Control Officer will promote dialogue and consultations for strengthening partnerships and have frequent contacts with UNHCR colleagues, particularly project control and programme staff. S/he will also have frequent contact with external stakeholders, such as UNHCR-funded partners, auditors, oversight bodies, and host governments on matters related to partnerships. The incumbent will be mindful of all dimensions of partnerships in accordance with the Principles of Partnership, the Code of Conduct, UN/UNHCR¿s financial rules, policies and regulations and other relevant documents.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Assistant Representative for Operations and will manage the Project Control Unit, supervising two staff at the General Service level. Due to the operation¿s decentralized nature with 10 field offices across the country, the position will require regular travel to field locations to meet with field office staff and partners.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

To find out more information about UNHCR, please visit our website. This vacancy will close on 13th May 2021 at 23:59 (Geneva Time)