Admin Fin Assistant

BIOFIN was launched in October 2012 at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 11, as new global partnership seeking to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – to define biodiversity finance needs and gaps with greater precision through detailed national level assessments, to determine challenges and opportunities for resource mobilization, and to build a sound business case for increased biodiversity investment. Participating governments are interested in advancing their biodiversity conservation mandates in ways that are compatible with and promote national socio-economic development goals.

BIOFIN has developed, piloted, and is continuously improving a methodology to measure existing biodiversity expenditure levels, assess future financial needs, and design comprehensive plans to use finance tools and solutions that increase financing, reduce harmful expenditure, and improve financial effectiveness and efficiency of biodiversity management over 35 countries.

UNDP Uzbekistan in collaboration with the government will be implementing the global BIOFIN Phase II Extended project, which is funded by the Governments of Germany running from 2021 to 2023.

In the context of Uzbekistan, the key activities will involve Biodiversity Finance Policy and Institutional Review, Biodiversity Expenditure Review, Finance Needs Assessment (including National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan Costing), Resource Mobilization/Finance Plan and Implementation of the Finance Plan within a broader context of Sustainable development Goal No. 1 on End Poverty, Goal No. 13 on Climate Action and Goal No. 15 on Life on Land.

UNDP is looking for a dedicated person as an Administrative Finance Assistant who will be providing back-office/administrative support to the BIOFIN Project.

The Administrative Finance Assistant (AFA) will be responsible for providing back-office/administrative support to the Project Lead and National Project Coordinator including: (I) facilitating procurement; (II) financial and administrative tracking of activities and expenses; (III) support with communication, facilitation and organisation of outreach activities, press releases, project/UNDP/government briefing notes, translations, etc.; (IV) liaising with UNDP country office and global BIOFIN administrative team to facilitate financial reporting and compliance, and UNDP procurement compliance.

AFA will provide project management support that includes all financial and administrative requirements of the project, especially those related to project funding and accounting to ensure that project is executed in a timely and appropriate manner. AFA will facilitate, guide and monitor the work of the national BIOFIN team, manage payment schedules. He/or She will assist in project related activities, including planning for meetings, local and national consultations, trips and other project related activities, and ensure all national and international travel is organised smoothly. AFA takes responsibility for documenting and sharing records of meetings, decisions, actions, etc., and supporting with the Monitoring and Evaluation of the project at the national level, including workshop evaluations. AFA’s functions on financial oversight covers management of the project budget, maintaining records of expenditures and collaboration in financial reporting, overseeing procurement and accounting together with the UNDP Country Office and the global BIOFIN Team to ensure financial resources are disbursed on time to implementing partners. AFA takes any other duties assigned by the National BIOFIN Leader or National Project Coordinator that have direct relevance to the project.

Key deliverables of the Administrative Finance Assistant as follows (products and processes): 

• Ensure the atlas approval system is set up at the Country Office for BIOFIN. Develop calculations for the development of the annual workplan/budget.
• Handle all required procurement processes, requisitions and purchase orders, ensuring compliance with UNDP rules and regulations. Regularly update of the procurement plan and contacts list.
• Take care of all logistical matters to organise the inception workshop, consultation workshops and any meetings as required
• Take care of all travel arrangements for national travel/missions and participants to national level workshops. Handle all travel for participants to global and regional workshops and other international meetings, ensuring all necessary visa, security clearances and plane tickets are obtained timely and confirmations/changes of travel arrangements are communicated to the global BIOFIN team immediately.
• Maintain an inventory of assets/equipment and support with the handover of equipment upon project closure.

The Administrative Finance Assistant will work under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator of BIOFIN. The incumbent will also receive a substantive guidance from the National BIOFIN Leader and BIOFIN Global team on the various deliverables of the project to ensure smooth administrative and financial management.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others.

Other Professional Competencies:

• Highly organized person, sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently.
• Ability to multi-task, excellent inter-personal skills and flexible attitude and work well under pressure
• Ability to maintain overview in complex work situations, self-starter in supporting the coordinator in communicating and keeping timelines.
• Able to gather and process data and information.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to network among the national team and beyond to other national institutions.
• Writes clearly professional correspondence adequately.
• Shares knowledge and is willing to provide support to others who request advice or help.
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically.
• Maintains professional relationships with supervisors, co-workers and clients.
• Ability to work in multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary environments.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in any of the following areas: Finance, Economics, Business Administration and Management, Planning or any closely related field, or another degree combined with equivalent relevant work experience.

Experience:

• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in administration and finance.
• Including 2 years of experience in dealing with national experts and international institutions.
• Prior experience with UNDP/UN is an asset.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems is an asset.

Required skills & competencies:

• Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office)
• Strong financial and administrative skills, result and client-orientation, ability to work in a team.
• Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, ethics and honesty.
• Ability to use information and communication technology as a tool and resource.

Required Languages:

Fluency in English, Uzbek and Russian is required.

The position of the Administrative Finance Assistant envisages some travel within the country if required.

Important applicant information

All posts in the National Personnel Service Agreement (NPSA) categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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