Programme Associate (Finance/Accounting & Admin) (NPSA7)

The Programme Associate has following functions:

• Provide effective support to management and implementation of CO projects
• Supports formulation of new projects and resource mobilization
• Provides financial and administrative support to the Climate change and Environment Unit wide activities.

Provide effective support to management and implementation of the CO projects.

• Tracking and controlling program/project expenditures/disbursement rate against commitments to ensure the conformity with approved annual workplans and Budget, determining gaps between budgets and expenditures, committed and actual allocated funds to advise programme officers for taking actions, supporting operation and financial closure of a project in ATLAS.
• Supports to effective Procurement and Recruitment and contract management process a d appropriate.
• Support programme officers in periodic review of project work-plans and advise programme officers and Implementing partners on the progress and work-plan’s conformity to agreed results and outputs for finalization.
• Quarterly reviews of Nationally implementation (NIM) Project Advance and Financial Reports (FACE) forms with the approved annual workplan and quarterly workpland and corresponding Activities and Expenditure accounts.
• Supporting the organization of overseas study tours and monitoring visits, including daily substiance allowance entitlement calculation and transportation.
• Taking timely corrective actions and unposted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers.
• Supporting timely operational and financial closure of project, determination of unutilized funds and processing operational/financial closure of projects in ATLAS;
• Support the direct implementation of country office projects, including recruitment of international and national consultants, organizing technical workshops, training activities, consultations, travel arrangements and procurement of goods and services.

Provision of guidance on policies and procedures to Implementing partnerss:

• Updating programme officers and implementing partners on changes in financial policies, rules and procedures.
• Providing advises, guidance and on-the-spot couching to NIM project personnel on applicable policies and procedures (UN Harmonized Program and Project Management Guidelines-HPPMG, Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer-HACT, Cost Norms)

Quality assurance (HACT, M&E):

• Supporting programme officers and implementing partners in day-to-day monitoring and implementation of project activities to ensure the project progress achievement of results and outputs as planned.
• Providing inputs to the auditing of NIM projects, supporting programme officers and implementing partners in follows-up on timely implementation of audit recommendation;
• Supporting assessments of technical and financial management capacity (micro assessment) of implementing partners;
• Supporting spot-checks on implementing partners, supporting the coordination of NIM audits and ensuring effective client liaison
• Supporting project mid-term reviews and final evaluation including recruitment or consultants, arrangement of working missions/interviews, collecting information and relevant documents, liaising with concerned parties.

Supports formulation of new projects and resource mobilization:

• Support Programme Officers/experts in collection, analysis and presentation of financial background information for preparation of UN and UNDP documents such as UN One Strategic Plan, Country Programme Document, etc
• Contribution to (i) the planning/budgeting of the project formulation process, (ii) preparation of project document and (iii) appraisal processes, ensuring effective liaison with partners in this regard;
• Supports to effective procurement and recruitment and contract management process for project idea/proposal development;
• Support to financial management of the grants/facilities for the formulation of project ideas and proposals;
• Entering approved project proposal into the UNDP online management system – called ATLAS - for project award generation; creation of projects including project activities and budgets in ATLAS, revision of project award and project status when required and delegated.
• Tracking and reporting on mobilized resources. Review of contributions agreement, managing contributions in ATLAS.
• Assist liaison and partnership activities with funding partners.

Provides financial and administrative support to the Climate Change and Environment Unit wide activities

Overall budget and Finance (as required and arrangement among Programme Associates)

• Support Unit Head in planning and managing the direct project costing (DPC) and tracking incomes and expenditure relating to staff costs of the Unit;
• Analyze and monitor overall program financial situation in consultation with Unit Head, Programme Officers and project staff.  Report on program/project financial expenditures and alert Unit Head and Programme Officers on shortfalls and over-expenditures;
• Liaise closely with Finance Unit and Programme Support Unit for tracking overall expenditures in relation to commitments and report on delivery status to Unit Head.
• Maintain and update the CCE pipeline project in the system.
• Serve as the focal point for financial, administrative, operation or substantive matters within the unit or for the Country Office, as needed; this includes Spot Check, M&E, Audit preparation, retreat, trainings, project profiles, etc., as required.

Initiation Plans (as required and arrangement among Programme Associates)

• Support project formulation, planning, budgeting, management and implementation of these specific projects.
• Co-ordinate all mandatory and rephasing exercises. Initiate budget revisions, in line with available resources. Make necessary adjustments at the requests of project authorities.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that voucher processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ATLAS.
• Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers.
• Creation of requisitions in ATLAS for development projects, register of goods receipt in ATLAS.
• Making budget check for requisitions, POs and vouchers.

Serve as the Compliance (M&E) Focal Point: (as required and arrangement among PAs)

• Support to timely monitoring and actions towards satisfactory scorecard performance for the office
• Play a role of M&E focal point (Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating…);
• Provide support for Pre-PAC & LPAC in conformity with CO’s SOPs/guideline.
• Follow and update the Project Risk log, SES.
• Timely reminding PO/PA on project ending date and support procedures for closure if needed.

Serve as the HACT focal point (as required and arrangement among PAs)

• HACT compliance consists of micro assessment, financial spot-checks, documentation of programme meetings/visits/meetings.
• Vertical Fund compliance includes checklists of new projects, time sheets- allocation of time to GEF, GCF projects by senior management and related staff.
• Provide support for Audit preparation.

CCE Admin and other relevant work (as required and arrangement among Programme Associates)

• Support to timely monitoring and actions towards satisfactory scorecard performance for the office.
• Contact and liaise with counterparts for meetings, workshop, partnership development, etc.
• Support to timely monitoring and actions towards satisfactory scorecard performance for the office.
• Serve as the focal point for financial, administrative, operation or substantive matters within the unit or for the Country Office, as needed; this includes Spot Check, M&E, Audit preparation, retreat, trainings, project profiles, etc.
• Support in organization and facilitation of Unit events and activities.

Core 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 pragmatic problem solver, 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, is flexible
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in 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, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Audit & Investigation – General

• Financial and Managerial Accounting and Finance key concepts: Key concepts and principles of financial accounting, interpret financial analysis, managerial accounting, etc.
• Procurement concepts, processes, and management: Knowledge of procurement processes and management

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
• Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
• 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, analyzing, and reporting

General (across the functions)

• Event planning and execution: Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate.

Administration & Operations

• Events management (including retreats, trainings, and meetings): Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.

• Secondary Education is minimum but prefer Bachelors’ degree in accounting, business or public administration, economics, social sciences, or related fields
• A minimum seven (7) years (with secondary education), or four (4) years (with Bachelors’ degree) of progressively responsible finance and administrative or programme/project implementation support experience is required.

• Experience in usage of Excel and accounting spreadsheets/ software/systems/ handling of web-based management systems.
• Experience in budget planning, financial management and reporting, and procurement
• Demonstrated working experience in organizing and successfully delivering high-level political events;
• Knowledge of UNDP programme practices and experience working with UN administration is an asset
• Basic understanding of climate change, disaster risk reduction and environment.

Language Requirement:

• Full fluency in English and Vietnamese with excellent spoken, reading and writing skills.

NOTE: This position is open for Vietnam nationals only