Program Finance Associate at the UN Women

UN Women – In July 2010, the United nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Finance Associate

Location: Abuja
Post Level: SB-3
Type of Contract: Service Contract
Additional Category: Gender Equality
Languages Required: English
Duration of Initial Contract: 1 year

Background

• Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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.
• Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world.
• It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
• As part of its interventions to enhance women’s economic empowerment, UN Women will begin implementation of a regional project on affirmative procurement commencing in the third quarter of 2021.
• The project supports reform and institutional strengthening to improve women led businesses’ access to public procurement and the development of gender responsive procurement initiatives as part of COVID19 response and recovery. The objective of the project is to stimulate equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs through the creation of an enabling environment for women-led SMEs (WSMEs) to participate in public procurement.
• To address the structural barriers faced by women led business, a comprehensive and sustained engagement both on the supply and demand side is planned.
• Hence, on the supply side, the interventions will focus on ensuring that procurement laws and policies are designed and implemented in a gender responsive manner.
• On the demand side, the project will focus on ensuring that women are equipped with technical skills to compete for procurement opportunities. The project will also contribute to mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19 by helping women-led SMEs build new capacities to manage their activities online, operate remotely and adjust their business models, including exploring opportunities for the delivery of COVID related goods and services.
• UN Women Nigeria is seeking a program finance associate to support implementation of the new project, as well as other interventions under the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme.
• Reporting to the Programme Specialist, WEE, under the strategic guidance of the Operations Manager in the CO, the Programme Finance Associate works with and provides support to the members of the WEE team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.
• S/he contributes to research, financial management and programme implementation, including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme/Finance associate will also support activities in the wider CO operations and programme teams as required.

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 action 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 closure of a project;
• Provide administrative support in monitoring budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; including the finalization of FACE forms;
• Review financial reports;
• Prepare information for the audit of programme and support implementation of audit recommendations;

Prepare and administer the Programme budgets in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems:

• Formulate the budget, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and prepare revisions according to the needs of the programme;
• Track the appropriate and timely use of financial resources, implement and maintain control mechanism for programme through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status;
• Collect, verify and present information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of the programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities;
• Provide assistance in Annual Work Plan entry in Results Management Systems (RMS) as required
• Undertake corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers. Respond to RO/HQ requests to resolve financial data issues;

Provide administrative and logistical 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 ;
• Provide technical guidance to the CO and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization of meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims; prepare public information materials and briefing packets;
• Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations;
• Identify sources and father and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches, and position papers.

Provide administrative support to resource mobilization:

• Compile and process information from donors, COs and programme team as inputs to various databases and documents
• Prepare drafts for cost sharing agreements including conditions of contributions within resource mobilization efforts adhering standard agreements where possible. Follow up on contributions within the CO resource mobilization efforts

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 trainings;
• 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 and accurate support events, workshops, and missions
• Full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
• Timely recording of the WPS programme finances
• Timely and accurate tracking of data for CO management and donor purposes
• Quality maintenance of internal systems

Competencies
Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Good knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to create, edit, and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
• Strong financial and budgeting skills;
• Strong IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience
Education and certification:

• Completion of secondary education is required.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Public Administration is an asset

Experience:

• At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages;
• Experience in the use of ATLAS is an asset;
• Experience in supporting a team

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required
• Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Deadline: 4th October, 2021 (Midnight New York, USA).

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online