Finance & Administrative Associate – UNDP jobs in Liberia

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience.

UNDP connects countries to the knowledge, resources, and networks they need to achieve development breakthroughs. Our work is summed up in our six signature solutions, adapted to context and powered by three potent enablers for greater impact. Responding in an integrated and coherent manner, we are determined to end poverty and hunger, protect the planet from degradation, ensure that all people have prosperous lives, with growth that occurs in harmony with nature, and to foster peaceful and inclusive societies. We are committed to mobilizing the means to implement the 2030 Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity.

UNDP has supported the Government and people of Liberia in their efforts to reduce poverty and inequality in a bid to attain sustainable development since 1977. This has been done by among other things strengthening and reforming governance institutions to be inclusive and participatory, developing the necessary regulatory frameworks, upholding human rights, and supporting growth of the private sector and civil society. Our United Nations identity ensures neutrality and respect for people’s choices. Transparency and accountability in operations makes us a trusted partner for national and international development stakeholders.

UNDP encourages and enables collective intelligence, collaboration, integration, critical thinking and thought leadership. We mainstream innovation, digitalization opportunities, gender equity and diversity/inclusion principles in all aspects of our work. Our staff consistently strive for excellence, effectiveness, efficiency, and inclusion across all areas of work.

In close cooperation with the UNDP Programme teams and other Country Office units, the Operations team supports the UNDP Country Office and programme implementation through the provision of relevant and timely procurement, finance, ICT and digital services, General Administration services, and Human Resources support. This includes a focus on collaboration, innovation, speed, and administrative efficiency as well as advisory services for enhanced planning. The unit contributes to a collective engagement with other teams, partners, and UN.

Agency clients to offer timely, well-planned, and efficient services that meet the standard and requirements of UNDP policies and procedures.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Liberia is host to a forest cover of 6.6 million ha, which represents approximately 69% of the total landmass. Regarded as one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world, Liberia has approximately 43% of the remaining Upper Guinea forest with enormous biodiversity that includes plants with high endemism. Irrespective of the global and national significance of Liberia’s forest and biodiversity, Liberia faces several challenges and threats to its forest resources, including unsustainable logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, the heavy reliance of local people on natural forests for fuelwood and timber, wildlife poaching, etc. These drivers are causing considerable damage to the integrity of the ecosystems and the provision of essential ecosystem services, which are exacerbated by inadequate livelihood opportunities and economic incentives for the forest communities.

There has been increasing recognition of community forestry as a means for promoting sustainable forest management that can allow for maximizing benefits for forest-dependent people who are custodians of the forest and its resources. This has given rise to governments increasingly ceding forest and land management rights/control to local people and communities. As part of the post-conflict forest reform, Liberia developed a Community Rights Law that aims to empower communities to engage in the sustainable management of these forests.

UNDP has developed the LEH-GO-GREEN project, which seeks to support increased forest-based revenue and livelihoods for forest users and forest fringe communities in Liberia”. The project, funded by the European Union Delegation in Liberia, seeks to improve natural resources governance and business environment for sustainable forest-based activities in line with the 2021-2024 EU Programming Forestry & Conservation Contribution to Team Europe Initiatives (TEI) ‘Sustainable Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation in Liberia’. It will focus on strengthening the sustainable use of natural resources in Liberia while contributing to the fight against climate change and increasing jobs and growth for forest communities in the Grebo-Krahn and Gola Forest landscapes in Liberia for enhancing access to forest-based revenue and livelihood opportunities for improved forestry and conservation activities.

The project will work across the following four outcomes:

Outcomes 1: Community Conservation Agreement (CCA) developed and implemented to support sustainable livelihood and nature-based solutions in targeted authorized forest communities.

Outcomes 2: Sustainable management of reduced impact community-based commercial logging promoted based on best practices and guidelines developed and piloted in targeted authorized forest communities.

Outcomes 3: Resilient and diversified income and livelihood opportunities and business development of forest-related enterprises created and strengthened.

Outcomes 4: Mechanisms to foster sustainable financing of local forest-based enterprises promoted for enhancing the capacity of forest communities to be aware of carbon market opportunities to participate in carbon readiness activities.

The project will be implemented under a Direct Implementation Modality (DIM). It will be implemented in collaboration with the Forestry Development Authority, as the Responsible Party, sits under the Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) Portfolio, which seeks to support the Government of Liberia in delivering pro-poor growth, equitable development of human capital, and sustainability in natural resources management. This IGG Portfolio is complementary to and builds on existing frameworks and plans of action such as the Sustainable Development Goals, AU’s Agenda 2063, the PAPD 2018–2023, UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNDP Country Programme Document for the Republic of Liberia (2020-2024) and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2020-2024 for Liberia. The project objectives are aligned with national frameworks and priorities and are intended to support the government, under the leadership of the Forestry Development Authority to deliver on its obligations to its citizens. It was developed following consultations with government counterparts, civil society actors, and other development partners.

• Carry out all day-to-day administrative, operational, budgetary, and financial management functions of the project.
• Support to Project Management for monitoring of budgets, financial management issues and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system.
• Accounting and administrative support to the IGG pillar.
• Assist the Project Manager and Programme Coordinator in liaising with different government agencies/UNDP/donor partners, NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain inventory of project assets and provide logistic support to workshops/seminars and other project activities.
• Assist to prepare periodic accounting records, maintaining delivery records, making project transactions in UNDP format, preparing draft budget revisions, shadow budgets, cost sharing, and other financial and accounting reports.
• Support to make disbursement from petty cash and maintain expenditure statement, cashbook, bank register; and
• Facilitation of knowledge-building and knowledge sharing
• Provides effective support to the management of the project, administration of budgets, and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on the achievement of the following results:
• Presentation of information for the formulation of country program work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and execution modalities. Entry of data of new grants into Atlas in the form of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), monitoring of their status.
• Provision of information for the audit of the project, and implementation of audit recommendations.
• Implementation of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring of budgets preparation and modifications
• Tracking and reporting on mobilized resources.
• Preparation of reports.
• Support to Project Management for monitoring of budgets, financial management issus and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system.
• Accounting and administrative support to the GIG pillar
• Assist the Joint Programme Manager and Programme Specialist in liaising with different government agencies/UNDP/donor partners, NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain inventory of project assets and provide logistic support to workshop/seminar and other project activities.
• Provide assistance to prepare periodic accounting records, maintain delivery records, make project transactions in UNDP format, prepare draft budget revisions, shadow budgets, cost sharing and other financial and accounting reports.
• Support to make disbursement from petty cash and maintain expenditure statement, cashbook, bank register; and
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing
• Provides effective support to management of the project, administration of budgets and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Presentation of information for formulation of country programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities. Entry of data of new grants into Atlas in the form of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), monitoring of their status.
• Provision of information for the audit of the project, implementation of audit recommendations.
• Implementation of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring of budgets preparation and modifications
• Tracking and reporting on mobilized resources.
• Preparation of reports.
• Provides accounting and administrative support to the Project focusing on the achievement of the following results:
• Prepare budget analysis and projections as required.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly progress reports and organize periodical progress reviews.
• Comply fully with UNDP rules and regulations for financial processes, financial records, and reports and audit follow-up; implement the internal control framework.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments, prepare documents for vendors in Atlas; assistance in managing the project management and Payments.
• Maintain financial records for UNDP and government/national counterparts as required.
• Maintain the internal expenditure control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas and that travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, and unapproved vouchers.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and relevant financial reports to management, UNDP, and donors, as well as the government as may be called for.
• Prepare timely and accurate Monthly Fund Utilization Reports by Donor and by Budget Lines for the Management.
• Prepare timely and accurate Quarterly Expenditure Reports to be attached to Progress Reports for Donors.
• Enter accurately the AWP and subsequent Budget revisions along with Multi-year Budgets in Quantum for endorsement by management for approval and KK by the Country Office.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports; preparation of PO and non-PO vouchers.
• Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and follow-up with partners on contributions.
• Coordination of shipments and customs clearance, travel, events management, administrative surveys, transportation services and insurance, space management, and procurement of supplies.
• Presentation of thoroughly researched information for planning financial resources for administrative services
• Any other duty instructed by the Project Manager/Programme Coordinator
• Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly progress reports and organize periodical progress reviews.
• Comply fully with UNDP rules and regulations for financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up; implement the internal control framework.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments, prepare document for vendors in Atlas; assistance in managing the project management and Payments.
• Maintain financial records for UNDP and government/national counterparts as required.
• Maintain the internal expenditure control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas and that travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Ensure timely, accurate and relevant financial reports to management, UNDP and donors, as well as the government as may be called for.
• Prepare timely and accurate Monthly Fund Utilization Report by Donor and by Budget Lines for the Management.
• Prepare timely and accurate Quarterly Expenditure Reports to be attached to Progress Reports for Donors.
• Enter accurately the AWP and subsequent Budget revisions along with Multi-year Budgets in the ATLAS for endorsement by management for approval and KK by Country Office.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports; preparation of PO and non-PO vouchers.
• Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and follow-up with partners on contributions.
• Coordination of shipments and customs clearance, travel, events management, administrative surveys, transportation services and insurance, space management, procurement of supplies.
• Presentation of thoroughly researched information for planning of financial resources for administrative services
• Support with protocol matters, registration of staff, coordination with local authorities, on space and other administrative matters
• Any other duty instructed by the Joint Programme Manager/Programme Specialist

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: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Adapt with Agility: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Act with Determination: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

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 customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Knowledge Generation- Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Budget management- Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Financial reporting and analysis-Understands changes in regulatory, legal, and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings, and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social, and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.

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.

Audit- Ability to examine and verify accounts and records.

Accounting (General)- Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

• A minimum 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience at the national or international level is required.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced
• knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages.