Background Information – Job-specific
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations. With over 8,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.
The Zimbabwe Hurricane Idai Recovery Programme (ZIRP) will fall under the purview of the UNOPS KEMC (Kenya Multi Country Office) Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the Kenya Multi Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The KEMC sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and Southern Africa. This includes a large portfolio of Infrastructure, procurement and project management service projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and several Island states.
Project background
Following devastation caused to life, livelihoods and property by tropical storm Idai in March 2019, the WB has allocated up to US$ 75 million to finance a recovery project for Zimbabwe. The project addresses both early and mid-term recovery needs in multiple sectors (livelihoods, health, education, agriculture). UNOPS has been requested to manage the WB funds and is establishing a Project Implementation Unit (PIU). UNOPS, via the PIU, will engage multiple UN partner organisations to deliver specific components of ZIRP. The PIU will be located in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe and is expected to be operational for between 2 and 3 years.
The PIU will be established as a facility to support the world bank fund only. As the Fund Manager/PIU UNOPS will be responsible for multiple functions vis-a-vis the ZIRP including the design of an early recovery/emergency response facility, fiduciary management, legal and technical oversight Monitoring and Evaluation, reporting, quality assurance and communications.
The ZIRP PIU is seeking a professional Finance Analyst with experience in the design, implementation and management of budget systems. Candidate will serve as a key member of the team and should be a self-starter and possess excellent organizational skills.
Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager PIU, the incumbent is required to perform the following duties and responsibilities:
Financial and Resource Management:
- Lead the PIU budget formulation for supported Technical Agencies, execution, monitoring, analysis and reporting activities;
- Advise on resource allocation and reallocation. Lead forecasts on expenditures (including depreciation forecasting and monitoring);
- Provide effective support to the PIUs management on business and resource planning and proactively provide solutions to potential issues;
- Monitor the implementation of Department’s work program and budget through regular reviews, ensuring the integrity and quality of the unit’s budget data as well as the budgets of Implementing partners;
- Identify trends and variations, identify/resolve issues, and discuss them with line management, working groups and other relevant staff;
- Other ad hoc tasks as required to support the financial management of department operations;
- Knowledge sharing of resource management & accounting and administrative policies and procedures, ensuring these are communicated and followed by both Technical Agencies s and team members;
- Participate in corporate initiatives and projects related to Resource Management area as required;
- Initiate and conduct studies to improve budget reporting systems and cost effective utilization of resources;
- Compile and analyze data at the Department level and propose solutions to issues identified;
- Independently handle complex and technical financial, administrative and cost effectiveness policy and program issues within the Department.
Reporting, Communications and Liaison:
- Review all implementing partner expenditure report and identify discrepancies if any;
- Consolidate Tenical Agency reports for final submission to donor;
- Produce detailed and summary reports on all funding sources;
- Provide reliable and comprehensible information and analysis;
- Ensure effective back-up arrangements, ensure timely completion of tasks and submission of outputs;
- Provide information and analysis to managers and in collaboration with the PIU Project Support Officer with respect to the management of resources (e.g., budget, staffing, etc);
- Coordinate and lead preparation of monthly PIU financial reports;
- Proactively establish and maintain interface with the clients with regard to budget and eligible costs;
- Advise/liaise with staff in the Department in order to improve knowledge and awareness with respect to budget methodologies, policies, internal control policies and procedures.
Planning
- Participate in all budget preparations, discussions and meetings related to grant planning;
- Monitor and inform the budget status based on the Budget Versus Actual report from Finance Reporting session from Technical Agencies;
- Finalize the preparation of cash forecasts for the next implementation period.
Budgeting
- Ensure that budgets are prepared in the right format with clearly written assumptions, within the required timeframe and with a high level of accuracy;
- Prepare budgets in compliance with World Bank and UNOPS Financial regulations and rules, organizational Directives (ODs) and Administrative Instructions (AIs);
- Assist in providing response and feedback relating to donor queries for newly submitted or reprogrammed budget in coordination with Programme team and SRs;
- Set up and create the new Projects in Oneunops;
- Create the relevant budget coding for the individual budget line for all Technical Agency budgets to enable to record properly in the Oneunops system;
- Load and maintain the ZIRP Technical Agency budgets are correctly in one UNOPS;
- Support in resolving issues of budget errors and take necessary remedial action;
- Assist in preparing the relevant budget annexes for Technical Agency Agreements. Ensure that all annexes are accurate and in the correct format;
- Review the TA expenditure report produced by Finance Reporting unit on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to ensure sufficient budget balance is available before providing COA to the respective budget user;
- Assist in monitoring any changes to the budgets;
- Assist in maintaining tracking modalities for all modifications to the budget; Assist in responding to ad hoc requests of all UNOPS Units;
- Maintains the unit’s filing system according to UNOPS procedures; Perform any other relevant duties as may be assigned by the supervisors.
The personnel is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Management, Economics, Project Management or related field with two years of relevant professional experience is required
- A Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Management, Economics, Project Management
or related will be an asset.
Experience
- Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in budgeting and Financial management is required.
- Knowledge of spreadsheet design and manipulation skills, ability to quickly develop effective understanding of logical accounting data structures and data inter-relationships to effectively evaluate and make recommendations on process/system controls is highly desirable.
- Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships between budget processes, business operations and objectives and good conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills will be an asset.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of accounting theory, concepts and principles, combined with proven practical skills in financial and cost accounting reporting, business planning, work programming, budgeting, financial management and audit will be highly distinct.
- At least one (1) years experience in financial reports and budget preparation is required.
- One (1) year experience in MS office suite is required;
- Experience in World Bank funded projects will be an advantage.
Language requirement
- Fluency in written and oral English required.
More Information
- Job City Harare, Zimbabwe
