Admin and Finance Associate

While Bangladesh has made great strides in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the country is still facing multiple challenges in the achievement of the SDGs by 2030. Particularly the attainment of SDG 16 – the promotion of peace, justice, and strong institutions – has been lagging behind. This SDG is universally recognized as being the driver for realising all other SDGs and is thus of vital importance. This programme addresses the need to develop effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels to promote peaceful, just and inclusive societies for Bangladesh’s sustainable development, enabling wider engagement of development partners and relevant stakeholders. The programme aims to support the country in achieving SDG 16 by: 

• Strengthening public institutions that can contribute to fulfilling national and international commitments and provide better service delivery. 
• Creating a positive policy environment that embeds the SDGs’ core principle of “leave no one behind”. 
• Promoting new capabilities and leveraging technology and innovation for more effective and inclusive governance and public service delivery.

The project consists of the following three outputs:

Output 1: Capacities of Bangladesh’s bureaucracy are strengthened to deliver on SDG16 & SDG5

Output 2: Institutions of public oversight are more people-centric and effectively fulfil their mandates. 

Output 3: The policy environment is strengthened to sustain SDG results and integrate SDGs into routine GoB operations and partnerships (multi-stakeholder Policy Dialogue Platform)

The Admin and Finance Associate will report to the Project Manager and work in close coordination with UNDP Country Office and other team leaders/members of the component of the project.

SIPS will be implemented by UNDP in partnership with public institutions, preferably the SDG Coordination Cell (SDGCC) and the Governance Innovation Unit (GIU) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Parliament. 

The Admin and Finance Associate will be responsible for managing the finance and operations functions of the project. Being the Output-4 Manager, the Admin and Finance Associate will be responsible for the operations, administration, and logistics support to implementation of project activities and contribute to generating output’s results in line with the approved Project Document. S/he will also closely work with the Project Manager and other project staffs, UNDP operations unit, Government officials and other relevant stakeholders. 

• Ensures provision of day-to-day efficient procurement and logistical services. 
• Effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight. 
• Ensure strategic direction of Project finance management. 
• Projects’ budgets management and organization of an optimal cost-recovery system. 
• Ensure proper Financial Reporting, control of Project accounts and support to Audits.
• Ensure close monitoring of the sub-recipients/RPs/ LOAs and other implementing partners.
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing, guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters.

Ensures provision of day-to-day efficient procurement and logistical services: 

• Ensures provision of day-to-day efficient procurement and logistical services of the Procurement team focusing on achievement of the following results:
• CO compliance with corporate rules and regulations in the field and elaboration of the CO procurement strategies including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, e-procurement promotion and introduction, performance measurement.
• Elaboration of the CO contract strategy including tendering processes and evaluation, managing the contract and contractor, legal implications. Monitoring of procurement processes and logistical services in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, acting as Manager Level 1 in Quantum for Purchase orders approvals.
• Proper management of UNDP assets, facilities and logistical services, including full compliance with IPSAS in the accounting for the procurement, utilization and disposal of the CO’s assets.

Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Financial analysis and oversight for all resources (GoB, UNDP, and Donors) managed by the Project and provision of high-quality professional advice to the Management.
• Proper planning, expenditure tracking of financial resources following full compliance with UNDP POPP and Donors rules and regulations of financial process.
• Maintain implementation of the effective internal controls over all financial processes for both UNDP and Donor Fund.
• Ensure an efficient financial flow process.
• Design Chart of Accounts (CoA) of the project to meet government and donor requirements, align financial data with M&E data, tools, and techniques.
• Put in place a reporting system for internal, UNDP and Donor’s needs. 
• Assess degree of compliance with donor agreement and keep update project management on currency exchange loos/gain. 
• Monitor disbursement of funds periodically to inform management and implementation of activities in accordance RPA/LoA, UNDP and GoB rules and regulations.
• Reconcile FACE/FR with Combined Delivery Report (CDR) Ensure the accuracy verification of CDR.
• Ensure all QUANTUM related transactions, a.i, budget analysis, upload budget, monitor project budget, enter necessary GLJE in Quantum etc.
• Ensure an effective information flow between finance and non-finance actors (UNDP Programme unit, GoB line ministries, Donors and Project staffs); 
• Monitor the financial performance of supply management systems/ procurement, inventory management.
• Identify and report on budgetary shortfalls/surpluses as well as results-based indicators to ensure effective and efficient control and delivery of multi-donor funds. 
• Undertake cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of program management; Develop, track and report to management financial key performance indicators.

Ensure strategic direction of Project finance management, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Compliance of operations with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, procedures and monitoring achievement of results of SIPS project.
• Establish or fine tune UNDP and Donor financial procedures: e.g., receipts, payments, disbursements, and bookkeeping, filing procedures for the Project.
• Provision of advice on strategies, policies and plans affecting SIPS project finance managements, delivery of practice advisory, knowledge and learning services.
• Ensure that financial procedures are in place complying with the financial/accounting and procurement requirement of UNDP.
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the management.
• Oversight for the transparency of the financial processes and use of funds and compliance with UNDP financial guidelines.
• Implementation of transparency, accountability, and efficiency of field level (DDLG offices) financial reporting through introducing budget and accounting system.
• Provision of guidance and capacity building of partners and sub recipients (SRs)/Responsible Parties (RPs) on the issues of finance – from contracting and banking issues to budgeting, accounting, financial management and reporting. 
• Ensuring the preparation of the Project’s Quarterly Report and prepare monthly Cash Flow and annual Cash Flow Forecasts, and statement of sources and uses of funds in compliance with the Project management decisions.
• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies. 
• Routinely monitors financial exception reports, if any, for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Inform supervisors of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Manage the Project budget and organize an optimal cost-recovery system, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Management of all financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring, and controlling of the resources in accordance with, Donor and UNDP rules and regulations. 
• Creation of the project budget (including all activities and funds) in QUANTUM in light of ProDoc/Annual Work Plan (AWP), Ensure entry of data into Quantum in the form of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), monitoring of their status, revisions, determination of unutilized funds, as well as operational and financial closure of Project.
• Ensure actual to budgeted variance analysis on monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
• Oversee the monitoring of quarterly financial expenditures and develop strategy for smooth implementation of the work plan.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management. 
• Prepare multi-year output/component wise budget and variance analysis.
• Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments for SR’s and SR’s vendors are properly reviewed and made on a timely basis, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Quantum system on a timely basis. 
• Ensure qualitative financial and budgetary inputs at the time of Project documents Revision (i.e., Pro-Doc, Donor Agreement etc.) if requires.

Ensure proper Financial Reporting, control of Project accounts and support to Audits focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Submission of periodic financial reports to the donors, UNDP.
• Prepare responses to donors on different queries of financial reports.
• Ensuring that contributions from the donors are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis.
• Prepare financial reports for Project Board, Project management and others.
• Ensuring preparation of other financial reports to be submitted to the donors and government counterparts. Focal point for financial information for the external sources. 
• Oversee the preparation of monthly financial statements, QUANTUM reconciliations, payroll reconciliations etc.
• Ensure receipts of bill/vouchers and record of filed level expenditures in a timely manner.
• Facilitate financial audits, FAPAD, HACT Audit, UNDP, UNBOA, and ensure that external auditors have all relevant information.
• Prepare audit reply and do follow-up on audit reports to ensure that all audit observations are addressed/dropped. 
• Ensure implementation of audit recommendations and corrective actions where needed.
• Build capacity to maintain unqualified opinion of auditors.
• Complying with the internal expenditures control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded in the books of Accounts and posted in QUANTUM.
• Ensure timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers and timey response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.

Ensure close monitoring of the sub-recipients/RPs and other implementing partners:

• Assess financial management capacities of sub-recipients/RPs and develop an action plan to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. 
• Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for the use by the Project Manager in liaison with other partners.
• Assess financial management capacities of sub-recipients/RPs and develop an action plan to close identified gaps. 
• Harmonize reporting and accounting practices of sub-recipients/RPs including budgeting and financial key performance indicators.
• Monitor sub-recipients/RPs as to the accuracy of financial information and safeguards to eliminate fraud; ensure annual audits of sub-recipients. 
• Ensure continuous support for the financial managers of sub-recipient/RP organizations.
• Facilitate financial HACT Audit of the sub-recipients/RPs.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing, guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Develop training plan/curriculum for the sub-recipients/RPs’ financial and accounting staff and conduct a training on financial reporting requirements management system. 
• Organization of training for the project staff on financial management. 
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Program Finance.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Provide sound mentoring to the Finance personnel of the Project.
• Ensure GoB applicable VAT & Tax rules are in place at the procurement and payment process.
• Perform any other duty related to the SIPS program as assigned by Project Manager.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy

• Business Acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgements and quick decisions within such frameworks.

Business Management

• Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organize and oversee the organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets in the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms

Administration & Operations

• Asset Management: Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; maintain Asset Management Module in QUANTUM, Asset Dashboard; develop supporting tools for assets certification and further enhancements for AM module; design and run training programs, etc. on assets management and assets recording; run AP-AM interface; perform AP-AM-GL reconciliation; perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset information.
• Inventory Management  Each office to ensure sufficient inventory items are available for use as well as reporting for items which are beyond the corporate threshold of $5K and above. 

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.
• Financial reporting and analysis  Understand 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.
• Management and cost accounting: Ability to produce periodic qualitative and quantitative performance reports to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Ability to use a range of costing techniques and analyse cost related data to provide quantitative information to the users of reports.