Finance and Program Support [Harmonize Approach of Cash Transfer (HACT)] Consultant, Solomon Islands (2 consultancies), 12 months, Honiara, Solomon Islands

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, health.

We operate in the Pacific, specifically in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth. They inhabit more than 660 islands and atolls that stretch across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. This area is comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, only a third are on track with reporting obligations. You can explore the different areas of our work at the link provided here: www.unicef.org/pacificislands .

Background of Assignment: 

While Solomon Islands is on track to achieve most of the health related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets, there has been slow progress and the recent census results indicating reversals for Infant mortality rate (IMR) and Under-five mortality rate (U5MR) that is 22 and 28 per 1,000 live births in 2009 and 24 and 30 per 1,000 live births in 2019 (Census report, 2019) with significant geographical disparities (IMR and U5MR at 32 & 42 in Central Province, and 15 & 19 in Temotu Province respectively). Therefore, bridging gaps and ensuring no child or community is left behind, there is need for more effective and efficient program delivery mechanism.

The UNICEF Pacific multi-country programme 2023-2027 has emphasized strengthening of management and leadership capacities as a means to enhance delivery of integrated quality social services. Likewise, UNICEF adopted the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) as an approach for obtaining assurance that results have been achieved in line with resource utilization. This aims at managing risk related to cash transfers made to implementing partners in support of programme implementation, reducing partner transaction costs and allowing progressive use of national systems for management and accountability of results and resources.

Currently all Gavi cash grants for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) are channeled through UNICEF as an interim arrangement, during which UNICEF is expected to provide enhanced fiduciary assurance for disbursements to the MHMS both at national and sub-national levels as well as capacity building support for MHMS, provincial health departments and provincial councils in the areas of financial and programme management. In this context, UNICEF seeks two national consultants to provide necessary capacity building and implementation support for improved financial management, programme effectiveness and efficiency through shadowing key MHMS staff (including finance) at national and sub-national levels in all provinces, training, offering advice, instilling confidence, and assisting with troubleshooting.

How can you make a difference? 

With support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and other donors, UNICEF has been providing financial and technical support to the MHMS of Solomon Islands and in a bid to strengthen its financial and programme management capacity at national and sub-national levels, these consultancies are aimed at achieving the following objectives:

• Strengthened planning, budgeting and financial management processes at MHMS and Provincial Health Departments
• Timely and accurate expenditure monitoring, reporting, and liquidations by MHMS and Provincial Health Departments through enhanced UNICEF’s HACT assurance activities

The consultants will be supervised by the Maternal and Child Health Specialist in Solomon Islands Field Office with guidance of the Chief of Field Office, Solomon Islands. The consultants will be based in Honiara, Solomon Islands for the entire contract period (12 months) with frequent in-country field missions.

Please refer to the ToR  Finance Officer consultancy ToR.pdf for further information on the deliverables and the timelines.

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:

All applications for this consultancy must include a separate financial offer along with the technical proposal.

The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:

• Monthly/Daily consultancy fees – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference
• Travel (In country field mission travel)
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs .

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:  

• A first level university degree in accounting, financial management or another related financial field is required. Supplemental formal financial / accounting training may be accepted if a university degree is not in a related financial field. CIPFA qualification is acceptable in lieu of relevant university degree.

Experience:  

• At least 2 years of work experience in programs financial management are required.
• Experience in working with Government entities/ sectors, and provincial level experience is an advantage.
• Relevant work experience in a UN organization, including familiarity with HACT, is considered as an asset.

Required Skills:  

• Financial management skills
• Computer literacy, ability to operate relevant software and programmes, including ability to
• balance and reconcile figures and transcribe accurately
• Proven ability to manage relationships with government ministries, local governments,
• national and sub-national partners, service providers, communities and other stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively with people of different backgrounds
• Strong organizational, planning and prioritization skills
• Clear and concise communication
• Good analytical skills

Required Knowledge and Language:  

• Good knowledge of working environment in Solomon Islands
• Knowledge and understanding of government financial processes and procedures in Solomon Islands
• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of a local language would be an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here

Remarks:  

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidates are solely responsible to ensure that the visa (if applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process for this consultancy.