The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives.

UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others.  The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on  results Management  and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance,  and strategic communications  team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.

The Management Performance and Oversight unit under the overall guidance of the RR provides effective oversight of programme and project management and ensuring the Office’s compliance with UNDP policies. The unit coordinates the implementation of the MCO Gender Strategy and Action Plan, gender mainstreaming efforts and coordination of the gender seal work across MCO. It also provides overall guidance on Programme resource management, portfolio management, pipeline development, project Quality Assurance (QA), focusing on results and target setting, monitoring, multi-year work planning, development effectiveness, and efficiency and donor reporting (annual and project). The unit further provides cost-efficiency analysis of the country programme delivery and capabilities required, consolidates MCO financial planning and financial and resource management performance and undertakes monitoring and addressing issues related to management performance trends identified by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Audits, Quality Assurance reviews, Vital signs, Harmonized Cash Transfer (HACT), Transparency portal, and other corporate and regional tools and structures. Integrated Financial Dashboard (IFD), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Audits, Quality Assurance reviews, Vital signs, Harmonized Cash Transfer (HACT), Transparency portal, and other corporate and regional tools and structures.

Under the direct supervision of the Management and Oversight Analyst or Programme Oversight Analyst, and overall guidance of the Management Specialist, the Management Associate provides support to the leadership in the execution of oversight and management performance, and supports the formulation, planning and management of the country programme and operations by managing data and facilitating implementation of various initiatives and activities aiming to effectively deliver development results. The Management Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the MCO and UNDP HQs as required for resolving complex programme and finance-related issues and exchange of information.

• Effective support to oversight and management performance initiatives including contribution to project design, appraisal, implementation processes.
• Contribution to effective pipeline management system and processes within the office.
• Review of project budget and budget revisions to ensure matching with available resources in the projects.
• Monitoring and ensuring timely operational and financial closure of projects in coordination with responsible programme and operations teams.
• Follow-up on project revisions, project status, determination of unutilized funds and follow up to project closure.
• Timely execution of back up function for programme and operations related responsibilities based on the demand and request of the supervisor.

• Contribute to periodic monitoring of Country Office performance using corporate tools as well as targets set annually, with special emphasis on pipeline management/delivery and resource mobilization targets, compliance and strategic oversight of and support to Country Office financial sustainability.
• Data collection and support to analysis on key management aspects of MCO portfolio performance, including MCO workplans, annual targets monitoring; implementation and reporting; addressing bottlenecks and deficiencies in issues related to programme and operations; and remedial actions related to programme finance and enterprise risk management, in consultation with relevant programme and operations staff.
• Regular data collection and review of the key management performance indicators; support to analysis of trends and consolidation of information on trends that provide management with appropriate analytical tools to establish measurable performance actions by the Country Office.
• Review of data on financial and management performance and support to analysis of MCO performance, including verification of evidence documentation.
• Support and facilitation of reviews of project work plans, budgets, and transactions, for assigned offices and projects, as required by the supervisor.
• Conduct random sampling to ensure effective oversight on MCO transactions and processes as required

Provides risk management and financial management support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support in ensuring full compliance of programming initiatives and activities with corporate UNDP policies and procedures, including accountability framework, internal control framework, Enterprise Risk Management, Social and Environmental Standards, etc.
• Support in periodic oversight activities relating to programme and operations management, remotely and on site, and make recommendations for improvement to MCO Management.
• Support in planning and monitoring of various programme/project budgetary resources and ensures quality control of financial resources management performed by relevant personnel, flagging any deviations and proposing corrective measures in line with UNDP FRRs.
• Support in implementation of the partnership and resource mobilization action plans, including tracking and reporting on mobilized resources by the Country Office, and timely recording of contributions and reporting.
• Support review of contribution agreements before signature by the MCO management, including obtaining of clearances from HQ if necessary; support monitoring of cost-sharing contributions, in liaison with GSSC.
• Support to accurate recording of data into ERP (e.g., Annual Work Plans, GMS rates and their distribution, results data).
• Work with the supervisor on audit or other assessment related activities to ensure that actions across various audit-mandated and compliance tasks are completed in a timely manner; and
• Review of programme and project financial information and reports, including review of correctness of CDRs, recommendation of corrective actions, and ensure implementation in line with POPP.
• Quality review of HACT (Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers) FACE Form submissions  and other required documentation by the programme teams prior to final approval by Senior Management.
• Provision of guidance to implementing partners and responsible parties on implementation issues and UNDP requirements.
• Drafting of preparation of the guidance and ensure follow-up on HACT audits and requirements.
• Support to management of partners capacities and risk assessments, assurance plans and follow-up as required.
• Participation in the evaluation and review panels; preparation of evaluation reports and submission to procurement, grants and other review committees, as required.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of training events on programme and operations, including technical inputs and support to logistics.
• Organization and provision of training and learning activities for UNDP personnel on specific project management and financial issues, the application of ERP and other corporate/regional systems and tools, etc.
• Facilitation of knowledge building and management, documentation of lessons learned and good practices, and innovation and knowledge transfer in the country office, region and globally.
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Business Direction & Strategy

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and ways forward look like for UNDP; Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Management

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results
• Resources Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity

Business Development

• Development and Operational Effectiveness: Ability to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported; Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems; Ability to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work; Good knowledge of financial rules and regulations and Results Management Guide, accounting; Strong IT skills, Atla; Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system

Finance

• Financial Planning and Budgeting: Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting

Ethics

• UN policy knowledge – ethics: Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity