Senior Programme Associate

Under the general supervision and guidance of the Chief of field office, the Senior Programme Associate performs technical and administrative functions for the flow of UNICEF’s cash assistance to project and monitoring effective utilization of the assistance. Provides support for management of organization’s resources and works with other program officers for the preparation of work plans and project documents.

Summary of Key Functions of the Senior Programme Associate will be as follows:

Support to programme development, planning and execution:

• Researches, analyzes, verifies, synthesizes and compiles qualitative and quantitative data and information from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the province office to facilitate preparation of reports, working papers and presentations.
• Drafts project documents, work plans, budgets, and proposals on implementation arrangements.
• Carries out transactions in VISION ensuring alignment with programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs)and Field Office contribution plans and makes amendments and alterations as and when necessary.
• Coordinates with program implementing partners including government counterparts and NGO partners as well as program/project officers for ensuring effective and timely utilization of cash assistance and compliance with Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) assurance policies and activities.
• Serve as the focal person for program management indicators for the Field office, ensuring accuracy, promptness and appropriateness of information and reports to the Chief of Field Office.

Support to monitoring and reporting of programme results:

• Prepares monitoring and reporting information for supervisor on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Monitors financial expenditures of province field office, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Collects, registers and maintains information on project activities by reviewing reports and through first-hand sources. Undertakes periodical field visits with government, NGOs and UNICEF staff members for monitoring programme effectiveness and efficiency as well as for capacity building of government counterparts and NGO partners.
• Contributes to the preparation of status and progress reports by providing information, preparing tables and drafting selected sections of it. Prepares background material for use in discussions and briefing sessions.
• Monitors project/programme funds and grants aligned with annual workplan activities for the field office by reviewing a variety of records, including activities by reviewing a variety of records, including control plans, progress reports, project inputs, budgets and financial expenditures, including VISION and other organizational tools.
• Serves as the focal person to provide support in conducting audits, spot checks, and micro assessments of partners for the field office.

Support in resource mobilization:

• Performs budget focal person role for field Office including monitoring of grants, fund allocations as per programme results areas for timely utilization of funds and reporting of expenditures and contribute to donor reporting.
• Monitors budget of province office, analyze budgetary information in VISION and other organizational tools and keep supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow-up.
• Researches, analyzes, verifies, and synthesizes data and information in support of preparing reports pertaining to donors (both current and potential).
• Researches, analyzes, verifies, and synthesizes data and information to assist in the preparation of periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to province office to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds.
• Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for his/her province office such as tracking expiring programme grants and monitoring of open commitments.
• Support in knowledge management and capacity building
• Supports capacity development activities related to performance monitoring, programme development, and related internal UNICEF systems/tools by preparing training materials and participating on exercises pertaining to programme processes and procedures which aim to build capacity of stakeholders.
• Researches, analyzes, verifies and synthesizes information on best practices and lessons learnt to support knowledge development and capacity building.
• Perform other duties as required

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

The following minimum requirements:

Education: 

• Completion of secondary education is required.
• University degree (Bachelor’s) in accounting, financial management, business administration/business studies is desirable.

Work Experience: 

• For a candidate with secondary education only, a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, accounting or financial management work, of which at least one or two years closely related to support of programme activities.
• For a candidate with bachelor’s degree is required to have a minimum four years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, accounting, or financial management duties including one or two years closely related to support of programme activities

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/572858