Result of Service

• Achieved streamlined process for financial and budget management of the donor funds that is up-to-dated with actual resources and expenses data, provides the best forecasted data, and accommodates a management reporting dashboard. • Built integrated monitoring and donor reporting system of the programme to ensure timely and accurate financial reports in line with the UN/grant agreement requirements. • Built and maintained high operational efficiency in handling management of consultants’ contracts and donor agreements with implementing partners. • Programme works are provided with the necessary financial resources on time and with better planned budgets and supported fundraising activities to ensure feasibility and sustainability of donor funds in the short, medium and longer terms.

Work Location

Remotely / Geneva

Expected duration

9.5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 30 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. UNEP FI is looking for a Senior Programme Associate consultant to support the delivery of donor-funded projects via financial planning, income and expenditure monitoring and donor reporting for projects at the UNEP FI’s Nature thematic workstream, support on budget management for grant agreements through day-to-day coordination and alignment with internal teams and external partners and provide programme management and operational support as needed to the Nature team at the UNEP FI. The consultant will also support the implementation and management of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) project to successfully deliver on all expectations including meticulous and timely financial management, reporting and delivery of milestones. The Senior Programme Associate consultant will support the Nature team in the coordination of programme/project budget planning and management and financial reporting. The consultant will support on identifying resourcing needs of programme and planning income and expenditure for donor-funded projects, identify opportunities for operational efficiency and resource-sharing to optimize resources where feasible, and support on budget planning for fundraising activities and donor-funded projects. The consultant will help ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to donors and support on contract management and partner expenditure planning and reporting in line with UN and donor requirements. The consultant will support on accurate financial data management, monitoring and reporting in line with appropriate policies, guidelines and procedures. The consultant will support the TNFD lead and GEF Project Manager to successfully deliver on all expectations for GEF projects including meticulous and timely financial management, reporting and delivery of milestone, in the first six months of project establishment, inception and during the project implementation. He or she will support the GEF Project Management Unit and GEF Project Steering Committee via tracking of timelines and deliverables, drafting reports, developing agendas, minutes, and other materials as required. The consultant will also provide other programme management and operational support as needed to the Nature team at the UNEP FI. Objective: Support the delivery of donor-funded projects via financial planning, income and expenditure monitoring and donor reporting across UNEP FI’s Nature thematic workstream. Support the Nature team leads on budget management for grant agreements through day-to-day coordination and alignment with Administration team. Support the delivery of GEF-funded TNFD project via administrative, project coordination, financial and other forms of backstopping. Provide programme management support the Nature team at the UNEP FI. Outputs and Deliverables: • Financial management, budgeting, fundraising and resources planning: o Help establish standardized financial planning, monitoring and reporting systems, processes and procedures for donor-funded projects to support budget management. o Help develop and manage financial cashflow of relevant projects; o Help prepare budget for project activities/fundraising proposals; o Ensure all mandatory allocations including direct and indirect costs are correctly estimated in the budgets and forecasts. o Support monitoring of budget performance of project activities and risk mitigation regarding income and expenditure. o Support preparation of budget revisions when needed. o Support preparation and analysis of programme/project budget proposals to assist in budget development for donor funds and fundraising. o Assist in the delivery and monitoring of financial sustainability plans developed for projects and financial commitments secured for workstreams’ current and future work plans in the short, medium and long terms. o Keeping financial liquidity plan updated in relation to resource planning for consultants and implementing partners. • Grants and contracts management: o Assist on fund management for donor-funded project income and expenditure on consultancy contracts and partner agreements. o Monitor and review implementing partners’ interim and final financial and narrative reports. o Support timely delivery of financial data for administrative and project management support. o As feasible, support with the budget management for contracts of consultants and partner organizations and disbursement of sub-grants. o Support queries on grant-related management of funds across relevant teams. o Support on travel and communications related budget operations. • M&E and donor reporting: o Track accounting records for project funds, monitor income and expenditure, co-funding where relevant, and requirements for financial reporting to donors. o Draft grant-funded project’s financial reports and queries in a timely manner, addressing comments as required. o Support planning and delivery of regular financial reports to meet UNEP and donor requirements. o Support monitoring of co-funding expenditure in line with requirements in relevant grant agreements and accuracy in financial reporting to donors. o Assist in monitoring project risk related to financial management and project resourcing. o Support admin and project teams on following up with sub-grantees and partners on financial reporting in line with UN and donor requirements. o Help record payments and expenditure for relevant projects. o Draft semi-annual and annual progress reports of the TNFD project for reporting to the donor, Global Environment Facility (GEF) via WWF US. o Update and maintain the team’s donor reporting and M&E system up-to-dated; track, monitor, ensure and assist in timely submission of the reports to respective donors and partners. o Assist in internal reporting. • Programme coordination and operational support: o Contribute to identifying lessons learned and propose potential changes for adaptive management to ensure ongoing performance improvements in financial management of funds for donor-funded projects. o Supports data management and evaluations for grant agreements. o Identifies areas for operational efficiency and resource sharing where relevant. o Helps ensure accuracy of financial reporting to donors. o Archiving, documentation, management of team’s SharePoint site and in OneDrive. Maintaining and keeping up-to-date files. o Assist in HR recruitment activities including drafting new TORs, screening of applications, scheduling interviews, preparing sets of interview questions, while liaising with and guided by the admin team on daily basis. o Assist with onboarding new interns and consultants in the team. o Update TNFD project’s Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP/B), Results Framework (RF), Risk register and Events/Knowledge management products registers periodically; o Coordinate TNFD project’s steering committee meetings. o Provide other administrative support as required. • TNFD Secretariat secondment: o Support in drafting quarterly and annual reports to the donors and funders; o Assist in risk management and monitoring and tracking of impact indicators of the donor funds; o Assist in budget development for donor funds and fundraising. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Ecosystems/Nature Lead. The final deliverables shall also be approved by the Head of UNEP FI.

Qualifications/special skills

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in project management, finance, fundraising, accounting, accounting or a related discipline. A First degree with relevant experience could be taken in lieu of advanced degree provided the selected candidate has 7 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible work experience related to project coordination and support, particularly for donor-funded projects and/or with the private financial or corporate sectors relevant to the nature and finance.

Languages

Language: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Other United Nations languages particularly French would be an asset.

Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge: Project management, financial/budget management and/or accounting qualification would be valuable. Exceptional financial planning, writing and editing skills and attention to detail are essential. Pro-active with independent working ability, combined with good problem-solving skills and personal resilience to work effectively in a complex setting. Ability to work effectively as part of a team and coordinate across teams is essential. Ability to work with discrete data and information and maintain confidentiality and integrity is essential. Skills to maintain informed and positive relations with donors and partners is essential.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.