Background

In 2016, the government launched comprehensive reforms to mainstream the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region, which until now has been governed by a special law (Frontier Crimes Regulation 1901), where the laws and rights enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan are not applicable to the residents of FATA. The UN has played a leading role in advocating for and supporting government-led efforts to mainstream the FATA region. With the launch of the report of the Committee on FATA Reforms 2016, the UN system in Pakistan as well as the international community see significant tasks ahead in terms of supporting the government’s transition and recovery efforts in FATA.

In 2017, UNDP assisted the government and key stakeholders to translate the FATA Reform Agenda into action. This includes the Cabinet approval of the 26-point reform agenda, the formation of a PM-level implementation committee, introduction and passage of key legislation, and planning support for implementation. On 31st May the bill for merger of FATA with KP was passed by the Federal and Provincial Legislatures and signed by the President, merging FATA with neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. This transition represents one of the most fundamental political reforms in Pakistan since 1947, and the largest governance change for the residents of FATA since 1887.
UNDP will continue to provide high-level and strategic Technical Assistance to key national counterparts including the FATA Secretariat, Government of KP and Ministry of SAFRON to facilitate a peaceful transition.

In order to provide efficient implementation support to the FATA Governance Project (FGP), which sits under UNDP’s Democratic Governance Unit, the project is looking to hire an experienced Senior Operations Officer.

Under the direct supervision of Operations Manager, the Senior Operations Officer will assist the project team in connection with project's financial and administrative implementation to achieve set project targets. The Senior Operations Officer will have the responsibility for ensuring the highest efficiency in the delivery of functions in the areas of budget management, procurement, administration and finance related functions. He/She will provide guidance and oversight role to ensure compliance with UNDP rules and regulations

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Ensures Strategic direction of the project operations
• Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management
• Ensures effective project budgeting and financial controls
• Ensures timely and efficient project financial reporting
• Ensures strategic human resources management and supervision of the HR team.

Ensures Strategic direction of the project operations focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules and regulations of financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up; implementation of the effective internal control framework.
• PMU business processes mapping and establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Finance, Human Resources Management, Procurement, Logistical and ICT services in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.
• Constant monitoring and analysis of the operating environment and timely adjustment of the operations.
• Knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations in the PMU, organization of the operations staff training, synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices etc.
• Organization and oversight of project cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions.

Ensures effective and accurate financial resources management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Proper planning and expenditure tracking of financial resources and monitoring of financial delivery against work plans and preparation of relevant periodic reports;
• Proper management of the contribution management business process and accounting for contributions to ensure that the money due to UNDP is properly identified, consistently and uniformly classified, recorded on a timely basis and received the sufficient supporting documentation.

Ensure effective application of operational policies pertaining to project implementation and management:

• Prepare and/or check the financial reports for USAID, DFID and other donors, monitor use of cost sharing funds and other resources.
• Submission of financial reports to donors on a timely and quality basis.
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for FATA Governance Project.
• Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments for project is properly reviewed and made on a timely basis, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis.
• Timely response to country office units requests to resolve Operational/financial data issues.
• Take lead in preparation of AWP and revisions.
• Timely accounts closure.
• Assist supervisor in generating requisitions, purchase orders and payment requests in ATLAS, and ensures monthly delivery updates on financial delivery performance;
• Follow-up with partners on contributions, deposits creation in Atlas and their application to AR pending items.
• Certification of reimbursement of expense claims.
• Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements.
• Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Ensuring that cost-sharing contributions are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis.
• Daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in Atlas to monitor imprest level; identification and recording of contributions.
• Supervision of any assistant to be assigned.

Ensures effective project budgeting and financial controls focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Prepare budget forecasts and estimates in coordination with Program Team for annual and quarterly budget requirements and project proposals, which involve financial forecasting, budgeting and accounts.
• Prepare financial and budgetary plans ensuring full compliance with UNDP’s regulations and rules, policies, procedures and internal control framework.
• Monitoring of financial exception report for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to supervisors and other UNDP staff at HQ of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Ensures strategic human resources management and supervision of the HR team focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Oversight of recruitment processes in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, appropriate use of different contractual modalities, contracts management.
• CO compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies.
• Preparation of recruitment plan and elaboration of job descriptions for required staffing;
• Monitoring of attendance and leave of the project personnel.
• Ensures provision of efficient procurement and logistical/administrative services.
• Elaboration of the PMU contract strategy including tendering processes and evaluation, managing the contract and contractor, legal implications. Oversight of procurement processes and logistical services in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• 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.
• Review terms of reference to ensure the quality of inputs to be procured;
• Assist in facilitating project assets and inventory and records keeping.
• Prepare travel and logistical arrangements for the staff and consultants; arrange itineraries, visas, security clearances, accommodation, prepare appropriate requisitions.
• Draft logistical notes, arrange the logistics including visa, and liaise with event participants.
• Certification of travel claims.
• Carry out any other relevant duties as requested by the supervisor.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships

Level 1.1: Maintaining strong relations

• Strong relations established with Government counterparts focuses on impact and result for partners

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Level 1.1: Basic research and analysis

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents innovative strategies and new approaches
• Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Level 1.1: Expertise in development programs

• Excellent understanding of development partners;
• Experience developing programs and frameworks for development;

Knowledge of Government Systems

Level 1.1: Knowledge and understanding of KP Government Institutions

• Thorough and complete knowledge of KP Government systems and rules and procedures

Client Orientation

Level 1.1: Maintains effective client relationships

• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
• Responds to client needs promptly

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Level 1.2: Fundamental knowledge of own discipline

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Substantive project operational management experience, including detailed working knowledge of human resources, procurement, ICT, finance, project management, asset management and logistics; Good knowledge of ATLAS is preferred.
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Finance, ACCA/CA or equivalent.

Experience:

• 4-5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in administration and finance of development projects.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirements: Fluency in the English and Urdu required.

Source:https://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=19626&hrs_jo_pst_seq=1&hrs_site_id=2