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Position Title:Consultant - Country level Financial Reporting, Accountability and
Organizational Development
Organization:UNOPS
Vacancy code: VA/2015/B5007/6610
Level: ICS-10
Department/office :GPSO, GVAC, Geneva
Duty station :Home based
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-2
Duration: 120 working days over 7 calendar months
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Employment Type:Full Time Permanent
Application Deadline: 10-Feb-2015
Organizational Profile:
UNOPS mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the
United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects,
infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Within these three core areas of
expertise, UNOPS provides its partners with advisory, implementation and
transactional services, with projects ranging from building schools and
hospitals, to procuring goods and services and training local personnel. UNOPS
works closely with governments and communities to ensure increased economic,
social and environmental sustainability for the projects we support, with a
focus on developing national capacity.
Working in some of the world’s most
challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation
practices in development, humanitarian and peacebuilding contexts, always
satisfying or surpassing partner expectations.
We employ more than 6,000 personnel
and on behalf of our partners create thousands more work opportunities in local
communities. Through our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a network of
offices, we oversee activities in more than 80 countries.
Background information -WSSCC
The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is a global,
multi-stakeholder membership and partnership organization that works with
communities, their organizations, local governments and entrepreneurs to
improve living and working conditions of poor people. Founded in 1990, the
Council maintains a membership of over 5,000 water, sanitation and hygiene
(WASH) professionals from over 80 countries. The United Nations Office for
Project Services (UNOPS) is the legal and administrative host of WSSCC. The
mission of the Council is to ensure sustainable sanitation, better hygiene and
safe drinking water for all people, with focus on the poorest and most
marginalized members of society in developing countries. In order to achieve
its mission, WSSCC facilitates sector coordination at national, regional and
global levels, supports national sanitation and hygiene programmes through its
Global Sanitation Fund, coordinates professional development and knowledge
networking, and advocates on behalf of the 2.5 billion people without a clean
and safe toilet to use. More information on WSSCC can be found at: www.wsscc.org.
As the world’s leading finance facility dedicated to improving sanitation
and hygiene, the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) provides funding to national
programmes in up to 26 countries that are most in need of improved sanitation.
It is currently engaged in twelve countries, with preparation activities in a
further six, disbursing $25-$30 million in grant financing per year. For each
country, WSSCC facilitates the development of country programme proposals
through a consultative process over 6-9 months involving government and
non-governmental (NGO) actors, as well as representatives of external support
agencies. It then appoints an Executing Agency (EA) to administer grant funding
and execute the country programmes. Each EA makes sub-grants to NGOs, private
sector and local governments to implement the country programmes using methods
of community-based total sanitation and sanitation marketing. The programmes are designed for scale,
achieving total sanitation coverage in entire districts and reaching an average
of 900,000 people per country.
In addition to furnishing sanitation programmes with grants through the
GSF, WSSCC also provides support at the country level to NGOs, governments,
local authorities, and entrepreneurs working in the sanitation supply chain.
This takes the form of networking, policy advocacy, applied research, knowledge
sharing and learning, and targeted communications and media outreach. Much of this
support is directed to coalition building and sector coordination to bring
about policy reforms and large-scale improvements in sanitation and hygiene.
Working in this way, WSSCC elevates equity and inclusion in the guidelines of
national WASH policies. And it leverages the precedents set by GSF-funded
programs, mobilizing external support agencies, government and NGOs to develop
strategic partnerships that enable countries achieve national sanitation
targets. For this, WSSCC appoints
National Coordinators to facilitate country engagement and develop
partnerships.
The wide range of programmatic interventions in Africa and Asia presents
many administrative challenges to WSSCC.
Rather than establishing large regional and country offices replete with
chief technical advisors, international professionals, and accompanying support
staff, the Council maintains a light footprint. It relies on National
Coordinators (NCs) who are appointed by WSSCC and serve in a voluntary capacity
while at the same time maintaining full-time, paid positions as senior civil
servants, private consultants or NGO leaders. The Council also relies upon
Executing Agencies and sub-grantees contracted to implement national programs
financed by the Global Sanitation Fund. International Management Consulting
Firms are also contracted as Country Programme Monitors to provide oversight of
Executing Agencies. In addition, WSSCC provides grants to national institutes,
sister UN agencies, and not-for-profit organizations to advance applied research,
policy reforms, training of trainers, and other programmatic interventions.
While cost-effective, flexible, and results-based, the “light footprint” of
WSSCC is not without risks. The absence of a direct field presence places
greater reliance on the transparency of the institutions the Council entrusts
to advance an agenda to improve sanitation and hygiene. It also requires robust
systems of financial accounting, internal controls, reporting and monitoring;
as well as procedures that the Council can use to hold accountable its
partners, contracted agencies, and NCs.
Functional Responsibilities
Reporting:
Consultant will report to the Executive Director, and will be responsible
for submitting deliverables in softcopy, and in accordance with the time line.
Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for undertaking a review of the
financial accounting procedures and oversight mechanisms that the Council
deploys for its operations in East Africa.
It is envisioned that the lessons learned from this review in East
Africa will inform subsequent consultancies on reviews in other sub-regions
where WSSCC is active.
Regarding the national programs supported by GSF, the consultant will reach
out to the Country Program Monitors and Executing Agencies, and select
Sub-Grantee Implementing Partners in Uganda and Tanzania to review the current
systems of financial accounting/internal controls and reporting by EAs; as well
as monitoring and oversight by CPMs. And also work with the newly contracted
Executing Agency in Kenya on the same.
The consultant will then review financial accounting/reporting systems of
the non-governmental organizations responsible for administering the small
grants initiative “Water for Sanitation and Hygiene Initiative.” This will
involve interacting with select grantees -- women’s groups, youth organizations
and local governments—in Kisumu/Busia, Mpigi, and Musoma, as well as with the
three organizations administering the small grants.
In addition, the consultant will work the three National Coordinators to
assess the financial accounting and reporting procedures they use to account
for expenditures they make with funding provided by WSSCC in the form of grant
agreements. This will involve reviewing the accounting procedures used by the
host agencies of the respective National Coordinators.
Time Line
The consultant will carry out the above mentioned actions and complete the
outputs in accordance with the following time line:
Month 1: Desk Review of available books of account, financial management guidelines
and reports on WSSCC operations in East Africa from 2011 to 2014.
Month 2: Field Missions in Kenya, including consultations with EA, CPM, NC, and
Grant Administrating NGO in Nairobi, and select grantees in Kisumu/Busia.
Month 3: Field Missions in Uganda, including consultations with EA, CPM, and NC,
and Grant Administering NGO in Kampala, and select grantees in Mpigi/Iganga.
Month 4: Field Missions in Tanzania, including consultations with EA, CPM and NC in
Dar es Salaam, and Grant Administering NGO in Musoma.
Month 5: Report on Financial accounting/internal controls/Reporting Systems and
Oversight Mechanisms
Month 6: Report on Recommendations for Strengthening Financial accounting/internal
controls/Reporting and Oversight Mechanisms, and Related Control functions for
WSSCC initiatives in East Africa.
Month 7: Report on Recommendations for Organizational Development for more
Effective Financial accounting/internal controls/Reporting and Oversight.
Summary of Deliverables
The consultant will be responsible for producing the following outputs:
·
Report on the Financial
accounting/internal controls/Reporting and Oversight Mechanisms of Institutions
Supported by WSSCC in East Africa (CPMs, EAs, SGs, Small-Grant Administrators,
Grantees, and NC)
·
Report on Recommendations for
Strengthening Financial accounting/internal controls and Reporting and
Oversight Mechanisms and Related Control Functions for WSSCC initiatives in
East Africa
·
Report on Recommendations for Organizational
Development for more Effective Financial Reporting and Oversight
Competencies
·
Creativity and Innovation
·
Initiative
·
Ability to Learn
·
Ability to Analyze
·
Decision Making
·
Organising and Quality
Orientation
·
Result Orientation
·
Assertiveness
·
Communication Skills
·
Networking Skills
·
Teamwork Skills
·
Motivation and Inspiration
·
Client Focus
·
Lives and Breathes the UNOPS
Values
SKILLS:
Required skills:
·
Financial Accounting
·
Financial Management and Business
Planning
·
Internal Auditing and Reporting
·
Project Administration
·
Report Writing and Analysis
Education
Advanced University degree (master's or equivalent) in Finance, Public Accounting,
Public Administration or related field.
A first level university degree (bachelor's or equivalent) with two
additional years of relevant experience may be considered to substitute the
advanced university degree.
Experience
A minimum of 5 (five) years of relevant experience, including in East
Africa. [7 years of relevant experience
required with a bachelor's degree.]
Languages
Fluent written and spoken English is required for this position.
A working knowledge of East African regional language is desirable.
Certifications
Professional certifications such as Chartered Accountant, Certified Public
Accountant, Certified Financial Analyst, etc. desirable.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement Level 2
Contract duration: Up to 120 working days over a seven month period. Includes travel in the region.
Additional Considerations
·
Please note that the closing date
is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
·
Applications received after the
closing date will not be considered.
·
Only those candidates that are
short-listed for interviews will be notified.
·
Qualified female candidates are
strongly encouraged to apply.
·
The incumbent is responsible to
abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures
of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential
recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such
checks.
Mode of application:
Apply Online:
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