Project Administrative and Finance Officer (Open to internal and external applicants)

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Fiji, situated in the South Pacific Ocean region, comprises 332 islands spread over 1.3 million km2, with Viti Levu and Vanua Levu being the largest inhabited islands. The population stands at approximately 941,306, mostly residing in urban areas, and the GDP is around US$4.98 billion, with a per capita GDP of US$5,356.2. The economy is mainly driven by tourism and agriculture, with 91% of the population living along or near the coastline. 
Fiji is at high risk from a range of natural hazards, including tropical cyclones, storm surges, floods, landslides, droughts, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, forest fires, and tsunamis. Additionally, Fiji is especially vulnerable to the expected impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, more severe tropical cyclones, and heavy rainfall. According to the country assessment for Fiji conducted by the World Bank, the probability of catastrophic damage and loss of life from meteorological and geophysical hazards is very high. Fiji’s extreme vulnerability to natural, human-induced and technological hazards exposes it to higher associated risks due to population increases, poorly regulated land resources and climate change. Despite identified core hazards/risks and known priority issues, they are not integrated into national and sector plans and policies. This often leads to lack of preparation.

Daily maximum temperatures in Fiji have increased at the rate of about 0.2°C per decade. There has been a clear shift towards more years being warmer than average during the warm/wet season, especially since the 2000s; with more intense temperatures occurring more frequently. An increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events is also projected. The current 1-in-20-year daily rainfall is projected to increase by approximately 5 mm by 2030 for RCP2.6 and by 7 mm by 2030 for RCP8.5 (very high emissions).  Whilst climate projections suggest a decrease in the total number of cyclones, their severity is expected to increase.  This is expected to result in increased floods, flash floods and landslides. Coupled with projected changes in sea level rise, increased storm surges and coastal erosion is expected. The increased temperatures are expected to contribute to drought and together with changes in precipitation result in accelerated ecosystem degradation leading to bleached coral reefs and saline water intrusion into aquifers.
On 23 March 2022, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced that everyone on Earth should be protected by early warning systems against increasingly extreme weather and climate change within the next five years. In response to this announcement, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) assessed the global status of multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and found that over 50% of the global population lacks access to MHEWS information.
The goal of the EW4All project in Fiji is to protect the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities in Fiji by preparing early warning actors at all levels, from government agencies to local communities, to respond swiftly to extreme hydrometeorological hazards and securing long term financial investment into people-centered and inclusive MHEWS.The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Resilience and Climate Change Team Leader.

The Project Administrative and Finance Officer will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the project including facilitating engagement with government and non-government partners.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and will maintain close cooperation with operation team in the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, as well as project focals in the different countries. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Administrative and Finance Officer will execute the duties and responsibilities outlined above under the guidance and supervision of the Project Manager. 

The specific duties and responsibilities during the assignment will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Project Implementation Assistance

Provides support for the administration and implementation of project activities focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Undertake administrative, logistical, travel, procurement, financial and asset management tasks in full compliance with UNDP rules, regulations and policies;
• Provide support to procure goods and services required by the project, in liaison with the relevant staff and units of UNDP Country Office.
• Provide administrative support in arranging project related workshops and meetings for the Project Board, Technical Advisory Committee and other when needed. 
• Participate in the preparation of work plans, operation plans and procurement plans and periodical reviews thereof;
• Provide support in quality control of project activities, including assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensure timely and efficient delivery;
• Maintain an appropriate filing system documenting the implementation of approved work-plan activities;
• Provide support in regular monitoring and data collection of project activities in accordance with work-plan and procurement plan;
• Provide general secretarial and administrative assistance to the project in close liaison with UNDP teams.

Information management assistance

Provides assistance to enable timely information gathering and research focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Monitor the news and prepare of brief synopsis of relevant news items;
• Assist in undertaking information gathering and basic research for use in briefings and background papers;
• Assist in updating matrices to map activities of stakeholders and assistance providers for improved coordination;
• Compile, organize and file of information and documents for reference and use by team members.

Support efficient and effective administrative operations 

• Support and provide the appropriate trainings for financial and administrative, as well as to programme staff as required, to ensure compliance with UNDP financial procedures; 
• Process and review official Project Mission Travel Requests, including timely follow-up action on medical/security clearance, claims, signatures as appropriate and ensuring preparation of the necessary documents in Quantum and UNAll; 
• Monitor all travel-related payments for the Project, liaising appropriately with Out-posted staff, as required; 
• Provide administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, country/region specific meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences, retreats and any other special events organized by the Project

Financial assistance

Provide general financial support to the project, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist project team in drafting quarterly and yearly project progress reports concerning financial issues;
• Assist project management in performing budget cycle: planning, preparation, revisions, and budget execution;
• Monitor project expenditures, ensuring that no expenditure is incurred before it has been authorized;
• Perform preparatory work for mandatory and general budget revisions, annual physical inventory, auditing; and assist external evaluators in fulfilling their mission;
• Prepare all outputs in accordance with the UNDP administrative and financial office guidance;
• Ensure that all project financial activities are carried out on schedule and within budget to achieve the project outputs;
• Lead financial reporting for UNDP and / or donor (GCF) templates.

Support partners coordination in finance and administration

• Work with project partners to ensure timely liquidations
• Support Ips under the project with financial management
• Respond to Partners request upon administrative support as appropriate

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters

• Provide support in identifying training needs for the purpose of capacity development in finance compliance. 
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in Finance. 
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy    

• Effective Decision Making. Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications. 

Operations: Administration, Finance, HR, Procurement, IT and Security (Finance)

• Audit risk management. Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.
• Audit (General). Understands how regulations and professional standards in internal and external audit underpin audit work in the public services. Understands the key stages of audit work, including planning, documentation, testing and reporting. Ability to examine and verify accounts and records.  Understands wider mechanisms for assurance and scrutiny. Understands the law and best practice relating to anti/bribery and corruption controls and the fraud risks faced by public bodies.
• Accounting (General). Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Budget management. Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Business Direction and Strategy     

• System Thinking. Ability to conduct 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.
• Strategic Thinking. Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Master´s) University Degree in Finance and/or Accounting is required.  Or a first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 
• Candidates with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. 
• Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. 
•  Candidates satisfying the two above criteria are exempted from undertaking the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT). 
• Candidates with MBA or master's in finance with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience  must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for  shortlisting.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing responsible project support or finance is required.

Required skills     

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages. 

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section  

• Experience in working with government counterparts and programme beneficiaries (e.g. Government, development partners, CSOs and private sector representatives).
• Experience in conducting audit.
• Experience of working with UN, GCF, or other international organisations.

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in English is required.
• Working knowledge of local languages Fiji Hindi or iTaukei will be considered as desired.

Travel:

• The incumbent may be required to travel to the Federates States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and throughout Fiji, for short term missions. 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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