Project Associate

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.

UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector.  By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.  UNCDF’s work is focused on six priority areas, including:

• Sub-national and local infrastructure financing
• Women owned enterprise financing
• Nature and climate financing
• Energy and decarbonization finance
• Sustainable food systems financing
• Inclusive digital finance

Following a recent restructuring, UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by the Executive Board of United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and performs the function of the Executive Board of UNCDF.

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.   

The Local Transformative Finance (LTF) Practice aims to be a centre of excellence and innovation fund for local government finance. Over a 30-year period the Practice has developed deep expertise in intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IGTF), local development funds, public financial management and performance-based grants. LTF supports policy reforms and advocates for a greater appreciation and use of IGTF and performance based local government financing mechanisms in development finance. 

On the basis of this experience, LTF designed and manages the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which is a mechanism to integrate climate change into local authorities’ planning and budgeting through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender-sensitive manner, increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level including through ecosystem-based solutions, and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change. LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), which ensure the programming and verification of change expenditures at the local level, with technical and capacity-building support. It uses the grants and demonstration effect to trigger further flows for local climate action including global climate finance and national fiscal transfers.   

LoCAL is presently working with 34 countries across Africa, Asia the Caribbean and the Pacific, and has cumulatively mobilised over US$170m for more than 2,100 adaptation projects. 

UNCDF has supported the Government of the Solomon Islands to design the LoCAL Mechanism with the aim of increasing the resilience of communities and local economies across the country through regular, predictable, systemic and verifiable climate finance in support of local climate responses.  This will be achieved through: increased provincial government access to climate finance to implement climate change adaptation investments in Solomon Islands (Outcome 1); and, institutionalising a standard and internationally recognized country-based mechanism of performance-based climate resilience grants in the country, further attracting domestic and international climate finance (Outcome 2). 

LoCAL-Solomon Islands will raise awareness and strengthen capacities for subnational climate change adaptation at both the Provincial Government and central levels (Output 1); support the integration of climate change into local planning and budgeting processes and finance local adaptation interventions and investments (Output 2) and establish and deploy across the whole country an effective performance-based climate resilience grant system (financing mechanism) that can attract various sources of climate finance (Output 3).   

LoCAL will be embedded in the Government’s Provincial Capital Development Fund (PCDF) and empower the Provincial Governments to develop and fund adaptation and climate-related disaster risk reduction strategies and plans, including climate induced displacement, and CCA infrastructure and services. With improved capacity, PGs will be well placed to access additional national and international CCA funds through central government and act as coordinating agencies for integrated local climate response while providing the continuity and maintenance capacity that is often lacking from time-bound projects.

UNCDF is seeking a Project Associate to provide financial and project management support services, including financial management, procurement & operations management, administrative management and project monitoring, to LoCAL Solomon Islands.

The Project Associate reports to the LoCAL Solomon Islands Programme Specialist, P3, based in Honiara, Solomon Islands.  The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project staff in UNCDF Regional Offices and HQ offices to exchange information and ensure excellent and consistent service delivery and reporting.   

Provides effective support to management of LoCAL project in Solomon Islands, and the LoCAL regional office, focusing on the achievement of the following results: 

Ensure administration and implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures. 

• Ensure full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations. 
• Implement effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system. 
• Support CO Finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management. 
• Implement cost sharing and trust fund agreements, elaboration of conditions of contributions within the CO resource mobilization efforts. 
• Elaborate proposals and implement cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.     
• Assist in the financial management of grant agreements.     
• Ensure continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects, monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions. 
• Elaborate proposals for and implement cost saving and cost reduction strategies in consultation with office management.     

Provides effective support to financial management of the LoCAL Solomon Islands programme 

• Prepare budget revisions, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial close of a project 
• Review the Financial Reports and regular monitoring of financial performance; 
• Undertake corrective actions on erroneous data in Quantum. Preparation of financial reports as required. 
• Create requisitions/register of goods receipt in quantum 
• Prepare of all types of Invoice payment; Pay Cycle and payments execution. 
• Provide updates on the disbursement status to project management 
• Undertake corrective actions on un-posted payment, including the invoice with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers Presentation of information for audits, supports implementation of audit recommendations. 
• Ensure proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for DIM projects; 
• Maintain the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Quantum. 
• Review projects financial transaction details and projects cash availability to ensure sufficient funds for projects implementation. 
• Support development of Project Financial Report (quarterly and annually) by providing the information on the project progress, operational issues and disbursement including donor reporting. 
• Support programme financial closure. 
• Support financial audit exercises. 

Provide operation finance and administration service, focusing on achievement of the following results 

• Maintain internal expenditure control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Quantum; payrolls are duly prepared; travel claims, and other entitlements are duly processed. 
• Complete timely payment for services and goods rendered. 
• Complete timely VAT reimbursements. 
• Ensure proper receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals. 
• Update and maintain contracts database and payment dashboard of commitments and expenditures such as consultant, payment of goods and services. 
• Ensure proper control of supporting documents for payments, ensuring the proper filing system in LoCAL Database and electronic/hard copies. 
• Ensure proper assets management, timely preparation and submission of periodic inventory reports, coordination of physical verification of inventory items. 
• Ensure proper recording of Project’s vehicle daily log and gas consumption, update and maintenance of vehicle history report for the country programmes in the region.
• Provide support in the management of Project Assets and inventory, act as custodian for management of office assets and inventory including keep record and maintenance of Office Assets and supplies and participation in periodic office physical inventory and asset verification exercises. 
• Provide support for common premises and common services maintenance. 

Provide procurement support including payment to suppliers focused on achievement of the following results 

• Provide guidance to the project staff on routine implementation of projects. 
• Manage the project procurement plan, and support to timely procurement of services and goods. 
• Provide regular updates on the disbursement status to project management.   
• Liaise with FMS colleagues on creation of payment voucher. 
• Create requisitions/register of goods receipt in Quantum. 
• Complete payment for services and goods rendered including Process certificates of payment submitted by consultants and prepare payment requests. 
• Facilitate logistical arrangements for delivery and arrival of goods. 
• Liaise with UNCDF FMS and UNDP CO to provide procurement support. 
• Draft specifications and terms of references for procurement needs of the office. 
• Maintain contract management database for monitoring of contracts. 
• Proper record and tracking of common services expenditure. 
• Perform other work-related tasks assigned by the supervisors. 

Support implementation of a structured approach for the organization of conferences, events and travel focusing on achievement of the following results 

• Provide logistical support to organization of conferences, workshops and retreats.  Support the scheduling and coordinating the planning and delivery of the physical and virtual events in close collaboration with the relevant teams. 
• Maintain rosters of LoCAL’s partners, telephone lists, government officials, heads of UN Agencies.
• Support travel arrangements, including movement requisitions and travel bookings for LoCAL Solomon Islands staff, and senior Officials to participate in field trips, conferences or international events as required.  
• Perform other work-related tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Support facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the team focusing on achievement of the following results 

• Organization of training for the operations/programme/projects staff on financial management. 
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in financial management. 
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. 

The key results have an impact on the overall efficiency in financial and operational management, and success in implementation of operational strategies.  Accurate analysis and presentation of financial information enhances UNCDF’s credibility in use of financial resources and proper financial process management.  The information provided facilitates decision making of the management.

• 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 Management 

• Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.
• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.  Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests; Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.     

Procurement

• Contract management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Procure-to-Pay: Knowledge of purchase-to-pay cycles, concepts, principles and policies, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Data analysis: Ability to extract, analyse and visualize procurement data to form meaningful insights and aid effective  business decision making.

Administration Operations

• Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving.

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.  

Required Skills and Experience

Required Languages: 

• Fluency in English and local language (Solomon Islands Pidgin) is required.