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Location

New Delhi | India

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Job description

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all.

With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.

UNDP India Country Programme 2023-2027 aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:

Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs. Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized. Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability.

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The UNDP country programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a global multi-stakeholder partnership that aims to build resilience into infrastructure systems to ensure sustainable development. The Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF) is the Multi Partner Trust Fund established with the support of the United Nations to implement the vision and strategic workplan of the Coalition. The key functions of the Fund are to mobilize and channel resources for CDRI’s work plans, and to promote coordination, alignment and coherence around common programmatic priorities. The Fund is meant to support countries’ institutional capacity building and policy development; research and knowledge management; and academic programmes.

The IRAF Multi Partner Trust Fund is supported by a Fund Management Unit (FMU) hosted at the CDRI Secretariat based in New Delhi, India and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Geneva Office. The Fund Management Unit is responsible for supporting the implementation of the Fund mandate and the application of the Fund policies. The Fund Management Unit fulfills four main functions: Programme design; Programme implementation; Fund Operations; and Fund portfolio oversight, monitoring and evaluation. The Fund Management Unit is composed of two sub-units: the Administrative Unit and the Technical Unit.

As part of its support to the Fund Management Unit, UNDP is looking for a dynamic professional for the position of Operations Management Specialist. The position of Operations Management Specialist is critical to support Fund programme implementation (due diligence, risk management), Fund portfolio oversight (risk management and complaints mechanism) and Fund Operations (finance reporting, information management, policy development, capacity building). The Operations Management Specialist will be recruited by UNDP to be part of the Administrative Unit and work under the direct supervision of UNDP Head of the Administrative Unit. The Operations Management Specialist will be based in Delhi, India with the Fund Management Unit hosted by the CDRI Secretariat, with occasional international travel.

This position directly reports to UNDP Head of the Fund Management Unit – Administrative Unit and Overall reports to UN Chair of the Trust Fund Management Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The CDRI IRAF FMU Operations Management Specialist is primarily supporting the Fund Management Unit – Administrative Unit to manage the IRAF fund portfolio and establish strong fund management organizational systems. The incumbent will be primarily responsible for supporting management of key operations of the IRAF to deliver the results envisaged by the CDRI IRAF Trust Fund Management Committee to the required standards of quality and in accordance with the Fund Manual of Operations, rules and regulations.

The Operations Management Specialist will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the UNDP head of the FMU Administrative unit and CDRI Deputy Operations. S/He will ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of project objectives, in coordination the CDRI when needed.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the UNDP Head of Fund Management Unit Administrative unit, the incumbent provides overall support to the functions of the CDRI IRAF Fund Management Unit as needed, and has the responsibility for the following tasks:

Thematic Responsibilities:

Programme implementation: due diligence applications, project appraisal, financial oversight. Fund finance, budget quality and compliance review, monitoring of cash flow, delivery reports. Capacity building on operations policies and process development for Fund Operations Fund information management and quality control of Fund Management Platform (FMP) content. Risk management, audit and complaints mechanism.

The key responsibilities will be around:

Programme implementation.

Oversee accreditation of IRAF Fund recipient organizations including the completion of UN Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) micro assessment, and the completion of the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) risk assessment; Consolidate HACT & SEAH findings. Support calls for proposals selection process including review of budget and procurement plans, completeness check of documentation. Guidance to applicants on digital project proposal creation, production, revision and signing; bi-annual on-line financial reporting, on-line reporting on progress, risks and issues. Participate in project quarterly reviews with a focus on risk management.

IRAF Finance: accounting, budget quality and compliance review, monitoring and reporting

Support the systematic monitoring of cash flow and planning needs to anticipate cash shortages within programs and projects. Monitor Fund disbursement to programs and projects based on results and spending, in line with TFMC decisions and in compliance with Manual of Operations. Oversee IRAF programme budget including detailed review and monitoring of global, regional and country project budgets, ensuring compliance as needed. Monitor IRAF programme delivery at global, regional and country level, prepare quarterly provisional delivery reports and respond to queries on programme and project delivery. Suggest and develop adequate data visualization to monitor and showcase financial and budgetary analysis of the IRAF programme portfolio that facilitates understanding and oversight of the Fund status, patterns and trends. Manage budget of UNDP Fund Management Unit project.

IRAF Operations process and capacity building

Provide inputs to continuously update the Fund Manual of Operations, procedures and policies, SOPs. Research Fund operations innovations (performance-based payments, government access, intellectual property rights) to advise CDRI and Trust Fund Management Committee Co-Chairs. Serve as a resource for CDRI Secretariat personnel and Participating Organizations/grantees on Fund policies and templates, and Information Management System. Support to align CDRI procurement, HR and finance policies and systems with HACT and SEAH requirements. Support the adaptation and development of CDRI policies and procedures to transition to a CDRI administered Fund. Support the design and organization of regular training for programme & project teams on Fund policies and templates. Support procurement processes, when required, for specific IRAF activities under UNDP project, including advice on best procurement and contracting modality, follow up on contracting and delivery of services, working closely with the IRAF administrative and finance assistant. Support the CDRI IRAF HR recruitment processes, when needed.

Fund Management Information system support.

Establish and maintain a secure information management and archiving system for IRAF on CDRI platform accessible to CDRI personnel & IRAF partners. Develop and execute an internal protocol for populating and ensuring quality control of information on the IRAF Fund Management Platform portal FMP, identify and solve accessibility issues for NUNOs/PUNOs and facilitate training for NUNOs/PUNOs when required; Maintain the information, data, and analysis up to date with the support of IRAF Administrative and Finance assistant. Identify gaps in functionality needs, and propose options for add-on functionalities, including for data visualization, to the Fund Management Platform portal as well as the CDRI information management platform.

Risk management, audit and complaints mechanism.

Consolidate the project risk assessment on a quarterly basis to prepare quarterly updates for CDRI and the TFMC Co-Chairs. Support implementation of prevention and mitigation measures and update the Fund risk management dashboard on a monthly basis. Review findings of project audit reports consolidated by the Administrative Agent. Support the management of the Fund complaints mechanism: register any complaint and follow up on status and response to the complaint and prepare status updates for the Head of the FMU Administrative Unit to submit to the Trust Fund Management Committee. Competencies:

Core competencies.

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact. Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex. problems Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences. Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing. demands Act with Determination:  LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater. results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency. collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion:   LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Audit and investigation

Financial and managerial Accounting: Key concepts and principles of financial accounting, interpret financial analysis, managerial accounting etc.  

Fraud awareness and investigation

Techniques: Basic knowledge to understand the foundations of fraud, how to detect red flags and analyse facts to form a judgment.      

Digital & Innovation       

Data analysis: Ability to extract, visualize and analyse data.         

Administration & Operations       

Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning processes; drawing and management of team budgets.              Financial communication: Ability to report financial information clearly.             Due diligence management: Ability to conduct a comprehensive appraisal of an organization as to evaluate the potential opportunities and its related risks; knowledge of respective methodologies.      

Procurement     

Contract management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods. System Thinking: Ability to use objective 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. Required Skills and Experience:
Education: Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in finance, law, business or public administration, or other relevant field 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. Experience: A minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in overseeing the financial management and operations of large programmes, preferably in the United Nations, bilateral or multilateral development cooperations agencies, or multilateral banks; Demonstrated extensive experience with development project implementation, operations and finance, including project appraisal, risk management, audit and oversight.  Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP. Demonstrated experience in using and maintaining complex organization information management systems. Demonstrated experience in managing projects in fragile and/or high fiduciary risk context is highly desirable. Experience of exposure with Vertical Funds such as GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund, Global Fund and their programming/operational processes. Proven expertise in due diligence and fiduciary risk control and oversight including for international multilateral organizations. Proven expertise in financial management, budget oversight and reporting, including for international donor agencies.  Demonstrated understanding/experience and familiarity with international procurement processes, rules and regulations.  Demonstrated understanding/experience and familiarity with information technology applications to organization information systems, including e-document management, and to project management. Demonstrated ability/experience to research best practices with the view to generate new ideas and approaches, and propose new, more effective ways of doing things, contributing to an environment of creativity and innovation. Demonstrated ability/experience to share knowledge across the organization and build a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.  Demonstrated ability/experience to establish, build and sustain effective working relationships working in a diverse environment and communicate sensitively.

Required Languages:

English and Hindi  Knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

Remunaration:

Remuneration starting at INR 27,84,346 (Annual) / INR 2,32,029 (Monthly) as per the scale depending on qualifications and experience. The remuneration is excluding 8.33% pension amount paid over and above the salary. Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)    Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.    UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.   Applicant information about UNDP rosters   Note: 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.   Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.    Scam warning   The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

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