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

The UNDP Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, through the recently concluded camp transformation project, conducted consultations with various stakeholders including the Joint Peace Mechanisms, particularly the Task Force on Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities or TFDCC, and has identified the following needs for future programming: (a) need for a consolidated database and management system to inform, manage and document socio-economic services for DCs and their communities; (b) need to align case management work and service delivery within the mechanisms and timeline of the CAB; and (c) support delivery of socio-economic interventions for DCs, their families and communities. To ensure continuity in the efforts and programmes implemented in the past years, the UNDP has collaborated with The World Bank (WB) to co-develop the Project “Unifying Pathways, Linkages and Inclusive Facilitation of Transformative Services for Decommissioned Combatants (UPLIFT DC),” a project to support the government’s initiatives to help transition the former combatants in BARMM. The Project will be funded by the multi-donor trust fund the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund, managed by The World Bank. The project objectives are as follows: (a) to strengthen information and case management for the decommissioning of MILF combatants, to enable more coordinated service provision and better monitoring and (b) to strengthen the livelihoods and wellbeing of Decommissioned Combatants (DCs) and their families through the provision of targeted services and support.

There will be three (3) components of the project namely:

Component 1: Establishment and operationalization of an Information, Advisory, and Referral Services (IARS) System
Component 2: Strengthening of case management system and capacity building for social workers and parasocial workers
Component 3: Delivery of socio-economic services to selected male and female Decommissioned Combatants

To ensure that the interventions are appropriate to the target areas, the project is seeking an Administrative and Finance Associate who is based in Marawi City. He/She will support the Project Manager and Peace and Stabilization Programme Team through providing administrative, logistics and financial management support for the day-to-day operations of the programme. The Administrative and Finance Associate is tasked to assist in the administrative and financial management aspect of the implementation of project activities, while ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work. The Administrative and Finance Associate is expected to report

daily to the Project Manager. The position holder also demonstrates a client-oriented approach, tact, and ability to work with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, the Administrative and Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the UNDP Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, as well as with other UN Agencies, and civil society to successfully implement the activities and is expected to travel to various areas in Mindanao and BARMM.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Resident Representative and the Team Leader of the Peace & Stabilization Programme Team and through the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Admin and Finance Associate is also expected to work in close collaboration with the UNDP Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, Cotabato Field Office, UNDP Finance and Procurement Teams and other relevant units in UNDP as may be deemed necessary.

The Administrative and Finance Associate will be directly responsible for completing the below set of tasks within allotted, agreed-upon timeframes:

Ensure efficient finance and admin support to the project team

Provide support in processing payments to suppliers and consultants promptly. Ensure complete supporting documents are attached to the payment request.
Assist in tracking expenditures of the approved budget, ensuring that funds are available for planned expenditures.
Process documents for cash advances, liquidations, and reimbursements in a timely manner for submission to and approval by the Project Manager and UNDP Peace Team Leader.
Create requisitions in Quantum for the project implementation.
Support efficient management of the project's administrative, logistical, and procurement system.
Undertake administrative, finance, and procurement procedures, such as travel processing, liquidating cash advances, processing supplier payments, canvassing/collecting price quotations, and paying utilities.
Ensure proper systematic filing and maintenance of office records, such as incoming and outgoing correspondences, calendar of activities, transportation requests, staff leave monitoring, requests for office supplies, reports, etc.
Ensure timely and quality administrative and finance support to project activities.
Coordinate as a focal point for administration, logistics, finance, and procurement issues, including meetings/workshops.
Perform other administrative-related tasks as may be assigned by the Peacebuilding Project Manager/designated Project Manager of the joint programme.

Ensures efficient and practical support to procurement functions that contribute to the practical activity delivery and field missions focusing on the achievement of the following results

Provide inputs to prepare procurement plans for the project.
Undertaking the appropriate procurement processes by the relevant UNDP policies, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Request for Procurements and regularly update Procurement Status.
- Ensure compliance with standard procedures in using Long-Term Agreements (LTAs), whenever LTAs are utilized.
- Coordinating with suppliers to deliver goods and preparing the documents for the beneficiary's receipt.
Maintaining an accurate, and reliable electronic filing system;
Assists and maintains project asset Inventory and preparation of the Assets transfer
Performs other logistics-related tasks that the Project Manager may assign.

Support partnerships and resource mobilization.

Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, NGOs, tertiary institutions, partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
Provide support in updating the database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
Ensure regular communication and coordination with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries; and develop and maintain effective mechanisms for integrating and responding to their feedback and insight.
Support creation of high quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders; and ensure careful selection of communication tools and tailoring the messages to take into account the overall socio-political and development context in host countries.
Undertake horizon scanning and explore opportunities for resource mobilization in consultation with direct supervisor.

Supports facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

Organization of training for the operations/ projects staff on field office issues.
Synthesis of lessons learn and best practices.
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 Management

Project Management - Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Partnership management

Relationship management - Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
CSO engagement - Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs

Administration & Operations

Events management (including retreats, trainings, and meetings) - Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.

Finance

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. 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.
Budget management - Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
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

Education:

Secondary education is required. Or
University degree in Finance or Accounting is desirable.
Fully Qualified Accountant, from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy or Full Completion of the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP). No UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. However, no UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
Candidate with no professional accountancy qualifications but with relevant experience must successfully undertake UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) before shortlisting and must complete the UNDP
Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in administration and financial support for projects or programs.

Required skills

Proficiency in standard software applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.
At least 4 years demonstrated experience in project financial management, including preparation of budgets, annual work plans, and financial reporting is required.
At least 4 years’ experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably Oracle (Quantum);
At least 4 years’ work experience in administrative and financial support of a
project or program with local government units

Desired skills

At least 2 years of experience in working for government organizations, non- government organizations, international organizations or civil society organizations engaged in development, peacebuilding or humanitarian projects is an advantage
At least 2 years of experience in business processes (procurement, financial monitoring and reporting) of government organizations, non-
government organizations, international organizations, private sector or civil society organizations is desirable
Demonstrable knowledge in data analysis, or financial accounting is desirable
At least 3 years of experience in working in BARMM or similar post-conflict contexts is an advantage
Demonstrated experience of working with stakeholders involved in different aspects of the Bangsamoro peace process is desired.
Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage

Required Languages

Fluency in English and Filipino is required.
Knowledge of language in BARMM is an advantage

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

Scam alert

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Administrative and Finance Associate [Open to internal and external applicants]