Programme Management Assistant at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

They will be responsible for the following:

• Programme: Reviews project documents, especially cost plans/budgets, for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifies inconsistencies; distributes project documents to relevant parties upon approval.
• Reviews budget revisions; verifies availability of funds; ensures necessary approval and entry in ERP.
• Drafts correspondence on budget-related issues and prepares and updates periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
• Assist in developing draft legal agreements for new projects and project extensions;
• Assists in preparing documents for UNEP project internalization and revision processes and provide inputs to ensure completed UNEP clearance and approval processes.
• Maintains and keep up-to-date files and the financial database.
• Upload endorsement document packages to the GEF portal.
• Project Operations: Assists in review of expenditure reports submitted by Executing Agencies of ongoing projects, including PPG work, and support finalization of approvals to ensure
• correct amounts have been charged;
• expenditures are aligned with project deliverables and thus acceptable;
• expenditure is not exceeding the budget line allocations and overall budget. Send feedback emails to executing agencies to complete the document correctly.
• Assists in reviewing the final financial and audit reports from Executing Agencies and making recommendations.
• Assists in financial closure of projects.
• Researches/compiles data and other information required by the Administrative Officer(s) in the review and analysis of expenditures for projects.
• Assists the Administrative/Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the preparation/finalization of budget revisions, performing preliminary analysis of variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures of project.
•  Prepares pre-commitments and commitments in UMOJA and review them to ensure that funds are available and the correct account has been used.
• Assists the Administrative /Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the issuance of allotments.
• Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
• Reviews draft reports, verifying overall accuracy, consistency and uniformity in the presentation, and ensuring comprehensiveness and compliance with the format prescribed by the GEF Secretariat for projects in LAC portfolio;
• Payments: Assists in review and finalization of cash advance requests for payments to the executing agencies Provide guidance to executing agencies in order for them to complete the document correctly.
• Verifies and prepares payments to third parties, commercial entities, and consultants.
• Assists staff members, consultants, executing agencies regarding queries on payment issues
• Treasury: Reviews incoming payment instructions with regard to banking details and sources of funds.
• Prepares payments for final disbursement by Cashier.
• Dispatches payment instructions to UNON Treasury and provides remittance advices to Executing Agencies.
• Notifies payees of status of payments.
• General: Organize and schedule meetings, consultations, as required, and prepare briefing notes, minutes, follow up where required;
• Drafts routine correspondence with respect to enquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Qualifications/special skills

• High school diploma or equivalent. A professional qualification in an accounting or finance related subject is required.
• Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) or Equivalent is required
• A minimum of five (5) years progressive working experience in finance or budget or project administration or accounting is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) years for candidates who possess a first level university degree
• Experience working with Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) such as UMOJA is required;
• Experience in the budgeting process, analyzing financial data and donor reporting is required
• Experience in Global Environment Facility (GEF) project/grant management, budgeting, accounting, and financial management is desirable.
• Experience in the UN (or similar international organization) financial rules and regulations and the IPSAS accounting standards is desirable.
• Work experience of one (1) year or more in data analytics or related area is desirable