Position Information

• Project: Public Administrative Reform and Digitalization Project (L-PARDP)- 01002171
• Functional Title: Admin and Finance Associate
• Level: NPSA 6
• Duty station: Beirut, Lebanon
• Expected Duration 12 months

Project Description

Lebanon experiences an unprecedented multi-layered crisis, culminated in devastating implications that shaped the social and economic landscape marked by significant challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut Port explosions in August 2020, and a persistent financial and economic downturn. The cumulative impact of these crises has led to a multi-faceted downturn. GDP was estimated to have contracted by approximately 40% from 2018 to 2022, with an additional 0.5% contraction expected in 2023. The Lebanese pound has depreciated by over 98% since 2019, triggering massive losses in purchasing power, a triple-digit inflation, and the collapse of the banking sector.

UNDP Lebanon provides support to the Lebanese Government to ensure the recovery of core government functions, and to ensure that institutions are empowered to overcome the implications of the ongoing crisis. UNDP’s Lebanon Public Administrative Reform and Digitalization Project (L-PARDP) aims at supporting the Government of Lebanon in implementing priority reforms, while linking traditional public administration, civil service and policy reforms, with a digital transformation process that will revitalize the social contract between the Government and citizens in terms of rights and obligations. L-PARDP is positioned to re-activate core government functions and public services, and support key decision-making and reform processes while leveraging digital transformation.

Under the guidance and supervision of the L-PARDP Project Manager a.i. / Economic Specialist (Economist), the Admin and Finance Associate will support in the administrative, financial and logistical functions of the project. He/she will work in close collaboration with project staff and project partners and will maintain close communication over operational issues as well as strategic opportunities arising from project implementation.

Scope of Work

Under the guidance and supervision of the L-PARDP Project Manager a.i./ Economic Specialist (Economist), the Admin and Finance Associate will provide day to day logistical, administrative, and financial support to ensure the smooth running of the project, including:

Activately Participate in Financial Management and Procurement

• Assist in the development of procurement related documents and in conducting evaluations in accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.
• Assist in tasks related to contract management, especially in relation to procurement contracts.
• Review project expenditures and ensure that project funds are used in compliance with the Project Document and financial rules and procedures.
• Prepare payments to partners and consultants in accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.
• Support in the monitoring and follow up on the tracking of deliverables and payments.
• Provide the project with-related administrative assistance, including keeping records of project funds and expenditures, and ensuring all project-related financial documentation are well maintained and readily available when required by the Project Manager a.i./ Economic Specialist (Economist).
• Provide necessary financial information as and when required for project management decisions.
• Provide necessary financial information during project audits.
• Review annual budgets and project expenditure reports and notify the Project Manager if there are any discrepancies or issues.
• Assist in the preparation of budget revisions, expenditure reports, etc. in coordination with the UNDP finance department.
• Prepare and track procurement plans.
• Provide support in monitoring the work of the partners of UNDP, ensuring smooth administrative, financial and activities implementation of the different interventions based on set timeframes.

Provide support in Logistical and Administrative activities

• Assist the Project Manager / Economic Specialist (Economist) in day-to-day management and oversight of project activities.
• Provide organizational and administrative support in implementation of project activities including organization of roundtables, workshops, trainings, working meetings and other events.
• Ensure all project documentation (progress reports, consulting and other technical reports, minutes of meetings, etc.) are properly maintained in hard and electronic copies in an efficient and readily accessible filing system, for when required by the project manager, UNDP, project consultants and other project staff.
• Maintain of the filing and documents retrieval system; maintain proper inventory records.
• Draft correspondence in English and/or Arabic and follow up on correspondence.
• Assist in any related administrative tasks that are requested on ad-hoc basis.
• Prepare all logistical and administrative documents related to the project implementation in accordance with the UNDP rules and procedures, including terms of references.
• Prepare security, travel, accommodation, and transport arrangements for project staff, partners and consultants.
• Assist project staff in office communications, faxing, scanning, photocopying, etc.
• Facilitate cooperation and exchange of information with and between partners when needed.
• Support liaising between the project team and programme on various administrative issues.
• Support ongoing activities with the Government of Lebanon by keeping track of timesheets and relevant payments.
• Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO.
• Perform additional tasks, within scope of work and as required by the Project Manager / Economic Specialist (Economist).

Institutional Arrangement

The selected incumbent will be working under the overall guidance and the direct supervision of the Project Manager / Economic Specialist (Economist) and in close coordination with the project team.

Competencies

Core

• 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

• Administration and Operations: Documents and Records management
  Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
• Administration and operations: Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings)
  Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
• Finance: Financial planning and budgeting
  Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting
• Business Management:  Monitoring
  Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
• Business Management: Partnerships Management
  Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Business Management: Risk Management
  Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
• Business Management: Communication
  Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication, to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Secondary Education is required; or University Degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Finance, Economics, Accounting, or any related fields will be given due consideration but not a requirement.
• 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) 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.
• Candidates 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 6 years with secondary education or 3 years with a bachelor’s degree of relevant experience in the field of admin/finance is required.

Required skills and competencies

• 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 is required.
• Proven Ethics and Integrity background

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Previous experience with the UN, UNV, NGOs or international organization(s) is an asset.
• Experience in Quality assurance is desired.
• Experience in financial accounting including recording of project transactions, classifying and summarizing transactions into financial reports and communicating financial reports to interested parties.
• Proven Ability to manage time efficiently.
• Systematic, organized, proactive, motivated, and meticulous with an ability to be flexible and adaptive.
• Proven Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in both spoken and written English and Arabic.