Finance Risk Analyst (Nationals Only)

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 is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting the Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability.

Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world3 with per capita income estimated at $360 in 2022, reversing all progress made since 2007. 85% of the population (29 million people) need humanitarian assistance in 2023. [1] As of December 2022, approximately 6.5 million people remain in internal displacement [2] . Almost half of the population – 18.9 million people – face emergency levels of food insecurity. [3] 6 Even prior to August 2021, social protection support only reached 12.5 per cent of the population. [4]

UNDP is currently implementing the Transitional Country Programme Strategy (TCPS) 2024-2025. The Strategy will apply six implementation principles that focus on: (a) applying the triple nexus approach bringing together the humanitarian, development and peace mandates (b) promoting a whole-of-society approach; (c) maximizing a risk managed approach and synergies between programme and operations to facilitate delivery of support; (d) prioritizing the leave no one behind agenda; (e) investing in enhancing gender equality and (f) adhering to the fundamental postulate of ‘do no harm’.

In Afghanistan, UNDP works with international partners, the UN Country Team and national implementing partners to launch and deliver a comprehensive, risk-informed crisis response programme composed of interventions, inter alia, in the areas of socioeconomic resilience and recovery as well as maintenance of key health services.

An adaptive management and risk mitigation system have been put in place to assist the gradual roll-out and implementation of TCPS activities through continuous risk monitoring, learning, and adaptation loop. At the center of this system is envisaged an Integrated Risk Management Unit (IRMU) that continuously assesses and manages risks involved in the implementation of the ABP. This action-oriented capacity is meant not only to ensure a consistent “DO NO HARM” approach to UNDP’s intervention but also to support the agile adaptation of programmes in a continuously changing context.

To respond to the need for risk analysis, the IRMU is looking for a highly motivated Afghan national Finance Risk Analyst who can positively contribute to the work of the team and support implementation of the TCPS and CO operations in Afghanistan.

The Finance Risk Analyst will work under the direct supervision of the Risk Management Specialist/Head of the Integrated Risk Management Unit and will work closely with different sections of the Programme and Operations in the Country Office. The Finance Risk Analyst is responsible for supporting the Head of the IRMU and the team in implementing the risk management regime and strategies in place through the provision of risk analysis and support

[1] Afghanistan National Statistics and Information Authority, Income and Labor Force Survey 2020.

[2] International Organization for Migration (IOM), [December 2022], Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)

[3] Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), Afghanistan, IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis, March – November 2022

[4] ILO, World Social Protection Report 2017-2019: Universal social protection to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, 2017.

Duties And Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the Risk Management Specialist, the Finance Risk Analyst is responsible for proactively analyze financial statements submitted by the UNDP prospective partners as well as support project risk assessments, identify potential risks and supports IRMU to advise the CO management on adjustments required to achieve optimal control mechanisms. The Finance Risk Analyst also supports the head of the IRMU in the CO Audit preparation and implementation of audit recommendations relevant to the IRMU. The incumbent promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations and works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme, and project teams in the CO.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Assists the Head of the IRMU in identifying and assessing financial risks within UNDP CO, projects, and partner risk analysis: focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Conducting risk assessments to identify potential financial risks facing the UNDP CO and its projects.
• Analyzing financial statements presented by the UNDP prospective partners to evaluate the impact of various risks on the partners’ financial performance.
• Support the head of the unit in developing risk management strategies and policies to mitigate identified risks.
• Monitoring and reporting on key financial risk indicators to head of the unit.
• Stress testing financial models to assess the organization’s resilience to different risk scenarios.
• Collaborating with other departments such as compliance, internal audit, and finance to ensure a comprehensive approach to risk management.
• Participating in the development and implementation of risk management tools and systems.
• Keeping abreast of the UNDP regulatory changes and industry best practices related to financial risk management.
• Ensures full compliance with the UNDP accountability framework and corporate guidelines on Internal Control Framework as related to the Enterprise Risk Management.
• Continuously analyses and monitors changes in UN/UNDP rules & regulations, policies and guidelines that potentially impact the risk and internal control systems within the CO.
• Operationalizes the mitigation measures and internal control in the Afghanistan’s context.

Ensures the development and implementation of risk and performance management plans, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Contributes to the Head of the Unit and Risk Specialist in planning, managing and coordinating implementation of risk management systems, tools and processes in the CO and at the project level; regularly supports in updating the CO risk register in the corporate planning system and other platforms.
• Assess opportunities and risks and works with programme team to maximize opportunities and minimize risk exposure levels; risks are escalated if need be.
• Establish the refinement and development of risk assessment tools to enhance the monitoring and assessment process.
• Monitors and updates the programme & projects risk dashboard for the Afghanistan CO n and supports enhancement of project and programme risk logs.
• Conducts partner verifications and supports the IRMU team in undertaking partner risk assessments.
• Escalates to the Risk Management Specialist matters that require management attention.
• Reviews and analyses partners audited financial statements and contributes to the financial analysis section of the risk reports.
• Systematically builds capacities of CO staff in all areas of responsibility.
• Provide analysis to project risk management cycle, assesses, and proactively identifies critical risks requiring further controls and assurance activities, and advises office units on minimizing risk exposure.
• Provide continuous analysis to projects in formulation of risk management plans and participates in project appraisal to ensure that the risk management framework is properly reflected in project designs.

Ensures effective support of Country Office Audits, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Participates in preparation of annual calendar for audits, including list of projects to be audited based on corporate criteria.
• In collaboration with CO audit focal point (Operations Manager) prepares the checklists and documentation required by the auditors.
• Facilitates, in collaboration with other colleagues, the interaction between auditors and CO teams and/or projects and ensures timely submission of all audit requirements including reports.
• Provides quality assurance for the internal, management and UNBOA audit reports.
• Assists in analyzing risk related audit findings across the board and prepares audit follow-up plans.
• Monitors audit follow-up with the various units/teams, analyzes cross-cutting audit issues across projects and develops an action plan for capacity development activities.
• Liaises with Regional Audit Centre on audit and oversight matters, seek guidance and technical inputs and support as necessary.
• Follow up on the risk related audit recommendations and updates their status in CARDS.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO and guidance to all stakeholders on compliance matters focusing on achievement of the following results

• Organizes/conducts training for the operations/programme/projects staff on internal control mechanisms and risk management.
• Identifies and synthetizes lessons learnt and best practices in work.
• Actively promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture within the CO.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: N/A

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 Direction & Strategy – Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management – 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.

Business Direction & Strategy – 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.

Business Management – Risk Management

• Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.

Finance – Audit Risk Management

• Ability to address audit issues raised during an audit and propose solutions to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.

Finance – Financial Risk Management

• Ensures financial resilience through proactive risk assessment, controls implementation, and mitigating action. Understands the risk and rewards of collaborative and commercial projects. Provides a culture of positive risk management.

Finance – Anti-fraud and anti-bribery and corruption

• Anti-bribery and corruption: Understand the policy and best practice relating to anti-bribery and corruption controls and ensures these are implemented and widely understood within the organization.
• Anti-fraud: Understands the fraud risks faced by public bodies and can effectively analyze data to support fraud identification and fraud risk management; understands the fraud risks faced by public bodies and can conduct a fraud risk assessment and response plan.

Education

Required Skills and Experience

• An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in finance/Accounting, Business, or Public Administration, or a professional accounting qualification is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in auditing, accounting, fraud examination and/or risk management is required.
• Experience and knowledge of internal control procedures is required.
• Experience in report writing is required.
• Knowledge of international standards on risk management (ISO31000, The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), Enterprise Risk Management or relevant standards) is desired.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, and experience in handling of web-based management systems are required.
• Previous experience with the UN/UNDP / international organizations / INGOs and familiarity with its policies and procedures, particularly in the applicable job area is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS), International Financial Reporting Standards is desirable.

Language

• Fluency in English both written and oral is required.
• Fluency in both local languages Dari and/or Pashto is required.

NOTE: Please upload copies of your academic qualifications and 3 latest Performance Evaluations (if applicable).

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer

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.

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