The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a multilateral financial entity of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which was established to contribute to the collective efforts of the international community to combat climate change. The GCF aims to fund transformational approaches toward climate resilience and green economies, prioritizing a balanced approach between climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The GCF Board approved the UNDP initiative, “Scaling Up the Use of Modernized Climate Information and Early Warning Systems in Malawi”, referred to as M-CLIMES in 2015.  The implementation of the project started in the year 2017and is being implemented in partnership with the Government of Malawi (GoM). The project will support the Government of Malawi (GoM) to take steps to save lives and enhance livelihoods at risk from climate-related disasters. It will address technical, financial, capacity, and access barriers related to weather and climate information (CI) by investing in enhancing hydro-meteorological capacity for early warnings and forecasting, including the development and dissemination of tailored products for smallholder farmers and fishers, and strengthening capacities of communities to respond to climate-related disasters based on access to early warnings and climate information. The objective of the project is to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts on lives and livelihoods, particularly of women, from extreme weather events and climate change. The expected key GCF Fund level impact is increased resilience and enhanced livelihoods of the most vulnerable people communities and regions in Malawi.

The project comprises three inter-linked areas of support that will (i) address gaps in Malawi’s existing meteorological and hydrological observation network to ensure spatial coverage and accuracy covering vulnerable and service delivery areas; (ii) develop and disseminate tailored, demand-based climate information/products/services to support urgent responsive action and adaptation planning for vulnerable populations, including farming and fishing communities; and (iii) empower communities to prepare and respond to climate-related disasters through participatory and decentralized early warning systems and capacities to implement disaster risk reduction measures.

Since project approval, preparatory activities have been undertaken to ready the project for implementation. These included finalization of capacity assessments for the implementing partners, preparation of project documents for UNDP and GoM signature agreements, and preparation of detailed budget and procurement plans. The project will be implemented following UNDP’s National Implementation Modality (NIM), per the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement between UNDP and the Government of Malawi, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) Action Plan for Malawi (see http://www.mw.one.un.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/UNDAF-Action-Plan-2012-2016.pdf), and policies and procedures outlined in the UNDP POPP (see  https://info.undp.org/global/popp/ppm/Pages/Defining-a-Project.aspx ).The Implementing Partner for this project is the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) in the Office of the President and Cabinet. DoDMA is accountable to UNDP for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project outcomes, and the effective use of UNDP resources. The following parties will enter agreements with DoDMA to assist in the successful delivery of project outcomes and are directly accountable to DoDMA as responsible parties (RPs) for the project: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), Department of Water Resources (DWR), Department of Agricultural Extension Services (DAES), Department of Fisheries (DoF), and the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM).

As part of the implementation phase of the project and the importance of managing fiduciary requirements as per UNDP standards, the services of a Head of Finance are being sought to support the project in ensuring compliance with UNDP?GCF fiduciary requirements. S/He will support the IP by ensuring that the work plans for the project are within the capacity of the project to deliver, will work with the Finance and Administration Focal points from UNDP, the IP and RPs, and will be responsible for adherence to quality standards in finance and administration. The Head will be supported by and will supervise a Finance and Administration Assistant.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables: The Head of Finance’s primary responsibility is to provide day-to-day operational and administrative support to DODMA and its project partners in the overall management of finance and administrative arm of the project to ensure compliance to UNDP standards in finance and administration, including:

Implementation of operational strategies

• Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow?up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, and proper functioning of a client?oriented financial resources management system;
• Project business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance;
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the project to the board and technical committees, monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, and transactions.

Management of the project budget

• Elaboration of proposals for the planning of financial resources of the Project, preparation of reports containing analysis of the financial situation;
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets; regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation;
• Establishment of the projects’ budgets preparation/modification monitoring system, control of budgetary status versus authorized spending limits and budget delivery levels;
• Implementation of the control mechanism for the projects through monitoring budget preparation and modifications, budgetary status versus ASL, follow up the implementing Partner and Responsible Parties, and maintenance of the Project Ledger.

Project Cash management

• Analysis and elaboration of proposals for the internal expenditures’ control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, and transactions are correctly recorded and filed;
• Control of accounts closure;
• Timely corrective actions on spot-check findings and audit recommendations.

Control of Project account (s)

• In collaboration with the Project Manager, ensure timely preparation of work plans to secure timely issuance of authorized spending limits to ensure timely disbursement of funds to the responsible parties;
• Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application;
• Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by the project.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the IP and RPs

• Organization and conduct of training for the Finance Focal Points in the IP and RPs staff on Finance;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance during project implementation;
• Prepare a minimum package for all project partners on the minimum requirements on finance; including timely opening and reconciliation of project accounts, setting of appropriate signatories to the project accounts, and following up on spot?check recommendations and audit findings.

Institutional Arrangement

This position is supervised by Project Coordinator – M-CLIMES, who in turn reports to the Portfolio Manager ( Resilience  and Sustainable Growth- RSG)

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

Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPs 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.

Effective Decision Making:

• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Accounting (General):

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

Budget management:

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

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.

Financial reporting and analysis:

• Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring;
• Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social, and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Finance/Accounting/ Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, or related field OR Professional qualification (CIMA/ACCA).
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree.

• Minimum 2 years (Master’s degree) or 4 years (Bachelor’s degree/Professional qualifications CIMA/ACCA holders) relevant experience at the national or international level, including providing financial management services and/or managing staff and operational systems;
• Hands on experience with web-based management systems;
• Demonstrated experience in providing finance and administrative support to complex and demanding projects;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
• Excellent analytical, communication, finance administration and reporting skills, both written and oral;
• Experience in the United Nations and/or other multilateral organizations, especially knowledge of UNDP rules and regulations on project finance administration and the use of results-based management tools is an asset;
• Appropriate accounting certification will be preferred, and chartered Accountants will have an added advantage;
• Progressive experience in budget administration and financial reporting;
• Experience in managing substantial multi- donor budgets/project;
• Experience working with multiple partners including Government Departments.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English and Chichewa essential;
• Other UN official languages are an asset.

Professional Certificates

• CIMA/ACCA/  Advanced UNDP Accountancy and Finance;
• Candidates without a professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will be required to take the Advanced UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test.