Project Associate (Admin & Finance) [NPSA-6], LAND Project

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

Bangladesh, with a GDP exceeding USD 430 billion, is the second-largest economy in South Asia and experienced strong economic growth of around 6% annually between 2000 and 2019, alongside significant social progress. During this period, the country improved key development indicators, including an increase in the Human Development Index from 0.49 to 0.68 and a reduction in the national poverty rate from over 48% in 2000 to below 19% in 2022, positioning it for graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026. Despite these achievements, Bangladesh faces serious development challenges, including slow economic growth projected at 3.7% in 2025, double-digit inflation, limited private investment, weak institutional capacities, low social spending, and high vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters, which threaten progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging applications from minority groups, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, and upholding zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, and exploitation. As a global leader in addressing poverty, inequality, and climate change, UNDP works with partners in over 170 countries to deliver integrated, long-term solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

The UNDP Bangladesh is implementing the Initiation Plan (IP) of Resilient and Inclusive Economic Growth (IP-RINEG) from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2027, as an integrated platform to advance Bangladesh’s transition toward resilient, green, and inclusive economic development. It is designed as an early-phase framework to pilot, consolidate, and scale innovative development solutions that respond to emerging climate, environmental, and economic challenges, while strengthening national systems and institutional readiness for long-term transformation.

The IP-RINEG is structured around a people-centered, and adaptive, design, integrating four cross-cutting enablers, such as- Sustainable Finance, Inclusion, Governance and Digital Innovations. It is guided by strategic principles of contextual understanding, collaborative partnerships, learning and evidence-based programming, and designing for scale. The Plan adopts an adaptive risk management approach, allowing flexibility to respond to changing political, environmental, and socio-economic realities and to transition successful pilots into larger, nationally owned programme.

Under Output 5, the programme aims to digitize land management records in automated land management system, embarking a new era in online land governance of Bangladesh. Key components of this initiative include data collection, entry, verification, correction and validation to modernize services such as- land development tax, records of rights (RoR/Khatian) and mutation. This initiative will benefit over 11.73 million citizens by ensuring secure, transparent, and equitable access to land information, empowering communities and reducing land-related disputes. The unified digital platform will enable landowners to securely store and access land records, pay land development taxes online, initiate and track mutation processes digitally, and manage their access credentials, thereby streamlining services, reducing costs, and strengthening inclusive and sustainable economic development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Effective support on Project Work Plan, Budget and Financial Management:

• Provide comprehensive day-to-day administrative, budgetary, and financial management support for the Initiation Plan for Land Data Digitalization for Inclusive Growth (LDD4IG) initiatives under Initiation Plan for Resilient and Inclusive Economic Growth (IP-RINEG) project.
• Provide support to the Project Manager for all financial and project management related activities.
• Assist in preparing project Annual Work Plans and Budget including Multi-Year Budget.
• Prepare draft budget revisions, shadow budgets, cost-sharing, and other relevant reports.
• Enter data into Quantum or relevant ERP/software of UNDP in line with Project Document/AWP/MYB
• Monitor periodic expenditure status, determine unutilized funds and coordinate with Project Manager
• Prepare periodic financial progress reports and donor financial reports, ensuring full transparency and accountability of funds utilized for IP-RINEG/Land Data Digitalization for Inclusive Growth (LDD4IG).
• Prepare detailed cost estimates and actively participate in budget analysis and projections as required, contributing to sound financial forecasting for the LDD4IG initiative.
• Review and monitor financial statements and expenditure reports of partner organizations; consolidate financial information for analysis and reporting.
• Ensure proper control of all supporting documents for payments, maintaining an auditable trail for project expenditures.
• Manage cash receipts and petty cash, ensuring accurate accounting and regular reconciliation.
• Review and process payments/claims for staff and service providers, ensuring timely settlement as per UNDP rules and procedures.

Effective Support for implementation of Operational Strategies and Procurement procedures:

• Ensure compliance with UNDP programming rules, financial processes, records, reports, and audit follow-up procedures. This includes implementing the internal control framework to ensure that all finance and accounting records maintain full compatibility with UNDP's financial and accounting procedures and formats
• Accurately verify budget and accounting data by researching files, meticulously calculating costs, and estimating anticipated expenditures for the project as well as partner agencies.
• Assist in preparing periodic accounting and financial records, maintaining delivery records, and making program transactions in UNDP format.
• Review financial statements and expenditure reports from partner organizations; consolidate financial information for analysis and reporting.
• Assume responsibility for monitoring fund disbursement and the timely adjustment of funds with partner organizations, ensuring financial flows support on-ground of LDD4IG
• Manage QUANTUM/ERP transactions, including budget uploads, monitoring, and ZDI entries.
• Initiate and follow up on procurement of goods and services in coordination with Cluster Programme Associate and UNDP CO Procurement; provide monthly procurement updates.
• Support proper documentation for timely delivery of goods and services.
• Undertake Micro-purchasing activities for the Project, ensuring compliance with relevant financial thresholds and procedures.
• Support project operational and financial closure tasks and procedures.

Effective Administrative and Logistical Support for Successful Project Delivery:

• Provide comprehensive assistance to the Project Manager and team members for all financial, administrative and project management activities, including crucial liaison with different government agencies, UNDP Country Office personnel, Donor partners, NGOs, and other key stakeholders involved in the project/initiatives
• Assist in the timely issuance of contracts and the assurance of other eligible entitlements for the project’s personnel, experts, and consultants by diligently preparing annual recruitment plans.
• Assist in settling Travel, DSA and other claims for staff and service providers as per UNDP rules.
• Provide logistical support, including coordination for events , workshops, and relevant activities.
• Provide support in project financial closure formalities including submission of terminal reports, project closure report, transfer and disposal of equipment etc.
• Assist in conduction of spot check, internal verification and audit
• Maintain inventory of project assets, vehicles, equipment, furniture & fixures and non-asset
• Prepare and update HR Plan/ Annual recruitment plans
• Coordinate induction sessions for new staff of the team.
• Manage/support day-to-day HR related issues, Monthly Payroll actions of the project.
• Support the team in developing terms of reference for relevant positions as and when required.
• Prepare the contract expiry status of Project staff/Consultant/Oursourcing HR etc.
• Provide logistical support for training events, workshops, and seminars; assist project team, international consultants with travel, meetings, and accommodations.

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project.

• Participate in training on internal procedures for the project personnel and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• ·Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

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

Institutional Arrangement:

The Project Associate (Admin & Finance) is the part of the Land Data Digitalization for Inclusive Growth initiatives of Initiation Plan for Resilient and Inclusive Economic Growth (RINEG) team and is supervised by the Project Manager under the overall strategic guidance of the Programme Analyst and Assistant Resident Representative, Resilience and Inclusive Growth (RIG) Cluster.

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
Thematic Area
Name
Definition
Finance

Accounting (General)

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

Finance Banking and cash management

• Ability to collect, handle, and manage cash, which involves assessing market liquidity, cash flow, and investments

Finance

Financial planning and budgeting

• Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including thorough planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting

Procurement Procurement Management

• The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source

Administration & Operations

Documents and records management

• Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retentionof policy including storing and archiving

Ethics

Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

• Analyse and eliminate or mitigate potential and actual conflicts of interest disclosed in the annual financial disclosure programme

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
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary Education with specialized certification in accounting and/or Finance.
• University degree in Finance or Accounting is desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• 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 School Certificate ) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) practical experience in administrative and financial management and procurement in development and/or emergency response projects.

Required skills:

• Experience to use Microsoft Office for reporting, and presentation.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages.

Desired skills:

• Experience in Gender mainstreaming and, inclusive and pro-poor development works.
• Demosntarted experience in working with multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of working with international organizations, financial institutions, NGOs/ INGOs, including development organizations.
• Working knowledge for the preparation of Donor, Development organization, and GoB financial reporting, i.e. Annual Development Programme.
• Experience in supporting project logistics.
• Experience in project operations management.

Language

• Fluency in English and Bangla is required.

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.

Scam alert

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