Project Associate - Fiji Rural Electrification Fund (FREF) Support Project Unit

Background

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 planet. In the Pacific, UNDP provides regional and country support to 10 countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) and regional support to five countries (Cook Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tokelau), together with a total population of 2.4million. There are three focus areas of which gender and human rights are mainstreamed:

1. Effective Governance;
2. Inclusive Growth; and
3. Resilience and Climate Change.

The Fiji Rural Electrification Fund (FREF) support project, which is under the ambit of the Inclusive Growth focus area, aims to foster the development of rural mini grids to improve access to clean, affordable, and reliable renewable energy. In doing so, it plans to also diversify Fiji’s energy mix to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the Fijian power sector, contribute to national electricity access objectives and promote gender-balanced economic growth using electricity as an enabler for inclusive sustainable development.

The FREF project will seek to electrify at least 20 rural communities in 4 years to support the expeditious implementation of FREF as well as demonstrate best practices to shore up investments in FREF and its rural electrification objectives while building long term implementation and management capacity within the Department of Energy to continue FREF on a long-term basis. It will benefit at least 6,500 Fijians and avoid over 2,920 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by installing over approximately 2 megawatts of renewable energy.

The provision of electricity is combined with modern auxiliary services such as smart meters, mobile payment, digital connectivity and clean water and sanitation solutions to - among other things – induce productive electricity use cases and lift standards of living in rural communities. The ability to productively harness the provided clean electricity is expected to enable rural Fijians to increase community income through multiple economic activities, reduce social inequality and promote gender inclusivity. All of which also contributes to building more climate informed resilient livelihoods.

The FREF Project Associate under this assignment is expected to work closely with Director of Energy (DOE), the FREF Project Analyst, FREF Board of Trustees and the UNDP-FREF Support Project Management Unit to manage all tasks and outputs as detailed in the following “Scope of Works” section. The FREF Project Associate primary role will be to support the FREF Project Analyst to keep proper records of and administer daily oversight of FREF and FREF Trust Fund operations. Moreover, the incumbent will also need to ensure that adequate controls are maintained and FREF assets are safeguarded through compliance with the FREF Operations and Financial Procedures, the Government of Fiji’s Financial Management Act together with UNDP Financial Regulation being complied with.

Duties and Responsibilities

The FREF Project Associate will report to the FREF Project Analyst on a daily basis with weekly reporting to the Portfolio Manager of the UNDP FREF Support Project through the FREF Project Analyst.

The FREF Project Associate will be based with the Department of Energy for four working days of the week while one working day of the week will be spent based with the UNDP-FREF Support Project. The scope of works are as follows:

1. Manage Financial Resources & Control:
   • Manage and control the FREF Trust Fund's resources according to established procedures and best practices, particularly in line with the FREF Operations and Financial Procedures.
   • Coordinate Fund Disbursement & Payment Processing:
     • Coordinate the disbursement of FREF Trust Fund finances and ensure timely processing of all purchase orders and vendor payments, verifying correct expenditure allocation.
     • Oversee Financial Aspects of Procurement:
       • Ensure financial effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance in all procurement and contracting activities related to FREF.
       • Financial Reporting:
         • Prepare and submit accurate and timely financial reports to the FREF Manager as required.
         • Audit Liaison and Response:
           • Serve as the primary contact for and respond effectively to audit queries related to FREF from the Office of the Auditor General, UNDP Audit team, and other relevant stakeholders.
           • Financial Record Keeping:
             • Ensure systematic and accurate filing of all relevant purchase orders, payment documents, and other financial records related to FREF.
             • Maintain Financial Integrity:
               • Uphold financial best practices across all responsibilities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and proper documentation for all financial transactions.

The incumbent will perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the FREF Unit and the UNDP-FREF Support Project.

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 Management

• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making
• Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.
• 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.
• Communication: 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
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Technical - Finance

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

Technical - Procurement

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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required.
• University Degree (bachelor´s degree) in Accounting or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Required skills:

• Experience in financial management, monitoring and reporting, particularly in the public sector.
• Knowledge of accounting and financial reporting standards used in Fiji.
• Experience in Financial Reporting with demonstrated skills in preparing clear, accurate, and timely financial reports.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Demonstrated track record of experience working with donors and development partners for resource mobilization and consistent financial reporting.
• Demonstrated Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and Knowledge of National Accounting Standards related to public financial management.
• Knowledge and experience of Donor-Specific Reporting Requirements

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Fiji Hindi and/or Itaukei Language 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.

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