Project Control Associate

E (most hardship)Non Family with Residential LocationNon Family with Residential LocationDanger PayNairobi (CO), KenyaGS6General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular AssignmentNo2025-01-01December 28, 2024

Project Control Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The primary functions of project control are to complement programme management and provide support for oversight of projects including the formulation of a monitoring plan, quality assurance, and verification. Other activities of project control include: review of project agreements, project audit, monitoring that there is synchrony between financial and operational performance, participation in multi-functional monitoring activities and reviews, tracking project risk management, and supporting project closure.

It is essential to maintain segregation of duties between project control and programme functions for effective accountability and oversight. Where there is no Project Control Officer, General Service staff performing project control functions should report directly to the Head of Office.

The Project Control Associate receives general guidance and work plans from the supervisor. They work independently on regular assignments under the supervision of the Project Control Officer or to the same management level as programme. The incumbent may supervise other general service staff.

Project Control staff play a very important role in maintaining harmonious and effective partnerships, and often interact with implementing partners. As a result, incumbents need to be very mindful of all dimensions of partnerships in their interaction with partners (in accordance with the Principles of Partnership, the Code of Conduct and other relevant documents).

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Contribute to reviewing the internal control systems of implementing partners.
- Contribute to reviewing that IP agreements are in conformity with Country Operation Plans and UNHCR's rules, policies and procedures.
- Monitor that a complete record is maintained for all projects.
- Contribute to reviewing, analysing and verifying Financial and Performance Implementing Partner Reports (Part I-IPFR and Part II-IPR), and to checking accuracy and consistency between IPFR and IPR, in accordance with project agreements.
- Ensure that the funds obligated under an IP agreement permit the payment of the next instalment or a disbursement, confirming the status of instalments already paid.
- Support timely project closure in coordination with the programme unit.
- Bring to the attention of supervisors and programme officers any significant variances at the office level in: budget execution, percentage of project execution, time schedule, and quality of projects against specifications or terms and conditions.
- Maintain professional relationships with implementing partners.
- Keep up to date with all UNHCR rules, regulations and procedures necessary to perform these duties.
- Escalate IP issues to supervisors.
- Recommend acceptance or non-acceptance of IPRs and payment of installments.
- Contact implementing partners for project-related matters.
- Have unlimited access to financial and operational records relating to projects.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Accounting;
Auditing;
Business Administration;
Finance;
Project Management;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
Not specified.

Functional Skills
FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc)
FI-Financial auditing
MG-Project Management
PM-Project Assurance
RM-Risk Management
IT-ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Functional Knowledge
IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
IT-Computer Literacy
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Nature of Position:

Reporting directly to Head of office and technically to the Senior Project Control Officer, the incumbent’s role will be to manage project control responsibilities in the Kassala Sub Office as part of the project control team. He/She will therefore be expected to demonstrate necessary technical and leadership skills for routine duties and other assignments as directed by the supervisor and based on the project control job description .
Following the outbreak of the crisis in April 2023, some of the Partners lost access to their offices and consequently project documents and this has made the monitoring and auditing of such projects complicated. Additionally, the ongoing war has made some of the sites for Forcibly Displaced Persons inaccessible. Hence, the Representation has embraced remote management and monitoring to ensure consistent provision of protection and solutions for the Forcibly Displaced Persons in such areas.

Further, as part of the localization agenda and strategy, UNHCR Sudan has engaged Refugee Led Organizations (RLOs) and and IDPs Led Organizations (ILOs) as well as several Community Based Protection Networks (CBPNs) to support the implementation of projects in the no reach areas that are in control of the RSF rebel group. Despite the huge needs there are limited available resources that will require strict oversight mechanism and continuous training and capacity building for the partners and ILOs and RLOs, who often struggle with delivering expected performance and keeping financial and implementation procedures in full compliance.

To ensure an all-round monitoring of UNHCR activities, the incumbent will the expected to work closely with programme and technical colleagues through the multi-functional team to ensure corroboration of financial and performance monitoring results.

Project control unit provides the required data and evidence for UNHCR oversight roles such as IPMC , it is therefore required of the incumbent to possess strong skills in conducting due diligence on partnership activities.


Desired Candidate Profile:

• Solid project control experience in the field preferably in hardship duty stations.
• Good knowledge of program and financial management practices.
• Good interpersonal skills and teamwork commitment.
• Excellent skills in conducting training and capacity building for partners and colleagues
. Experience working under and multi-functional team
. Supervisory role experience as well as excellent drafting skills in English are required.
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.
• Experience with UN/UNHCR financial rules, policies, and regulations.
• Familiarity with implementing partnership management and direct implementation oversight.
• Experience and skills in remote programme management and remote monitoring in conditions of crisis and no access to Partners and Forcibly Displaced Sites.
• Provision of technical, functional guidance on project control to both internal and external stakeholders.
• A good knowledge of the UNHCR Business Transformation Programme (BTP) systems, including Cloud ERP, COMPASS, PROMS, and Workday, is very essential.

,

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc), FI-Financial auditing, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Functional Knowledge, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software, MG-Project Management, PM-Project Assurance, RM-Risk Management

Certifications

Accounting - Other, Auditing - Other, Business Administration - Other, Finance - Other, Project Management - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance