Senior HACT Associate (Senior Finance Associate), GS-7 – Jijiga, Somali Regional State of Ethiopia

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, safety 

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

Watch our Year in Review.

How can you make a difference?

1. Support program colleagues.

• Follows up with the programme team on high priority issues observed during micro-assessments, spot checks and audits
• Provide support in discussions, collection, analysis, verification, and synthesis of HACT related information/documentation to gain good knowledge of HACT and programme planning and implementation.

2. Support to implementation of HACT activities.

• Facilitate the execution of HACT activities undertaken by external service providers through scheduling, arranging briefings and related administrative needs to ensure service providers have appropriate and comprehensive information for effective and efficient completion of assignments. Together with other colleagues, undertake spot checks of implementing partners to verify correct utilization of UNICEF Funds.
• Provide support in and assist with the preparation and regular updating of SFO micro assessment and assurance plans.
• Together with the HACT team colleagues, undertake spot checks of implementing partners to gain knowledge and experience.
• Assist with maintenance of records of relevant HACT related documentation and uploading on E. tool on timely manner.
• Provide support in discussions, collection, analysis, verification, and synthesis of HACT related information/documentation to gain good knowledge of HACT and programme planning and implementation.
• Conduct simplified checklist assessments for implementing partners receiving less than $100,000 per/year.

3.  Support to review and monitor performance of HACT activities indicators.

• Build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with national and international civil society organizations, community groups, leaders and other critical partners in the community and civil society to reinforce cooperation through engagement, empowerment and self-determination and to pursue opportunities for greater advocacy to promote UNICEF mission and goals for child rights, social equity and inclusiveness.
• Collaborate with internal global/regional communication partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging to enhance S&BC outreach and contribution to programmatic outcomes.

4. Conduct spot checks and support during action point closure.

• Conduct Spot checks through reviewing financial records of partner to obtain reasonable assurance that amounts reported by partners on the FACE Form are accurate. Spot checks are performed in the office of partners where financial records are kept
• Discuss high risk observations from spot checks and other assurance activities with Chiefs of Section and Chiefs of Field Office
• Ensure the spot check tracker is updated monthly and shared with CFO/programme staff for follow up actions
• prepare correspondence for Partnerships and HACT assurance activities (Spot check, Audit and Micro assessment) to partners (CSOs and Government), ensuring filing of those correspondences for follows -up with other sections as well as Implementing partners.
• Follow up of high risk and unresolved open items from prior spot checks and audits for closure
• Share the draft spot check report with responsible Programme Specialist/Officer for review and to provide any comments or inputs for finalization.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Completion of secondary Education, preferably supplemented by technical university education in Business Administration, Financial Management, Auditing, or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience in financial management, accounting, quality assurance, audit, Programme/project support.
• Previous experience on HACT is an added advantage.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability; and
• Sustainability

CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
•  Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
•  Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.