Programme Assistant, (GS-5), Fixed Term, Division of Data, Analytics, Planning & Monitoring (DAPM), Florence, Italy, #128377

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a chance

The Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) was established in 2019 to drive decision making and organizational learning, improve effectiveness and achievement of results of UNICEF and its partners to realize the rights and improve the life of every child. DAPM promotes the use of data and monitoring to achieve transformative impact on lives of children.

The Division is responsible for driving, shaping and guiding UNICEF’s evidence-informed analysis, strategic planning, programme monitoring and organizational performance management. As such, DAPM enables the organization to deliver on results in a more coherent manner, based on agile and contextualized programming process, and on data, evidence, and analysis, as well as the application of human-rights based and results-based management approaches.

Within DAPM, the Data & Analytics Team (DAT) is the global go-to for data on children. It leads the collection, validation, analysis, use and communication of the most statistically sound, internationally comparable data on the situation of children and women around the world. For this purpose, both traditional and innovative data and analysis – including administrative and household survey data as well as geospatial analysis, big data and machine learning – are used. DAT upholds the quality, integrity and organization of these data and makes them accessible as a global public good on the data.unicef.org website.

DAT provides leadership, strategic and normative guidance and technical support to generate data and evidence on children. The team works together with other teams within UNICEF as well as partner organizations, to support statistical systems strengthening at the country level. DAT is also fostering a data-driven transformation in how UNICEF works internally and together with partners that includes positioning UNICEF as a leader on data for children, protecting children through governance of data and building an organization-wide culture of data. The Data & Analytics (D&A) Section has a yearly work plan budget which all has to be fitted into a “section” allocation in SAP/VISION which does not allow fine tracking of commitments and spending. This section also has a large number of contracts and grants to track.

Purpose for the job:

Under the general supervision of the Planning & Monitoring Specialist, the incumbent will be expected to provide dedicated budgetary and administrative support to the D&A Section.

How can you make a difference?

1. Monitoring and tracking budgets in SAP/VISION focusing on achieving the following results:

• Maintenance and update of Data Team SharePoint collaboration site – a customized system (series of tools) developed to monitor D&A’s budgets, grants, contracts, including long term agreements (LTAs).
• Monitor various programme and budget agreements (PBAs): monitor the overall commitments, expenditures of funds in accordance with the budget allotments and weekly reports on available balance with particular attention to new charges/expenditures incurred. Take necessary actions to ensure optimum use of funds. Prepare budget transfer requests, reversals etc.
• Generate various budget reports from VISION as required.
• Support the preparation of financial reports for donors in consultation with the supervisor. Advise and assist in the preparation of budget estimates for specific projects and activities.

2. Strengthen systems and capacity in the area of contractual work:

• Provide support in issuing institutional and individual contracts, etc. Prepares financial commitments, disbursements, transfers, expenditures, reversals forms, etc.
• Develop/strengthen capacity in the use of systems (series of tools) to track contracts such as LTAs, short-term service agreements (SSAs) etc.
• Provide guidance with step by step on key processes for use in VISION and InSight and on rules for issuing contracts, reversals of payments.
• Monitor various contracts and LTAs.

3. Maintenance and updating of system (and related tools) for initiating and monitoring Grants:

• Maintenance of a system that tracks all donor grants received and in particular the grant expiry dates and donor report due dates.
• Provide support with draft of allocation memos, grant extension requests in VISION, donor report submission, donor agreements.
• Contribute to the maintenance of the digital filing system for all relevant materials related to grants for the Data Team.
• Take necessary actions to ensure there is follow-up on funds/materials missing from grants including drafting allocation memos etc.

4. HR management and payroll support

• Maintain a tracking system with HR related information and cost distribution for the Section.
• Prepares Funding Certificates for new positions and ensures Data Team posts have the correct funding source.

5. Other duties:

• Responsible for providing efficient and timely budgetary reports as requested.
• Providing support to develop contracts and organizing of meetings.
• Training of other staff on tools/modules etc. that include VISION.

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education:

• Completion of secondary education.
• A bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a field relevant to the position may replace three (3) years of related experience. A master’s degree may replace an additional two (2) years.

• Work Experience:

• At least five (5) years of relevant experience in administrative, accounting, financial or budget work
• Strong knowledge and skills in using corporate financial systems as well as standard office computer applications.
• Experience in preparing, maintaining and monitoring project budget plans and expenditures; commitments, expenditures, and liquidation of funds;
• Experience and knowledge in generating and extracting data from VISION (on usage of Budget; grants management, accounting reports, statistics, etc.) is required;
• Familiarity with TeamSite/sharepoint an asset
• Candidates applying to this position must possess the legal right to live and work in Italy. UNICEF does not arrange or provide support for candidates without legal residency.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Italian is a strong added advantage as the incumbent may be required to liaise with local vendors for transactions.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

More than one position may be available for this role. Successful alternate recommended candidates may be placed in a talent group for possible further selection to another similar post.

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.