Accountancy consultancy to support the EU/UNICEF Africa’s Nutrition Security Partnership

Background and Justification

The European Union/United Nations Children’s Fund Africa’s Nutrition Security Partnership (EU/UNICEF ANSP) is a 4-year engagement (2011-2015) focused on improving nutrition security among women and young children in Africa. The purpose of the Partnership is to better integrate and position nutrition security in the African development agenda while contributing to the overall achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 1, 4, 5 and 8 targets related to nutrition. The Partnership is organized around four Result Areas: 1) upstream policy and nutrition security awareness; 2) capacity building of decision-makers and nutritionist communities; 3) data analysis, information systems and knowledge sharing; and 4) scaling up effective life cycle and nutrition security interventions.

This Partnership has components at the continental level (with the UNICEF Liaison Office to the AU/UNECA), two regions (ESARO and WCARO), and four focus countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda).

The consultancy will support the project management in each of the four Country Offices and two Regional Offices by cost tracking and preparation of financial reports according to the template for the ANSP interim and final reports. This support will be needed during annual reporting and bi-annual Steering Committee Meetings.

Scope of Work

1)Goal and Objective:Under the overall supervision of the Section Chief, Nutrition Section the consultant will support the EU/UNICEF ANSP in preparing financial reports.

The purpose of this consultancy is to facilitate and coordinate the financial reporting from four Country Offices (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda) and two Regional Offices (Eastern and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa) as well as the UNICEF Division of Finance and Administrative Management (DFAM) according to the reporting templates appropriate for the EU grant. The aim of this consultancy is to reduce the risks related to sub-optimal reporting, particularly on fund utilization.

2)Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered:

This consultancy will support the AWP under Objective 1.4.1 under nutrition regional partnerships. The EU/UNICEF ANSP underlies partnerships between UNICEF, the EU, the African Union Commission and the Regional Economic Communities.

3)Activities and Tasks:

a. Collate into an overall financial report all the expenditures from the EU grant as well as those reported as other resources as part of the multi-donor action from each of the country and regional offices.

b. Review and reconcile expenditures according to the reporting templates, specifying activity costs under appropriate result areas.

c. Prepare annual and overall financial reports for each of the components of the EU/UNICEF ANSP (continental, regional and country-level)

d. Support the regular review of the budget forecast and co-funding expenditure levels; support in alerting focus countries and regional offices to ensure 100% expenditure rate of the EU grant and meeting the co-funding ceiling requirements.

4)Work relationships:

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Nutrition Specialist, Nutrition Section, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office. He/she will be expected to support the coordination of the ANSP project management with the following:

· Nutrition Section, UNICEF WCARO

· Nutrition Section, UNICEF Country Offices in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali, Uganda

· UNICEF Division of Finance and Administrative Management

5)Outputs/Deliverables:

DeliverablesDuration

(Estimated # of days or months) Timeline/Deadline Schedule of payment Interim Financial Report; Trip Reports 2.0 months April 30, 2015 20% Interim Financial Report; Trip Reports 2.0 months September 31, 2015 50% Draft Final Financial Report 2.0 months February 28, 2016 30%

Financial reporting will follow the guidelines of the contract agreement under the grant.

Payment Schedule

Interim payments are linked to deliverables Payment is upon satisfactory completion of deliverables.

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

a) Education: Minimum of bachelor’s degree in business or accounting preferred

b) Prior experience working in UNICEF and EU projects highly desirable; proficiency in SAP or other Enterprise Resource Planning software highly desirable

c) Length of relevant work experience that is required in the technical area for this consultancy: minimum of 2 years (P2 level)

d) Competencies: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; Strong analytical skills; Sound judgement and initiative; Strong communication and writing skills

e) Languages needed: English and French written and oral fluency

Administrative issues

The consultancy is based remotely (with likely of travel to ESARO and/or WCARO at least once during the consultancy; and possible travel at most once to the four focus Country Offices: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda).

The consultancy duration will be for 6.0 months, spread out over 11 months.

Conditions

The consultancy is based remotely. No office space or equipment will be provided from UNICEF and will be the sole responsibility of the consultant.

All travel is by most economical fare and reimbursement as per UNICEF policy.

As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.