SSA Consultant (Finance ), L7 Lucknow

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the worlds largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict disasters and the impact of climate change.

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WHY JOIN WFP

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive diverse and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training accreditation coaching mentorship and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country regional and global offices around the world and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief ethnic or social background gender and disability.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This vacancy is open to Indian National only.

This vacancy is open to internal and external candidates.
Only recommended candidates will be retained on roster for a period of two years and may be considered for similar positions from roster.
The Starting Remuneration for this position will be 130983/- INR Per Month All tax liability for payments from this contract are to be borne by the subscriber.

VACANCY DETAILS

Job Title:SSA Consultant (Finance)

Grade: Level 7

Type of Contract: Special Services Agreement

Duration: Till 30th September 2026

Reporting To: Team Leader

Duty Station: Lucknow

Date of Publication: 07 May 2026

Deadline of Application: 09 May 2026

Responsibilities for the SSA (Financial Consultant):

Streamline billing and payment process for THR units:

• Develop protocols and standards for generation of invoices raising of bills and presentation to the districts UPSRLM officials based on the guidelines for decentralized payment to THR units developed by ICDS Department.

• Develop a regularly updated MIS information sheet or invoice tracking sheet which enables UPSRLM to ascertain payment status of THR units. Present weekly analytical reports on the observations of the invoice tracking sheet with suggestions for corrective actions.

Support to on-ground implementation of the project:

• Assist in providing the procedural and technical support to staff within the areas of finance and budget procurement etc to ensure compliance with the defined financial policies rules and regulations of UPSRLM. As required provide guidance and on-the-job training to other support staff to ensure services are delivered consistently and to the required standards

• Perform administrative duties related to the monitoring and recording of fixed assets spend on fuel and spare parts for vehicles and generators to ensure that the databases are accurately updated

• Monitor the petty cash accounts regularly to ensure that adequate funds are available and appropriately utilized.

• Verify vendor claims advances and other receivables and observe appropriate procurement procedures to ensure that suppliers are paid in a timely manner and in conformance with the defined finance rules and regulations of UPSRLM.

• Assist in compiling information from various sources in order to prepare reports relating to available budgets accounting finance and statistics.

• Retrieve format and validate information obtained from various financial information systems and bring any discrepancy or inaccuracy to the attention of the team leader and follow up corrective actions.

Monitoring:

• Regularly visit the THR production units across the State as part of the Financial oversight to monitor the implementation of the project identify gaps in fund utilization at the Unit level and suggest mid-course correction to the unit staff as well as to the UPSRLM district staff. The incumbent is expected to travel about 4 - 5 days per month.

• Monitor and record all unit expenses check for approvals and financial compliances records for timely payments to vendors. Ensure that all payments are properly supported with original receipts and invoices.

• Develop a mechanism to compile data and review financial health and viability of all units on a monthly basis along with the Project Management team and provide inputs to the Team Leader.

Coordination

• Coordinate with government counterparts at both State and district level across DWCD and SRLM as need be to facilitate timely release of funds payments including follow up for information regarding financial receipt submission/reimbursement to the team leader.

• Support the identification development and management of potential partnerships in discussions with UPSRLM to improve the financial viability of the THR production units.

Documentation and knowledge management

• Compile and identify best practices in the implementation of the project in the different production units for wider dissemination.

Training and Capacity building:

• Provide training and capacity building to THR unit staff & financial capability enhancement & audit documentation aspects of operational units

• Training for THR plant staff and PMU on Finance billing documentation / record keeping / book-keeping the role of audit and compliance with basic audit norms

• Training for THR plant staff on SOPs and implementation of SOPs including the provision of Manuals & Guidelines in the form of handouts for THR plants

• Building awareness among BMMs / DMMs & plant staff on the importance of cleanness & preventive maintenance & the impact on productivity and finances of the units.

• Training to BMMs / DMMs on budgeting process & financial forecasting and oversight of THR unit finances with a view to sequencing purchase orders fixed payments etc.

Perform other related duties as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Completion of secondary school education. A university degree in Finance Business Administration Accounting or related fields is preferable.

EXPERIENCE

7 years of progressively responsible work experience of finance preferably in the development sector. Previous experience of working in partnership with the government/UN agency/INGO is desirable.

LANGUAGE

Fluency in spoken and written English and Hindi.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Excellent interpersonal skills required including strong professionally communication ability;

• Advocacy and networking skills with a broad range of stakeholders including government private sector civil society academia NGO and international cooperation

• Knowledge of research methods with familiarity in quantitative and qualitative methods;

• Advanced computer skills with proficiency in Windows Microsoft office;

• Knowledge of UN system would be an asset

• Knowledge of WFP programmes is an advantage

• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team of nutrition and food security experts across fourteen countries

• Tact and diplomacy

LANGUAGE

Fluency in spoken and written English and Hindi is a key requirement.

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

• Ability to engage effectively with a wide range of actors from government private sector and civil society.

• Very strong communications skills both in writing and speaking

• Solid planning and problem-solving skills and action oriented

• Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner;

• Maturity initiative courtesy tact and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds

• Ability to handle any other additional tasks as requested by the supervisor.

• Ability to undertake travel within the country.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the worlds largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the worldachieve Zero Hungerin our lifetimes. Every day WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable particularly women and children can access the nutritious food they need.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The World Food Programme (WFP) operating in India since 1963 aims to provide technical support to strengthening the governments food safety-nets programmes in order to improve access to nutritious food for millions of vulnerable households throughout the country. Through its Country Strategic Plan (2019-2023) WFP India aims to support India in achieving their targets under Sustainable Development Goals 2 which includes reducing all forms of malnutrition.

WFP works with National and State governments to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the three food-based safety nets Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) PM POSHAN scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme by introducing viable solutions and best practices in existing systems to increase the intake availability and knowledge of diverse nutritious foods. Social behaviour change communications (SBCC) accompanies all activities to help target audiences to know more about the benefits of good nutrition appropriate child feeding practices and appropriate health and hygiene practices.

WFP Collaboration with the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) and the Department of Women & Child Development (DWCD) in Uttar Pradesh

Aligned to this overarching vision around improved nutrition WFP has been supporting the State Rural Livelihood Mission and the Department of Women & Child Development in their mission to ensure the availability and demand of nutritious quality assured and safe take home rations (THR) through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme through local production by womens self groups (WSHG). Under this project a total of 204 THR production units run by WSHGs have been set up across the State to cater to ICDS requirements in 43 districts. Each unit produces a variety of different food products for different ICDS beneficiary groups such as children between 6 months to 6 years of age adolescent girls and pregnant/ lactating women.

WFP support to the project involves a combination of technical assistance and direct support to set up the THR production units. The direct support has involved the setting up and operationalization of two block level THR production units in Bighapur Unnao and Malwa Fatehpur-these fully automated production plants function as Centres of Excellence and are used for training workers from other districts for the scale up of the production units in the remaining districts in the State. WFP technical assistance is focussed primarily on the processes around the production of the THR products setting standard operating procedures capacity building etc. Post set-up WFP is providing technical assistance for monitoring the implementation and production across the units; identifying gaps/ areas for improvement and helping to fill the gaps through proven solutions.

To support the roll out of this overall model for production of supplementary nutrition WFP in close collaboration with UPSRLM has set up a Project Management Unit in UPSRLM to efficiently support the implementation of the project. Under the PMU staff with different skill sets are positioned at various levels including the placement of a Programme Associate (Finance Consultant) at the State level within UPSRLM. The role of the Programme Associate (Finance Consultant) will be to ensure compliance to financial standard operating procedures processes and policies established by UPSRLM for this project and support the womens self-help groups in the overall financial management of their units.

WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud sexual exploitation and abuse sexual harassment abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFPs standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment.

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