Summary: Call for Expressions of Interest: Spot Check Specialist - Long-Term Agreement (LTA), Manila, Philippines

Job Details

  • Company: UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
  • Location: Philippines
  • Employment Type: Consultant

Job Description

Call for Expressions of Interest: Spot Check Specialist - Long-Term Agreement (LTA), Manila, Philippines

Organization

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Country

Philippines

City

Manila

Office

UNICEF in Manila, Philippines

Call for Expressions of Interest: Spot Check Specialist - Long-Term Agreement (LTA)

Job no

594951

Position type

Consultant

Location

Division/Equivalent

Bangkok (EAPRO), Thailand

School/Unit

Department/Office

Manila, Philippines

Categories

Financial Management

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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child

the right to accountability

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support both the national and local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will consider capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

UNICEF Philippines has two offices. One office is based in Manila and a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative canter of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoons.

Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office: https://www.unicef.org/philippines

/

How can you make a difference

UNICEF applies the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework to help ensure that cash transfers to Implementing Partners (IPs) are used for their intended purpose, are properly documented, and are aligned with agreed workplans and programme results. Financial spot checks form part of UNICEF's assurance activities and are used to review the accuracy of financial records, validate reported expenditures, assess the status of programme implementation, and identify significant changes in the IP's internal control environment.

This assignment will support UNICEF Philippines in completing prioritized, risk-based and liquidation-triggered HACT spot checks under annual Assurance Plans. The consultant(s) will conduct in-situ and/or remote spot checks using UNICEF-approved templates and agreed-upon procedures, and will produce factual findings to inform follow-up, corrective actions and management oversight. The engagement is not an audit and does not result in an audit opinion or assurance conclusion.

The Long-Term Agreement (LTA) modality is intended to supplement internal capacity and enable the office to respond flexibly to annual spot check requirements, while maintaining consistency, quality and timely follow-up of findings and action points

Objectives

  • Conduct HACT financial spot checks for assigned IPs using UNICEF/UN HACT procedures, UNICEF spot check guidance and standard templates.
  • Verify whether sampled expenditures reported through certified FACE forms are adequately supported, recorded
  • approved and aligned with the agreed workplan/programme document.
  • Assess whether there have been significant changes in the IP's financial management and internal control arrangements since the most recent micro-assessment or prior assurance activity.
  • Document factual findings, exceptions, risks and agreed follow-up actions in a clear, evidence-based and timely manner.
  • Support UNICEF in strengthening follow-up of high-priority findings, including documentation of corrective
  • actions, refund requirements and closure evidence where applicable.

The consultant(s) will be assigned a list of IPs by UNICEF. The final assignment list will be determined by UNICEF based on the annual Assurance Plan, liquidation status, value of transfers, risk considerations, readiness of supporting documents, unresolved assurance issues, geographic feasibility, and the consultant's demonstrated quality and availability.

The consultant(s) shall perform agreed-upon procedures only. Any deviation from approved procedures, templates, sampling approach or methodology will require prior written clearance from UNICEF.

  • Review relevant background documentation, including programme documents, FACE forms, itemized cost estimates, prior spot check/audit reports, micro-assessments, programme visit reports and other records provided by UNICEF.
  • Reconcile selected FACE forms and reported expenditures with the IP's accounting records, supporting documents and, where applicable, bank statements and bank reconciliations.
  • Select and test expenditure samples using the sampling approach agreed with UNICEF, ensuring coverage of high-value, high-risk and material expense categories where appropriate.
  • Verify the existence, adequacy and consistency of supporting documentation, approvals, accounting records, payment evidence, procurement records and payroll documentation where applicable.
  • Review whether sampled expenditures are aligned with the approved workplan/programme document, UNICEF guidance and the agreed cash transfer modality.
  • Conduct interviews and discussions with IP finance/programme personnel as required to clarify processes, confirm internal control arrangements and understand exceptions.
  • Conduct entry and exit discussions with the IP, UNICEF HACT/Budget/Finance colleagues and relevant Programme staff as applicable.
  • Prepare draft and final spot check reports using UNICEF templates and submit them within agreed timelines.
  • Maintain a live tracker, in Excel/SharePoint or another UNICEF-agreed format, covering assigned IPs, review status, documents received, pending responses, draft/final reports, findings, follow-up actions and unresolved issues.

Standard Deliverables

Deliverable

Description

Indicative timeline

Payment basis

Inception Note and Spot Check Workplan

Methodology, workplan, document request list, agreed schedule, sampling approach and reporting timeline for assigned IPs.

To be agreed per assignment / batch

No payment, it is part of preparation and work coordination

Remote Spot Check Report

Final report using UNICEF template, including procedures performed, factual findings, exceptions, management responses and agreed follow-up actions.

2 weeks after field work completion

Upon satisfactory submission and acceptance

In-situ Spot Check Report

3 weeks after field work completion

Consolidated Summary of Findings, Risks and Recommendations

Periodic summary of recurring findings, risk themes, required action points, refund/unsupported expenditure issues and capacity-building needs.

Monthly, quarterly or as agreed with UNICEF

No Payment, it is included as part of the Spot Check reporting process

Management, Coordination and Quality Assurance

  • The consultant will report administratively to the Budget and Finance Specialist and will work under the technical oversight of the Finance Officer/HACT Focal Point.
  • UNICEF will provide assigned IP lists, templates, background documents, available records and coordination support with IPs and government counterparts.
  • Programme staff will support coordination with their respective IPs, attend exit meetings as required, validate programme-related observations and follow up assigned action points.
  • Formal communication and escalation to IPs, government counterparts or other stakeholders for delayed responses will be led by UNICEF. The consultant will support by documenting pending items and providing technical inputs.
  • Progress will be monitored weekly or biweekly through a tracker, dashboard or reporting slides agreed with UNICEF.
  • UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if deliverables are incomplete, delayed or not submitted to the required quality standard.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL LTA CONSULTANTS - Abridged version.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education

  • A bachelor's degree combined with relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
  • Professional accounting/audit certifications (i.e., CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIA), are an asset.
  • At least five years of relevant professional experience in financial review, audit, assurance, internal controls, financial management or donor-funded programme assurance.
  • Demonstrated experience preparing clear financial review, assurance, audit, management or risk reports.
  • Proven ability to conduct remote and desk-based reviews and, where required, onsite financial verification.

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required

  • Experience with UNICEF/UN, HACT, FACE forms, eTools/FAM or donor-funded programme assurance activities is highly desirable
  • Ability to document factual findings clearly, objectively and in an evidence-based manner.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including ability to engage respectfully with IPs, government counterparts and UNICEF colleagues.
  • Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet tight deadlines and work independently with limited supervision.
  • Practical problem-solving orientation and ability to identify feasible corrective actions without compromising UNICEF procedures.
  • Willingness to undertake field travel within the Philippines when required.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English and Tagalog (verbal and written) is required. Knowledge in the local language is an asset.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by

21 August 2026

. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal will be considered.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines' Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

A Cover letter explaining the motivation for applying and explaining how the qualifications and skillset of the candidate

(to be uploaded online).

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Qualifications, Diplomas and certificates.

Financial proposal indicating professional fee as per the TEMPLATE FOR FINANCIAL PROPOSAL.docx. Please do not forget to specify your name in the file while saving.

(To be uploaded under other supporting documents).*

*The consultant is expected to submit an all-inclusive financial proposal indicating the proposed rate for each category of service. The rates shall remain fixed for the duration of the Long-Term Agreement. UNICEF does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the LTA, as services will be requested based on forthcoming needs.

Without all the above 4 documents your applicat