Finance Officer (INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is looking for an experienced Finance Officer to lead our team across West Africa.

Whether it’s fighting Ebola by securing works contracts for new isolation wards, procuring life-saving medical equipment for the most vulnerable or helping establish West Africa’s largest renewable energy micro-grids, the work you do at UNOPS is about building a future we all can believe in.

If you have experience leading teams, are excited to expand our sustainable project management initiatives, are great at facilitating technical teams to develop specifications, are always ready to get hands on with the work and can lead partners through best practice in finance, then this is your opportunity.

Things happen quickly at UNOPS and we are looking for enthusiastic team players who are ready to not only keep up but blaze a path forward. The sub-regional office based in Accra, Ghana is UNOPS newest and covers the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. As a central resource for the United Nations and its member governments, UNOPS is a global organization that is focused on making a local difference with some of the world’s top services in Project Management, Infrastructure and Procurement.

What drives us is a passion to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities to those most vulnerable. Come help us build the foundations for communities to function and people to live with dignity and respect.

UNOPS aims to support the planning, management and implementation of infrastructure that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, even in the most challenging environments.  UNOPS currently implements annually over $300 million of public works, including construction or rehabilitation of roads and bridges, public buildings such as hospitals, schools, police training centres and prisons, a variety of community infrastructure and emergency relief structures.

In our work with governments and public sectors in developing countries, there is also a growing demand for UNOPS to provide technical assistance to plan, manage and deliver infrastructure.

The Finance Officer, reporting directly to the Head of Support Services, will provide leadership and technical assistance to the Finance team. 

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head of Support Services, the Finance Officer analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues in the GHOH HUB; he/she ensures effective and transparent utilization of financial resources and integrity of financial services. The Finance Officer promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS rules and regulations.

Summary of Key Functions 

• Implementation of operational strategies
• Budget preparation, monitoring and control
• Hub or Country Offices cash management and treasury
• Control of Hub or Country Offices accounts
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Ensures implementation of operational strategies and adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with the provisions of the UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations, the Finance Manual and Finance and Budget Technical Instructions in all financial transactions, recording, reporting, etc.
• Hub or Country Offices business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in the Hub or Country Offices, control of the workflow in the Finance unit
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation in the Hub or Country Offices
• Analysis and elaboration of proposals on cost-saving and reduction strategies (including introduction and development of e-banking).
• Routinely monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. 

• Proposals for planning of financial resources of the Hub or Country Offices, preparation of reports containing analysis of the financial situation.
• Coordination of the preparation of the field operating budget; review of budget submissions, regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation; monitoring of expenditures against budget allotments and reporting on variances
• Coordination with the Portfolio Specialist to ensure compliance with UNOPS financial rules and regulations, financial policies and procedures and that project budgets and revisions are prepared in accordance with established procedures and budgetary guidelines of the funding agency; project budget re-phasing processed accurately and punctually
• Identification of administrative budgetary requirements; guidance on guidelines for budget preparation, the format to be used in reflecting budget proposals and the procedures for submission to facilitate consolidation at the global level.
• Review of budget proposals for reasonableness, consistency with the organizational goals and priorities.
• Monitoring and advice to the Regional Director or Country Offices Manager on the financial status of projects and programmes (including pending and approved budgets; contributions confirmed but not yet available for expenditure; contributions available for expenditure and contributions already expended).
• Monitoring of expenditure levels against allotments; review and processing of request for budget revision as required.
• Continuous monitoring of budgetary allocations and contact with clients to strengthen budget management and take corrective actions when required.
• Maintenance of the UNOPS Project Budget formulation system, ensuring timely input and processing of data; proposals for update and change (with ICT unit) to ensure relevance of the system at all times in the financial management of projects and enhancement of financial reporting.
• Discussion of concerns with the Portfolio Specialist when required so that timely corrective actions can be taken.

A minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing financial management services and/or managing staff and operational systems.

Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office 2003 and/or newer versions) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Professional Certification in Accountant such as CPA, CA or ACCA etc would be an added advantage.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to provide analytical inputs to strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to make the analysis of requirements and parameters provided in support of financial processes in the Hub or Country Offices
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, contributions and investments, and transactions; conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost recovery
• Good knowledge of accounting
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Keen sense of ethics and integrity in dealing with clients and service providers and demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and clients
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time.
• This is a local position and only qualified Ghanaian National are eligible to apply.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.