Finance Officer

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations. 

Key Results Expected

1. Implementation of operational strategies and procedures
2. Budget Preparation and Management
3. Cash Management and Treasury
4. Control of Accounts and Payments
5. Team Management
6. Knowledge Building and Sharing

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

• Full compliance with UN/UNOPS rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
• Implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, elaboration of conditions of contributions within the office’s resource mobilisation efforts.
• Implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.

Implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management Implements key aspects of budget preparation and management towards achievement of the  following:

•  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.
• Identification of administrative budgetary requirements; provision of guidance on guidelines for budget preparation.
• Review and update of guidelines, procedures in light of changing circumstances or for the purpose of complying, streamlining and/or strengthening of existing financial and budgetary procedures
• Review, analysis and revision of data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements submitted by project managers; review of budget proposals for reasonableness, consistency with the organizational goals and priorities.
• Monitoring of budget implementation, expenditure levels against allotments and determination/recommendation of reallocation of funds when necessary
• Status of budgetary allocations monitored on an ongoing basis; networking with clients to strengthen budget management and take corrective actions when required.  Provision of information to supervisors and other UNOPS staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Collaboration in the improvement of the UNOPS Project Budget formulation system, with the cooperation of the Information Technology, ensuring relevance of system at all times by updating and proposing change to facilitate financial management of project and enhance financial reporting.
• Review and appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

Cash management and treasury: Provides substantive review, contributions, and support towards achievement of the following: 

• Organization and oversight of cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, bank relationship management, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site.
• Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements; identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Establishment of efficient local banking arrangements and compliance with local financial and banking regulations
• Building of project capacity to effect payments using ERP/OneUNOPS and/or Imprest Accounts.
• Monitoring of the delivery and income of the Fund
• Discussion and communication with the project support colleagues on the savings or potential concerns that may require further review.

Accounts and payments:  is accountable for key elements of the following:

• Analysis and elaboration of proposals for the internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP;  travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Quality control of the account by performing ongoing review, analysis and reconciliation of accounts. Investigation of discrepancies and initiation of timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. 
• Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Control of the Accounts Receivables for UNOPS projects and follow up with partners on contributions, maintenance of the General Ledger.
• Ensuring proper maintenance of the field financial accounts; preparation of financial records, statements and reports as required or approval of the work of subordinates; coordination of field replies to internal and external audit queries;
• Ensuring proper receipt, management, safeguarding and disbursement of payments handled by the field; review, modification, initiation and implementation of internal control procedures in coordination with Headquarters;
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments; preparation of all types of vouchers; Pay Cycle and payments execution;
• Preparation of timely financial reports for submission to the funding agency in accordance with UNOPS rules, and in line with the established procedures;
• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions;
• Ensuring proper maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNOPS projects and follow-up with partners on contributions, deposits creation in ERP and their application to AR pending items.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on Finance related topics.
• Contribute to Financial management knowledge networks and communities of practice by providing collaborative synthesis of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in financial management.
• Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.

Team Management

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.
• Provide oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices

Impact of Results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Finance Officer/ Analyst directly impact on the availability of UNOPS’ financial resources to effectively develop and implement the organization’s programmes and projects.  It enhances the organization’s financial and programme performance, demonstrating UNOPS’ effective stewardship of donor and partner funds. These promote the credibility of the organization as an effective service provider in project services and management

•  A Bachelors Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics or related fields is required.
• A Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics or related fields or related will be an asset.
• Certification in Public Accountancy (CPA) or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) will be an asset.
  
  

• Minimum of  two (2) years of relevant experience in budget preparation and financial management is required.
• Experience in accounting with responsibility for project accounting and preparation of financial statements in an international organization in providing financial management services is an asset
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial rules and regulations; working knowledge of ERP (particularly Agresso), experience with MS Office 2003/or newer versions, and financial management, using electronic systems, environment is an asset.

Full knowledge of English language is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.