Finance Specialist

The project ‘Mozambique Northern Crisis Recovery Project’ will be based in and around the City of Pemba in Cabo Delgado Province supporting the resettlement of IDPs from temporary settlement sites to 20 relocations sites. The project will support both IDPs and Host communities. The project comprises of 4 main components:

1. Implementation of operational and financial management strategies

2. Budget management and organization of the cost-recovery system

3. Accounting Management

4. Cash and Treasury management

5. Financial reporting

6. Team Management 

7. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Implementation of operational and financial management strategies

• Ensures the implementation of operational and financial management strategies, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Advice to senior management on strategic financial resources management

• Authoritative interpretation of requirements for handling transactions advice and guidance concerning UNOPS’ financial practices and rules.

• Operational efficiency of the managerial or accounting aspects of the areas managed.

• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for projects.

• Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies and IPSAS standards.

• Implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system. 

• Proper management of the contributions and accounting for contributions to ensure that funds due to The Project are properly identified, consistently and uniformly classified, recorded on a timely basis and received with sufficient supporting documentation. 

• Performance of appropriate role in Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP) system for transactions approvals as per Delegation of Authority ( DOA) mandate . 

• Approvals authority of pending disbursements (cheques, bank transfers, EFT) and bank reconciliations.

•  Proper planning, expenditure tracking and audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income in accordance with UNOPS rules and regulations 

• Control of the workflows in the Finance Unit.

• Elaboration of the framework and conditions of contributions within the Project’s  resources mobilization efforts.

• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies.

• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. 

• Informs supervisors and other UNOPS colleagues at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Budget management and organization of the cost-recovery system

• Manages the project budgets and organizes an optimal cost-recovery system focusing on

• achievement of the following results:

• Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNOPS rules and regulations.

• Preparation and monitoring of Project budgets .

• Processing of Project Budget revisions  if authorized by the Senior Management (can be done only on the basis of signed documents and project budgets).

• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.

• Preparation of Budget variance reports 

 Accounting Management

• Ensures effective accounting  systems   focusing on achievement of the following          

• results in compliance with IPSAS and UNOPS policies and procedures:

• Elaboration of the internal control framework  which ensures that payment requests ( RFP) are  processed are e-matched and completed, financial transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Enterprise system ( ERP) ;, travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed and timely receipting of goods and services in the ERP system.

• Timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions.

• Security for cash and  valuable assets .

• Proper management and accounting for contributions to ensure that funds due to the project  are properly identified, consistently and uniformly classified, recorded on a timely basis and received with sufficient supporting documentation

• Timely corrective actions on unposted payment requests , including RFP’s with budget and fund check errors, match exceptions and  unapproved payment vouchers. Follow up with HQ for timely resolutions on finance  requests.

• Control of the Accounts Receivables for UNOPS projects and maintenance of the General Ledger

Cash and Treasury Management 

• Ensures effective cash management systems focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Timely review of the monthly  and Quarterly cash flow  requirement for the project   to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application.

• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to supervisors and other UNOPS staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

• Weekly  review of the Project cash balances  in Enterprise system to ensure adequate cash to meet the project’s payment and fund commitment needs Primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters.

• Timely and accurate approval of bank reconciliation, including documented review of exceptions.

• Timely preparation of monthly cash-flow forecast for use by UNOPS Treasury  to fund the local Bank accounts 

Financial Reporting 

• Prepare Monthly and Quarterly Interim Financial Reports ( IFR’s) for both the Senior Management and The Client, in the prescribed format.

• Prepare and submit the Contribution’s Tranche requests, in prescribed format. 

Team Management

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective recruitment, work planning, performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.

• Provide oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on finance related topics.

• Lead, approve and conduct initiatives on capacity development and knowledge building for Finance personnel, including network development, plans, learning plans and activities, Finance practice information and best practice bench marking.

• Oversee team’s contributions to Finance knowledge networks and communities of practice including collaborative synthesis of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources management.

• Guide team’s collection of feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.  

Impact of Results 

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Finance Officer directly impacts 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 Master's Degree or equivalent in Finance, Management, Business Administration or related fields is required. 

OR a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Management, Business Administration or related fields with additional two (2) years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Minimum of five (5) years of work experience in accounting with responsibility for project accounting is required.
• At least 2 years experience in Budget management, Cash Management and Financial reporting is required
• Experience in preparation of financial statements is desired.
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial rules and regulations is an advantage;
• Working knowledge of ERP is desirable.
• Financial management experience and use of  electronic systems is desired.

Full knowledge of English and Portuguese language is required.

• Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement
• Contract level: ICS 10/ LICA 10
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• 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.