Finance Associate

Background Information – Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO)

Kenya Multi Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The KEMCO sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and South Africa. This includes primarily transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies, UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple ‘operational’ projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and several island states.


Background Information – Project

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman (FM) has approached UNOPS, based on its mandate and expertise, to support, among other initiatives, the design and construction of 100 water wells on the mainland and the island, a philanthropic project funded by the Sultanate of Oman.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman (FM) has approached UNOPS, based on its mandate and expertise, to support, among other initiatives, the design and construction of 100 water wells on the mainland and the island, a philanthropic project funded by the Sultanate of Oman. The intention of the Water Wells Projects is to provide access to water in the selected schools in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. 

Reporting to the Project Manager, the Finance Associate will take responsibility for the financial controls of a couple of projects implemented by the Tanzania office. The personnel will regularly provide guidance and advice on the project's financial status and health to the Project Manager. They will also be coordinating the KEMCO Project Management Office regularly.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Administration of budgets and cost-recovery system

2. Accounting. Payments, Payroll  

3. Office cash management

4. Knowledge building and Knowledge sharing

1. Administration of budgets and cost-recovery system

Ensures administration of budgets and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Preparation and modifications of budgets for projects;

• Presentation of researched information for planning and status of office’s financial resources;

• Provision of inputs for implementation of cost-saving and reduction strategies in consultation with the office management;

• Preparation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, follow up on contributions within the office’s resource mobilization efforts.

2. Accounting, Payments, Payroll  

Accounting, Payments, Payroll functions focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for projects; preparation of all types of vouchers; Pay Cycle and payments execution;

• Proper receipt of goods, services, and establishment of accruals;

• Approval of vendors in the Enterprise system (if a senior member of the Finance team);

• Global payrolls processing in the Enterprise system;

• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, timely corrective actions on unposted voucher taken, including those with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers; transactions are correctly recorded and posted; payrolls are duly prepared and processed; travel claims, MPOs and other entitlements are duly processed;

• Review of payment requests including supporting documents against the annual work plan;

• Timely accounts closure;

• Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues;

• Timely corrective actions on erroneous data in the Enterprise system. Preparation of financial reports as required;

• Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for projects and follow-up with partners on contributions, deposits creation in Enterprise systems and their application to pending items;

• Timely reimbursements, payments of costs by the Government; 

• Preparation of vouchers for projects;

• Administer project advances, reconciliations, and replenishments, under authorized approvals as follows;

• Liaise with programme officers and conduct necessary project visits to obtain all certified documents evidencing the completion of an activity, incurring of expenditure and identity of the party/vendor;

• Verify and monitor the accuracy of the statements and work plan compliance to provide replenishment of seed funds; 

• Collect all certified supporting documents, signatures, names and other particulars of the beneficiaries in receipt claims / reimbursements;

• Undertake required recording of transactions; 

• Reconcile the available balance of funds with the balance shown in the register;

• Where authorized, replenish funds upon receipt of relevant original documents and other evidence, and performing a reconciliation of the figures, beneficiaries, work plan and budget;

• Ensure settlement of the balance of cash in hand.

3. Office cash management

• Alternate to the supervising Finance Associate/Senior Finance Associate for timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application;

• Alternate to the supervising Finance Associate/Senior Finance Associate for daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in Enterprise system to monitor imprest level; identification and recording of contributions;

• Timely and accurate preparation of bank reconciliations;

• Alternate to the supervising Finance Associate/Senior Finance Associate for timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by Operations Manager/ Finance Analyst. Liaison with clients to obtain estimate of their cash requirement;

• Initiation of bank transfers and deals in Enterprise system;

• Creation of bank transfers (replenishment), deals and bank reconciliation processing;

• Effecting of operational Advances after submission of the reconciliation and settlement of the previous advances.

4. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

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

• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources;

• Contribute feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively;

• As Key Business User provide financial management support in the financial management module of Enterprise system to internal clients.

Contract type, level and duration

1. Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
2. Contract level: ICS6 (LICA 6)
3. Contract duration :‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• 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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.