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.  

After 30 years of independence, Moldova’s prison system continues to resemble the Soviet model of ‘carceral collectivism’ instantiated by gulag-resembling architecture and a cultural attachment to this penal philosophy. The most acute problems faced by the penitentiary system are overcrowding, criminal subculture, inadequate healthcare and insufficient meaningful activities. The overcrowding has been particularly severe in Prison no. 13 in Chișinău, an institution built in 1849 that serves as the only pre-trial facility covering both the capital and central region of Moldova. Aiming to align the treatment of prisoners to European standards by improving material conditions, safety and management practices, the Moldovan Government is pursuing the development of a new remand facility that will replace Prison no. 13 in Chișinău.

UNOPS has been engaged by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to deliver the construction of the penitentiary. The new facility is expected to have a capacity of 1,050 inmates and would enhance the physical conditions of detention for pre-trial detainees in Moldova. The project, expected to be completed by 2027, is jointly financed through the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and the Government of the Republic of Moldova.

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to organizational needs and structure:

Under the direct supervision of the Finance Manger and Senior Project Manager, the Finance Officer provides key elements of advisory, management, and planning services to ensure compliant planning, administration, and management (including budget, treasury and cash management) of the Business Unit’s financial resources.  Under close supervision, s/he may maintain oversight and control of Programme financial activities,  providing value-added advisory services. 

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

• 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.

• A minimum of one  year of progressive experience in budget 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/UN financial rules and regulations is an asset; 

• experience using an ERP system (preferably Agresso) is required.

• Experience in the usage of MS Office and/or G Suite (Google Workplace) with advanced knowledge of spreadsheet packages is required

Fluency in written and oral Romanian and English are required.

Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: Local ICA Specialist
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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.