Finance Assistant, GS5

The Finance team supports the Country Office (CO) in the promotion of its sustainable development agenda by continuously enhancing CO financial performance, delivering sound management of financial resources, and ensuring strong accountability through informed decision making, effective financial management processes, and transparent financial reporting that complies with international standards and regulatory guidelines.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Operations Manager and direct supervisor, the Finance Assistant provides financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Finance Assistant promotes a client-oriented approachconsistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects’ staff in the Country Office (CO) and with UNDP HQ and GSSC staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

Support implementation of operational strategies

• Ensure full compliance of financial processes and financial records with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and strategies.
• Provide input to the Finance unit and office management in preparing and reviewing CO business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal standard operating procedures in finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management. 

Support functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system

• Provide inputs for preparation of cost-recovery and Direct Project Costs (DPC) bills in ERP for the services provided by UNDP, and follow up on cost recovery

Provide accounting and administrative support to the Finance unit

• Provide support in ensuring proper control of the supporting documents for payment invoices and proper document management including systematic archiving. 
• Prepare financial reports for non-development projects and management funds/budget balance. 
• Prepare all types of invoices for projects and on behalf of UNOPS and non-ERP Agencies. 
• Maintain a proper filing system for finance records and documents.
• Maintain the internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP; and travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Provide information on the status of financial resources as required.
• Take timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including invoices with validation errors, match exceptions, and/or unapproved invoices.
• Manage cash receipts and petty cash.
• Maintain the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects in ERP.
• Provide support in timely recording, reconciliation, and submission of VAT claims with relevant TAX authority and following up on VAT reimbursements.

Ensure proper functioning of CO cash and Treasury management systems

• Serve as alternate to Finance Associate (ICS-6) for timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements and maintain liquidity level approved by Treasury. Identify and record receipts and create deposits for revenue application on a timely basis. 
• Identify and record contributions.
• Prepare timely and accurate bank reconciliations and provide documentation to GSSC according to service level agreement.  Initiate bank transfers and deals in ERP. 

Ensure proper functioning of CO cash and Treasury management systems

• Serve as alternate to Finance Associate (ICS-6) for timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements and maintain liquidity level approved by Treasury. Identify and record receipts and create deposits for revenue application on a timely basis. 
• Identify and record contributions.
• Prepare timely and accurate bank reconciliations and provide documentation to GSSC according to service level agreement.  Initiate bank transfers and deals in ERP. 

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO.

• Participate in the training for the operations/ projects staff on finance.
• Provide contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Requirements:

Education

• Secondary education with specialized certification in accounting and/or finance. A university degree in finance or accounting is desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. 
• Candidates with accountancy certification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. Candidates without certification but with relevant experience must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience at the national or international level is required.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages.
• Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is desired. 

Language Requirements

• Fluency in the UN language of the duty station is required (English)
• Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local staff (Russian/Belarusian)

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core 

Achieve Results	LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively	LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously	LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility	LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination	LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner	LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion	LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Management	Customer Satisfaction/Client Management	Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns
Business Development	Knowledge Generation	Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
Business Management	Working with Evidence and Data	Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
Administration & Operations	Documents and Records Management	Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
Finance	Accounting (General)	Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
Finance	Financial Reporting and Analysis	Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring.
Finance	Audit	Ability to examine and verify accounts and records