Finance Specialist

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Description

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The Finance Specialist reports to the Admin and Finance Manager P-4 for general direction and guidance. The specialist is responsible for providing support to the Admin and Finance Manager in managing, monitoring and overseeing the full range of financial services in support of program and operational activities (i.e. financial planning, disbursements of funds and payments, treasury and accounting, financial analysis and reporting of resources), ensuring compliance of all financial operations with organizational plans, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of performance, ethics, and integrity.

The Finance Specialist, when supervising support staff, will be responsible for planning and guiding work in progress and for reviewing work completed by subordinate staff to verify accuracy and compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), UNICEF Financial Regulation and Rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of accountability, and ethics.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to financial planning and management
• Control of accounts
• Treasury and cash management
• Knowledge and capacity building

Support to financial planning and management:

• Prepare/analyze financial data/estimates and documentations, verifying relevancy, accuracy and completeness to facilitate financial planning for CPMP and regular management advice (including review of financial figures in PCAs). Provide technical and operational support throughout the financial planning and implementation process.
• Review budget implementation according to allotment, codes and certify compliance with guidelines and procedures. Keep stakeholders informed for timely action.
• Provide technical and operational support on the application, interpretation and implementation of financial policies, procedures and guidelines to the Representative and CO colleagues and stakeholders. Resolve routine financial issues and/or recommend (and record) deviation from procedures and guidelines to meet objectives.
• Evaluate financial and reputational risk in transactions carried out by the office and raise flags when actions are needed by management.
• Prepare and/or monitor financial exception reports to assess unusual activities and transactions, investigate anomalies, and keep supervisor informed for timely action.
• Provide technical support to the programme counterparts/committees, e.g. review budgets and financial plans of implementing partners; monitor compliance with HACT framework, including support to assessments, assurance and capacity development of implementing partners.
• Prepare work plans for supervisee/s, provide timely technical guidance, monitor work in progress and review work completed to approve transactions and/or certify/verify accuracy of work and compliance with IPSAS and UNICEF Regulations and Rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Where applicable, advise and support PSFR activities on budget preparation, strategic income projection/ reporting, setting, and monitoring performance indicators, revenue and expense reporting, and provide technical advice during strategic planning exercises.

Control of accounts:

• Process and/or review (as per delegated authority) the accurate and timely submission of payments (e.g. payroll, MIP, travel claims, pension fund, advances to governments etc), journal entries and other financial transactions within scope to the Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), ensuring compliance with budgetary limits, IPSAS and organizational regulations, rules, policies, procedures, standards of accountability, and ethics. Take timely action on outstanding accounts to resolve pending issues. This includes dialogue and follow up with the GSSC to facilitate timely processing of financial transactions submitted to the center.
• Process/supervise (as per delegated authority) the disbursement of payments when done locally via bank letters, checks, or petty cash.
• Process/supervise cash receipts and reconcile income contributions to ensure their timely deposit and recording in UNICEF systems.
• Monitor and analyze financial transactions, accounting reports and reconciliation of accounts to ensure accurate and current financial information for applicable compliance (e.g. IPSAS, donor reporting, internal policies) and management oversight, planning and/or action.
• Prepare or contribute to mandated management/statutory office financial and accounting reports to UNICEF Board/Bodies/Donors, verifying the reliability of data and compliance with organizational guidelines.
• Collaborate with oversight bodies (e.g. UNBOA, OIAI, Evaluation Office, JIU, donors, etc.) to provide answers and to follow to resolution of financial observations and recommendations.
• Assure proper and timely completion of accounts closure activities (monthly, quarterly and yearly)
• Examine DCT transactions (transfer, adjustments, reprogramming and liquidation) supporting documents to ensure FACE form has been properly entered into the system and the expenditure is broadly reasonable and in accordance with policy.
• Treasury and cash management
• Manage bank, petty and cash on hand accounts transactions and operations in accordance with UNICEF/UN financial regulations and rules, policies, procedures and local banking practices. Keep abreast of procedures and regulations regarding maintenance of bank accounts and exchange and interests rates. Keep supervisor and relevant colleagues informed for timely action.
•  Primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of exchange rate on replenishments.
• Maintain a system to monitor and forecast periodic cash requirements. Provide current information on cash position/forecast to management and make recommendation or take action to ensure sufficient availability of resources for programmes and operations activities.
• Review monthly bank reconciliation and take appropriate corrective actions on findings identified by the GSSC.

Knowledge and capacity building:

• Promote culture of highest ethical standards and behavior in management of UNICEF’s resources.
• Contribute to initiatives for management improvement by capturing, institutionalizing and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Implement and/or recommend management improvements to enhance productivity and performance including implementation of cost saving strategies.
• Participate and/or organize training and learning events to build capacity of staff and stakeholders/partners.
• Support operations of the office as required.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education:

• Advance university degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration or equivalent or any other comparable recognized professional qualification.
• A valid professional certification (CA; CPA; etc.) from an internationally recognized, accredited chartered accountancy institution is required; or an advanced diploma qualification in CIPFA or its equivalent with other internationally recognized institutions along with an Advanced university degree.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in financial management or audits in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.
• Experience in a UN system agency or organization some of which served in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel required.
• Experience in database packages, web-based management systems and ERP systems (preferably SAP financial modules) is considered as an asset.
• Experience with IPSAS and/or IFRS is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/560245

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