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UN WOMEN: FINANCE SPECIALIST

The UN Women (UNW), grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
The Bureau of Management and Administration is responsible for the planning, allocation and management of financial, human and administrative resources including information communications and technology, the effective and efficient delivery of essential operations services in UN Women, continuous development and improvement in operations, policies, and methods to align with UN Women and stakeholders’ evolving business needs and advisory support to the Executive Director in the formulation and implementation of the UN Women overall mission, strategy and plans of actions.
The Finance Specialist reports to the Chief of Accounts for guidance and supervision and is responsible for the management, oversight and effective control of UNW regular and non-core financial resources, timely and effective delivery of a whole range of financial services ensuring compliance with UNW Internal Control Framework, financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures and approved allocations. The Finance Specialist contributes to the development of financial policies, rules, procedures, systems and tools to ensure efficiency and efficacy in financial management and operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:
Financial Planning, Analysis, Management and Services:
  • Prepare quarterly cash flow for regular and institutional budget and non- core/trust funds.
  • Analyze and monitor the financial status of financial resources and keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions to ensure optimum utilization of regular and non-core resources and donor funding.
  • Recommend and/or implement cost saving and reduction strategies including cost recovery strategies and cost effective financial arrangements.
  • Manage, review, implement and/or verify financial transactions/activities, recording/reporting system and audit reports and ensure full compliance with and consistent approach to UNW internal control framework and financial rules, regulations and strategies.
  • Manage and oversee the financial business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal standard operating procedures and use of Atlas system to ensure proper management of financial transaction by UNW staff and the timely flow of financial information in UNW for management, monitoring and oversight purposes.
Approving and Certifying Functions:
  • Perform delegated approval function in Atlas on a timely basis.
  • Review and provide financial clearance of all donor agreements as delegated for compliance with standard agreements on a timely basis.
Monitoring, Oversight and Control:
  • Monitor financial systems and reports for unusual activities, transaction and investigate anomalies. Report to the Chief of Accounts findings and recommendations for actions/decisions.
  • Open and close General Ledger fiscal periods.
  • Confirm the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of UNW General Ledger and its compliance with policies and controls.
  • Prepare and issue guidelines for interim and annual donor reports in accordance with required timelines, donor agreements and any other financial reports required by Trust Funds and other cost sharing arrangements.
  • Prepare and issue guidelines for period-end and financial year-end closing of accounts and preparation of UNW statutory financial statements.
  • Follow up adherence to issued guidelines with users to ensure all actions are taken within the established timelines. Report to the Chief of Accounts any case of non-adherence for timely action.
  • Review donor agreements and contribution system and reports ensuring timely recording and investigation, when necessary of all agreements and receipts.
  • Implement new IPSAS accounting standards and ensure continued compliance by reviewing business processes and systems modules resulting in IPSAS compliant general ledger and financial statements.
  • Review UNDP prepared bank reconciliation and Investment statements, agree to general ledger, investigate any discrepancies and report to Chief of Accounts.
  • Review all assets and liability balances at period-end and year-end and reconcile to supporting documentations, including review of ageing analysis and reconciliation to various sub- ledgers.
  • Review incoming Implementing Partner certified financial reports and journal prepared in HQ and Field Offices. Investigate and follow up on any anomalies for timely action and resolution.
Advisory Support and Technical Guidance:
  • Provide advice and/or recommend solutions for a wide range of financial issues based on a review of financial rules and regulations and various policies and procedures to UNW HQ and Field Offices.
  • Provide input in the review and/or policy development of donor and cost-sharing and trust funds agreements and MOUs.
  • Contribute to the continuing review of delegation of responsibility to Field Offices and HQ.
  • Actively promote and support Finance Users in Field Offices with IT cost effective tools.
Financial Reporting and Response to Audit:
  • Ensure the timely preparation and distribution of Key Performance Indicators as established.
  • Ensure the timely preparation of Project Delivery reports and Regular Budget report on a monthly basis and review for accuracy and completeness prior to distribution.
  • Ensure the timely preparation of financial reports and other ad hoc reports to governments and donors as required under the donor agreements, Trust Funds and other cost-sharing arrangements. Review financial reports for accuracy and completeness and submit to the Chief of Accounts within the required timeline.
  • Ensure the timely preparation of period-end and year-end financial statements and reports. Review period end and year-end financial statement reports for accuracy and completeness and submit to the Chief of Accounts within the required timeline.
  • Coordinate and manage responses from HQ and Field Offices in relation to internal and external audit requests. Prepare responses to internal and external audit inquiries and other findings related to financial management for review/approval by Chief of Accounts.
  • Follow up and/or take prompt action to respond to audit and other findings on financial management including recommending improvements in policies, procedures and practices.
Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:
  • Lead and manage website development ensuring current dissemination of financial information and policies to all UNW users.
  • Contribute and/or initiate the development of financial policies, procedures, internal control, business flows, reporting and systems.
  • Conduct and/or organize training events and activities and conduct inductions of new staff members.
  • Capture, synthesize and/or codify lessons learned and best practices in financial management and services.
  • Diseminate to clients and stakeholders as appropriate to build capacity and knowledge.
  • Design and/or introduce, learning tools, best practices and innovations in financial business operational practices and management.
Supervisory Responsibilities of Finance Staff:
  • Prepare the work plan for the Finance Section in collaboration with the finance team and Chief of Accounts. Establish priorities, timelines, targets and standards for monitoring results.
  • Monitor progress and provide guidance and direction to the staff as necessary to ensure goals and objectives are achieved.
  • Establish RCA for each member of the team based on the work plan and ensure preparation and review meets established timelines.
Impact of Results:
The key results have and impact on the effective and efficient management of UNW regular and non-core resources. Sound policies and advice, proper oversight, control and monitoring of program and project resources, and timely and accurate financial reporting enhance the UNW reputation with governments, donors as a trusted partner and reliable custodian of funds and fosters a culture of accountability

Competencies

Core Values and Guiding Principles:
  • Integrity: Demonstrates consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
  • Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing diversity: Demonstrates an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrates an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

  • Ethics and Values: Demonstrates and safeguards ethics and integrity
  • Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
  • Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring: Self-development, initiative-taking
  • Working in Teams: Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
  • Communicating Information and Ideas: Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
  • Self-management and Emotional intelligence: Creating synergies through self-control
  • Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements: Managing conflict
  • Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning: Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
  • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Informed and transparent decision making
Functional Competencies:
  • Strong knowledge and expertise in financial planning and management principles and approaches.
  • Solid knowledge of complex financial rules and a regulations, preferably UN/UNDP/UNW Financial Rules and regulations.
  • Demonstrated business acumen and judgment.
  • Conceptual/strategic skills and success in implementing financial re-engineering, management systems development, policy design, innovation and knowledge product development.
  • Solid knowledge and experience in the application of complex financial systems and modules (such as Atlas).
  • Advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance/Accounting, Business, or Public Administration, or a professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy.
  • Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.

Experience:

  • Minimum 7 years of extensive and progressively responsible experience in financial planning, financial management and operations, at least (3) years of which should be at the supervisory level, in a large international and/or corporate organization preferably in the UN system and its organizations.
  • Experience of IPSAS or IFRS highly desirable.

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English.
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