Finance Officer

Vacancy Notice No: HQ/14/HSE/FT13 Title: Finance Officer Grade: P3 Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment Duration of contract:  One year	Date: 14 January 2014 Application Deadline: 4 February 2014 (10 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications Duty Station:  Geneva, Switzerland   Organization unit: HQ/HSE Health Security and Environment (HQ/HSE) / HQ/HEA HSE ADGO Office of the Assistant DG (HQ/HEA)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : The Health Security and Environment (HSE) Cluster envisions a world where the collective vulnerability to public health risks is effectively managed at the national and international levels, through global cooperation, transparency, and accountability between countries. The public health risks on which the cluster focuses are natural, accidental, or deliberate exposures to infectious disease agents in humans, animals, and insect vectors. WHO's Member States have adopted the International Health Regulations (2005) as a public health convention "to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade". Under the IHR (2005) WHO Member States commit themselves to develop core capacities to prevent, detect and respond to public health events, and charge WHO to develop mechanisms to prepare for and contain the international spread of such events should they occur. The IHR (2005) serves as the core framework within which the cluster works with Member States and partners.
Description of duties: Develop a budget and financial plan for the office of the Assistant Director-General (ADG) ensuring appropriate use of donor funding. Provide sound budget and financial advice to the Management Officer of the ADG and to the ADG to support effective budget and financial decision making. Regularly evaluate the cluster financial and award management performance bringing to the attention of the Management Officer any deviation in agreed use of donor funding or timeline issues. Analyze and regularly provide reports on funding gaps (at top task/deliverable level) across the Cluster. Assist with the development of proposals to address these funding gaps and help to finalize donor agreements with regard to financial and audit terms and conditions, liaising with the office of the Legal Counsel (LEG), the department of Finance (FNM) and the Planning, Resource Coordination and Performance Monitoring (PRP) as needed. Analyze financial accounting of awards (encumbrances, expenditures, cost codes, etc.) in preparation of interim and management financial reports for WHO and donors ensuring correct reporting of, and appropriate use of, donor funding. Monitor the engagement and terms of payment of outside contractors and ensure procurement of HSE Cluster is regularly analyzed and appropriate action taken to promote compliance with procurement rules and practices. Improve the overall efficiency of the cluster budget and financial recording by using and promoting effective planning, practices, methods and tools. Also provide and hold briefing sessions on financial procedures. Ensure cluster compliance with all organizational requirements for budget, financial and associated work providing regular quality assessments of the work related to financial transactions of the cluster. Ensure good financial management of work plans, awards and Outbreak, Crisis, Response (OCR) and In-Kind budgets, allocated to work in emergencies, managed from the office of ADG/HSE.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Essential University degree in accounting, financial management, business administration or related field.* Desirable Professional accounting certification such as CPA or CA. Masters degree in Business Administration or CIA. * (For WHO staff please see e-manual III.4.1, para 220)
Skills:  Essential Demonstrated skills and experience in finance and accounting management, with the ability to analyze financial data and recommend appropriate actions and to prepare reporting documents. Mature judgment and ability to detect shortcomings and anomalies, and recommend remedy in line with WHO rules and regulations. Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of accounting and financial management. Very good knowledge of and skills in the use of modern integrated accounting systems. Sound judgment, integrity, tact and discretion in dealing with others. Good communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills. A team player. Knowledge of the accounting and financial policies and regulations which govern management within the United Nations, including changes due to IPSAS implementation. WHO Competencies: 1. Ensuring the effective use of resources 2. Communicating in a credible and effective way 3. Fostering integration and teamwork 4. Producing results 5. Moving forward in a changing environment.
Experience: Essential At least five years' responsibility and experience in accounting or financial management, preferably within a large corporation, national, multinational or international organization, complemented by experience in WHO to have a good knowledge of its financial and administrative rules and procedures as related to the work. Desirable Knowledge of other WHO financial systems or other applications of integrated financial and management systems, and WHO specific business and administrative processes an advantage, or experience in the UN system or an international organization. Working experience with ERP systems.
Languages: Expert knowledge of English or French with an intermediate knowledge of the other language are required.
Additional Information: Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this Vacancy Notice. This vacancy is published in English only. The following priority order will be observed in the screening of candidates: 1. WHO staff members (Continuing, Fixed-term and Temporary appointments), 2. External candidates.
Annual salary: (Net of tax) USD 56091 at single rate USD 60091 with primary dependants	Post Adjustment: 103.3 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
A written test and interviews may be used as a form of screening
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.
WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.