Job Description
The Position:
The Finance Analyst is responsible for effective delivery of financial services and transparent utilization of financial resources within UNFPA. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Analyst promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNFPA rules and regulations.
The Finance Analyst leads the finance team in supporting a smooth functioning of financial and budget management.
You will report directly to the International Operations Manager.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
In a global organisation, where many of our people are based in challenging environments, you will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of critical services relating to Financial management. The Finance Analyst supervises and leads staff in the Finance unit. He/she works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the Country Office (CO) and with UNFPA HQs staff and Government officials ensuring successful Country Office (CO) performance in Finance.
The Finance Analyst actively participates in local inter-agency coordination to ensure UNFPA’s needs in common systems and service issues are met. External partners include other UN agencies, vendors, and other non-UN partners that are essential to the work of the Finance section.
You would be responsible for:
1. Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNFPA rules and regulations.
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets of management projects.
• Establishment of the development projects’ budgets preparation/modification monitoring system, control of budgetary status versus authorized spending limits (ASL) and budgets delivery levels.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Processing of cost-recovery bills in Atlas for the services provided by UNDP.
• Carry out financial analysis and ensure oversight of all resources managed by the CO and provision of high-quality professional advice to the CO management.
• Supervise timely production of accurate donor reports.
• Undertake continuous analysis and monitoring of the CO’s financial situation, and preparation of regular updates on the status of financial resources.
• Ensure full compliance, of financial activities, financial recording/reporting systems with UNFPA’s rules, regulations, policies and strategies; proper design and functioning of the financial resources management.
• Serve as focal point for audits, both HACT and DAO, including coordination of HACT audit visits, training and support to staff and Implementing Partners, coordination of responses to audit observations, follow on implementation of audit recommendations, maintenance of HACT Database/CARDS, etc.
2. Implement operational and financial management strategies; adapt processes and procedures to maximize effectiveness and efficiency focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UN rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
• Conduct CO finance business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance, control of the workflows in the Finance Unit
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects.
• Elaboration of the framework and conditions of contributions within the CO resources mobilization efforts.
• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies.
• Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors and other UNFPA staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Supervise delivery of effective and efficient financial services to UNFPA’s staff and clients (payments, F10 settlements, reversals, petty cash, vendor initiation, etc.)
• Establish internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that all transactions are duly authorized; AP vouchers are matched and posted; payrolls are posted; travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed; receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals are properly done in compliance with IPSAS and UNFPA rules, policies and procedures.
• Facilitate effective budget management of office resources; elaborate proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Supervise members of Finance team; manage workflow in the unit, serve as a coach and mentor to the members of the Finance team.
• Backstop Operations Manager at the time of their absence
3. Exercise proper control of CO accounts, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Build systems and procedures to ensure proper use and regular reconciliation of balance sheet accounts; organize timely collection of receivables and settlement of liabilities;
• Ensure oversight of Operating Fund Account (OFA); ensure full compliance of CO transactions with OFA policy; overview regular reconciliations of OFA accounts;
• Coordinate financial closure activities and submission of all due certifications to HQ; overview preparation of monthly and quarterly accountability checklists;
• Ensure correct coding of all CO transactions by chart of account elements including oversight over correct use of account and implementing agency codes;
• Timely corrective actions on un posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
• Control of the Accounts Receivables and maintenance of the General Ledger.
4. Facilitate building and sharing knowledge of finance among Country Office staff:
• Serve as Quantum and IPSAS learning focal point; stay abreast of new IPSAS-related policies and ATLAS upgrades; organize regular learning events for staff;
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on Finance;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance;
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice and share any updates with other CO colleagues
5. Ensure proper CO cash management focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Timely review of cash position for local mobile banking account to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements for workshop allowances. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to supervisors and other UNFPA staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Primary contact with mobile bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of rate on transactions.
• Transaction and stop payment approval on mobile banking systems.
• Approval and submission of monthly mobile account reports to management.
• Timely and accurate approval of mobile account reconciliation, including documented review of exceptions.
• Timely preparation of monthly workshop allowances cash flow forecast for use by Operations Manager and Programme Specialists. Liaison with programme units to obtain estimate of their cash requirements.
• Role as cashier for cash disbursements made on site.
6. Leads the finance team in supporting a smooth functioning of financial and budget management
• Managing day-to-day management of the finance team, ensuring smooth financial and budget management and provision of high quality and timely service delivery, promoting innovation and high client satisfaction, as well as maximizing efficiency and effectiveness of office operations.
• Participating in inter-agency meetings/Finance Working Group or inter-agency mechanisms, to contribute to operational and management aspects of the UN reform (Business Operations Strategy, Common Back Office, Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers)
7. Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the management of the Country Office
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Finance / Accounting, or related discipline.
Knowledge and Experience:
• Relevant experience in providing financial management services and operational system;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft;
• Experience of IPSAS or IFRS is an added advantage.
• UN common system experience, especially field experience, is desirable.
Languages:
Fluency in English and Ukrainian.
Required Competencies:
Values:
Exemplifying integrity,
Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
Embracing cultural diversity,
Embracing change
Core Competencies:
Achieving results,
Being accountable,
Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
Thinking analytically and strategically,
Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
Functional Competencies:
Business acumen
Implementing management systems
Innovation and marketing of new approaches
Client orientation
Managing the organization’s financial resources
Organizational awareness
Managerial Competencies (if applicable):
Providing strategic focus;
Engaging staff and partners;
Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance;
Making decisions and exercise judgment
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.