Location:

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Salary:

negotiable / YEAR
Job type:

FULL_TIME
Posted:

3 weeks ago
Category:

Budget and Accounting, Finance
Deadline:

09/12/2024

JOB DESCRIPTION

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) helps countries to simultaneously achieve sustainable development and poverty reduction, introducing substantive improvements in the lives of communities.

In Argentina, UNDP carries out a programme of cooperation and technical-financial assistance in line with the country’s priorities, which promotes and provides substantive technical and management support to projects implemented by governmental and civil society organisations.

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.

Position Purpose

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Direct Supervisor or Operations Manager, the Finance Associate ensures effective execution of financial services and processes in the Country Office (CO) and transparent utilization of financial resources. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme, Management Support and Business Development staff in the CO and UNDP HQ and the projects’ staff for resolving finance-related issues and exchange of information. The Finance Associate can replace de Finance Analyst during his/her absence.

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.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.) Support administration of operations and financial management strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules and regulations and other relevant policies on financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
CO finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.
Monitoring and proactive follow-up on project schedule of payments in accordance with the risk management guidelines.

2.) Support project financial monitoring and follow-up of budgets as well as functioning of the optional cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support and follow-up of budgets for UNDP development project:
- Analysis of operating fund account (OFA) to ensure adequate financial management.
- Revision and approval of requests for advance of funds as supported by project quarterly expenditure forecast and previous quarter financial report.
- Revision of authorized spending limits (ASL) and cost-sharing apportionment, ensuring completeness and follow up with HQs.
- Follow-up of financial status of co-financed projects in order to ensure availability of funds and compliance with donor agreements.
- Revision of CDRs in order to make them available to projects. Adjustment of CDRs requested by the projects. Follow-up of the CDRs certified by the projects.
Support financial closure of projects.
Participation in project monitoring activities together with programme staff providing required inputs in relation to financial analysis performed and audit recommendations.
Presentation of researched information for planning and status of financial resources of the CO.

3.) Provide accounting and administrative support to the Finance unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for NEX projects; preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for projects.
Recording of exchange differences. GMS analysis and adjustments.
Proper control and pre-approval of VAT reimbursement requests.
Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Quantum; travel claims, and other entitlements are duly processed.
Timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including the invoices with budgets check errors, match exceptions, unapproved invoices, monitoring AP and IFD dashboards.
Follow up with Treasury Assistant on Account Receivables for UNDP projects in order to ensure required adjustments.
Preparation of information for audits.

4.) Promotes a client-oriented approach and ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

Attention to projects queries and request providing timely and accurate response.
Organization of trainings for the operations/projects staff on Finance.
Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Finances.
Sound 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.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervise clerical and support staff in the Finance unit.

Competencies

Core Competencies

ACHIEVE RESULTS – LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
THINK INNOVATEVELY – LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
LEARN CONTINUOUSLY – LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
ADAPT WITH AGILITY – LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
ACT WITH DETERMINATION – LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
ENGAGE AND PARTNER – LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
ENABLE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION – LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional Competencies

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
- KNOWLEDGE GENERATION: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
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.
- 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.

Technical Competencies

OPERATIONS: FINANCE
- ACCOUNTING (GENERAL): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
- BUDGET MANAGEMENT: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.
- FINANCIAL REPORTING AND ANALYSIS: Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. 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. • Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.
- AUDIT (GENERAL): Understands how regulations and professional standards in internal and external audit underpin audit work in the public services. • Understands the key stages of audit work, including lanning, documentation, testing and reporting. • Ability to examine and verify accounts and records. • Understands wider mechanisms for assurance and scrutiny. • Understands the law and best practice relating to anti-bribery and corruption controls and the fraud risks faced by public bodies.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education with specialized certification in accounting and/or Finance. University degree in Finance or Accounting desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. (The degree must state that the major is in accounting or finance. Degrees in Business Administration or Public Administration are not considered equivalent.)
Fully Qualified Accountant, from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy or Full Completion of the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP). No UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) required.
Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. However, no UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications but with relevant experience must successfully undertake UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) before shortlisting and must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

Experience:

Minimum 6 years (with secondary education) or 3 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, Power BI, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as Oracle financials and database packages.
Demonstrable knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is desirable.
Experience in accounting analysis and financial closing is desirable.
Experience in management of United Nations System projects is desirable.
Experience in financial analysis of projects within the United Nations system or projects in public or private sectors is desirable.
Experience in payment analysis/review, including procurement processes, billing standards, budget and financial availability analysis, will be valued.

Languages:

Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning

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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements

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