Location:

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Salary:

negotiable / YEAR
Job type:

CONTRACTOR
Posted:

7 days ago
Category:

Budget and Accounting, Finance
Deadline:

19/12/2024

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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

Under the guidance and supervision of the Finance specialist, the Finance officer ensures effective execution of financial services and processes in the Country Office and transparent utilization of financial resources. The Finance Associate promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme, and projects’ staff in the CO and with UNDP HQ and GSSC staff to exchange information and resolve finance-related issues. The Finance Associate is expected to closely work with the progarmme units to ensure the provision of high-quality support for the overall financial management activities on project implementation.

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

Scope of Work

The Finance Officer is expected to closely work with the team finance unit within UNDP as well as with relevant operation units. He/she is expected to ensure the provision of high-quality support for the overall financial management activities.

Specific Roles and Responsibilities

Support administration and implementation of operational strategies and adapt processes and procedures

Ensure CO financial processes, financial records and reports, and audit follow-up comply with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP). Implement effective internal control framework.
Maintain financing and trust fund agreements, follow up on contributions with the respective project teams (the project team should be contacting the donor) within the CO resource mobilization efforts.
Routinely monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities and/or transactions; and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. Inform senior CO management and other UNDP staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

Support administration of budgets of CO projects, clearance of budgets for development projects, and functioning of an optimal cost-recovery system.

Provide researched information for planning and status of financial resources of the CO.
Assist in the preparation of required budget revisions (ensuring multiyear budget revision) within the unit at required period and timely securing of ASLs; and ensure detailed record keeping of funds released for projects as well as monthly ASL reporting for non-core/ GEF projects.

Provide accounting and administrative support to the Finance unit

Support proper control of the supporting documents for payments invoices and proper document management including systematic archiving.
Prepare financial reports for projects funds/budget balance; and prepare all types of invoices.
Maintain the internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP, and travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
Coordinate and review allocated General Ledger and sub-ledger accounts and support timely project closure.
Take timely corrective actions on erroneous data in ERP and on unposted invoices, including the invoices with validation errors, match exceptions, and/or unapproved invoices. Prepare financial reports as required. Provide timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
Maintain the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and follow-up with partners on contributions.
Ensure timely recording, reconciliation, and submission of VAT claims with relevant TAX authority and following up on VAT reimbursements.
Ensure timely recording, reconciliation, and submission of PPE to GSSC and working with GSSC assets team.

Ensure proper CO cash and Treasury management functioning.

Identify and record contributions.
Prepare timely and accurate bank reconciliations and provide documentation to GSSC according to service level agreement. Initiate bank transfers and deals in ERP.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO.

Assist in organizing training for the operations/ projects staff on finance, audit and compliance matters, and implementation of Internal Control Framework (ICF).
Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in financial management.
Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance and the direct supervision of the finance specials support or his/her designate, the Finance officer will works in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations, and project teams in the CO.

Competencies

Core competency

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

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
Business Development: Knowledge Generation – Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Business Management: 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
Finance: Accounting (General) – Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
Finance: Financial Reporting and Analysis – 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.
Finance: Finance, Financial reporting, and analysis – 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.
Finance: Audit – Ability to examine and verify accounts and records

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary education is required, or
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 high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience at the national or international level is required.
Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is required.

Required skills

Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages,

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience in travel management .
Proven knowledge of Quantum /or IFRS.
Prior experience on VAT and asset management
Experience in handling web-based management systems and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and financials.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in the UN language of the duty station is required (English).
Fluency in the national language of the duty station (Amharic) is required for local staff.
Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Scam warning

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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements

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