Finance Specialist – Surge Capacity
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Location:
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Salary:negotiable / YEAR
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Job type:FULL_TIME
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Posted:4 weeks ago
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Category:Budget and Accounting, Finance
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Deadline:02/10/2024
JOB DESCRIPTION
Background Information – UNOPS
UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.
UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.
Working with us
Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.
Diversity
With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage the recruitment of qualified female candidates.
Work life harmonization
UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.
Background Information – IPAS Surge Mechanism:
The Surge Mechanism at UNOPS is designed for the rapid deployment of highly skilled personnel and specialized experts to support offices facing immediate operational needs. This quick mobilization aims to reinforce an office’s capacity in urgent, short-term, and often high-risk situations. Managed by the Surge Coordinator, the Surge Team collaborates with various business units to expand and strengthen the mechanism. Currently, the Surge Mechanism focuses on four main support areas:
- Operational Support: Filling urgent and unforeseen gaps
- Diagnosis: Undertaking analyses and developing action plans.
- Turnaround: Providing support in internal crises, working to get current projects or processes back on track.
- Emergency Response: Responding to humanitarian and external crises.
In order to meet the needs for surge support at UNOPS, the Surge Team is establishing a Surge Pool of Finance Specialists interested in short-term assignments in various locations. The Finance Specialist will address critical projects and situations, either remotely or on-site, and are expected to be highly mobile and ready to work in various global locations, including challenging environments. Assignments abroad may range from several weeks up to a maximum of three months.
Role of the Finance Specialist:
The ideal candidate will be a Finance Specialist with a strong background in international finance management as well as experience and a proven track record in one or more of the key areas of support mentioned earlier. They should have a sound understanding of international finance management best practices, a strategic mindset, an openness to innovation, and a focus on delivering practical financial solutions to enhance project management and donor relations.
Key qualifications include:
- International Perspective: Experience working in a global or international organization, with a focus on project finance.
- Advisory Skills: Ability to offer sound financial advice to both management and field personnel.
- Initiative Coordination: Experience in leading the development and implementation of global project finance initiatives.
- Documentation and Policy Development: Experience in drafting finance-related policy documents, process guidelines, and ensuring their effective rollout across UNOPS offices.
- Audit and Liaison: Ability to support audits and coordinate with various teams within the Finance Group, IPAS, and other stakeholders.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Competence in engaging with high-level internal and external stakeholders to address financial issues related to project implementation.
- Problem Solving: Capability to independently manage and resolve issues related to the application of UNOPS financial policies, working alongside Finance Group and IPAS colleagues.
Summary of Key Functions:
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This position provides a unique opportunity to influence UNOPS’ approach to project financial management. We seek a Finance Specialist with substantial experience in one or more of the following areas to collaborate with local project finance teams:
- Oversight and support
- Financial review of project agreements
- Cost attribution and recovery
- Project cash management
- Client financial reporting
- Project financial closure
- Knowledge management
The successful candidate will play a crucial role in shaping and enhancing UNOPS’ financial practices on a global scale, contributing to effective and sustainable project management.
1. Oversight support
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2. Financial review of project agreements
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3. Cost attribution and cost recovery
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4. Project cash management
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5. Client financial reporting
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6. Project financial closure
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| 7. Knowledge Management Advertisement
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| Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) |
| Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion. |
| Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. |
| Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). |
| Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. |
| Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. |
| Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. |
| Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. |
Education:
- Advanced University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or related discipline is required.
- A combination of a first level University degree in finance or related field plus additional work experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master degree
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of relevant progressively responsible job-related experience in finance or accounting is required
- Demonstrated ability to conduct financial and budget analysis and to apply basic accounting principles and practices is required
- Knowledge of, and experience with Google Suite applications (Docs, Slides and Sheets), as well as experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable
- International exposure is strongly desirable.
- Field experience is desirable
- Broader experience within more than one management practice is desirable
- Experience working in UN organizations is an asset
Language requirements:
- Fluency in written and oral English required
- Knowledge of a second UN language (preferably French or Spanish) is preferred
Contract type: International Contractor Agreement
Contract level: IICA2/LICA10/ICS10
Contract duration: Several possible short-term full-time / part-time opportunities, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
Modality
There are two contract options to consider in this vacancy announcement:
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- Full-time open-ended (no end date) contract, with Copenhagen as duty station (or home-based).
- Short-term / part-time opportunities on home-based retainer contracts or similar.
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx
- Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
- Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
- We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
- For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
- For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
- All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
- It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
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