Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Division of Management and Administration (DMA) is responsible for the planning, allocation and management of financial, administrative resources including information communications and technology, the effective and efficient delivery of essential operations services in UN Women, continuous development and improvement in operations, policies, and methods to align with UN Women and stakeholders’ evolving business needs and advisory support to the Executive Director in the formulation and implementation of the UN Women overall mission, strategy and plans of actions.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Director for Financial Management, the Finance Manager – Statement of Internal Controls will play a crucial role in ensuring that UN Women’s financial operations comply with established internal controls, policies, and procedures. This position involves designing, implementing, and monitoring internal control systems to safeguard the organization’s assets and ensure financial accuracy and compliance with UN Women’s Financial regulations and Rules as well as policies and procedures.

The duty station for this position will be determined at a later stage and includes the options of New York, Bonn, or Nairobi.

In accordance with the UN Staff Regulation 4.5 (c), a fixed-term appointment does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal or conversion, irrespective of the length of service. This fixed-term appointment is budgeted for a period of two years.

Key Functions and Accountabilities:

Lead and manage the development and implementation of Internal Control Systems:

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust internal control systems to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial records.
• Liaise with relevant teams in Strategy, Planning, Resources and Effectiveness Division (SPRED) and DMA to have effective systems in place, avoiding any duplications, for issuance of statement of internal controls.
• Make recommendations to address current processes that may cause inefficiencies.

Oversee Policy Compliance to ensure compliance with financial regulations and policies of the UN Women.

Lead on Risk Management strategies:

• Identify financial and operational risks and the mitigation strategies different business units have implemented, identifying, and documenting key controls in place to address those liaising with the risk management function of SPRED, Internal control focal point in the DMA directorate and the business process owner.

Act as a Focal Point for Audit Coordination: 

• Liaise with internal and external auditors, facilitate audits of the statement of internal controls, and ensure timely resolution of audit findings related to the statement of internal controls.
• Evaluate internal and external audit reports and evaluations for their impact on the statement of internal controls.

Manage Training and Development, providing training to staff on internal control procedures and compliance issues related to statement of internal controls.

Maintain comprehensive documentation of internal controls and ensure their availability for review.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Very strong knowledge and expertise in accounting and financial management
• In-depth knowledge of IPSAS and UN System or UN Women’s financial regulations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in financial management software Quantum and MS Office Suite.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education and Certification:     

• Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in Finance/Accounting, or a Professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy, (Chartered Accountant or Certified Public Accountant) is required.

•  Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.

•  Completion of UN Women Accountancy & Finance Test required.

Experience:      

•  A minimum 7 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in financial management, internal controls or audit is required.

•  Experience in the UN system and its organizations or similar international organization is desirable.

•  Experience in web-based management systems and ERP financial systems such as Oracle Cloud is required.

Languages:       

•  Fluency in English is required.

•  Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)