Job Summary: 

The Finance/Admin Associate position is located in the Country Office of UNFPA in Lilongwe, Malawi. Under the direct supervision of the Finance Analyst, the Finance/Admin Associate is responsible for delivering high-quality financial services and providing comprehensive support in the effective functioning of financial operations and systems. The role includes day-to-day assistance in finance-related tasks, ensuring alignment with programme and office management needs, while strictly adhering to applicable rules, guidelines, processes, and procedures. S/He takes a client-oriented, results-focused approach to interpreting the rules, procedures and guidelines, provides support and guidance to the sub-office, projects, implementing partners and activities of the country office as a whole.

The Finance/Admin Associate is responsible for effective delivery of financial services, transparent utilization of financial resources and supports the management of the unit. S/He supervises the work of clerks, drivers and other related support roles in the CO while ensuring UNFPA contributions to local inter-agency coordination support functions, common systems and shared 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 unit.

 

Job Purpose:

The Finance/Admin Associate is expected to support the objectives of the Country Office (CO) by ensuring effective and transparent management of financial resources. This includes accounting, financial operations, and administrative tasks, as well as supporting communication and knowledge management within the unit.

S/he actively participates in local inter-agency coordination to ensure UNFPA’s needs in common systems and service issues are met. Additionally, the Associate provides comprehensive support and guidance to the Country Office and UNFPA-supported projects, fostering a collaborative, client-oriented, and results-focused approach.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

You would be responsible for:

The Finance/Admin Associate will be responsible for:

A. Effective Financial Resources Management and Oversight

• 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 or support 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.

B. Adapt and implement Operational and Financial Management Strategies

• Adapt processes and procedures to maximize effectiveness and efficiency in financial operations and management
• Ensure 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.
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects.
• 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.

C. CO Cash Management

• 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.

D. General Support

• Stand-in for other team members on selected functions as may be required.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Completed Secondary Level Education required.
• First level university degree is desirable in accounting, business administration, finance, public administration, information technology, economics or related fields.
• Professional certification or membership of a professional association in accounting

Knowledge and Experience:

• Seven years of relevant experience in administration, finance or office management.
• 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
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Uganda will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.

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, our relationships, and others
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Implementing management systems.
• Business acumen and ability to multi-task and balance competing priorities.
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Finance and Accounts Management
• Delivering results-based programmes
• Technical Understanding of the areas of work
• People Management and Leadership
• Managing financial processes
• Proficiency in current office and multimedia software application.