Financial Management Officer at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Under the general supervision of the Director and Regional Representative, the incumbent is primarily responsible for the following:

Responsibilities

• Medium-term plan:
• Review, analyse and finalize the preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions on the basis of departmental submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies.
• Provide substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their review of the medium-term plan and its revisions; secures approval from the General Assembly.
• Ensure legislative mandates are accurately translated into program budgets.
• Budget preparation and Administration:
• Manage and coordinate the collection of corporate budget data from the various units and offices in Africa office
• Enrichment, streamlining and consolidation of corporate budget data for submission to the Corporate budget office
• Engagement and collaboration with the Corporate budget office during the preparation phase and annual corporate budget monitoring cycle
• Prepare budget allocations for Africa office HQ units/sections and Field offices for consideration and approval by the Regional director
• Oversee the distribution of corporate budgets to field offices via UNON and UNDP processes
• Grants budgets: Guide and work together with programme officers on budget drafting/planning for consideration by donors for all grants in Africa office
• Periodical reporting of budget performance to the Africa office management to ensure effective and efficient budget consumption within the applicable corporate guidelines
• Lead in managing interactions through continuous meetings between the Budget/Fund Management Team with Programme staff to ensure a common approach for program delivery
• Undertake ad-hoc special reviews to enhance preparedness of the budget planning systems to meet the objectives of Results Based Management (RBM)
• Make suggestions to Corporate budget office for improvements in budget planning and execution in line with existing processes and systems to enhance performance where necessary
• Implement new budgeting processes that may be required to support Results Based Management interventions (IPSAS and Umoja) and contribute to their evaluation for efficiency, performance and enhancement
• Provide relevant budgeting advice, interpretation, adaptation and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries in adherence to UN Environment, UN-FRR, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Accounting Instructions and Circulars.
• Continuous review and analysis of project budget allotments, expenditures and revisions
• Financial Management Functions:
• Oversee the execution of overall financial management function in Africa office with the objective of ensuring that the UNEP Executive Director’s compact with the Secretary General relating to sound financial management is achieved via the Regional director’s Delegation of Authority.
• Provide inputs in the preparation of project documents for PRC approval, sub-allotments and proposed budget revisions in accordance with procedures established by the Corporate Services Division:
• Review on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis all budget commitments to ensure that only valid commitments remain outstanding
• Regular monitoring of project accounts’ receivables to ensure that none are outstanding unjustifiably over 24 months
• Ensure accounts payable transactions are not outstanding unjustifiably over 90 days
• Review and certify travel commitments ensuring that they conform to the applicable rules and procedures
• Review and certify commitments ensuring that they conform to the relevant rules and procedures
• Review and analyze corporate budget plus grants expenditure status reports on a monthly, quarterly, half yearly, annual basis and take any corrective action as may be necessary
• Provide specific financial reports to donors, member states and senior management in collaboration with UNON/Accounts
• Prepare various internal financial reports for approval by the Chief-Financial Management Services
• Review periodic financial reports published by UNON/Accounts and ensure validity of data with regard to Africa Office funds/projects
• Collaborate with program officers on all aspects of projects’ fund management such as budget re-allocations, consumption reports, donor reports, audits and verifications.
• Review and certify due diligence submissions for proposed partners
• Review and certify standard legal instruments relating to the execution of program/project implementation.
• Record and monitor the use of legal agreements in the execution of program/project implementation
• Review Umoja workflows related to external partners to gain greater efficiencies over processes
• General:
• Provide advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and field staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
• Participate in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions on matters related to resource requirements, programming and budgetary issues.
• Keep up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to program and/or peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Draft reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on budgetary issues, and correspondence.
• Draft official documentation to troop contributing countries concerning reimbursements from the United Nations.
• Undertake research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
• Act as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 110.4 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules.
• Ensure the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them.
• Provide support with respect to representation of the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs.
• May plan, organize, manage and supervise the work of the Unit/Section assigned.
• Incumbent may be asked to perform other related duties.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary policies, procedures and new programmes. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary matters. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field. Professional qualification from a recognized accountancy body like: Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA) / Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) / Certified Public Accountants (CPA), is highly desirable. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, accounting, budget, business administration or related area is required.
• Experience and knowledge with Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) systems, specifically in the use of SAP/ERP will be highly desirable.
• Practical experience using Inspira application is an added advantage.
• Practical experience with Budget management, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Grants management will be highly desirable.

Knowledge and Experience with the IPSAS framework and preparation of Financial Statements is an asset.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an added advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is open for recruitment for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by Him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening.

Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.