Local Position: Candidates for this position must have a valid G-4 visa at the time of their application and whose G4 visa has been acquired on account of their employment in the UN system, or be USA Citizen or have a valid USA Permanent residency.

The Position:

The Finance Associate position is located within the Revenue and Donor Reporting (RDRU) Team, Finance Branch of the Division for Management Services.

The Finance Branch is responsible for global finance and accounting including providing guidance and oversight for financial management to country, regional and headquarters offices. The Branch advances and owns key financial policies and processes, statutory and donor reporting, treasury services, and ensuring the ERP and related systems are configured to implement, manage, and report on key financial processes. The incumbent will report to the Head of RDRU.

The Revenue and Donor Reporting Team is responsible for providing guidance and support to UNFPA field offices and headquarter locations in the areas of treasury services management and revenue accounting, as well as providing reporting on the use of UNFPA’s resources to donors. UNFPA contracts the services of a UN Agency for its treasury function, but retains oversight of liquidity and cash flow, the use of bank accounts and foreign exchange currency considerations. RDRU performs essential business continuity functions in the application of deposits and the provision of bridge funding. The donor reporting functions reviews and analyses financial clauses in agreements with donors and prepares certified reporting to donors on the use of financial resources provides to UNFPA. As part of these functions, RDRU also oversees the accurate recording of general ledger information for revenue accounts and ensures financial data quality.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Finance Associate works closely with other members of RDRU and the wider Finance Branch, as well as members of the Resource Mobilisation Branch (RMB) and colleagues in field offices. The position works in the area of statutory and donor reporting to ensure UNFPA meets its reporting obligations in the provision of high quality, accurate and timely financial reports; performs accounting controls, including the analysis and reconciliation of general ledger accounts and monitoring of the integrity and completeness of financial information; processes donor refund payments; supports the preparation and certification of financial reports and engages field colleagues in guidance and learning.

You would be responsible for:

1.Partnerships, Knowledge management, Communication and Training

• Actively participate in Finance Branch and team meetings, including in learning and knowledge sharing.
• Maintain active and positive relationships with key partners for RDRU, including the Resource Mobilisation Branch (RMB), Brussels Office (BO) Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) and field offices.
• Provide financial training and facilitate knowledge transfers with the global community based on financial/operations procedures or guidance notes, which may be delivered remotely or in the field.
• Contribute to the global financial management community facilitated by the Finance Branch

2. Business continuity activities

• Provide business continuity support to the RDRU team on deposit and cash ledger application, and preparation of bank to book reconciliations.
• Process donor refunds.

3. Support and guidance to offices on financial management

• Respond to Global Service Desk cases assigned to the revenue and donor reporting team, within the purview of the role.
• Provide guidance and support to field colleagues on financial reporting and cash and revenue issues

4. Accounting, period end and year end closure activities

Under the guidance of the Finance Specialist:

• Review revenue and receivable data and dashboard as part of the second line of defense for financial management and accounting , based on UNFPA procedures and propose adjustments to data, if required.
• Review assigned general ledger account balances in revenue and contributions receivables for accuracy, propose corrective action and resolve as required.

5. Reporting and information management including Statutory and Donor Reporting

a) Donor reporting

Under the guidance of the Finance Specialist :

• Track reporting deadlines and requirements for donor agreements with non-standard timelines or requirements.
• Liaise with the Global Monitoring and Advisory Team for follow up on any outstanding financial commitments and balances to be completed within the contract end date.
• Prepare or review system generated annual and final financial reports for core and non-core resources for accuracy and completeness, including reconciliation to the General Ledger.
• Prepare non-standard and ad hoc consolidated financial reports based on data from the General Ledger as per the donor agreement.
• Review quarterly financial reports and advance requests for USAID donor agreements prepared by budget holders, for certification by the Finance Branch
• Monitor and follow up on advance payments for select donors.

b) Statutory reporting

• Prepare defined year end schedules and tables for Executive Board reports and the UNFPA Financial Statements based on revenue and investment data; and review system generated reports as required.

5. Business process and systems efficiency

• Generate monitoring reports to support process improvements.
• Provide ideas on dashboard, business process and procedure improvements including systems based tools for financial reviews of the reporting process and other processes in the unit.

6. Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Completion of secondary education with experience in financial management and / or accounting. A part qualified accountancy qualification or a first level degree would be considered an advantage.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 6 years finance-related work experience including reporting such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger maintenance. Experience in the application of IPSAS or IFRS would be advantageous.
• Proficiency in use of spreadsheets, word processing and computerized ERP systems (preferably Oracle).
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Ability to organize effectively, work under pressure with attention to detail, precision, and accuracy.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is considered an advantage.

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 and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Client orientation
• Communication
• Managing the organisation’s resources
• Resource management
• Accounting and finance

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.