Finance Associate

Background

UNOCHA is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNOCHA does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Organizational setting:

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together Humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.  OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies.

The Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) was established in 2006 to allow the international and national humanitarian communities to address increasing humanitarian needs in Sudan through the transparent and accountable management of significant humanitarian funds.

The Humanitarian Finance and Resources Mobilization Section (HFRMS) is one of four sections of OCHA Sudan and has overall responsibility for the management of the SHF and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). In 2020 OCHA overtook the role of Management Agent for the SHF from UNDP.

The HFRMS team works in four main areas:

A. managing the day-to-day SHF allocation process in support of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), including to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and accountability with humanitarian partners in the selection and recommendation of funding priorities to the HC.

B. providing secretariat services to the SHF Advisory Board in support of the HC.

C. donor relations and resources mobilization with SHF and bilateral donors to strengthen humanitarian financing across Sudan; and

D. Supporting humanitarian partners in formulating CERF requests and liaison with OCHA CERF headquarters in New York.

Duties and Responsibilities

Position Purpose

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Finance Officer, the Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations and Programme staff in the CO for resolving finance-related issues and information exchange.

Key Duties and Accountabilities:

1. Ensure administration and implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results;

• Full compliance with UN/UNOCHA rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.

2. Ensure proper portfolio management in adherence with SHF procedures and protocol;

• Review project budgets and budget revisions.
• Review Implementing Partners financial reports and provide a clear feedback and guidance, if required.
• Provide clear guidance and support to partners regarding reporting, No Cost Extensions, and other SHF processes.
• Ensure timely payment to IPs is processed as per the CBPF guideline.

3. Provide management support for SHF partner assurance, risk management and monitoring processes;

• Conduct financial spot check as per the operational guideline.
• Ensure whether the financial spot-check findings are addressed by the IPs.
• Conduct an adhoc financial verification if any red flag raised.
• Provide technical support in audit process.
• Participate in the capacity assessment exercise for NGOs applied for the SHF fund eligibility.

4. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing;

• Provide financial training to the Implementing partners.
• Provide technical support for IPs required assistance on GMS related issues.

5. Contracting management and other activities;

• Ensure the grant Agreement/amendment is processed on time and signed by relevant signatories.

Any other tasks as assigned by Supervisor.

Competencies

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

Innovation  

Ability to make new and useful ideas work: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making.

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform: Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation.

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement: Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to UNOCHA’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies

Professionalism

Ability of work under extreme pressure and multitask, on occasion in highly stressful environment and demonstrated ability to formulate conclusions/recommendations.

Client orientation

Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion; Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs.

Teamwork

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education with specialized certification in Accounting and/or Finance, certified in Public Accountant.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Economic, Accounting would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• 7 years with Secondary education, or 4 years with Bachelor’s degree of progressively responsible of project or programme finance management with proven experience with project budget preparation and reviews.
• Proven experience with supporting financial audit and financial spot check or monitoring is an advantage.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling of computer-based record management systems.
• Solid experience with the UN and INGOs working in Sudan is essential.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.