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Qualifications

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

 

This requisition is for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

 

The Department of Financial Management and Reporting (FRM) oversees the financial transactions of the Organization by establishing its financial regulations and rules, as well as the accounting policies and procedures; processes the disbursement of funds; prepares the financial statements of the Organization including the reporting of regular funds and extra-budgetary funds; and monitors the inflow of funding and utilization of these resources; and is responsible for investments and banking, financial analysis, the monitoring of the field offices’ financial administration, Staff Health Insurance, and the processes and systems involved with FRM’s area of responsibility.

 

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

 

Under the general supervision of the Director of Administration (AM), and the direct supervision of  the Director, Financial Resources Management (FRM), the incumbent is responsible for, but not  necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

 

1.    Strategic Leadership:

 

•  Lead and provide technical guidance and direction for the management and integration of

 

financial operations related to the Organization’s Procurement Funds; serve as key strategic

 

advisor to senior management on financial matters under the area of responsibility;

 

•  Manage the Voluntary Contributions and Revolving Funds Team; plan, coordinate, and approve work  plans; oversee and ensure completion of key deliverables; lead and mentor the team, promoting a  collaborative and high-performing work environment; monitor progress and implement opportunities  for efficiency improvements;

 

•  Establish and manage Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the teams under responsibility, aligning them with PAHO’s and FRM’s strategic goals;

 

•  Develop and implement training programs for staff, enhancing skills in financial management and accounting standards;

 

• Lead initiatives to identify and implement automation in accounting reporting and monitoring processes, under the area of responsibility, reducing manual workload and enhancing operational efficiency;

 

2.    Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Partnerships:

 

• Engage with stakeholders and act as financial technical expert in negotiated agreements.

 

• Develop and promote strategic partnerships and maintenance of good relations with Regional Revolving Funds, External Relations and Partnerships divisions as well as administrative, technical offices and country offices.

 

 

 

 

3.    Financial Oversight and Reporting:

 

• Ensure the integrity and compliance with PAHO regulations and rules of voluntary contributions and revolving funds information and records in PAHO corporate systems. Investigate and resolve issues as required.

 

• Support PAHO country offices and technical areas and work closely with Legal Office as well as Regional Revolving Funds, External Relations and Partnerships divisions, in the negotiation of grants and framework agreements, particularly clauses that require compliance with fiduciary duties and financial aspects.

 

• Lead in the process of monitoring of contributions receivables; unspent balances; and provide recommendations on management actions.

 

• Provide leadership in the guidance to internal stakeholders with regard to the processing of contributions, and other funding arrangements in adherence with PAHO Financial Regulations and Rules, policies, and directives.

 

• Ensure that statutory and internal financial reporting requirements of Voluntary Contributions and Revolving Funds are met, including accurate and timely completion of monthly and annual financial closures of accounts.

 

4.    Donor Reporting and Relation:

 

• Monitor, analyze and prepare financial reports on the financial position of projects and funds of voluntary contributions and revolving funds, ensuring compliance with agreements and organizational policies.

 

• Provide advice on complex issues and participate directly in negotiations with the goal of identifying creative solutions to meet donor requirements while at the same time ensuring compliance with PAHO policy and in support of PAHO’s objectives.

 

• Contribute towards meeting donors’ expectations in management of financial resources in an effort to reduce financial management and reputational risk for the organization. This includes providing expert level input to donor reviews (e.g. verifications, due diligence assessments, “Value for Money” studies) to demonstrate that PAHO is a prudent manager of financial resources.

 

• Provide ongoing quality assurance of certified donor reports before issuance, supports PAHO offices on donor financial reporting and ensure timely submission.

 

• Provide ongoing quality assurance of grant level financial information made available to the general public.

 

• Provide related monthly management reports and ad hoc reports as required that offer insights in the areas of responsibility.

 

• Utilize financial data for forecasting and strategic planning, aiding in organizational decision-making.

 

5.    Perform other related duties, as assigned.

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

Education:

 

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration and a master’s degree in international finance, business administration, accounting, finance or any other field related to the functions of the post from an accredited institution.

 

Desirable: A professional accounting certification such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent would be an asset.

 

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.  WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

 

Experience:

 

Essential: Nine years of combined national and international progressive professional experience in financial roles, with at least five years of experience at the international level in either the private or public sector. This must include at least five years in a supervisory/managerial capacity, with demonstrated responsibility for managing teams and leading complex financial operations.

 

Desirable: Accounting experience is considered an asset. Experience within international organizations, working with International Reporting Standards (IFRS) and/or Public Sector Accounting Standards, and knowledge of UN systems would be an asset.

 

SKILLS:

 

PAHO Competencies:

 

·       Overall attitude at work: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.

 

·       Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity – Relates well to diversity in others and capitalizes on such diversity. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.

 

·       Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others – Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve and build rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the team’s successes and shortcomings.

 

·       Communication: Write effectively/Share knowledge – Writes down ideas in a clear, structured, logical and credible way; drafts and supports the development of guidelines, policies and procedures. Shares relevant information openly and ensures that the shared information is understood; considers knowledge sharing as a constructive working method and demonstrates awareness of the Organization.

 

·       Producing Results: Work efficiently and independently/Deliver quality results – Monitors own and others’ work in a systematic and effective way, ensuring required resources and outputs. Aligns projects with Organization’s mission and objectives. Consistently solves own and team’s problems effectively as needed. Proactively engages in projects and initiatives, accepting demanding goals, in line with Organizational Strategies and Program of Work. Demonstrates accountability for work of team and sets an example, while explicitly articulating lessons learnt for own and team’s benefit.

 

·       Ensuring effective use of resources: Strategize and set clear objectives/Monitor progress and use resources well – Sets specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely objectives for own team and/or the Organization; systematically analyses and anticipates priority projects for own team and allocates necessary resources to achieve them; identifies the cross-Organizational resources needed for large- scale projects in line with key Organizational objectives. Anticipates foreseeable changes and adapts own and team’s projects in the face of unforeseen circumstances and/ or challenges; creates measures and criteria to monitor progress of overall projects against key Organizational objectives; creates cost-effective solutions for the Organization.

 

·       Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond: Develop networks and partnerships and encourage collaboration – Builds and negotiates strategic partnerships and alliances with a wide range of key stakeholders to ensure Organizational results and success. Creates innovative opportunities for promoting synergies inside and outside the Organization to improve Organizational success.

 

Technical Expertise:

 

·       Comprehensive and advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of accounting and finance; ability to prepare accurate official financial reports.

 

·       Professional competence at the highest level of expertise in the theory and practice of accounting and finance enabling effective control, consolidation and oversight of accounting and financial reporting function across the organization.

 

·       In depth understanding and application of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to ensure compliance and best practices in financial reporting.

 

·       Strong knowledge of the Financial Regulations and Rules applicable to international organizations with the ability to interpret and apply these regulations effectively in various operational contexts.

 

·       Capacity to develop work and business plans aligned with financial management strategy with the overall goals and objectives of FRM and PAHO.

 

·       Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, and mentor accounting and finance staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement professional development and high performance.

 

·       Expertise in identifying and implementing process improvement and automation in financial operations, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.

 

·       Proficiency in utilizing and managing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, such as Workday, and other financial management software.

 

·       Ability to establish, manage and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the accounting team, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and high standards of performance.

 

·       Strong professional oral and writing skills including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

 

Languages:

 

Very good knowledge of English with a working knowledge of Spanish. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.

 

IT Skills:

 

Must be proficient in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, especially Workday, and be highly skilled in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Word. Expertise in financial management software, process automation, and data analysis tools is essential. Familiarity with data visualization tools for financial reporting and decision-making is also crucial.

 

REMUNERATION

 

Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)

 

USD $77,326.00 post adjustment

 

Post Adjustment: 70.2% of the above figure(s).  This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.

 

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

 

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

 

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

 

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

 

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

 

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

 

PAHO/WHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary and post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and exchange rates (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance).  Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme. Benefits for internationally recruited staff may include home leave, travel and removal expenses on appointment and separation, education grant for dependent children, assignment grant and rental subsidy.

 

Candidates appointed to an international post with PAHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

 

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

 

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this post.  The post description is the official documentation for organization purposes.