Associate Finance Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty. This position is in the Management, Advisory and Compliance Service (MACS), at the Nairobi duty station. Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Budget and Finance Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

Budget and Finance: Advise and support in management of financial resources:

• Forecast consolidated financial requirements of work area;
• Monitor consolidated budget and project implementation ensuring full liquidity at all times;
• Oversee recognition of revenue payables and expenditures of the organization in line with UN rules and regulations, particularly International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
• Participate in the formulation of policies, guidelines and strategies related to the financial and administrative components;
• Provide support with respect to resource requirements for the budget submissions by reviewing, analyzing and providing inputs into finalization of budgets and financial implications;
• Act as the liaison officer with the Programme Management officers Officers (PMOs).

Management accounting:

• Monitor and report on quarterly basis on reconciliation of all project and fund balances on the financial systems in line with the donor agreements and initiate necessary adjustments;
• Assist in the production of monthly UN-HABITAT Habitat financial statements and produce a quarterly financial position report for the management;
• Participate in the needs assessment for management reports and the development, design and testing in the Project Accrual and Accountability System and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) d) Participate in the internal working group on the assessment of IPSAS benefits realization within the organization.

Reporting:

• Oversee the preparation, dissemination and follow up on issues arising from the monthly/periodic financial reports sent to PMO;
• Assist in production of internal year-end instructions on closing of Accounts for PMOs ensuring adherence to financial guidelines provided by UNON and UNHQ;
• Support programme managers during internal and external audits and propose corrective action on audit findings as required;
• Coordinate produce and submit quarterly and annual reports for the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) and specific donors, like including United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), European Union (EU), Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF);
• Coordinate all cost recovery actions in accordance with UN-Habitat cost recovery policy;
• Contributes to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting;
• Perform any other duties assigned.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in accounting, finance, business or public administration or related area, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

• Additional certification in Accounting is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area, is required Experience in implementation of Accounting Standards, including IPSAS, is required Working experience with an accounting module like of an Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) system e.g. SAP, is required. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable (none if successful YPP or P-1 with a related degree).

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the advertised post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN official languages is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand), and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/245472?language=en