Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay

Dakar, Senegal

PR2

Professional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2024-07-01

February 14, 2024

Associate Finance Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Regional Controller or Senior Finance Officer and in functional coordination with DFAM’s Accounts and Financial Service (AFS). In the Country or Multi-Country Offices, the incumbent may be supervised by a Senior Finance Officer, Assistant Representative (Admin), Head of Sub-Office, or other senior positions as delegated by the Representative.
The incumbent is responsible for co-ordinating, guiding, monitoring, advising on, and supporting the financial operations in the area of responsibility (AoR). With the objective to safeguard and optimize the utilization of UNHCR’s monetary and physical resources, the incumbent contributes to the establishment of efficient and reliable mechanisms and processes to ensure compliance with UN financial regulations and UNHCR’s rules, policies and procedures including, and not limited to, accounts payable and treasury processes, accounting, and implementation of internal control mechanisms, including support to oversight and audit functions.
The incumbent may support the supervisor with the identification and management of risks under their responsibility in close coordination with the Risk Management and Compliance Advisor. In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent supports the work of the Regional Controller with authority to discuss problems and seek common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines provided by higher authority.
The incumbent may directly supervise national professional and general service staff.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
– Contribute to the assessment of budgetary needs for administrative budgets (ABOD); monitor and control ABOD expenditure.
– Analyse, evaluate and control disbursements/receipts, as well as expenditure variances against approved budgets;
– Review and approve vouchers, including ABOD and project disbursements.
– Propose monthly cash requirements for the Office, and ensure adequate and timely replenishments of funds.
– Contribute to the preparation and processing of monthly accounts.
– Provide financial status reports to supervisors.
– Analyse and evaluate all financial reports produced on a regular basis.
– Maintain effective business relationships with local banks.
– Assist in ensuring compliance with UNHCR and UN Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures.
– Ensure that payments are effectuated by the monthly deadline.
– Ensure that monthly accounts are correct and approved, and ensure timely monthly bank reconciliations, including open items, review and clearance of unwanted requisitions and PO balances.
– Conduct regular checks of petty cash and cash accounts.
– Perform project control functions, in the absence of a dedicated project control position.
– Participate in the physical verification of UNHCR’s local property, plant and equipment (PPE) and inventories.
– Verify that all financial transactions are correct and in accordance with UNHCR rules and procedures.
– In the absence of a senior finance position, ensure compliance with applicable financial rules, policies and procedures.
– In the absence of a senior finance position, certify country-level financial expenditure reports submitted to the regional office or Headquarters.

Regional financial services applicable to positions in the Regional Bureau only
– In coordination with relevant services in HQ, and to improve cost-effectiveness and process efficiency for operations, assist with the implementation and management of regional finance-related services such as: vendor and other related master data management and maintenance, invoice posting, travel claim processing, payments, bank reconciliations, accounting housekeeping and period cut-off activities, donor financial reporting, etc.
– Make proposals for the continuous improvement of financial monitoring and control mechanisms, including the streamlining of financial systems and procedures.
– In coordination with DFAM’s Change Management and Field Support Section and the Global Learning and Development Centre, identify and provide training on accounting matters, and recommend or develop training modules as necessary, aiming at the development of financial management skills.
– In close liaison with DFAM’s System Administration Section and other divisions as necessary, assist the provision and planning of activities for rollout of new processes or systems; assist the Regional Controller in monitoring the implementing internal control mechanisms and compliance with UNHCR’s financial policies and procedures in the region.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Accounting, Finance, Public or Business Administration, Economics
or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Professional accounting, auditing or financial management designation (CPA/ACCA/CIA/CMA or equivalent).
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Work experience in the field of accounting/finance, project management, business analysis, quality assurance and/or risk management. Good knowledge of, and experience in working with, international accounting and auditing standards, with a minimum of 1 year of practical experience in the audit process and/or in financial statements preparation. Working experience with accrual accounting (such as IPSAS or IFRS). Experience with financial modules of a major Enterprise Resource Planning system (such as PeopleSoft, SAP or Oracle). Good understanding of project and resource management.
Desirable:
Good knowledge of UNHCR systems (such as Focus and MSRP). Excellent knowledge of United Nations financial rules and procedures.

Functional Skills
FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other)
FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc)
PM-Project Monitoring
DM-Data Collection and Analysis
EL-Monitoring and Evaluation
FI-Financial Accounting – Modified cash-based accounting as per international standards
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Ideally the candidate:
– University Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Accounting or related field
– Should demonstrate the capacity, skill set and competencies necessary to work in a challenging and complex operational context.
– Must have working knowledge of UN Financial Regulations and Rules, systems, and procedures with great office management skills, financial skills with ability to prepare proper financial statements, build good relationships with UN agencies and vendors, should possess solid administrative skills.
– Must have proven managerial and leadership skills.
– Experience in ERP systems (preferably Oracle Cloud ERP), including expertise in executing financial transactions in compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), managing guesthouses.
– Must have at least four (4) years previous job experience as staff in charge of the field Admin/Finance in volatile security situations with team management skills in a stressful, complex, and challenging security conditions
– Should have previous experience in an emergency context and preferably work experience in the Sahel region.
– Is able to write and speak fluently in French since French is one of the official languages. However, it is also important the candidate must possess good writing and speaking skills in English. The candidate will therefore be required to possess good report writing skills, as well as be able to effectively manage several staff.

French

,

,

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

The Associate Finance Officer, P2 is supervised directly by the Head of Sub Office P4. S/he will be working closely with the Senior Finance Officer from Ouagadougou. S/he will establish and maintain efficient administrative and financial operations including implementation of an effective control mechanisms to ensure compliance with UN Financial, Administrative and Staff rules and procedures in the area of responsibility. The incumbent is supervising ICT, admin/finance colleagues and the drivers.

The incumbent must travel regularly to the Field Unit in Djibo for monitoring purposes and ensure that living and working conditions of staff are up to UNHCR ‘ standards.

Burkina Faso has very basic infrastructures, including in the health sector. Dori is less developed than the capital Ouagadougou in terms of infrastructures and basic need facilities. Dori has limited and not well-equipped health facilities: only one hospital for the entire region, based in Dori, and a few under-equipped health centers.

Living and Working Conditions:

Dori is located in the Sahel Region, 265 Km from the capital city Ouagadougou, in the Northern part of Burkina Faso bordering Mali and Niger where most of UNHCR activities are conducted. Dori Sub-Office is isolated with the only access via UNHAS helicopters. The duty station has been classified non family D category with an 6 weeks R&R cycle for international staff. The security situation in the Sahel Region is volatile, it has remained dominated by extremist attacks, kidnappings with the presence of improvised explosive devices (IED). Defence and security forces and local government authorities are the main targets. Due to the proximity of the region with the border of Mali, the risk of kidnapping of expatriates is very high.

There are two clinics and a national hospital where basic medical interventions can be done but there are no international standard schools. The weather conditions in Dori are very harsh, especially during the dry season. Due to the country’s warm climate with very high temperature most of the year, it is recommended to take very light and comfortable cotton clothes. UNHCR has a guest house that meets standard for short term missions by United Nation agencies. There are good standard residential houses in the city that the staff can rent for long periods of time missions. Generally, it is better to take a house where water and electricity are already installed and functional. Billing for services is done on a monthly basis. However for electricity you can opt for a prepaid electricity purchase meter called Cash power.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Accounting, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Economics, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Finance, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Public Professions

Certifications

Accounting – Other, Auditing – Other, Financial Management – Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Add. 3 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 – Part B

Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance