Finance Assistant

Position Purpose

Under the guidance and supervision of the Operations Analyst and direct supervisor, the Finance Assistant provides financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Finance Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Finance Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme, and projects’ staff in the Country Office (CO) and with UNDP HQ and GSSC staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support implementation of operational strategies.

• Ensure full compliance of financial processes and financial records with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and strategies;
• Provide input to the Finance unit and office management in preparing and reviewing CO business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal standard operating procedures in finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management;
• Support functioning of the optimal cost – recovery – system and Direct Project Cost (DPC) bills in ERP for services provided by UNDP and follow up on cost recovery.

Provide accounting and administrative support to the Finance unit.

• Provide support in ensuring proper control of the supporting documents for payment invoices and proper document management including systematic archiving;
• Prepare financial reports for non-development projects and management funds/budget balance;
• Prepare all types of invoices for projects and on behalf of UNOPS and non-ERP Agencies;
• Maintain a proper filing system for finance records and documents;
• Maintain the internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP; and travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed;
• Support functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system;
• Provide inputs for preparation of cost-recovery and Direct Project Costs (DPC) bills in ERP for the services provided by UNDP and follow up on cost recovery;         
• Provide information on the status of financial resources as required;
• Take timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including invoices with validation errors, match exceptions, and/or unapproved invoices;
• Manage cash receipts;
• Maintain the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects in ERP.

Ensure proper functioning of CO cash and Treasury management systems.

• Serve as alternate to Finance Associate (ICS-7) for timely review of cash position for local account to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements and maintain liquidity level approved by Treasury.  Identify and record receipts and create deposits for revenue application on a timely basis;
• Identify and record contributions;
• Provide breakdown of EFTs to GSSU for the timely preparation and accurate bank reconciliations according to service level agreement.  Initiate bank transfers and deals in ERP in the absence of Finance Associate.

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO.

• Participate in the training for the operations/ projects staff on finance;
• Provide contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education with specialized certification in accounting and/or finance. A university degree in finance or accounting is desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• Candidates with accountancy certification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. Candidates without certification but with relevant experience must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.

Experience:

• 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience at the national or international level is required;
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages;
• Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is desired.

Language Requirements:

• Working proficiency of English and Sesotho language.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/21116