Finance Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda (RSCE), was established in July 2010, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/269. The Centre provides efficient, client-oriented and scalable services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions to the Centre from its client entities. This includes transactional elements of human resources, finance, multimodal movement and control, personnel and cargo transport and information and communications technology (ICT) support. In addition to these services, the Office of the Director RSCE and the Deputy provide overall guidance on the operations of the RSCE including strategic planning, communication, budgeting, human resources management, property management, quality assurance and business intelligence, conference services, record keeping and archive management, and audit response and risk management.  This position is located in the Financial Services and Compliance Monitoring Pillar, Internal Control Unit at the RSCE. The Finance Officer reports to the Manager of the Internal Control Unit. The position provides advice to staff members and managers, encompassing sub-financial specialties in relation to the activities of their Service Lines such as financial management.

Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority, the Finance Officer will carry out the following duties:

• Provides substantive support and leads in the review and production of COSO reviews across the Centre. This includes analysis and review of UNHQ risks and controls set out as part of the Statement on Internal Control initiative, as it relates to RSCE Service Lines.
• Oversees internal reporting requirements of the Service Line and works in close coordination with Finance Analysts on the team to produce new reports and enrich existing reports to improve informational quality for various stratospheres of management.
• Managing the achievement of RSCE key performance indicators (KPIs) and all Service Level Agreement (SLAs) components for RSCE projects / programmes/operations related to the respective Service Line.
• Ensure that the outputs produced by the team are maintain high quality standards; that reports are clear, objective, and based on comprehensive data. Plan, organize, manage, guide, train, supervise the work of the team assigned. Plan and oversee the management of the activities undertaken by the team.
• Ensure that bank reconciliations and accurate accounting records from IPSAS compliant Trial Balances derived, are maintained. Support the preparation of monthly financial reports for all RSCE client missions in compliance with IPSAS standards.
• Management of delivery of services such as the processing of non-travel related commercial vendors’ invoices and payments to vendors providing goods or services to all RSCE Client Missions (processing invoices resulting from commitments such as Purchase Orders, Fund Commitments, Direct Expenditures, Medical clinic invoices and Replenishment of imprest / pretty cash.
• Treasury role for all payments originating from RSCE Client Mission, and all payments assigned to the RSCE house banks; liaises daily with the UN Treasury at HQ for the oversight on payments of vendors and personnel released by the RSCE.
• Assists in development of the Service Line’s annual budget development programme, particularly with respect to the establishment of major resourcing priorities, prepare cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of the Service Line’s resourcing requirements such non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; review, analyze and revise data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs.
• Participates in the preparation, review and finalization of budget performance reports in compliance with the Legislative requirements and recommendations and Controller’s instructions; reviews and ensure valid variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Participates in developing inputs to the UN’s legislative processes for consideration of the Centre’s financing requirements by FOFD, Controller’s Office, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly.
• Oversees the preparation of staff members’ entitlements including claims, danger pay, daily subsistence allowance, mission subsistence allowance for Government Provider Personnel, Civilian Police and Staff Officers, volunteer living allowance and any other allowances for payments in conformity and adherence to applicable United Nations policies e.g., staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices, IPSAS policy framework etc.
• Supervises the disbursement processes of the RSCE or the Client Missions as appropriate, monitors the house bank account balances band transaction summaries; manages cash flow requirements.
• Provides advice, financial interpretations, adaptations, and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars under the guidance of the Service Delivery Manager.
• Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them. Report findings and make recommendations to Chief Financial Services.
• Acts as Approving Officer under Financial Rule 105.4 in adherence with the UN Regulations and Rules.
• Ensures that the established IPSAS compliance monitoring and Internal Control Framework (ICF) is fully implemented, and any deviations documented and reported.
• Reviews and verifies completeness of documentation supporting invoices and payment requests.
• Approves and creates profiles in payroll system.

Others

• Assists with the development of a communication strategy with a provision of input related to their service for RSCE dedicated intranet page on Finance issues as required.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field. A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

• Professional certification/accreditation such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA) or similar certification/ accreditation by a professional body is desirable.

Work Experience

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. For first level degree holders, seven (7) years of qualifying experience will be a must. Experience working in an audit environment, having supported or conducted audits for UN entities or similar entities is desirable. Experience in use and application of IPSAS in a working environment is desirable. Experience in advanced Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Power BI and data analysis and management is desirable. Experience working within a shared service center providing services to national and international clients is desirable. Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP is required.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/245232?language=en