Finance Officer

Background Information – Sri Lanka

• UNOPS has supported Sri Lanka’s development since 1998, expanding operations in 2005 to support the post-tsunami response and reconstruction process. Within the organization’s mandate in project management, infrastructure, and procurement, UNOPS Sri Lanka implements customized socio-economic development projects that benefit vulnerable people and develop national capacities.
• UNOPS works closely with Government counterparts and communities to ensure increased ownership, sustainability and accountability of projects.
• Achievements in Sri Lanka include the development of sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure, project management in education, fisheries, roads, health, water supply systems; procurement of COVID-19 protection equipment; flood control and sanitation, and integrated solid waste management sectors.
• Under the direct supervision of the Finance Manager, the Finance Officer provides key elements of advisory, management, and planning services to  ensure compliant planning, administration, and management (including budget, treasury and cash management) of the Business Unit’s financial resources.  Under close supervision, s/he may maintain oversight  and control of Programme financial activities,  providing value-added advisory services.

Functional Responsibilities

• Implementation of operational strategies and procedures
• Budget Preparation and Management
• Cash Management and Treasury
• Control of Accounts and Payments
• Team Management
• Knowledge Building and Sharing

The incumbent is responsible for performing the following duties:

Ensures administration and implementation of operational strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with UN/UNOPS rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
• Implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, elaboration of conditions of contributions within the office’s resource mobilisation efforts.
• Implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.

Implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management. Implements key aspects of budget preparation and management towards achievement of the  following:

• Coordination of the preparation of the field operating budget; review of budget submissions, regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation; monitoring of expenditures against budget allotments and reporting on variances.
• Identification of administrative budgetary requirements; provision of guidance on guidelines for budget preparation.
• Review and update of guidelines, procedures in light of changing circumstances or for the purpose of complying, streamlining and/or strengthening of existing financial and budgetary procedures
• Review, analysis and revision of data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements submitted by project managers; review of budget proposals for reasonableness, consistency with the organizational goals and priorities.
• Monitoring of budget implementation, expenditure levels against allotments and determination/recommendation of reallocation of funds when necessary
• Status of budgetary allocations monitored on an ongoing basis; networking with clients to strengthen budget management and take corrective actions when required.  Provision of information to supervisors and other UNOPS staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Collaboration in the improvement of the UNOPS Project Budget formulation system, with the cooperation of the Information Technology, ensuring relevance of system at all times by updating and proposing change to facilitate financial management of project and enhance financial reporting.
• Review and appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

Cash management and treasury: Provides substantive review, contributions, and support towards achievement of the following:  

• Organization and oversight of cash management processes, including liquidity management, recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, bank relationship management, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site.
• Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements; identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Establishment of efficient local banking arrangements and compliance with local financial and banking regulations
• Building of project capacity to effect payments using ERP/OneUNOPS and/or Imprest Accounts.
• Monitoring of the delivery and income of the Fund
• Discussion and communication with the project support colleagues on the savings or potential concerns that may require further review.

Accounts and payments: Ensures and is accountable for key elements of the following:

• Analysis and elaboration of proposals for the internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP; payrolls are duly prepared; travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Quality control of the account by performing ongoing review, analysis and reconciliation of accounts. Investigation of discrepancies and initiation of timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Control of the Accounts Receivables for UNOPS projects and follow up with partners on contributions, maintenance of the General Ledger.
• Ensuring proper maintenance of the field financial accounts; preparation of financial records, statements and reports as required or approval of the work of subordinates; coordination of field replies to internal and external audit queries;
• Ensuring proper receipt, management, safeguarding and disbursement of payments handled by the field; review, modification, initiation and implementation of internal control procedures in coordination with Headquarters;
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments; preparation of all types of vouchers; Pay Cycle and payments execution;
• Preparation of timely financial reports for submission to the funding agency in accordance with UNOPS rules, and in line with the established procedures;
• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions;
• Ensuring proper maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNOPS projects and follow-up with partners on contributions, deposits creation in ERP and their application to AR pending items.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on Finance related topics.
• Contribute to Financial management knowledge networks and communities of practice by providing collaborative synthesis of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in financial management.
• Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.

Team Management.

• Facilitate the engagement and provision of high quality results and services of the team supervised through effective performance management, coaching, and promotion of learning and development.
• Provide oversight, ensuring compliance by team members with existing policies and best practices.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• CPA or Advanced Degree or equivalent in Business Management, Business Administration or related fields is required.

Experience:

• Minimum of one year of professional-level experience in accounting with responsibility for project accounting and preparation of financial statements in an international organization in providing financial management services;
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial rules and regulations; working knowledge of ERP (particularly Agresso), experience with MS Office 2003/or newer versions, and financial management, using electronic systems, environment and are desired.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of local languages (Sinhala and Tamil) is an asset.
• Working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=29228