Financial Reporting Manager

<!–

Description

–>

• Processing errors could lead to large-scale financial loss to the Organization, delayed implementation and severe inconvenience to staff, technical units and/or suppliers, globally. The position requires a good understanding of WHO’s rules, procedures and systems to ensure that payments are processed timely and correctly; that awards are created accurately and in a timely manner; that agreed controls are operating effectively to minimize risks; all documents are analyzed for accuracy and completeness; all accounting is correctly reconciled and correctly stated.
• Under the supervision of the Coordinator, Global Finance, and working closely with the Global Finance Services Manager and Global Payroll Manager, other coordinators of units and Human Resources Managers/Officers and Budget and Finance Officers in the Centre and in the Regional Offices and at Headquarters, the incumbent is responsible for a team of finance professionals that carries out reporting, reconciliation and quality assurance in GFI. The reporting, quality assurance and reconciliations relate to Global Accounts Payable and Payroll functions, both of which are defined as critical business activities. Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Coordinator, Global Finance, the incumbent:
• Leads, briefs, motivates, trains and coaches a client-oriented and highly skilled Finance Team that is fully committed to the achievement of GSC and Finance targets.
• Manages the day-to-day operations, responding to changes in volumes and workload, including careful planning for peak workload periods while monitoring the application of flexible working arrangement policies thereby ensuring requests, queries and incidents are processed within the turn-around times specified in the Service Catalogue and within the relevant control environment.
• Identifies opportunities to improve customer satisfaction, recommends process improvements and supports the implementation of new processes, systems and tools that contribute to improved customer satisfaction and enhanced support of business processes and controls within the target operating model.
• Manages reporting on GSC controlled accounts, related reconciliation activities within Global Finance and ensures monthly, accurate and timely submissions to HQ, Regions and various stakeholders. This includes providing clean, aged, reconciled Supplier balances, bank reconciliations, Accounts Payable Trial Balance, Personal Accounts and relevant general ledger accounts. The incumbent must ensure the financial management reports are prepared in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards and are user-friendly.
• Ensures that service requests and other work requests are distributed to team members in an equitable and transparent manner.
• Ensures integrity and consistency of data captured in ledgers with respect to transactions initiated by GSC-GFI.
• Validates the consistent application of Regulations and Rules, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), policies and procedures, particularly with clarity and consistency to IPSAS principles. Search for opportunities to harmonize business processes between teams and initiates documentation of and adherence to new processes.
• Identifies system issues, notify IT Support teams accordingly and test subsequent system fixes.
• As Quality Management Representative for the ISO 9001-2015 quality management system for GSC activities in scope, is responsible for implementing the requirements specified in ISO 9001 with reference to the quality management system (QMS) and as such maintains the QMS, reports on QMS performance and promotes customer requirements. Coordinates the quality management processes, including inter alia managing the foundation documents, coordinating quality audits including quality management audit reporting, periodically monitoring the management of risks and reports on any actions taken; ensuring existing internal controls are appropriately in place and ensures that proper monitoring mechanisms are in place and that they can be used to identify weaknesses and address them immediately, identifying gaps and bottlenecks in operating procedures and proposes changes in collaboration/consultation with stakeholders and coordinates the revision and approval process; keeps clear archive of all GSC Finance SOPs to ensure updated versions are accessible by users (serves as the custodian for GFI SOPs), reporting on compliance issues and corrective actions.
• In collaboration with Global Finance Services Manager and Global Payroll Manager, develops and proposes new procedures and guidelines in Global Finance and systematically tracks level of implementation of changes that drive operational efficiencies.
• Operates a robust system of oversight to ensure cases of non-compliance by end users to policies and procedures are identified and reported to facilitate corrective actions by Global Finance Services Manager and Global Payroll Manager. Tracks and reports on implementation of agreed corrective actions.
• Coordinates the provision of periodic reports and feedback to management, clients and stakeholders to maintain expectations and apply best practice mechanisms that achieve optimal service delivery, including inter alia KPI reporting, performance and monitoring reporting and exception tracking and reporting. This includes instilling a performance management culture throughout GFI & PAY, including continuously evaluating services to clients with a view to improving delivery through innovation and deployment of best practices. The incumbent consolidates and distributes the GSC finance reporting package.
• Acts as Focal point for Global Finance related matters with Internal and External Auditors and: i) responds to queries relating to reports on GSC controlled accounts; ii) coordinates with Coordinator, Global Finance, Global Finance Services Manager and Global Payroll Manager to formulate response on specific audit queries relating to specific AP and Payroll matters; iii) responsible for the coordination and monitoring of updates on implementation of open Audit recommendations within Global Finance; iv) implements reconciliation and reporting related audit recommendations.
• Leads, contributes to complex and challenging business projects pertaining to quality assurance and reporting and collaborates with Global Finance Services Manager and Global Payroll Manager as needed on AP and Payroll processes in order to significantly enhance efficiency, business improvement, continuity, information and performance of Global Finance units.
• Recommends process improvements and supports the implementation of new processes, systems and tools that contribute to enhanced support of business processes and controls within the target operating model.
• Creates/coordinates a culture of knowledge building and sharing on financial management and operations by synthesizing lessons learned and best practices and customizing them to ensure smooth integration into workflows and team interactions; and ensures initiatives for knowledge sharing and transfer with staff.
• Engages with clients to develop outreach/clinics/training sessions to improve understanding of SOPs and workflows of financial transactions and services.
• Monitors staff/management issues within the team and support/advise management and staff as appropriate to improve information flow/exchange, manage relationships and avoid/resolve issues and conflicts.
• Closely collaborates with colleagues in GFI, PAY, GSC, HQ, ROs and COs, valuing one GSC.
• Perform duties as assigned by the Coordinator, Global Finance.
• Back up for Coordinator, Global Finance and Global Finance Services Manager as required.

• University Degree in accounting / financial management / business administration AND an equivalent completed professional training in accounting certification such as CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.

• Advanced University Degree in accounting / financial management / business administration.

• At least 7 years of recent and proven relevant experience in a large, complex, international organization. Relevant experience entails working at a management level in consolidations, financial reporting, reconciliations and/or compliance.
• At least 7 years of recent and proven experience managing a team.
• Experience of IPSAS and/or IFRS.

• Experience in a Finance Shared Services Centre at management level.
• Experience of working with a case management or CRM system.
• Solid understanding of WHO Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures.

• Excellent judgement and ability to detect shortcomings and anomalies.
• Excellent integrity, tact and discretion in dealing with others.
• Ability to work under pressure/flexibility while meeting deadlines.
• Excellent leadership, management and organizational skills combined with the ability to produce innovative solutions and drive the team.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent writing and communication skills to present proposals in a concise, clear and logical manner. 
• Solid understanding of WHO Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures.

• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French.
• Intermediate knowledge of Official UN Languages.

<!—

<!–

–>