Job Identification : 12941

Rentals : Libreville, Gabon

Posting Date : 08/09/2023, 05:56 PM

Apply Before : 08/23/2023, 05:55 PM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Crisis management / Country Management Support

Office : Regional Bureau for Africa

Contract Duration : 1 Year with Possibility for extension

Education & Work Experience : Bachelor’s Degree – 3 year ( s ) experience

Other Criteria : 6 years ( with secondary school diploma )

Required Languages : French

Desired Languages : English

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Job Description

•  Office / Unit / Project ( Description )

The finance team supports the ( BP ) country office in promoting its sustainable development program. It continuously improves the financial performance of BP by ensuring sound management of financial resources and strong accountability, through informed decision-making, efficient financial management processes and transparent financial reporting. Complies with international standards and regulatory directives.

2. Description of tasks

Under the direction and supervision of the Operations manager and the direct supervisor ( the Finance Analyst ), the financial partner ( e ) ensures the efficient execution of financial services and processes in the country office and the transparent use of financial resources. The financial partner ( e ) promotes a collaborative and customer-oriented approach, in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.

The financial partner ( e ) can supervise the office and support staff of the finance unit. The financial partner works in close collaboration with the operations, program and project staff of the country office, with UNDP headquarters as well as with GSSC staff to exchange information and resolve financial issues.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to meet changing business needs and take advantage of the links between interventions to achieve its strategic objectives. Therefore, UNDP staff must work in several units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams to improve and enable horizontal collaboration.

3. Main tasks and responsibilities

1. Support the administration and implementation of operational strategies and adapt processes and procedures.

•  Ensure that the financial processes, BP financial records and reports and audit monitoring comply with UNDP Program and Operations Policies and Procedures ( POPP ). Establish an effective internal control framework.
•  Support the management of the office in the preparation and examination of the mapping of the operational processes of the finances of the BP and the development of the content of the internal standard operating procedures in finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.
•  Contribute to the implementation of savings and cost reduction strategies in consultation with office management.
•  Maintain financing and trust fund agreements, monitoring contributions with the respective project teams ( the project team must contact the donor ) as part of the BP resource mobilization efforts.
•  Regularly monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities and / or transactions; and investigate unusual anomalies or transactions. Inform senior management of BP and other UNDP staff at headquarters of the results of the survey when satisfactory responses are not obtained.

2. Support the administration of the budgets of BP management projects, the approval of development project budgets and the functioning of an optimal cost recovery system.

•  Provide information sought for planning and the state of BP’s financial resources.
•  Prepare and modify the budgets for UNDP management projects, followed with headquarters on the authorized expenditure limits ( ASL ) for management projects.
•  Help prepare the required budget revisions ( guarantee a multiannual budget review ) within the unit at the required period and the timely securing of ASLs ; and ensure detailed records of funds released for projects as well as monthly ASL reports for non-essential projects / GEF.
•  Prepare cost recovery / CPD invoices in a timely manner in the ERP for services provided by UNDP, implement the income monitoring system and monitor cost recovery.

3. Provide accounting and administrative support to the finance unit.

•  Support the proper control of supporting documents, payment invoices and good document management, including systematic archiving.
•  Prepare project financial reports and fund / budget balance management; and prepare all types of invoices.
•  Maintain the internal expenditure control system which guarantees that the invoices processed are reconciled and completed, that the transactions are correctly recorded and displayed in the ERP, and that requests for reimbursement of travel expenses and other rights are duly processed.
•  Coordinate and review the general ledger and allocated auxiliary accounts and support the closure of the project in a timely manner.
•  Take timely corrective action on erroneous data in the ERP and on unrecognized invoices, including invoices with validation errors, correspondence exceptions and/or unapproved invoices. Prepare the necessary financial reports. Provide a quick response to headquarters requests to resolve financial data issues.
•  Maintain accounts receivable for UNDP projects and monitor with partners on contributions.
•  Ensure the timely registration, reconciliation and submission of VAT refund requests to the competent tax authority and monitor VAT refunds.

4. Ensure the proper functioning of the management of the liquidations and the treasury of the BP.

•  Act as alternate to the Financial Analyst (ICS-7 ) for the timely review of the cash position of local accounts in order to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements and to maintain the level of liquidity approved by the Treasury. Identify and record receipts and create timely income tax deposits.
•  Identify and record contributions.
•  Prepare timely and precise banking reconciliations and provide documentation to the GSSC in accordance with the service level agreement. Initiate bank transfers and transactions in the ERP.
•  Act as a replacement for the ( ICS-7 ) Finance Analyst for the timely preparation of monthly cash forecasts to ensure a sufficient cash balance in the local bank account. Liaise with participating United Nations agencies to obtain an estimate of the disbursements of their cash requirements.

5. Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the BP.

•  Help organize the training of Operations / Project staff on financial, audit and compliance issues, and the implementation of the internal control framework ( ICF ).
•  Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in financial management.
•  Make strong contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other tasks within the framework of his functional profile deemed necessary for the proper functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory / management responsibilities: can supervise office and support staff of the finance unit.

4. Institutional context

Under the direction and supervision of the Operations manager and the direct supervisor ( the Finance Analysis ), the financial partner ensures the efficient execution of financial services and processes in the country office and the transparent use of financial resources. The financial partner promotes a collaborative, client-centered approach, in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.

5. Skills

Basic skills :

Obtain results, LEVEL 1: Plan and control your own work, pay attention to details, provide quality work on time.

Achieving results, LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas / known risks, it solves problems pragmatically and brings improvements.

Thinking in an innovative way, LEVEL 1: Open-minded and curious, sharing your knowledge, learning from mistakes, requires feedback.

Learning continuously, LEVEL 1: Adapting to change, constructively manages ambiguity / uncertainty, is flexible.

Adapt with agility, LEVEL 1: Demonstrates dynamism and motivation, is able to show calm in the face of adversity, is confident.

Act with determination, LEVEL 1: Show compassion / understanding towards others, build positive relationships.

Engage and associate, LEVEL 1: Appreciate / respect differences, be aware of unconscious prejudices, face discrimination.

Transversal skills :

Thematic area

Title

Definition

Business management

Customer satisfaction / Customer management

•  Ability to respond in a timely and appropriate manner with a sense of urgency, to provide coherent solutions and to deliver results and/or quick and quality solutions to meet and understand the real needs of customers. Contribute to the development of the customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond immediate customer demands. Ability to anticipate future needs and concerns of the client.

Business development

Knowledge creation

•  Ability to seek and transform information into useful knowledge, relevant to the context or responding to an expressed need.

Business management

Working with evidence and data

•  Ability to inspect, clean, transform and model data in order to discover useful information, clarify conclusions and support decision-making.

Finance

Accounting ( General )

•  Knowledge of concepts, principles, regulations, accounting policies and ability to apply them to strategic and / or practical situations.

Finance

Business management

•  Ability to support the budgetary aspects of the work planning process, the preparation and management of team budgets.

Finance

Financial reports and analysis

•  Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, draw relevant conclusions and present them in a meaningful and consistent manner to facilitate effective decision-making and performance monitoring.

Finance

Audit

•  Ability to review and verify accounts and registers

6. Minimum qualifications

Education :

•  Fully qualified accountant, an internationally accredited accounting institute or complete completion of the UNDP training and certification program in finance ( FTCP ). No UNDP accounting and financial test ( AFT ) is required.
•  No professional qualifications in accounting, but with diplomas which specialize in accounting and / or finance. No UNDP accounting and finance test ( AFT ) required but must pass the UNDP Training and Certification Program – FTCP if recruited. where

No professional accounting qualification but with relevant experience. The candidate must pass the UNDP accounting and finance test ( AFT ) before the preselection. Must follow the UNDP-FTCP training and certification program in finance if recruited.

Experience :

•  6 years ( with secondary school diploma ) or 3 years ( with license ) of financial and accounting experience at increasingly high levels of responsibility at national or international level are required.
•  Experience in the use of computers and office software packages ( MS Word, Excel, etc.) and in-depth knowledge of spreadsheets and Web management systems such as ERP financial software packages and databases ;
•  Knowledge of IPSAS and / or IFRS standards is required. Experience with the United Nations system would be an asset.

Strengths :

Basic values

•  Integrity: Has the capacity to work with honesty, openness and impartiality and demonstrates respect for the values and standards of ethics of the United Nations.
•  Professionalism: Has the capacity to work in a calm, skillful and committed manner, honors its commitments, respects deadlines and achieves its results.
•  Respect for diversity: Demonstrates the ability to work effectively, with respect, with sensitivity and adaptability consistent with cultural differences, gender, religion, age, race, and nationality.

Basic assets

Communication

•  Good oral and written communication capacity, adapting to different audiences.
•  Listen carefully to others and interpret their messages correctly and give appropriate answers.

Team work

•  Ability to work in collaboration with colleagues to achieve the objectives of the organization.
•  Solicits inputs by valuing the expertise and ideas of others and is ready to learn from others.

Planning and organization

•  Ability to identify priorities and tasks by adjusting priorities when needed.
•  Spend all the time and resources necessary to finalize your work.
•  Provides for risks and takes contingencies into account when planning.

Accountability

•  Compliance with organizational rules, regulations and standards.
•  Execution of activities under his responsibility within the required deadlines, standards and qualities.

General

•  Demonstrates integrity by highlighting the organization’s ethical values and standards ;
•  Sharing experience and know-how and favoring the spirit of teamwork ;
•  Respect and enforce safety instructions ;
•  Explains the task with energy and maintains a positive and constructive attitude ;
•  Keep calm, enthusiasm and control even when under pressure ;
•  Demonstrate capacities to develop and maintain good relations with colleagues and partners ;
•  Has good abilities to develop personal and professional skills.

Confidentiality clause Considering that the financial assistant processes information which can be considered sensitive and confidential, he must be discreet, vigilant and attentive during and outside working hours. The data must remain confidential and must in no case be published, disclosed, transferred, copied, shared or communicated by any means whatsoever to third parties external to the human BP (, mechanical or electronic ). Any deviation or non-compliance with this clause will result in disciplinary and / or administrative measures which may go as far as the immediate and final dismissal of the staff concerned.

Languages required :

Proficiency in the United Nations language of the duty station is required ( French ).

Mastering English is an asset

Other knowledge :

– Knowledge of IPSAS and / or IFRS standards is required; – Desirable experience in finance with ERP software, preferably PeopleSoft ; – Similar experience in large structures or in international organizations.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.