Finance Officer

Job Description

**Responsibilities** Under the general supervision of the Chief, Finance Section and within delegated authority, the Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Overseeing Financial Matters: - Monitoring pledges, contributions, payments and allotments in accordance with the UN Financial Rules and Regulations, ensuring that contributions are credited in accordance with donors’ specifications to the correct accounts. - Liaising with the Donor and External Relations Section on the application of contributions within OCHA’s programmes and keeping track of deadlines for the timely submission of reports to donors. - Overseeing procurement and inventory at Headquarters, including reconciling with the UN Secretariat’s records of assets. - Reviewing and analysing monthly status of allotments and ledger accounts, reporting to Programme Officers on the financial status of individual projects and global programmes and recommending actions appropriate to the execution of OCHA’s mandate. - Acting as Certifying Officer for transactions within the delegated authority. - Ascertaining availability of funds relating to the creation, extension, change of level and posts and liaising with the Human Resources Section. - Liaising with the UN Secretariat, OCHA Geneva Office, UNDP and other partners regarding financial matters related to OCHA. - Performing other related duties as required. Overseeing Budget Matters: - Participating with the Chief of the Finance Section in the preparation of both Regular Budget and Extra-Budgetary submission. - Monitoring allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary. - Collaborating in the preparation of OCHA’s submission of programme and budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditure. Act as the focal point for the collection and coordination of responses to audit observations. General Administration Functions: - Providing guidance on OCHA’s financial administration and management information issues and practices to colleagues and guidance and leadership to Junior Staff from New York. - Provide information needed to respond to audit findings and respond to internal/external audit observations. Seconding and substituting for the Chief of the Finance Section as required and undertaking other ad-hoc tasks that might be assigned by the Chief of the Section. - Performing other related administrative duties, as required. **Competencies** - Professionalism - Proven conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills and ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identifying issues, formulating options and making conclusions and recommendations. A complete, in-depth grasp of financial principles and practices. Familiarity with UN financial rules and regulations. - Planning and organizing - Ability to establish priorities and to plan, co-ordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision. - Communication - Excellent communication (spoken, written and presentation) skills, including ability to prepare reports and conduct presentations on key issues by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely conveying the maximum necessary information, making and defending recommendations. - Teamwork - Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. **QUALIFICATIONS** Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in accounting, finance, business administration or related field. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Work Experience A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in finance and accounting procedures or financial administration, is required. Work experience in managing extra-budgetary funds is also required. Languages English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this post, fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset. Other Skills Ability to use IMIS is required; solid computer skills (knowledge of Microsoft Excel and basics of a database management programme)is also required. The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. **How to apply** All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. Because applications submitted by United Nations (UN) staff members are considered first, provided the eligibility requirements set out in ST/AI/2002/4 are met and the application is submitted in a timely fashion, staff members should apply within 15-day or 30-day mark. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please go to “My UN” page and check the status of your application by clicking on “View Application History”, and resubmit the application, if necessary. 1. To start the application process, applicants are required to register by opening a “My UN” account. Go to Login, and Register as a User. Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password. 2. After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for future applications. The PHP may be up-dated, when necessary, for future applications. 3. In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed. 4. UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (PAS) reports at the time of application to the appropriate Human Resources Office (HRO)/Personnel Office (PO) to the email address below, clearly indicating the vacancy announcement number. In case you have no access to the digitizing equipment, please submit hard copies of the two latest PAS reposts to the relevant HRO/PO via fax. E-mail: Fax: + Please click to apply online.