FINANCE AND BUDGET ASSOCIATE, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION, OFA

This is a re-advertisement. Applicants that have applied in the earlier round need not apply again. Internal qualified candidates will be given priority consideration. Under the guidance and supervision of the Manager Operations Services Section, the Finance and Budget Associate provides and executes a full range of financial and budget management services to all ASD units including the divisional and centrally managed budget allocations of ASD, and ensures effective and transparent utilization of financial resources.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions: Administration and implementation of financial and budgetary operations Monitoring and reporting on ASD budget resources and expenditures Administration of cost-recovery mechanism Consolidating and reporting on bureau wise data sought by OFA Supervise the work of the Travel Associate and Finance Assistant Training and learning Administration and implementation of financial and budgetary operations Implement financial and budgetary plans ensuring full compliance with UNDP?s regulations and rules, policies, procedures and Internal Control Framework. Analyze financial activities of all ASD budgets and expenditures and provide analysis required by ASD and OFA Managers. Establish projects in ATLAS (PeopleSoft) and accurately disburse funds within the fund and budget department categories in accordance with the approved annual ASD budget request. Manage expenditures for all phases of the financial operations against the ASD?s budgets and provide accurate information on budget status. Prepare and review documentation for processing of payments ensuring correctness and completeness of requirements for input to the system including propriety of charge codes, validity of contracts, leases or agreements, etc. Approve new ASD Vendors that are created in ATLAS by the procurement staff. Support Country Office (CO) Services team with the management of decentralized CO budgets. Support the HQ facilities team with financial management matters. Keep detailed records throughout the year regarding expenditures, cost re-adjustments, and utilization of resources allocated to construction/renovation projects. Participate in regular divisional budget review meetings.?Provide background materials, reports and analyses as required. Assist Chief, ASD, in preparing budget estimates for specific projects and activities. Recommend any required corrective action on a monthly basis based on budget variance analysis reports. Perform other necessary tasks as required by the supervisor. Monitoring and reporting on financial resources Provide budget technical reports and analysis to ASD managers on budgetary and financial matters including, financial processing of transactions, budget monitoring, and rental charge-backs. Prepare bureau reports for travel expense and post-travel review data. Administration of cost-recovery mechanism Review and support in clearing reconciling items in AMEX monthly ticket reconciliation. Reconcile accounts, analyze cause of discrepancy and prepare adjusting JVs for approval by the supervisor. Prepare journal vouchers to debit Headquarters Units? COAs for the 6% fee against each ticketed invoice. Provide vendor payment details on a regular basis for purposes of vendor payment reconciliations by ASD units. Consolidating and reporting on bureau wise data sought by OFA Collect data and present analysis requested by OFA towards preparing reports for bureaus Work with OIST to automate functions so that bureaus can obtain such information from the dashboard Liaise with bureaus and present details that relate to their expenditures Supervise the work of the Travel Associate and Finance Assistant Supervise the work of the Travel Associate responsible to monitor travel expenses after the fact Supervise the work of the Finance Assistant responsible to process UNDP travel agent invoices Ensure that work products delivered are timely and in conformance with UNDP policies Training and Learning Encourage networking and sharing of knowledge to improve quality of service provided. Organize workshops/seminars periodically within the unit to enhance understanding of budget policies, procedures, etc., with the objective of improving quality of transactions processed. The accuracy and timeliness of financial status reports which are produced are critical to decision making and directly impacts the management of financial resources. Systematic collection of the 6% ticket fee ensures that the AMEX fees are recorded and the management fees paid on a timely basis.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies: Demonstrate integrity by adhering to UN values and ethical standards. Demonstrate professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Display cultural, gender, religion, nationality and adaptability. Functional Competencies: Identify priority activities and adjust priorities as required. Monitor developments inside and outside clients environment to keep them informed and anticipate problems. Demonstrate in-depth understanding and knowledge of financial regulations and rules, and utilize regularly in work assignments. Understanding of processes and procedures and guidelines as reflected in Financial Regulations, Rules and systems. Establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Possess strong IT skills; good knowledge of relevant ATLAS (UNDP PeopleSoft) module and MS office. Keep abreast of new developments in budget management and budget presentation as per UNDP?s corporate requirements. Propose innovative ideas and new solutions to work. Research best practices and propose new, more effective ways of doing things; identify and communicate opportunities to promote learning and knowledge-sharing; develop awareness of various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources. Demonstrate ability to diagnose problems and identify and communicate processes to support change. Demonstrate ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage transactions, and conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost recovery. Make recommendations with regard to business processes, re-engineering, approaches and procedures. Display strong writing and communication skills in English.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Secondary education with specialized certification in accounting and/or finance. University degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Accounting or Finance would be desirable, but is not a requirement. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. Experience: A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible finance, accounting or budget experience is required. Experience in Finance and Administrative functions in UNDP desirable. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages and experience in handling of web-based management systems. Experience in operating in ERP (ATLAS) is essential. Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is required. Language Requirements: Fluency in both written and spoken English. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. NOTE: Long-listed candidates will be required to undergo the UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Finance and Budget Associate, Administrative Services Division, OFA