Background

The UN Women (UNW), grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UNW started with programming work in Nigeria in May 1993 and has been steadfast in supporting the three tiers of the government in Nigeria to formulate and implement laws and policies aimed at promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

UN Women’s programming in Nigeria is guided with UNW Strategic Plan and is linked to the nation’s Vision 20:2020 document - Nigeria’s economic transformation blueprint by the year 2020 and the UNDAF. The focus of the country office programming work in next two years will be on two key result areas which have potential to transform the gender equality landscape of the country and these are Expanding Women’s Voice, Leadership and Participation and Women’s Economic Empowerment. UNW in Nigeria also provides guidance and support to other UN Agencies in the country to ensure that all country programmes are gender responsive and acts as the chair of the Gender Theme Group.

It is in this context that UNW in Nigeria now seeks to recruit Finance Associate. The Finance Associate reports to the UNW Country Representative for guidance and supervision and is responsible for managing and supervising the execution of a wide range of financial services and administrative processes in Country Programme Office (CPO), ensuring timeliness, efficiency and transparent use of financial resources and delivery of services in accordance with organizational financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures and approved allocations. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNW rules and regulations, standard practices and guidelines.

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations Manager of the Regional/Sub-Regional Office as well as with the operations, programme and project teams in UNW Headquarters for solving complex finance-related issues and information delivery

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Administration and implementation of program and operational financial services
• Support to management of the country program, budget preparation and administration 
•  Accounting and administrative support 
•  Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Administration and implementation of program and operational financial services

• Review and verify financial transactions/activities/documentation for accuracy, appropriateness and completeness and ensure full compliance of financial services and transactions with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and recording and reporting systems. Certify transactions for accuracy and propriety prior to submission to the supervisor for approval and/or action.
• Analyze/interpret the financial rules and regulations, as well as established policies and procedures, and provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial issues.
• Review drafts for cost sharing and Trust Fund agreements including conditions of contributions within resource mobilization efforts. Follow up on contributions within the CPO resource mobilization efforts.
• Monitor and implement an effective and proper functioning of the financial resources management system.
• Manage the financial business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in finance, in consultation with the supervisor.
• Monitor the financial status and implement control mechanisms for management/development projects and keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions. Review status reports for quality control.
• Recommend and/or implement cost saving and reduction strategies, in consultation with the office management.
• Monitor financial exceptions report for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions.
• Follow-up and/or take action on audit recommendations to ensure implementation of corrective actions. Assist in reviewing the audit reports on NGO executed projects
• Supervise and guide staff and personnel under his/her responsibility, as applicable, provide technical guidance and monitor performance to ensure delivery of results according to plans and standards of accountability and performance.

Support to management of the CPO program, preparation and administration of budgets

• Collect, verify and present thoroughly researched information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of country program work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities.
• Input data in Atlas for new grants in the form of Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and monitor status. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely action and/or decisions.
• Contribute to office budget planning and preparation by presenting thoroughly researched information for planning of financial resources of the CPO, including reports containing an analysis of the office’s financial situation (expenditures versus budget allocations).
• Provide information/guidance to the executing agencies on routine implementation of projects. Keep track of the appropriate and timely use of financial resources.
• Verify accuracy of Combined/Programme Delivery Reports and One UN Financial Reports as applicable. Take appropriate action to ensure accuracy of information.
• Provide information for the audit of projects and implementation of audit recommendations.
• Implement control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status. Track and report on program and operational financial resources.
• Prepare accurate and timely mandated financial reports to donors and other clients and stakeholders.
• Prepare timely cost recovery documents for the services provided by UNW to non-core programmes by core programme resources or to prepare bills to services provided to other organizations for reimbursement. Elaborate and implement the income tracking system and follow-up on cost recovery.

Accounting services and administrative support

• Review and verify accuracy and relevancy of the supporting documents for payments and prepare financial reports. Prepare PO and non-PO vouchers for development projects.
• Maintain internal expenditures control systems to ensure that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas, payrolls are duly prepared and processed; travel claims, MPOs and other entitlements are duly processed
• Review accounts receivables for UN Women projects and follow-up with project managers and finance section at headquarters on contributions, deposits creation in Atlas and their application to AR pending items.
• Maintain up to date and accurate data in Atlas and take timely corrective actions on erroneous data.
• Maintain proper follow up of advances to implementing partners, review their financial reports together with project managers and be fully satisfied before making next installment
• Draft financial reports for donors in accordance with donor requirements, UN Women procedures and in conjunction with project managers.
•  Associate revenue and expenditure in commitment control for non core projects
• Manage petty cash fund, cash imprest level and other temporary GL accounts, ensuring accuracy and transparency in use and reporting.
• Undertake timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers. Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Prepare timely VAT reimbursements with adequate documentation support.
• Ensure all supporting documents on financial transactions are secured and properly filed.
•  Acts as vendor approver.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Contribute to training initiatives on financial processes by conducting training and/or organizing training events and activities.
• Capture, synthesize and/or codify lessons learned and best practices in financial management and services. Disseminate to clients and stakeholders as appropriate to build capacity and knowledge.
•  Design and/or introduce innovations in financial business operational practices and management.

Competencies

CORE VALUES / GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Integrity: Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
•  Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing diversity: Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrating / Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring: Self-development, initiative-taking.
• Working in Teams: Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Communicating Information and Ideas: Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Self-management and Emotional intelligence: Creating synergies through self-control
• Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements
• Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning: Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Very good analytical skills and results orientation
• Client oriented approach to work
• Skills to manage relationships and communicate
• Thorough knowledge of financial rules and regulations and accounting principles.
• Excellent knowledge and application skills of IT tools and management systems
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems

Required Skills and Experience

Education:   

• Secondary Education with specialized national or international certification in accounting and finance. University Degree in Business or Public Administration desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:   

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience is required in financial management and administration, in a large corporation or organization is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English and at least one Nigerian language

The UN  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.