Background

UN Women, 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.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the Programme Finance Officer is responsible for helping ensure the provision and the execution of programme finance services and the effective and transparent utilization of financial resources including the integrity of financial and administrative services. The incumbent promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.

The Programme Finance Officer works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations teams in UN Women Country Office and Projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Administration and Implementation of Operational Strategies;
• Financial control, due diligence and risk management for the Development Projects and Implementing Partners;
• Support to Country Office’s Programme and Operations Management;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing, and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters.

Administration and Implementation of Operational Strategies:

• Work in full compliance with UN/UN Women rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial records/ reporting system;
• Contribution to the Country Office Finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management;
• Contribution to effective execution of operational strategies, focusing on accuracy and conformity with the established administrative rules and regulations.

Financial control, due diligence and risk management for the Development Projects and Implementing Partners (IPs):

• Improve capacity of IPs to effectively manage funds, by providing trainings and capacity building activities;
• Mitigating and minimize risks related to the utilization of funds and cash transfers through assessment of the IPs’ financial management capacity, field monitoring and annual reviews;
• Support improving the IPs’ internal financial controls through assurance activities;
• Checking accuracy of Projects and IPs’ reporting on the use of funds and cash transfers; and providing support as required;
• Perform proper controls and due diligence for the projects payments and advances’ liquidations, and raising any significant issues with the supervisor and project manager for resolution;
• Maintain auditable records of all expenditure reviewed against source documents by Implementing Partners and Projects;
• Act as the focal point for the Audits on projects and IPs;
• Preparation and follow up on the implementation of the Audit action plan and recommendations;
• Support the implementation of the UN Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) as required.

Support to Country Office’s Programme and Operations Management:

• Maintenance of the projects’ internal expenditures control system, ensuring  that transactions are correctly recorded;
• Verification and reconciliation of various expenditures reports and PDRs as required;
• Periodic monitoring of dashboards and exceptions, identification of the remedial actions in coordination with the supervisor;
• Support the Programme team in tracking the outstanding advances and prompt follow up of overdue Financial Reports;
• Support the preparation of project budge, and the preparation of projects cost sharing agreements and trust fund agreements;
• Support the maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for projects and follow-up with partners on contributions;
• Support to Programme team on donor reporting requirements and monitoring of financial reports to donor;
• Support project closure activities, ensuring operational and financial due diligence;
• Provision of the information/reports on programmes, identification of operational and financial problems, and proposal of solutions;
• Support the Country Office Audit, and support to the implementation of the Audit recommendations.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing, and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters:

• Guidance to the UN Women Country Office and Projects’ staff on financial management of projects;
• Facilitate the organization of training for the Operations/Project/Programme Staff on financial management;
• Compilation of lessons learned and best practices in programme finance;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Competencies

Core Values / Guiding Prfinciples:

Integrity:

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Comperencies:

Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

• Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Cometencies:

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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University Degree in Accounting, Finance and and/or in Business or Public Administration, Economics is required.

Experience:

• Minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting and/or finance is required at the national or international level in public and/or not-for-profit organizations;
• Proficiency in using computers and standard office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
• Experience in handling of web based management systems will be considered as an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.