Finance Associate

Drawing on the diversity of UNDP’s client needs and partnerships, the Bureau for Management Services (BMS)Office of Human Resources (OHR) is the hub for the global HR function for UNDP, providing strategy, policy setting, guidance, and oversight. In addition, BMS/OHR provides a broad range of HR advisory and talent management services enabling UNDP to deliver fully integrated development solutions at corporate level.  In this context, OHR is focused on the implementation of an ambitious and forward-looking three-year strategy, People for 2030, which will progressively transform UNDP’s culture and enable its workforce capacity to deliver more and better results.

Through People for 2030, BMS/OHR aims to be at the leading edge of HR in the international development sector by developing high quality and innovative human resources solutions and driving transformation across UNDP.

In this renewed and dynamic framework, OHR is seeking high caliber human resources professionals with a strong HR background, and the capacity, commitment, and attitude needed to generate a culture characterized by innovation, entrepreneurship and a focus on delivering transformative outcomes.

The BMS/OHR/Talent Acquisition and People Programme (TAPP) is responsible for the development of new strategic staffing and talent acquisition initiatives with a view to build a Centre for Excellence in Talent Acquisition and Management that caters to UN system agency clients as well as other potential partners.
Under the overall guidance of the Operations and Finance Analyst, the Finance Associate supports the highest efficiency in People Programme operations, as well as other programmes and partnerships within the TAPP team, including timely and accurate donor reporting, financial resources management and the provision of accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information. He/she analyzes operational rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex operational issues. The Finance Associate promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.
 

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the BMS/OHR New York, BMS/Office of Finance Management (OFM)/Corporate Financial Reporting and Agency Services Team, BMS/Information and Technology Management Office (ITM), as well as the transactional part of HR and finance services ensuring successful operations, human resources management, financial resource management, and client-orientation of the People Programmes.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

1)    Ensures implementation of the People Programme financial management strategies:

• Ensure People Programmes financial activities, financial recording/reporting system, and follow-up on audit recommendations are in full compliance with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and strategies.  
• Support implementation of effective internal controls and proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
• Assist in supporting office management to articulate the framework and conditions of contributions to People Programmes.
• Assist in monitoring People Programme financial resources, reconcile donor accounts and prepare forecasts.
• Support in monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to management on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Support in reviewing and approving cost estimates, including update and development of tools for calculation of JPO/SDP/Seconded expert costs and continuous alignment with UNDP finance policies.
• Assist in monitoring and follow up on contributions from donors to the JPO Programme positions. 
• Support in organization of cost-recovery mechanisms for services provided by UNDP to JPO Programmes of UN agencies.
• Assist in controlling and monitoring of co-financing arrangements and processes
• Support in controlling and monitoring of Centrally Management Costs arrangements and processes
• Support end-year reversal of UN Organisations JPO Programme financial transactions from UNDP books.
   

2)  Ensure implementation of timely and accurate financial reporting on People Programmes:

• Support implementation of new JPO Programme financial model and suggest improvements as applicable.
• Assists in preparation of reports containing analysis of the People Programme financial situation.
• Support in monitoring and preparation of People Programmes  financial reports to donors and UN Agencies on a timely and quality basis.
   

3)  Provide accounting and administrative support to the OHR/TAPP unit:

• Ensure proper control of the supporting documents and payment invoices and proper document management including systematic archiving.  
• Support in reviewing periodic oversight of financial reports for projects and management funds/budget balance. 
• Maintain internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP; and travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Assist in coordinating and reviewing allocated General Ledger and sub-ledger accounts and support timely project closure.
• Take timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including invoices with validation errors, match exceptions, and/or unapproved invoices. Provide timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Support in facilitation of JPO travel requests, including organization of airtickets and monitoring of Duty Travel and Training Balances  
   

4)   Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Organize training for the human resources team on financial management.
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in financial management.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
   

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• Achieve Results - LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work 
• Think Innovatively - LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking 
• Learn Continuously - LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process 
• Act with Determination - LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously 
• Engage and Partner - LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships 
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion - LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making  
   

Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns

Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation:    

•  Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data:

• Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making

Finance   - Accounting (General):

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

Finance - Budget Management:

• Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets 

Finance - Audit Risk Management:

• Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.

Finance - Banking and Cash Management:

• Ability to collect, handle, and manage cash, which involves assessing market liquidity, cash flow, and investments
   

• Fluency in English
• Knowledge of another UN language would be an asset.