Associate Finance Officer

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Bureau Of Financial Management (BFM)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Finances

Type of contract : Non Staff

Level : 

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 06-OCT-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Long Description

(Only candidates who are entitled to work in France may apply to this position.)

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Chief Financial Officer and supervision of the General Manager (GM) of UNESCO Staff Savings and Loan Service (USLS), the incumbent provides accounting and finance and reporting activities and punctual back-office tasks in the Unit. The incumbent reviews the accounting at the end of each week and perform the month-end and quarter-end controls as indicated below with main processes having their written procedures and guidelines.

The UNESCO Staff Savings and Loan Service provides active and retired staff of the Organization the possibility, on a mutualist basis, to accumulate savings in Euro and USD and obtain a range of housing and personal loans. The USLS manages its members’ savings accounts and thus, operates bank transfers to members’ personal bank accounts and their foreign exchange transactions. Since the beginning of the year, USLS has been working on the implementation of a new IT system which will manage members’ personal information and transactions as well as the accounting of members’ transactions and general operations with a web platform for members.

The USLS is looking for a temporary assistance from an Associate Finance Officer with accounting experience at a level of a junior professional (UN scale : P1/P2) to perform the following main tasks:

• IT project management : Under the guidance and review of the USLS Finance Officers & General Manager : * Provide active support for new system user acceptance tests & parallel run exercise after the go-live; * Draft initial procedures related to the new systems and the archiving of key historical digital data of the decommissioned system; * Monitor the update of the risk register & other key documents; * Provide support in other tasks related to the on-going implementation of the new IT system at USLS. Participate and assist with the transition to the new USLS system. Support changes in processes and leverage IT systems to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. Contribute to process improvement and automation initiatives.
• Support the General Manager (GM) for the monitoring of USLS regular activities: * review the bank reconciliations at end of each month before the submission to the GM and monitor the corrective actions until full completion; * review the month-end controls between our Treasury management system and the accounting system including ensuring that the JVs for all bank fees, pending bills & interest coupons expected on various portfolios have been submitted for validation and registered. * ensure that the quarterly investment accruals exported from the Treasury management system and related reversals are registered in the accounts by the 10th of the month following the end of civil quarter; * update the template of the investment report by the 15th of the month following the end of civil quarter; * ensure that the various monitoring tables (expenses, bank interest & budget, foreign exchange, etc..) are updated at end of each month; * provide support in the financial reporting and punctual support to the back-office function of the investment activities when the main incumbent is absent. * liaise with the GM and Finance Officers for all matters relating to their activities and requiring their information, action or attention.
• Assist in other finance, accounting & reporting tasks as required by the General Manager.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or Banking.
• A first-level university degree in the same field of study in addition to professional certification in areas of Accounting, Financial Analysis or Banking would be considered.

Work experience

• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in Accounting/Finance at a junior professional level (equivalent P2 in UN system) in a financial environment or financial reporting.
• Proven professional experience of minimum 3 years at the right responsibility level in a Finance/Treasury/back/middle-office in a financial institution.
• Analytical skills for figures and good drafting skills are required.

Skills/Competencies

• Proven conceptual and analytical skills.
• Excellent accounting skills and computer skills including ERP systems (Good level in Word, Excel, Powerpoint is mandatory)
• Ability to communicate effectively on technical issues in at least French or English.
• Ability to identify priority activities and assignments and foresee risks.
• Ability to solve routine issues in the field of accounting and finance.
• Ability to get activities done per related procedures and referring to supervisor when need be.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English or French (written and spoken) and working knowledge of the other language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• IPSAS/IFRS- related qualification/advanced level training
   

Work Experience

• Project management experience would be an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Contract potentially renewable up to 1 year.

Monthly net salary : about 3 500 euros.

Affiliation to the French Social security scheme and remuneration paid to the contract holder under this contract is not exempt from any income taxes which may be levied by French or any other tax authorities.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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