Finance Associate

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the UNOPS Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with advice and solutions to everyday implementation challenges. IPAS consists of a diverse team of subject matter experts in the six practice areas of HR, Administration, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Project Management and Infrastructure. IPAS has three main roles:

Support to operations in the field offices: IPAS provides timely advice and supports actively finding of solutions to everyday implementation challenges, based on policy and best practices. It also provides operational support in specific areas.

Business efficiency: IPAS recommends changes to policies, processes and operating standards based on the feedback and experience of the field offices. IPAS also ensures transparent and efficient project implementation, in line with policy and business needs. 

Body of knowledge: IPAS contributes to research and coordination within the policy groups and project practitioners. It provides structured knowledge and subject matter expertise which is used across practice areas to provide coherent and tailored advice to the requesting offices.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the IPAS Finance Advisor, the Finance Associate will work in close collaboration with the UNOPS operations, program and project staff. The incumbent will be responsible for providing transactional, advisory and oversight services while performing the following duties and responsibilities:

1.     Budgets Monitoring and Control

• Ensures budgets are in conformity with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations & procedures of the funding source;
• Assists in the review and adjustments of project budget revisions;
• Assists in the maintenance of the budget database by verifying and inputting approved budgets;
• Reviews and adjusts the project expenditures/obligations against the approved budgets.

2.     Project Accounting

• Monitors recorded expenditures and related contributions to ensure timely and accurate accounting information;
•  Review and confirms adjustments to the project expenditures as may be required;
• Reviews and confirms appropriateness of operational transactions processed as per applicable policies, regulations, rules and interpretive guidelines;
• Assists in proper closure (operational and financial) of projects and refund of unspent balances to Donors/UN Agencies;

3.     Financial Reporting

• Assists in the implementation of reporting systems and reports to meet Funding source requirements;
• Prepares periodic financial statements to funding sources and external clients in compliance with established reporting requirements;
• Reconciles projects’ expenditure/revenues as recorded in the General Ledger on regular basis 
• Reconciles expenditures reported from Financial Dashboard;
• Assist Field Offices with Financial reporting and analysis;
• Resolves Financial Reporting system issues with Finance Practice Group at HQ; and
• Provides reports as needed for year end closure activities.

4.     Financial accounting

• Prepare and review the General Ledger account reconciliation;
• Analyze General Ledger accounts and prepare adjusting entries regularly
• Assist in the period closure and in the internal/ external audit support

5.     Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Assist in preparation of notes, guidelines related to implementation of Accounting standards and procedures;
• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on finance-related topics;
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in the finance area;
• Other ad hoc task to be performed.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Finance / Accounting or other related discipline is required;
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in related field with additional 2 years of relevant working experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree;
• Knowledge of international accounting standards, especially IPSAS is an asset;
• Relevant certification in financial management or accounting is an added advantage.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of relevant finance & accounting experience is required at the national or international level (with an advanced university degree);
• Minimum 2 years of experience in reconciling transactions on a monthly basis is required;
• Experience in project accounting or management accounting is an asset;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office, Google applications and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages) and in handling of web-based management systems is required.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral English required.
• Knowledge of a second UN language (preferably French or Spanish) is an asset.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

• Contract type: ICA
• Contract level: LICA-6 (Local ICA Support)
• Contract duration: open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.