Associate Finance Officer

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Associate Finance Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Regional Controller or Senior Finance Officer and in functional coordination with DFAM¿s Accounts and Financial Service (AFS).  In the Country or Multi-Country Offices, the incumbent may be supervised by a Senior Finance Officer, Assistant Representative (Admin), Head of Sub-Office, or other senior positions as delegated by the Representative.
The incumbent is responsible for co-ordinating, guiding, monitoring, advising on, and supporting the financial operations in the area of responsibility (AoR). With the objective to safeguard and optimize the utilization of UNHCR¿s monetary and physical resources, the incumbent contributes to the establishment of efficient and reliable mechanisms and processes to ensure compliance with UN financial regulations and UNHCR¿s rules, policies and procedures including, and not limited to, accounts payable and treasury processes, accounting, and implementation of internal control mechanisms, including support to oversight and audit functions.
The incumbent may support the supervisor with the identification and management of risks under their responsibility in close coordination with the Risk Management and Compliance Advisor. In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent supports the work of the Regional Controller with authority to discuss problems and seek common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines provided by higher authority.
The incumbent may directly supervise national professional and general service staff.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Contribute to the assessment of budgetary needs for administrative budgets (ABOD); monitor and control ABOD expenditure.
- Analyse, evaluate and control disbursements/receipts, as well as expenditure variances against approved budgets;
- Review and approve vouchers, including ABOD and project disbursements.
- Propose monthly cash requirements for the Office, and ensure adequate and timely replenishments of funds.
- Contribute to the preparation and processing of monthly accounts.
- Provide financial status reports to supervisors.
- Analyse and evaluate all financial reports produced on a regular basis.
- Maintain effective business relationships with local banks.
- Assist in ensuring compliance with UNHCR and UN Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures.
- Ensure that payments are effectuated by the monthly deadline.
- Ensure that monthly accounts are correct and approved, and ensure timely monthly bank reconciliations, including open items, review and clearance of unwanted requisitions and PO balances.
- Conduct regular checks of petty cash and cash accounts.
- Perform project control functions, in the absence of a dedicated project control position.
- Participate in the physical verification of UNHCR¿s local property, plant and equipment (PPE) and inventories.
- Verify that all financial transactions are correct and in accordance with UNHCR rules and procedures.
- In the absence of a senior finance position, ensure compliance with applicable financial rules, policies and procedures.
- In the absence of a senior finance position, certify country-level financial expenditure reports submitted to the regional office or Headquarters.

Regional financial services applicable to positions in the Regional Bureau only
- In coordination with relevant services in HQ, and to improve cost-effectiveness and process efficiency for operations, assist with the implementation and management of regional finance-related services such as: vendor and other related master data management and maintenance, invoice posting, travel claim processing, payments, bank reconciliations, accounting housekeeping and period cut-off activities, donor financial reporting, etc.
- Make proposals for the continuous improvement of financial monitoring and control mechanisms, including the streamlining of financial systems and procedures.
- In coordination with DFAM¿s Change Management and Field Support Section and the Global Learning and Development Centre, identify and provide training on accounting matters, and recommend or develop training modules as necessary, aiming at the development of financial management skills.
- In close liaison with DFAM¿s System Administration Section and other divisions as necessary, assist the provision and planning of activities for rollout of new processes or systems; assist the Regional Controller in monitoring the implementing internal control mechanisms and compliance with UNHCR's financial policies and procedures in the region.

- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Accounting, Finance, Public or Business Administration, Economics
or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Professional accounting, auditing or financial management designation (CPA/ACCA/CIA/CMA or equivalent).
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Work experience in the field of accounting/finance, project management, business analysis, quality assurance and/or risk management. Good knowledge of, and experience in working with, international accounting and auditing standards, with a minimum of 1 year of practical experience in the audit process and/or in financial statements preparation. Working experience with accrual accounting (such as IPSAS or IFRS). Experience with financial modules of a major Enterprise Resource Planning system (such as PeopleSoft, SAP or Oracle). Good understanding of project and resource management.
Desirable:
Good knowledge of UNHCR systems (such as Focus and MSRP). Excellent knowledge of United Nations financial rules and procedures.

Functional Skills
FI-Finance - Accrual accounting (IPSAS/IFRS)
FI-Finance - Accounting
IT-PeopleSoft Financial Management
PC-Project Control
MS-Data Collection and Analysis
MS-Monitoring & Evaluation
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. C001L2 - Accountability Level 2
C002L2 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 2
C003L2 - Communication Level 2
C004L2 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 2
C005L2 - Client & Result Orientation Level 2
C006L2 - Organizational Awareness Level 2
M001L2 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 2
M002L2 - Managing Performance Level 2
M005L2 - Leadership Level 2
X005L2 - Planning and Organizing Level 2
X007L2 - Political Awareness Level 2 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

The incumbent should have a good understanding of UNHCR financial management and possess solid administrative skills. Apart from excellent functional competencies, the incumbent would also be expected to possess proven managerial and leadership skills.

The incumbent must also be conversant with MSRP and FOCUS and have an excellent knowledge of United Nations administrative, human resources and financial rules and procedures. As of 31 January 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosts 490.243 refugees in the country, including 213.777 Rwandan, 173,731 CAR, 46,829 Burundian and 54,755 South Sudanese refugees. DRC also hosts more than 5 million IDPs located mainly in the provinces of Ituri, Kasai, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika. As Protection Cluster lead, UNHCR continues to play a key role supporting the DRC Government in implementing a durable solutions strategy to help end the cycles of protracted displacement in the country. The Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is characterized by ongoing conflict, poor or non-existent infrastructure and highly challenging logistics, all of which make access to refugees and other populations of concern quite difficult.
A Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) was launched in May 2015 and was subsequently revised because the situation in Burundi remains very volatile despite the conclusion of the electoral process with the re-election of President Nkurunziza.  However, the outflow of refugees continues to neighbouring countries in the sub-region. 
As at October 2017, DRC hosts 44,859 mainly in the South Kivu Province.  Some 30,000 individuals are sheltered at Lusenda site, which is located between Uvira and Fizi, near Mboko.  Lusenda Camp is now saturated and a new camp is being set up to accommodate new arrivals in Mulungwe, near Baraka where the whole South-South Sudan Operation has recently moved. 
South Kivu is also home to some 545,273 IDPs. The southern part of the province, and in particular the territory of Fizi, have seen a marked deterioration of the humanitarian situation in 2017, with fighting opposing the national army ¿ Forces Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo FARDC ¿ to rebel armed groups. There were peaks in fighting in early July and again in late September and early October, when combat reached the town of Uvira.
The province is rich in minerals and control of territory and of the mines is an underlying factor in most fighting. However, the various armed groups in the province have increasingly entered into alliances and claim to be politically motivated against the government of President Kabila. Continued uncertainty around the date of the overdue presidential elections adds to tensions and instability. Armed fighting is widespread and ongoing all along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Local population lives in fear of reprisals from both armed groups and the national army and displacement is particularly frequent when a territory changes hands.  There are consistent reports of protection incidents, including sexual violence, forced recruitment and arbitrary killings.
In this overall context, inter-ethnic tensions are also on the rise. In the southernmost part of the province, bordering with Tanganyika province, a conflict between the pygmee population and the local Babembe people has led to mass displacements in South Kivu and also towards Maniema. Other conflicts between communities have been reported in the « Haut Plateaux de Bijombo », in Uvira territory.
The marked deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the DRC is posing enormous challenges for collective response efforts, in one of the most complex and challenging operating environments globally. As a result, the Emergency Relief Coordinator declared an IASC System-Wide L3 Emergency Response for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focusing on the Kasai region, Tanganyika and South Kivu provinces, for a period of six months, effective 20 October 2017. UNHCR supports the system-wide L3 declaration, and confirmed the declaration of a UNHCR Level 3 emergency accordingly. 
The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Head of the Field Office. Baraka is a town in the eastern Congolese province of South Kivu, on Lake Tanganyika. This is the main town of the Fizi Territory. Its population in late 2014 was around 120,000 and predominantly French speaking. Other estimates give 90,000. The name of the city means "lucky" in Swahili. There are no paved roads, no running water and no electricity.

Staff live in accommodation provided within UNHCR Compound.

There are limited medical facilities in Baraka that are equipped to deal with serious medical cases.  Evacuation opportunities are limited.  However, air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life threatening emergencies during day time.  Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised.  As a general advice, applicants for the post should be psychologically prepared for the aforementioned context.  The Office is of the view that, all things being equal, the two year SAL should be upheld to avoid burnout. 

There are limited banking facilities at Baraka and staff requires to go to Uvira for banking and food replenishment. There is an unlimited access to communication means, such as internet, telephone sim cards etc... The Office is also equipped with PAMA. Baraka is a security level 3 duty station, Kinshasa is a security level 2 duty station.

Please note that the closing date for vacancies advertised in this addendum is Thursday 4 March 2021 (mid-night Geneva time).