Finance and Administrative Officer

Contract

This is a SB-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Service Board / Service Contract. It is normally only for nationals. More about SB-4 contracts.

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.

In PNG, UN Women’s flagship programme for Ending Violence Against Women (eVAW) is the Spotlight Initiative. The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in support of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. It was launched in September 2017 by the UN Secretary – General and the EU High Representative and Vice President. SDG 5 and the achievement of gender equality are placed at the center of efforts (alongside Goal 16) with the aim to provide an enabling environment for the implementation of all goals. Within the UN, the Initiative will operationalize the UN development system reforms and model a new way of delivering on the SDGs in an integrated way, leveraging collaborative advantages.

The Spotlight Initiative in Papua New Guinea is in its 2nd phase and is implemented through four UN agencies (UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF) with a focus on addressing intimate partner violence and domestic violence. It follows a transformative and evidence-based approach, addressing unequal power relations between men and women and focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in PNG is that women and girls enjoy their right to a life free of violence, within an inclusive and gender equitable PNG. This contributes to implementation of PNG’s National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence (2016-2025), with attention to holistic prevention and responses to violence against women and girls.

Within the Spotlight Initiative, UN Women leads as the Secretariat under the oversight leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator in PNG. Under the overall guidance of the Operations Manager, the daily supervision of the Unit Head of the EVAW/Spoltight portfolio and close collaboration with the Spotlight Programme Management Unit, the Finance and Admin Officer is responsible for the execution of a wide range of financial services and administrative processes for the Spotlight Initiative in the PNG Country Office (PNGCO), ensuring timeliness, efficiency and transparent use of financial resources and delivery of services in accordance with organizational financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures and approved allocations. The Finance and Admin Officer promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations, standard practices and guidelines.

The Finance and Admin Officer works in close collaboration with the Operations Team in the Regional Office as well as with the Operations and Program teams in UN Women HQ for solving complex finance-related issues and information delivery of the Spotlight Initiative Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Implement financial strategies, and adapt processes and procedures in full compliance of UN rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

• Perform duties in full compliance with UN financial regulations and rules, policies and standard operating procedures, including internal controls;
• Keep abreast of and ensure full compliance with amendments to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);
• Review and verify financial transactions, activities, and documentation; taking corrective actions as needed and reporting any unusual activities;
• Monitor financial exceptions reports for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions;
• Collect, verify and present information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of the programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities;
• Provide assistance in Annual Work Plan entry in Results Management System (RMS) as required.
• Provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial issues;
• Monitor the proper functioning of the financial resources management system for office and programmatic budgets and resources;
• Implement and monitor cost saving and reduction strategies;
• Review with Budget owners and Project Managers, in line with Month-end Closure Checklist, the Project Delivery Status Reports and investigate any overspend;
• Respond to instructions from the Operations Manager or Finance Associate (Operations) or Finance Section in relation to financial transactions. Undertake timely corrective actions as requested by Finance Section to resolve financial data issues or provide information;
• Participate as a member of the internal and external audits of the PNG Country Office.
• Follow-up on audit recommendations to monitor implementation of corrective actions;
• Actively promote a client-oriented finance service.

2. Prepare and administer the PNG Spotlight Initiative budgets in full compliance of UN rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

• Formulate the budget, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and prepare revisions according to the needs of the Spotlight Initiative in PNG.
• Track the appropriate and timely use of financial resources by RUNOs and provide guidance on acceleration measures where delivery is low;
• Prepare cost recovery documents or bills for the services provided by the UN to other programmes or organizations;
• Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds
• Ensure the maintenance of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status;
• Maintain internal expenditure control system;
• Undertake corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers. Frequently review and investigate payment vouchers which are in error; and respond to Spotlight Initiative’s requests to resolve financial data issues;
• Prepare VAT reimbursements with adequate documentation support, as necessary;
• Input data in Atlas and monitor status. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely action and/or decisions;
• Assist Project Managers with budget re-phrasal as required.

3. Provide finance support to the Spotlight Initiative Programme

• Review accounts receivables for the Spotlight and follow-up with project managers and finance section at regional offices and/or headquarters on contributions, deposits creation in Atlas and their application to AR pending items;
• Prepare PO and non-PO vouchers for development projects;
• Prepare General Ledger journal entries (GLJEs) from proper supporting documents authorized by the budget owners and project managers;
• Review transactions in Atlas, ensure payroll, travel claims, MPOs, and other entitlements are processed;
• Monitor each month over-expenditure of budgets and follow up with Budget Owner/ Program Manager;
• Monitor regularly transactions posted to projects ensuring actual expenditure has been recorded against correct budget category and activity, take timely corrective actions as required;
• Maintain proper follow up of advances to implementing partners, review their financial reports together with project managers;
• Monitor the financial status and under the guidance of the OM/Finance Associate, implement control mechanisms for management/development projects;
• Monitor and proper follow up of all the financial items in Month-end and Year-end closure instructions status and under the guidance of the Operations Manager, take correction actions as required;
• Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions and review status reports for quality control;
• Provide information inputs to financial reports for PNG Country Office, donors and stakeholders;
• Finalize mandated financial reports to donors and other clients and stakeholders;
• Associate revenue and expenditure in commitment control for non-core projects.
• Provide inputs and take necessary actions to facilitate timely financial project closure;
• Support financial donor reporting by providing timely information and taking necessary actions as required by the UN Virtual Global Service Centre for financial donor reporting.
• Assist with preparation for Audit of Projects and Partners by third party audit firm. Follow-up and/or take action on audit recommendations to ensure implementation of corrective actions. Assist in reviewing the audit reports on NGO executed projects.

4. Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization

• Compile and process information from donors, CO, and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.
• Prepare drafts for cost sharing agreements including conditions of contributions within resource mobilization efforts, adhering to standard agreements where possible. Follow up on contributions within the Spotlight Programme resource mobilization efforts.

5. Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Conduct training and/or helping organize training events and activities;
• Collect and compile lessons learned and best practices in financial management and services. Disseminate to clients and stakeholders as appropriate to build capacity and knowledge;
• Contribute to financial business operational practices and management innovations.
• Supervise and guide staff and personnel under responsibility, as applicable, provide technical guidance and monitor performance to ensure delivery of results according to plans and standards of accountability and performance;
• Undertake all trainings in relation to financial management provided, including webinars from headquarters.

Competencies

Key Performance Indicators

• Timely, complete and accurate financial transactions/activities/documentation
• Timely and accurate advice on UN Women financial rules and regulations
• Timely and regular monitoring of financial resources management system and timely expenditure of financial resources
• Timely and accurate support to budget formulation and controlling allotments
• Timely and accurate monitoring of internal expenditures control systems
• Timely and quality financial support to programmes and programme team

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies

• Excellent knowledge of financial rules and regulations and accounting principles.
• Excellent knowledge and application skills of IT tools and understanding of management systems.
• Excellent knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems.
• Ability to administer and execute financial and accounting processes and transactions.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting is required.
• Specialized national or international certification in accounting and finance is an asset
• Successful completion of UN Women Accounting and Finance Test is required.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in finance;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
• Experience in working with NGOs is an added advantage
• Experience in the use of PeopleSoft ATLAS is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Tok Pisin is required
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.