Finance Senior Assistant (and Admin)
Provide financial and administrative support for projects
Overview
Provide financial and administrative support for projects
You have:
- Secondary education is required.
- A university degree (preferably in finance, accounting, business administration or related area) is an asset.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience within the areas of finance, accounting, business administration or related field is required.
- Full knowledge of the English language is essential.
- Knowledge of another local language Urdu and Sindhi is an asset.
- Good experience in working with the G-Suite platform including, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides is desired.
- Financial management, using electronic systems, environment and are desired
Contract
This is a LICA-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA-5 contracts.
Background Information - Pakistan
UNOPS Pakistan (Project Office) is part of the South Asia Multi Country Office in the Asia Region. UNOPS commenced operations in Pakistan in 1999 and significantly scaled activities up from 2005 onwards to support populations affected by and vulnerable to earthquakes. In 2010, UNOPS opened a permanent office in Islamabad to support the Government of Pakistan and other partners to undertake humanitarian and reconstruction services, following the most devastating flood in the nation’s history.
UNOPS Pakistan has been implementing projects in the areas of early recovery and reconstruction of community infrastructure, project management, monitoring and evaluation, community development, fund management, human resources management, procurement and infrastructure design and implementation.
Supported strategically by a regional operational hub and UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen and within the overarching framework of the ONE UN Programme, UNOPS Pakistan continues to deliver projects across the country under its core delivery practices of sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement, and sustainable project management.
With a steady growth of the project portfolio in recent years and a new strategic direction, UNOPS in Pakistan is currently implementing projects in the following thematic areas: WASH; Green and Clean Energy; Rule of Law; Health Procurement; and HR services.
Functional Responsibilities
********The Islamabad-based position is for an upcoming project and the joining of the candidate will be based on the signing of the project and funds availability. The duration of the contract may be from 6 to 9 months******* Under the direct supervision of the Finance Officer , who reports to the Head of Support Services, the Finance Senior Assistant will provide financial and administrative support to the timely processing, recording, monitoring, and maintaining of financial transactions and accounts relating to payments and receipts in accordance with UNOPS’ financial rules, regulations, policies, and processes.
Accounting support - Provides accounting, payments, support, focusing on achievement of following results: - Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for projects; preparation of vouchers for projects; PO vouchers; Pay Cycle and payment execution. - Proper receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals. - Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Enterprise system; travel claims, MPOs and other entitlements are duly processed - Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers. - Presentation of information on the status of financial resources as required. - Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for projects and recording of deposits in Enterprise system. - Preparation of accounts-payable and PO vouchers for management projects. - Review of payment requests including supporting documents against the annual work plan and UNOPS FRRs. - Ensuring that vouchers processed are matched and completed, and transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP/electronic or paper-based systems. - Running of remittance cycle and Creation of Remittance Advices to be sent to the bank.
Office cash management - Alternate to Finance Associate for timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application. - Alternate to Finance Associate for daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in Enterprise system to monitor imprest level; identification and recording of contributions. - Management of cash receipts and petty cash. - Timely and accurate preparation of bank reconciliations. - Initiation of bank transfers and deals in Enterprise system.
Administration - Support in compliance of the project team to all UNOPS administrative and financial policies, procedures and guidelines (in particular the Financial Regulations and Rules); - Assist to Document any exception to the provisions of the administrative or financial policies, procedures and guidelines, record it in a Note to File (NTF) and submit it for approval to the relevant Manager; - Assist in managing fleet and supervise rental car Drivers and Office Clerk (assign yearly objectives, assign weekly tasks, coach and mentor, manage leaves, manage issues, review performance, etc.); - Organize meetings and follow up on guests attendance, access to the premises, etc. and support in drafting highly accurate minutes of meetings, synthesize discussions and decisions taken and submit drafts to supervisors within 48 hours of the meeting; , - Draft correspondence, short reports, plans, schedules, executive summaries, talking points, etc. as required (including on matters of confidential nature); - Assist to manage premises (manage buildings’ lease contracts, manage utilities contracts, organize cleaning and maintenance, ensure supply of stationery items and cleaning products, plan and supervise minor works, coordinate resolution of IT and other issues with the Support Services Department and external services providers, etc.); - Manage project’s assets (purchase, recording, tagging, repairs, depreciation calculation, recovery, disposal, etc.) and ensure safety of equipment and property;
Knowledge building and Knowledge sharing - Support the organization and delivery of training and learning initiatives for personnel on finance-related topics. - Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in finance management support services - Contribute feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.
Competencies
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education: - Secondary education is required. - A university degree (preferably in finance, accounting, business administration or related area) is an asset.
Experience: - Minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience within the areas of finance, accounting, business administration or related field is required. - Financial management, using electronic systems, environment and are desired - Good experience in working with the G-Suite platform including, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides is desired.
Language Requirements: - Full knowledge of the English language is essential - Knowledge of another local language Urdu and Sindhi is an asset.
Contract type, level and duration
- Contract type: Individua Contract Agreement (ICA)
- Contract level: L-ICA Support (LICA 5)
- Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx
Additional Information
- Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
- Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
- We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
- For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
- For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
- All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
- It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe a time when you had to handle a financial discrepancy? | The interviewer is assessing your problem-solving skills in finance management. | Provide a specific example and explain the steps you took to resolve the issue. |
| How do you prioritize your financial tasks when working on multiple projects? | This question is aimed at understanding your time management skills. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What steps do you take to ensure compliance with financial regulations? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe your experience with financial software and electronic systems. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you approach knowledge sharing within your team or organization? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |