Finance Specialist (Thai national only)

Contract

This is a NO-C contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 4,751 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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.

Through the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok and a number of country and multi-country offices as well as programme presences across the region, UN Women builds on a long history of support to governments, civil society and other actors to promote gender equality and empower all women and girls. We stand behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas: addressing gender perspectives in intergovernmental processes; women’s political participation and leadership; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; ending violence against women and girls; and promoting women’s participation in peace and security and humanitarian action.

Under the overall guidance and of the Deputy Director of Financial Management in Headquarters and the Regional Operations Manager for guidance and daily supervision, the Finance Specialist is responsible for providing assistance to offices in the Region. The Finance Specialist will ensure capacity and support; assistance with development projects for the finance users of UN Women for better business practices and controls as well as automation; ensuring all finance users are compliant with and trained in the accounting standards, financial regulations and rules, policies and procedures; assisting Finance Section HQ in dedicated support, training, advice for Regional Offices, Programme Presence Offices (PPOs), Multi-Country Offices and COs (ROs/MCOs/COs); and acts as the Audit focal point for the Region in co-ordination with Finance Section HQ, as well as finance users in ROs, PPOs and MCOs/COs.

The Finance Specialist supervises and leads finance support staff. The Finance Specialist works in close collaboration with Finance Section HQ, Programme and Operations colleagues, teams at the country level, UNDP staff and Government officials ensuring high performance and efficiency in Finance.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Manage the financial planning, analysis, and provision of services to the RO and Programme Presence Offices in accordance with UN Women internal control framework, rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Recommend and/or implement cost saving and reduction strategies;
• Review, recommend and implement and/or verify financial transactions/activities, recording/reporting system and audit reports. Co-ordinate with Finance Section HQ on suggestions for amendments;
• Review, recommend and oversee the financial business processes and use of Atlas system and other corporate financial systems to ensure accurate and complete reporting of financial transactions by UN Women staff in accordance with the Internal Control Framework and Delegation of Authority and the timely flow of financial information in UNW for management, monitoring and oversight purposes;
• Analyze and oversee all financial resources managed by the RO and provide high-quality professional advice on financial issues to management;
• Organize and oversee resources management processes, including liquidity management, recommend impress level, risk assessment, security for cash assets on site;
• Identify areas of risk and providing recommendations and action plans for addressing issues raised as part of the financial risk assessment reviews;
• Participate in broader planning processes;
• Anticipate needs, bring solutions and participate in actions to achieve financial targets

2. Manage the monitoring and oversight of financial systems in accordance with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Monitor financial systems and reports for unusual activities, transactions, investigate anomalies;
• Supervise and assist the RO and Programme Presence Offices with timely completion of their Month-end Instructions Checklist and Year-end Instructions Closure Checklist;
• Prepare all financial reports in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and ensure continued compliance. Monitor the RO and Programme Presence Offices for compliance with IPSAS accounting standards by reviewing business processes and systems modules resulting in IPSAS compliant general ledger and financial statements;
• Review Implementing/Responsible Partner advance procedures and test against UN Women policies to ensure compliance. Investigate and follow up on any anomalies for timely action and resolution;
• Review all contractual arrangements with suppliers of goods and services to ensure that the financial terms and conditions of all contracts are being adhered to by the suppliers of goods and services;
• Report to Operations Manager and Chief of Accounts any case of non-adherence for timely action and recommendations for actions/decisions;
• Assist and respond in a timely manner to questions and provide analysis as requested to the Finance Section HQ and Offices of the Region;
• Provide financial oversight to EVAW Trust Fund.

3. Manage financial reporting in the RO and Programme Presence Offices in accordance with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Prepare timely and accurate financial reports to SMT, governments and donors as required under the donor agreements and other cost-sharing arrangements; in collaboration with Finance Section HQ;
• Track and report of contributions within the resource mobilization efforts, including pipeline, contracted and overdue and future milestones. Review contributions receivables and provide information to Operations Manager for follow up;
• Generate ad hoc financial and other reports as requested;
• Follow up and/or take prompt action to respond to audits and other findings on financial management;
• Provide recommendations to Operations Manager and Chief of Accounts for improvements to existing reports and development of new reports. Identify and assist to develop projects for the Finance Users for improvement in accounting systems, processes and procedures.

4. Manage the audit process in accordance with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Manage the pre-audit preparations for financial management of the RO and Programme Presence Offices to be audit ready and complete the pre-audit checklists. Travel to the COs as necessary to assist in the preparation for CO audits and when required during CO audits;
• Conduct training to the Region as part of the training plan or requirement of pre-audit preparations or as otherwise determined by Operations Manager or Chief of Accounts;
• Prepare responses to internal and external audit inquiries and other findings related to financial management for review/approval by Operations Manager and Chief of Accounts and incorporate recommendations in development in policies, procedures and practices;
• Provide technical support and guidance to project managers during the NGO/DIM audit processes;
• Plan and track expenditures and performance audit of financial resources, including extra-budgetary income.

5. Manage programme/ project budgets in accordance with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Manage all financial resources of programmes/ projects through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources;
• Provide technical support and guidance in planning and set-up of the budgets under UN Women Management/ Development Results Framework;
• Monitor delivery of the Regional Office and Offices from the region;
• Analyze and report on the budget approvals and the delivery situation of management projects;
• Develop proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management ensuring quality and accuracy of information;
• Submit financial information for timely preparation of donor reports;
• Oversee that advance payments and direct payments for programme implementation are properly reviewed and made on a timely basis and recorded into Atlas.

6. Manage financial training and communication for the Region and Programme Presence Offices

• Monitor the effectiveness of the services of the Region’s finance team on a regular basis to ensure close relationship between Finance Section and Finance Users in the region and take corrective measures as needed;
• Lead and support development projects to ensure effective finance and communication tools are in place and regularly monitored for improvements;
• Perform the Finance Helpdesk function for the region to ensure accurate and timely response to issues and advice requested by Country Offices in conjunction with Finance Section HQ;
• Supervise Finance staff of the RO and Programme Presence Offices and monitor progress and provide guidance and direction to the staff as necessary to ensure goals and objectives are achieved.

7. Participate in knowledge management and capacity building

• Identify, participate in the development and/or recommend enhancement/updates/improvement in Atlas financial modules and other financial systems for better business practices and controls in the RO and Programme Presence Offices;
• Capture, synthesize and/or codify lessons learned and best practices in the region support and financial management and services. Disseminate to Finance Section HQ and other Offices to share knowledge and build capacity;
• Design and/or introduce, learning tools, best practices and innovations in financial business operational practices and management, promote transparency, ease of communications, hosting of financial documents, and all policies and procedures between all UNW users of the RO data.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Timely and accurate monitoring of performance of the financial team, including providing recommendations to improve business processes
• Financial activities/transactions and documentations are implemented/processed according to UN Women rules and regulations, policies and procedures
• Programme units receive timely support in relation to financial management, budgeting and planning
• Timely and accurate professional advice on financial issues provided to the RO management and Region’s Country Offices
• Timely reporting on financial issues

Competencies

CORE VALUES:

• Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Respect for Diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
• Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others
• Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
• Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Very strong knowledge and expertise in accounting and financial management
• Very strong knowledge of complex financial rules and a regulations, preferably UN/UN Women Financial Rules and regulations
• Demonstrated business acumen and judgment
• Strong conceptual/strategic skills and success in implementing financial re-engineering, management systems development, policy design, innovation and knowledge product development
• Very strong knowledge and experience in the application of complex financial systems and modules (such as Atlas)
• Advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
• Ability to provide advice and support
• Strong communication skills and personable approach is required
• Strong analytical skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance/Accounting is required
• Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of extensive and progressively responsible experience in accounting, financial management and at least (2) years of which should be at the supervisory level, in a large international and/or corporate organization preferably in the UN system and its organizations.
• Experience of IPSAS or IFRS is required
• Experience in the usage of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Cloud, etc)
• Experience in web based management systems and ERP financial systems such as PeopleSoft (Atlas).
• Completion of UN Women Accountancy & Finance Test required. (This will be conducted for all shortlisted candidates)

Language requirement:

• Fluency in English is required
• Working knowledge of any other UN official languages is an asset.

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)