Grants Finance Officer

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

The United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women (the Trust Fund) is a multilateral grant-making mechanism established in 1996 pursuant to General Assembly resolution 50/166. It is administered by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) on behalf of the United Nations system.

The Trust Fund supports local, national, regional, and cross-regional programmes to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against women and girls in all contexts. It provides funding for proven, innovative and catalytic multi-year programmes by national and local governments, civil society organizations and United Nations country teams. Since 1996, the UN Trust Fund has awarded US$ 182 million in grants to 572 initiatives in 140 countries.

Under the guidance of the UN Trust Fund Capacity Development and Grants Operations Manager and direct supervision of the Grants Operations Analyst, following a client-oriented approach, the Finance Officer will provide budget support services ensuring effective and transparent utilization of financial resources and integrity of work in accordance with UN Women Financial Regulations and rules, UN Trust Fund operational guidelines and UN Women Policies, Finance Manual and instructions.

The Grants Finance Officer works in close collaboration with the UNTF Operations Team as well as with the Programme teams in UNTF for solving complex finance-related issues and information delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Implement financial and operational strategies, and adapt processes and procedures in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems
2. Perform duties in full compliance with UN Women financial regulations and rules, policies and standard operating procedures, including internal controls;
3. Keep abreast of and ensure full compliance with amendments to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);
4. Review and verify financial transactions, activities, and documentation; taking corrective actions as needed and reporting any unusual activities;
5. Monitor financial exceptions reports for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions;
6. Collect, verify and present information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of the UN Trust Fund Office (UNTF) programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities;
7. Provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial issues;
8. Monitor the proper functioning of the financial resources management system for office and programmatic budgets and resources;
9. Implement and monitor cost saving and reduction strategies;
10. Actively promote a client-oriented finance service to UN Trust Fund office and Country offices.
11. Validate the accuracy of the financial reports by ensuring that the supporting documents submitted by grantees match the reported transactions.
12. Provide feedback and accounting advice to grantees on technical accounting and operational topics (ai. foreign currency exchange rates use, accruing staff costs, etc).
13. Prepare supporting documentation package and all the necessary checklists for the approval of the Portfolio Managers and further processing by the Operations Analyst or Finance Associate.
14. Prepare supporting documentation package for the disbursement of funds to grants recipients and follow up on successful receipt of funds by the grantees.
15. Review submitted Full-Fledged proposals and NGO assessment forms and provide detailed feedback on the requested budgets and validating supporting documents.
16. Support the Programme and Finance Analyst and Portfolio Managers in the budget management for UNTF grant projects: provide guidance and corrective recommendations on budgets submitted by selected grantee organizations to the Fund for its approval and advise on any finance issues arising.
17. Timely response to requests to resolve financial data issues.
18. Keep abreast of and ensure full compliance with all UNW Financial Regulations and Rules, Operations manuals, Internal Control policies and procedures, Standard operating procedures, Finance manual, and Delegations of Authority to ensure consistency across UN Trust Fund and UN Women.
19. Review requests for project budget modifications ensuring adherence to financial rules and regulations and UNTF budgetary guidelines, validating requests for accuracy, flagging any discrepancies and providing financial guidance to grantees, as well as ensuring that data is transferred correctly to the grants management system.
20. Implement financial strategies, and adapt processes and procedures in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems in coordination with OA and OM
21. Oversight and quality assurance for liquidation and advance packages for UNTF Operations and budget establishment processes.
22. Ensure the maintenance of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status;
23. Maintain internal expenditure control system;
24. Review and verify financial transactions, activities, and documentation; taking corrective actions as needed and reporting any unusual activities;
25. Monitor financial exceptions reports for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and/or present recommendations for actions/decisions;
26. Collect, verify and present information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of UNTF programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities;
27. Provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial and procurement issues;
28. Monitor the proper functioning of the financial resources management system for office and programmatic budgets and resources;
29. Actively promote a client-oriented finance service to UN Trust Fund office and Country offices.
30. Formulate the budget, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and prepare revisions according to the needs of the UNTF;
31. Ensure the maintenance of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status; Maintain internal expenditure control system;
32. 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 UNTF requests to resolve financial data issues;
33. Input data in Quantum and monitor status. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely action and/or decisions;
34. Prepare General Ledger journal entries (GLJEs) from proper supporting documents authorized by the budget owners and project managers;

35. Monitor the setup of budgets in QUANTUM to ensure they are in accordance with budgets agreed with donors and are input into QUANTUM at the detailed Activity ID level;

36. Prepare and administer the UNTF budgets in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

37. Formulate the budget, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and prepare revisions according to the needs of the UNTF;
38. Track the appropriate and timely use of financial resources;
39. Prepare cost recovery documents or bills for the services provided by UN Women to other programmes or organizations;
40. Prepare cost recovery documents or bills for the services provided by UN Women to other programmes or organizations; Prepare cost recovery documents or bills for the services provided by UN Women to other programmes or organizations;
41. Prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds
42. Ensure the maintenance of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status;
43. Maintain internal expenditure control system;
44. 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 UNTF requests to resolve financial data issues;

45. Input data in Quantum and monitor status. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely action and/or decisions;

46. Provide operational and finance support to the Programme and Operations teams

47. Review accounts receivables for UN Women projects and follow-up with project managers and finance section at regional office and/or headquarters on contributions, deposits creation in Quantum and their application to AR pending items;
48. Prepare PO and non-PO vouchers for development projects;
49. Prepare Accounts payable journal entries (APJV) from proper supporting documents authorized by the budget owners and project managers;
50. Review transactions in Quantum, ensure payroll, travel claims, MPOs, and other entitlements are processed;
51. Monitor the setup of budgets in QUANTUM to ensure they are in accordance with budgets agreed with donors and are input into QUANTUM at the detailed Activity ID level;
52. Monitor each month over-expenditure of budgets and follow up with Budget Owner;
53. Monitor regularly transactions posted to projects ensuring actual expenditure has been recorded against correct budget category and activity, take timely corrective actions as required;
54. Maintain proper follow up of advances to implementing partners, review their financial reports together with project managers;
55. Monitor the financial status and under the guidance of the UNTF Finance Specialist implement control mechanisms for management/development projects;
56. 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;
57. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions and review status reports for quality control;
58. Provide information inputs to financial reports for UN Trust Fund Office, HQ Finance and stakeholders;

59. Provide inputs and take necessary actions to facilitate timely financial project closure;

60. Support the coordination of the Grantees’ audit process for the UN Trust Fund in accordance to rules, regulations, policies and procedures:

61. Support to draft recommendations and lessons learned from audit processes.
62. Support to coordinate the impartial risk-based selection of Grantees for audit cycles
63. Review and take corrective action as appropriate on audit findings;
64. 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.
65. Review of the supporting documents provided by grantees in response to financial observations from the external audit of UNTF projects, completing audit action plans on the audit extranet and uploading evidence that all ineligible expenditures are recovered.
66. Follow-up on audit recommendations to monitor implementation of corrective actions;

67. Participate as a member of the UN Trust Fund office team in the internal and external audits of the UN Trust Fund Office

68. Provide operational management, coordination, and implementation support to the UNTF grant making processes

69. Coordinate the NGO capacity assessment documentation request from the pre-selected for grant making cycle applicants.
70. Collect the documentation from the applicants and conduct initial verification.
71. Coordinate the review of the NGO assessments by UN Women RO/COs; provide advice and support to UN Women RO/COs with the NGO assessment exercise for pre-selected for grant applicants.
72. Coordinate and conduct the NGOA assessments undertaken by the UNTF.
73. Ensure appropriate filling of all NGOA documents.
74. Contribute to the analysis of the results of the NGO capacity assessments.
75. Provide support to the quality assurance and control of the Operations Team due diligence framework across various financial business processes.
76. Provide budgeting, financial analysis, and projections to the UNTF Operations Team management and support complex financial tasks as needed.
77. Provide procurement support as necessary to the UNTF Operations team and service delivery to the Programme Unit.

78. Support the cost-recovery processes for the small grants, capacity development, and audit reserve accounts.

79. Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing

80. Conduct training and/or helping organize training events and activities;
81. 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;
82. Contribute to financial business operational practices and management innovations.
83. Undertake all trainings in relation to financial management provided, including webinars from headquarters.

Competencies

Deliverables:

• 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

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;

Required Skills and Experience

Required Qualifications, Experience and skills:

Education and certification:

• Completion of Bachler’s Degree with specialized training in finance.
• Master’s degree in accounting or finance would be an asset.
• Specialized national or international certification in accounting and finance is an asset

Experience:

• 6 years of progressively relevant work experience is the field of finance and administration is required;
• Experience in the field of grant making or working with implementing partners is required;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and knowledge of database packages, working experience in web-based ERP financial systems (i.e. SAP, ATLAS, PeopleSoft, Oracle, Quantum, SUN etc);
• Knowledge of IPSAS and IFRS is desirable.

Language Requirements:

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