Programme Financial Management Specialist

Volunteering Finance & Economy

Overview

Enhance compliance and accountability through financial management.

You have:

• Master’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting.
• Experience in UN Agencies budgeting, and in UN Women budgeting is highly desired.
• Experience working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages.
• Experience in the use of ERP systems such as ATLAS/QUANTUM is required.
• Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.
• Ability to create, edit, synthesize and present information in clear formats.

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UN Women Regional Office for the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region was established in Istanbul, Turkey, at the beginning of 2014 as a part of the UN Women’s new regional architecture. Much progress has been made since the establishment, but at the same time, the Regional Office faces high expectations and demands from partners at both regional and country levels as well as from UN Women Field Offices. UN Women ECARO provides support and oversight to UN Women Offices in 12 countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244), Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, and Ukraine). UN Women ECARO works on analysis, research, and knowledge management that provides the evidence base to UN Women country and regional office on gender equality, women's empowerment and violence against women and girls, and positive social norms. Furthermore, UN Women ECARO develops and manages regional level programmes and provides policy and programme support to field offices as well.

To enhance the capacity of the programmatic support to the programmes in ECARO and other offices under the Delegation of the regional office, the UNV for the Programme Financial Management Specialist will work to ensure that greater compliance and accountability are achieved through the proper planning, updating and tracking of project budgets in line with UN Women rules and regulations, with a specific focus on the finance and budget aspects of the projects to include, but not limited to partner engagement, budgets, training, compliance and capacity assessment, audit and review.

Reporting to Regional Office Programme Specialist, ECARO, the Programme Financial Management Specialist works with and provides support to the members of the ECARO Programme Teams as well as ECA offices in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. She/he will contribute to research, financial and budget management, and programme implementation including providing necessary finance and budget related, operational, administrative and programmatic support. The UN Volunteer works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the RO and UN Women HQs as required for resolving complex finance and budget related issues and exchange of information.

Under the overall supervision of Programme Specialist, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for supporting on the following tasks:

a) Provide effective support to programme unit on Budget and Finance Management:

• Monitors the budget utilization and implementation, as per the work plan/spending projections and the signed donor agreements; • Ensures that expenditure is in accordance with the project document and project work plans and that accounting records and supporting documents are properly kept; • Provide advanced technical support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans/spending projections, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements; • Creates and oversees projects in UN Women ERP systems, prepares budget revisions, revises project details and status; determines unutilized funds and the operational and financial management of projects from creation to closure; • Monitors budget preparation and the budget execution of the Regional Office Programmes • Follow ups on and/or consolidates performance indicators/success criteria, targets and milestones, preparation of financial reports; • Provides technical guidance to projects/programmes and UN Women Responsible parties on routine implementation, delivery of projects and reporting of programme supported activities and finances; • Analysis of the situation in programme, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions; • Ensures full compliance with UN Women rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-ups on audit recommendations; • Implementation of effective internal controls, and proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.

b) Provide advanced support to projects on partners:

• Support in the selection of partners relating to proposed project proposal review and capacity assessment; • Support in the preparation of partner advances and liquidations documentation in line with UN Women policy; • Aid project teams in the submission of partner actions in PGAMS (Partner Agreement management System); • Provide training to partners on liquidation of advances and related reporting on liquidations; • Work with the regional VSGC focal point on donor reporting to ensure that the correct reports are received as required.

c) Provide advanced administrative support to programme unit:

• Support in ECARO team as required to prepare documentation relating to expenditures; • Support ECARO as needed in the preparation and review of audit related documentation; • Provide training in all areas related to project budgets and finances for both project teams and partners as required.

The UN Volunteer will at any time provide support in any Programme related areas to ECARO and the region as requested by the ECARO Programme Specialist.

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:

• Strong knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to create, edit, synthesize and present information in clear and presentable formats; • Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions; • Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems; • Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow; • Excellent financial and budgeting skills; • Excellent IT skills.

budget and finance related to programme management/support; • Master’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting or a first-level university degree (Bachelor) in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be acceptable in lieu of the Master’s degree • Experience in UN Agencies budgeting, and in UN Women budgeting is highly desired; • Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages; • Knowledge of UN Women project management cycles is considered an asset; • Experience in the use of ERP systems such as ATLAS/QUANTUM is required; • Experience in supporting a team; and • Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Türkiye is an upper middle-income country, with highly urbanized cities and well-developed infrastructure systems. Most of Türkiye is assessed to be at security level 1-Minimal. Security level 2 Low applies to Ankara and Istanbul. Seismic activity remains one of the primary hazards in Türkiye. Türkiye’s population of nearly 81 million is almost entirely Muslim. Turkish is the official language. English predominates as the second language.

This assignment will be in Istanbul, which has a population of around 15M people, and straddles the European and Asian continents. Istanbul is a UN Hub for the Europe and Central Asia Regional Offices of several UN agencies, including UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women among others. There is a lively and large group of international community.

Istanbul International Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport have direct connections with all European, Central Asian, and global cities. Istanbul provides modern services and entertainment opportunities and an elaborate medical services system.

Healthcare is exceptionally good with various public and private hospitals with experienced doctors and medical staff, some of whom speak English. No specific vaccination is required to enter Turkey.

Considering the rapidly changing pandemic situation in Istanbul, travelers should consult the receiving entity or the partner UN Agency, or UNDSS about the latest travel requirements/restrictions.

The UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging her/his own housing and other living essentials. Please see the summary of UN Volunteer entitlements below. For further information, kindly review "UN Volunteers Unified Conditions of Service" document.

UNV entitlements in a Nutshell:

International UN Volunteers (Specialist):

• Volunteer Living Allowance-VLA (per month): approximately USD 2423 USD • Accommodation supplement: At the rate of 20% of VLA • Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 4000 • Exit allowance (per month): USD 225 (when successful completion of the assignment) • Family allowance based on eligibility and status (per month): USD 250 for 1 dependent, USD 450 for 2 or more dependents • Medical, life and disability insurance: Cigna Private Insurance • Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month • Uncertified sick leave: 7 days for 12 months and 4 days for shorter assignments

More senior level of UNV assignment's VLA is approximately USD 3393 for Istanbul duty station. It is named as Expert category and applies to senior professionals having more than 15 years of experience, being 35+ years old and holding a Master's degree.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org