Vacancy Announcement: (NOC) Finance Specialist, EAPRO, UNICEF Vientiane, Lao PDR

Contract

This is a NO-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-3 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child,

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vientiane, Lao PDR, requires an experienced and qualified Lao National to fill the position of Finance Specialist****, Post #12027****, at NOC level to be based in UNICEF Country Office in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

The Finance Specialist reports to the Deputy Representative, Operations for general direction and guidance. The Finance specialist is responsible for providing support to the Deputy Representative, Operations in managing, monitoring and overseeing the full range of financial services in support of program and operational activities (i.e. financial planning, disbursements of funds and payments, treasury and accounting, financial analysis and reporting of resources), ensuring compliance of all financial operations with organizational plans, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of performance, ethics, and integrity.

The Finance Specialist, will be responsible for planning and guiding work in progress and for reviewing work completed by subordinate staff to verify accuracy and compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), UNICEF Financial Regulation and Rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of accountability, and ethics.

1. Support to financial planning and management:

• Prepare/analyze financial data/estimates and documentations, verifying relevancy, accuracy and completeness to facilitate financial planning for Country Programme Management Plan (CPMP) and regular management advice (including review of financial figures in Programme Cooperation Agreements). Provide technical and operational support throughout the financial planning and implementation process.
• Review budget implementation according to allotment, codes and certify compliance with guidelines and procedures. Keep stakeholders informed for timely action.
• Provide technical and operational support on the application, interpretation and implementation of financial policies, procedures and guidelines to the Deputy Representative, Operations and Country Office colleagues and stakeholders. Resolve routine financial issues and/or recommend (and record) deviation from procedures and guidelines to meet objectives.
• Evaluate financial and reputational risk in transactions carried out by the office and raise flags when actions are needed by management.
• Prepare and/or monitor financial exception reports to assess unusual activities and transactions, investigate anomalies, and keep supervisor informed for timely action.
• Provide technical support to the programme counterparts/committees, e.g. review budgets and financial plans of implementing partners; monitor compliance with Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) framework, including support to assessments, assurance and capacity development of implementing partners.
• Prepare work plans for supervisee/s, provide timely technical guidance, monitor work in progress and review work completed to approve transactions and/or certify/verify accuracy of work and compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and UNICEF Regulations and Rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Where applicable, advise and support Public Sector Fundraising Activities on budget preparation, strategic income projection/ reporting, setting and monitoring performance indicators, revenue and expense reporting, and provide technical advice during strategic planning exercises.

2. Control of accounts:

• Process and/or review the accurate and timely submission of payments (e.g. payroll, Medical Insurance Plan (MIP), travel claims, pension fund, advances to governments etc), journal entries and other financial transactions within scope to the Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), ensuring compliance with budgetary limits, IPSAS and organizational regulations, rules, policies, procedures, standards of accountability, and ethics. Take timely action on outstanding accounts to resolve pending issues.
• Process/supervise the disbursement of payments when done locally via bank letters, checks, or petty cash.
• Process/supervise cash receipts and reconcile income contributions to ensure their timely deposit and recording in UNICEF systems.
• Monitor and analyze financial transactions, accounting reports and reconciliation of accounts to ensure accurate and current financial information for applicable compliance and management oversight, planning and action.
• Prepare or contribute to mandated management/statutory office financial and accounting reports to UNICEF Board/Bodies/Donors, verifying the reliability of data and compliance with organizational guidelines.
• Assure proper and timely completion of accounts closure activities.
• Examine Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) supporting documents to ensure Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure (FACE) form has been properly entered into the system and the expenditure is broadly reasonable and in accordance with policy.

3. Treasury and cash management:

• Manage bank, petty and cash on hand accounts transactions and operations in accordance with UNICEF/UN financial regulations and rules, policies, procedures and local banking practices. Keep abreast of procedures and regulations regarding maintenance of bank accounts and exchange and interests rates. Keep supervisor and relevant colleagues informed for timely action.
• Primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of exchange rate on replenishments.
• Maintain a system to monitor and forecast periodic cash requirements. Provide current information on cash position/forecast to management and make recommendation or take action to ensure sufficient availability of resources for programmes and operations activities.

• Review monthly bank reconciliation and take appropriate corrective actions on findings identified by the GSSC.

  Knowledge and capacity building:

• Promote culture of highest ethical standards and behavior in management of UNICEF’s resources.

• Contribute to initiatives for management improvement by capturing, institutionalizing and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Implement and/or recommend management improvements to enhance productivity and performance including implementation of cost saving strategies.
• Participate and/or organize training and learning events to build capacity of staff and stakeholders/partners.
• Support operations of the office as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Qualifications and experience:

Education:

-Advance university degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration or equivalent or any other comparable recognized professional qualification.

-A valid professional certification (Certified Accountant (CA); Certified Public Accountant (CPA); etc.) from an internationally recognized, accredited chartered accountancy institution is required; or an advanced diploma qualification in CIPFA or its equivalent with other internationally recognized institutions along with an Advanced university degree.

-A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Professional experience:

-A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in financial management or audits in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.

-Experience in a UN system agency or organization some of which served in a developing country is considered as an asset.

-Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel required.

-Experience in database packages, web based management systems and Emergency Response Plan (ERP) systems is considered as an asset.

-Experience with IPSAS is considered as an asset.

Language:

-Fluency in English and the local language of the duty stations is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles 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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.