Finance Associate

Birleşmiş Milletler Kalkınma Programı

Background

UNDP’s Regional Centre for Europe and the CIS (IRH) is UNDP`s advisory hub for the Europe and CIS region tasked with the responsibility to provide policy and programmatic support to UNDP´s development activities in the region. Throughout UNDP´s focus areas, it works towards increasing the impact of UNDP´s activities in the region by assisting Country Offices in development of country-level initiatives through advisory services and technical support and by implementing regional-level projects in partnership with a wide range of partners supported to a global network of expertise. Under the leadership of the Deputy Director, RBEC, and IRH Manager, the Hub employs will a multi-disciplinary team of specialists and advisors, project managers, operations and programme support staff. Under the guidance and supervision of the Operations Analyst, the Finance Associate ensures effective execution of financial services and processes in the Hub and transparent utilization of financial resources. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.  The Finance Associate can supervise clerical and support staff of the Finance Unit. The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Hub, COs, PMOs and with UNDP HQs staff for resolving finance-related issues and information exchange.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary Education, with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance.

OR

• University Degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration

• Qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• UNDP Accountancy & Finance Test will be required.

Experience:

• Secondary education with 7 years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience is required.

OR

• Bachelor’s Degree with 4 years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience is required.

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft.
• Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS required

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Turkish. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Implementation of operational and financial management strategies
• Administration of budgets and cost-recovery system
• Accounting. Finance and administrative support. Global payroll
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Ensures implementation of operational and financial management strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules and regulations of financial processes, financial records and reports and audit follow up; implementation of the effective internal control framework.
• Hub’s finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal procedures in Finance in consultation with the direct supervisor
• Monitoring and overview of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, follow up on contributions within the Hub’s resource mobilization efforts.

2. Ensures administration of budgets and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Establishment and monitoring of budgets for UNDP management and development projects
• Presentation of researched information for planning and status of financial resources of the Hub
• Preparation of monitoring tables and data
• Ensures and follow up proper cost recovery mechanism for services provided to UN Agencies and other outposted to the IRH UNDP units, common cost budgets, projects, including issuance of invoices

3. Provides accounting and administrative support to the Finance Unit and performs Global payroll functions focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and preparation of all types of vouchers;
• Pay Cycle and payments execution.
• Global payrolls processing in Atlas.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas; payrolls are duly prepared and processed; travel transactions and other entitlements are duly processed, payments are reconciled;
• Implementation of a full range of actions related to the timely and quality accounts closure (monthly, quarterly and annual), cleaning of accounts, corporate certifications related actions.
• Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Timely corrective actions on erroneous data in Atlas.
• Preparation and/or verification of financial reports to donors as required.
• Preparation and/or clearance of budget revisions in Atlas.
• Financial closure of projects in Atlas
• Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and follow-up with project teams on contributions, deposits creation in Atlas and their application to AR pending items. Follow up with GSSU.
• Timely and accurate preparation of bank reconciliations.
• Facilitation of the audit and verification exercises.
• Finance and other corporate dashboards monitoring and take actions to resolve any outstanding issues

4. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Hub focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on finance.
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in financial management.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.