Senior Accountant

To help the UNDP Project Management Unit (PMU) deliver in a timely and quality assured manner on the Grant Performance Framework targets, while complying with UNDP and Global Fund rules and regulations, UNDP is recruiting a Senior Finance Accountant who will lead on financial management within the PMU. Under the overall guidance of the Programme Coordinator/Head of Unit, the Senior Finance Accountant is responsible for ensuring the highest efficiency in financial resources management; the provision of accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information; the effective delivery of financial services; and transparent utilization and management of the GF grants. The Senior Finance Accountant will lead a team of four (4) Senior Finance team staff while ensuring strong coordination with Programme and Procurement teams for the effective management of programme budgets.

The Senior Finance Accountant will work in close collaboration with UNDP Sub-recipients (SRs) and sub-sub recipients (SSRs), the Country Office Operations Department, and other teams in the Country Office in ensuring successful implementation and oversight of GF programme resources and Country Office performance in finance. In addition, the Senior Finance Accountant will play the lead role in capacity development in financial management systems for national counterparts.

Working with us
UNDP believes that an inclusive culture attracts the best talent. Our diverse workforce delivers effectively by tapping into different perspectives, experiences, knowledge and approaches.  We are leveraging our workforce’s potential, and achieving greater organizational excellence.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. UNDP Passionate applicants should send their recent CV and cover letter accordingly.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Duties and responsibilities
1. Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Proper planning, expenditure tracking of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and
• Ensure quarterly certification of all accounts including advance of funds, Direct Project Costing (DPC), Project Cash Advance etc.;
• Monitor the financial execution of the procurement component of Grants’ budgets;
• Prepare cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of programme management;
• Develop, track and report to PMU management key financial performance indicators;
• Help maintain a document management system for pr and sr financial records;
2. Ensure the implementation of operational strategies and procedures, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Establish and/or ensure robust financial procedures: e.g., Receipts, payments, disbursements and bookkeeping, filing procedures for Sub-recipients;
• Ensure that financial procedures in place comply with the financial/accounting and procurement requirements of the Global Fund and UNDP;
• Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for the projects;
• Oversight for the transparency of the financial processes and use of funds and compliance with Global Fund and UNDP financial guidelines;
• Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by the Country Office Operations Unit in Liaison with other Implementing partners.
3. Manage the Project budget and ensure proper control of Project accounts focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Manage financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Prepare and monitor projects’ budgets in Atlas;
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
• Ensure that contributions from the Global Fund are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis;
4. Ensure close monitoring of the sub-recipients and other implementing partners by the achievement of the following results:
• Ensure and oversee the periodic assessment of Sub Recipients’ financial management capacities and the development and implementation of action plans to address identified gaps.
• Provide guidance and capacity building services to Ministry of Health Disease Programmes, and NGO Sub recipients on issues related to finance, from budgeting, accounting, bank reconciliation to reporting;
5.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Develop and ensure the implementation of a training plan/curriculum for the SRs financial and accounting staff; organize and conduct periodic training sessions on UNDP/Global Fund financial reporting requirements;
• Organize periodic training for the PMU non-Finance Managers and staff on financial management, budget monitoring and oversight;

COMPETENCIES
• Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work
• Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow
• People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Technical/Functional
• Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Financial Management: Ability to create a process to achieve financial goals.
• Financial Reporting and Analysis: Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner.


• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize action around mitigating them.
• Knowledge Management: Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.



Required skills and experience
education:
• master’s degree in finance/accounting, business, or public administration, or professional accounting qualification from internationally recognized institute of accountancy or university level qualifications in similar fields with two additional years of professional experience in accounting and finance.
• UNDP Advance Accountancy and Finance Test (aaft), and subsequent ftcp certification required, or accounting/finance qualification per supplemental recruitment guidance for undp finance functions (2019).
• Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.


Experience:
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in providing financial management advisory and training services and/or managing staff operational systems.
• 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.
• Experience of ipsas and/or ifrs is required for external candidates.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English both oral and written, is required;
• Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset but not a requirement.