Accounting Specialist, Team lead

Background Information – Job-specific

Background UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development. UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our diversity through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates and strengthen our inclusion.

Work life harmonisation

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Integrated practice advice and support IPAS

You can meet our team and get a sneak peek of our working environment in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8CyuSqczvI&feature=youtu.be

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the UNOPS Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with advice and solutions to everyday implementation challenges. IPAS consists of a diverse team of subject matter experts in HR, Administration, Legal, Finance, Procurement, Project Management and Infrastructure. IPAS is composed of seven teams – one team for each of the six practice areas, and the surge team that was recently established to provide ad hoc support to country offices.

IPAS has three main roles:

• Support to operations in the country offices: IPAS provides timely advice and supports actively finding solutions to everyday implementation challenges, based on policy and best practices. It also provides operational support in specific areas.
• Business efficiency: IPAS recommends changes to policies, processes and operating standards based on the feedback and experience of the country offices. IPAS also ensures transparent and efficient project implementation, in line with policy and business needs.
• Body of knowledge: IPAS contributes to research and coordination within the policy groups and project practitioners. It provides structured knowledge and subject matter expertise which is used across practice areas to provide coherent and tailored advice to the requesting offices.

IPAS Finance

IPAS Finance is composed of around twenty colleagues in three teams led by the IPAS Finance Team Lead (Senior Finance Manager). It is composed of three teams:

1. Project Finance Advisory & Support (PFAS)
2. Treasury and Banking (T&B)
3. Corporate Financial Reporting Support (CFRS)

The Accounting Specialist will lead the CFRS team and report to the Finance Senior Manager of IPAS Finance.

The Accounting Specialist, with the CFRS team, is responsible for corporate financial reporting support and project accounting, more specifically supporting UNOPS monthly/quarterly/year-end closing activities, providing technical accounting advice, leading the cash and account reconciliation, and supporting the preparation of UNOPS corporate financial reports. The role also includes contributing to the external audit processes including implementation of recommendations.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Core technical functions:

Corporate Financial Reporting Support:

• Lead all aspects of the monthly, quarterly and year-end closures of accounts that fall under IPAS Finance;
• Ensure the accuracy, integrity, quality and timeliness of financial reporting and transactions;
• Oversee IPSAS compliance initiatives including policies, regulations, rules, and procedures;
• Initiate or support initiatives for system or tool improvements ;
• Lead the implementation of audit recommendations that are related to IPAS Finance and coordinate the collection of audit samples and requirements during internal/external audit exercises.
• Address and promptly resolve any issues arising from processing anomalies.
• Review and approve year-end submissions from the Country offices for accuracy and compliance with UNOPS accounting standards and principles;
• Collaborate with the Finance Group and Country Offices to ensure risks associated with the books closure and the preparation of the annual report are identified and managed accordingly.
• Oversee and monitor payroll: staff receivables and payables accounts, pension and insurance accounts and perform payroll reconciliation, ensuring the proper application of the reserve account.
• Manage separations: review final payment, verify final annual leave balance and manage accrual related accounts (annual leave, home leave, repatriation grant, tax reimbursement).

Project Accounting

• Ensure that all accounts payable transactions (RFPs) are processed and all pending items during periodic books closure;
• Manage the prepayment process and monitor the recovery process;
• Review and confirm adjustments to the project expenditures as may be required.
• Review and confirm appropriateness of operational transactions processed as per applicable policies, regulations, rules and interpretive guidelines
• Ensure proper closure (operational and financial) of projects and refund of unspent balances to Donors/UN Agencies
• Oversee the reconciliations of projects’ expenditure/revenues as recorded in the General Ledger on a regular basis.

3. Team leadership

• Establish team priorities, and supervise the implementation of work plans.
• Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing the team with clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.
• Plan, recruit and develop a flexible workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance, and ensure gender and geographical diversity.
• Foster a positive work environment, respectful of diversity, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

4. Business Efficiency

• Ensure a systematic approach to collect and address issues, feedback and suggestions from operations in regards to improvements of policies, processes and systems related to finance.
• Work closely with Finance Group and other HQ units to address business critical issues and find solutions that are fit for purpose.
• Contribute specialist and practical knowledge to policy development to be responsive to UNOPS strategy, improve efficiencies and strengthen internal controls.
• Ensure effective data analytics of IPAS Finance to identify risks, opportunities and trends;
• Contribute to cross-functional initiatives to ensure that internal policies, processes, systems and tools are aligned with the overall regulatory framework, ensuring that they are practical, relevant and add value to organisational operations.

5. Knowledge management and capacity building

• Ensure knowledge and information on financial matters is maintained and shared actively within the team as well as packaged in appropriate formats that can be easily communicated with the country offices.
• Keep abreast of external developments and best practices and provide recommendations to relevant stakeholders
• Provide regular feedback to internal clients on challenges, gaps and possible areas of improvement
• Develop a strategy to ensure knowledge transfer and capacity building related to project finance, working closely with other IPAS teams to provide integrated trainings where relevant.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or related fields is required.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• An internationally recognized professional finance or accounting certification (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, CPA, etc.) is a strong advantage.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in financial management or accounting positions at multinational organisations, with a minimum of 1 year in supervisory roles is required.
• Demonstrated experience in financial accounting and reporting in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards or International Financial Reporting Standards
• Strong knowledge of operational processes is essential.
• In depth understanding of financial management and operations processes in the United Nations is highly desirable;
• Field experience is highly desirable;
• Experience in implementing new or improve existing digital systems, including developing requirements, is desirable

Languages:

• Fluency in English required.
• Fluency in French or Spanish is a significant advantage.
• Working knowledge of other official UN languages is desirable.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: FTA Contract level: P3 Contract duration: one year, renewable

For more details about United Nations staff contracts, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/UN-Staff-Contracts.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and it is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or disability.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.