The Administrative and Finance Specialist reports to the Chief of Rome Common Services for general direction and guidance. The specialist is responsible for providing support to the Chief of Common Services in managing, monitoring and overseeing the full range of financial and administrative services in support of operational activities ensuring compliance with organizational plans, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of performance, ethics, and integrity. In addition, the Administrative and Finance Specialist is also accountable for providing support to the Chief of Common Services in overall running of the office, quality assurance of services provided and staff capacity development. The Administration and Finance Specialist, when supervising support staff, 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. In summary, the Administrative and Finance Specialist will be responsible for the management of the Finance, and Administration units for UNICEF Rome Common Services Centre, providing technical guidance, demand management, timely action, and quality assurance of services. The post will serve as a back-up to the P4 Common CSC Operations Manager and P2 People and Culture Officer, as required.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, a Champion
The Rome Common Services Center (CSC) will be newly established following the relocation of several UNICEF HQ Divisions to Rome, where they will be co-located with WFP HQ. This move is part of the Future Focus Initiative, aimed at achieving cost savings and supporting broader UN80 objectives. The Rome CSC will play a critical role in delivering operational support to all UNICEF Divisions based at WFP HQ, as well as coordinating closely with WFP on the services provided to UNICEF staff.
The Administrative and Finance Specialist reports to the Operations Manager (CSC) for general direction and guidance. The specialist is responsible for providing support to the Operations Manager (CSC) in managing, monitoring and overseeing the full range of financial and administrative services in support of operational activities ensuring compliance with organizational plans, policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of performance, ethics, and integrity.
In addition, the Administrative and Finance Specialist is also accountable for providing support to the Operations Manager (CSC) in overall running of the office, quality assurance of services provided and staff capacity development.
The Administration and Finance Specialist, when supervising support staff, 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.
In summary, the Administrative and Finance Specialist will be responsible for the management of the Finance, and Administration units for UNICEF Rome Common Services Centre, providing technical guidance, demand management, timely action, and quality assurance of services. The post will serve as a back-up to the P4 Operations Manager (CSC) and P2 People and Culture Officer, as required.
How can you make a difference?
1. Finance Stream:
Quality controls
- Overall internal and quality controls for HACT, Invoicing, MDM and Pcard management.
Financial planning and oversight of payroll management
- CSC Budget management and planning.
- Monitor expenditures and ensure alignment with approved budgets, providing regular updates to supervisor.
- Serve as an approver on SAP or other organizational systems for relevant financial transactions including payments, posting of journal vouchers and all HACT transactions. Oversight of monthly and year end closure activities.
- Oversight for payroll management and analysis for all staff in Rome
Financial transactions oversight
- Examine DCT transactions (transfer, adjustments, reprogramming and liquidation) supporting documents to ensure FACE form has been properly entered into the system and the expenditure is broadly reasonable and in accordance with policy.
- Review the accurate and timely processing of all MDM and invoicing cases within the CSC scope ensuring compliance with budgetary limits, IPSAS and UNICEF financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures, standards of accountability, and ethics. Ensure timely actions on outstanding cases to resolve pending issues in line with the established CSC catalogue of services, SOPs and SLAs. This includes dialogue and follow up with the GSSC to facilitate timely processing of financial transactions submitted to the CSC.
- Provide technical and operational advice on application, interpretation and implementation of financial and operational policies, procedures and guidelines to the CSC team and stakeholders.
2. Administration Stream:
Undertakes delivery and improvement in administrative support and office services including space management, equipment, conference and visa processing arrangements, document reproduction, communications, mail and delivery services, local procurement and bill payments of utilities.
- Coordinate space management needs for various entities, ensuring optimal allocation and utilization of premises.
- Liaise with the World Food Programme (WFP) and other relevant stakeholders regarding space requirements and adjustments.
- Serve as the main administrative point of contact for daily operations with WFP focal points, and key contact for premises management, ensuring effective communication and collaboration across organizations.
- Act as the Alternate Security Focal Point, supporting security-related activities and communications.
- Disseminate premises-related information, security updates, and other communications to staff, and lead the testing and maintenance of emergency communication systems to ensure readiness and effectiveness.
Property and asset management
- As asset coordinator, maintains Asset Management Records for UNICEF Geneva Non Expandable Property.
- Manages the safekeeping of assets, annual physical inventory, prepares reports, including cost analysis and liaises with IT on replacement/disposal of equipment and supplies. Reconciles physical inventory data with office records to ensure inventory taken is complete and identifies discrepancies for corrective action.
- Prepares annual reports on asset management and other requested information. Coordinates annual asset count.
- Serves as Secretary to the Property Survey Board and in this respect ensures timely submissions, preparation of minutes of meeting, executes PSB recommendations approved by Head of Office or delegate.
- Ensures all required property insurance is in place and coordinates with DFAM.
Contract management and control.
- Ensures that all administrative transactions and arrangements of contracts are in compliance with the applicable policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
- Participates in the reviews of contractual arrangements with suppliers of goods and services for Common Services Operations.
- Ensures that the terms and conditions of all contracts are being adhered to by the vendor and provide expert advice to facilitate resolutions of any contractual issues.
- Act as the Receiving Officer for all services and purchases made for the Common Services section. Coordinates closely with Procurement on preparing Common Services Requests for Proposals, drafting TORs, proposing evaluation criteria and participating in review panels. Proposes to supervisor any changes that may be required.
- Monitors payments against contractual obligations, including low-value transactions related to P-cards and credit cards.
3. Cross-cutting
Policy, procedures and strategies: interpretation and application.
- Provide clear guidance and support to staff regarding policies and procedures related to administration and finance.
- Implements the appropriate application and interpretation of administrative rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
- Conduct training sessions and disseminate updated policy information as needed; prepare SOPs to clarify roles and responsibilities and processes.
Quality Assurance
- Implement and oversee quality assurance activities for the Common Service Center (CSC) in accordance with the CSC framework and leveraging technology such as OASIS.
- Makes specific recommendations on the improvement of systems and internal controls, planning, restructuring and resolution of sensitive issues, taking into account the prevailing context.
- Improve data analysis to increase productivity and collaboration to minimize cost, reduce duplication of work and maximize efficiencies.
- Regularly review and update quality assurance protocols, and solicit feedback from service users to identify pain points. Implement continuous improvement cycles based on performance review outcomes and service standard adherence.
Staff supervision, learning and development
- Manage the Admin and Finance team workload, including tracking and prioritizing service requests to ensure timely action and resolution.
- Organize individual/team capacity development sessions in executing streamlined client services in admin and finance areas efficiently, ensuring meeting SLA benchmarks and providing an early warning if demand starts to exceed resources or performance starts to slip.
- Conduct capacity development initiatives in the area of low-value transactions processing to build knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the centralized work.
- Develop and strengthen knowledge management across all stakeholders.
Performs any other duties and responsibilities assigned as required.
- Keeps the supervisor abreast of potential problem areas, identifies and recommends solutions.
- Prepares reports and correspondence on administrative and finance matters.
- Carries out other administration and finance related tasks as requested by the supervisor.
- Acts as officer-in-charge for the Chief of CSC during absences.
- May also be called upon to provide back-up support or officer-in-charge for the human resources officer during absences.
To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have…
Education:
- An advanced university degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or social sciences, or equivalent is required. Any other comparable recognized professional qualification or valid professional certification (e.g. CA; CPA; etc.) is desired.
Experience:
- A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience, at the national and international level, is required, specifically in implementing strategic organizational initiatives in one or more operations management area including budget; financial management and reporting; facilities management; administration.
- Work experience in a large country office, Regional Office, or HQ is required.
- Experience in building and managing teams is required.
- Demonstrated experience in managing successful client-oriented work units is required.
- Experience working with diverse stakeholders to deliver services is required.
- Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) is highly desirable.
- Previous hands on experience in strategic operations is a strong asset.
- Prior experience in the development sector or UNICEF-UN system/ international NGOs would be an asset.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian context is an asset.
Language Requirements
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...
- Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
- Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
- Works Collaboratively with others (2)
- Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
- Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
- Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
- Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
- Manages ambiguity and complexity (2) are required.
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.