Snr Admin/Finance Officer

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Administrative/Finance Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Senior Admin/Finance Officer is part of the Senior Management of an office. He/she will establish and maintain efficient administrative control mechanisms to ensure compliance with UN Financial, Administrative and Staff rules and procedures.

Frequent external contacts with counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments on issues of importance to Organization¿s programmes. He/she acts as adviser or representative of the Organization with authority to discuss problems and seek common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines provided by higher authority.

The incumbent directly supervises professional and general service staff.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- UNHCR premises for the country operation are managed in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and provide a healthy, safe and respectful working environment.
- UNHCR's financial rules and regulations, policies and procedures are adhered to by the country operation.
- UNHCR's resources are allocated efficiently and transparently to meet the country operation's objectives and priorities.
- UNHCR's local cash is safeguarded.
- The Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) is up-to-date and reflects the necessary segregation of duties in the office.
- Risks are identified, and a mitigation plan is implemented.
- The country operation complies with UN security standards.

Responsibility

General Administration

- Ensure the provision of resources (human, material and services) necessary to support the day-to-day activities of the staff in the office.
- Manage the day-to-day personnel and administrative operations of the office.
- Advise the Head of Office and other staff on personnel and administrative policies and procedures.
- Participate in the physical verification of UNHCR property plant and equipment.
- Undertake missions to field locations within the assigned region to review administrative arrangements and make appropriate recommendations as required.
- Formulate, implement staff safety and security measures and ensure MOSS/MORSS compliance, in consultation with the Head of Office and Field Safety Advisers (FSAs).

Human Resources

- Oversee recruitment, appointments and administrative formalities concerning local General Service staff.
- Prepare the operational context for all international posts in the office.
- Review and approve the settlement of employee entitlements including DSA, local salaries and the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP).
- Coordinate training and capacity-building activities to staff in administrative related areas.

Finance/Budget
- Manage a transparent and consultative process to determine the country's budget, which is consistent with UNHCR's result framework and regional objectives.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR's internal control framework, financial rules, policies and procedures requesting guidance and support from headquarters as necessary.
- Identify potential risks in relation to the financial management of the office, and propose mitigating action to senior management, when applicable.
- Ensure that budget submission deadlines are met locally and prepare/endorse consolidated budgetary documentation for the country operation.
- Ensure timely and accurate monthly and year-end closure of accounts, including bank reconciliation, and submit reports to headquarters.
- Manage the FOCUS token for the country as a Focus Planning Coordinator.
- Monitor local compliance with UNHCR¿s policies and processes for cash management, requesting support and guidance from headquarters when required.
- Ensure timely and effective follow-up to audit observations and recommendations.
- Provide training on financial matters.

Authority
- Implement country-level workforce management strategies.
- Approve and negotiate with local service providers, within the established financial parameters.
- Ensure local compliance with UNHCR¿s administrative, human resources and financial policies and procedures.
- Approve and certify bank reconciliation and petty cash accounts.
- Certify country-level financial expenditure reports submitted to the regional office or Headquarters.
- Settle amounts due, or recover amounts receivables, from country operation staff.
- To correct deficiencies, identified through audits, in the country operation's financial management.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in Accounting, Finance, Public or Business Administration, Economics or related field, OR graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) in another field combined with a professional qualification in accounting or finance (CPA/CIA or equivalent) plus 8 years in the field of accounting or finance, of which at least five years in an intergovernmental organization (United Nations or similar). Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Excellent understanding of the workflows of PeopleSoft/Oracle Financial and HR modules, with working experience with either one.
- Proven experience with risk management.
- Excellent computer skills, in particular in MS Office applications.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of another UN language.

(In offices where the working language is not English, excellent knowledge of  UN working language of duty station and working knowledge of English.)

***For National Officer positions, very good knowledge of local language and local institutions is essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Professional qualification in accounting or finance (CPA/CIA or equivalent).
- Excellent knowledge of United Nations administrative, human resources and financial rules and procedures. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== The Snr Administrative/ Finance Officer will provide technical support and oversight on Admin/Finance matters to UNHCR Operation in Peru. S/he will provide support and guidance to both the Office in Lima and the Field Offices in Tumbes and Tacna on related issues.
The Snr Administrative/Finance Officer is part of the Senior Management team of the office.  He/she will be under the direct supervision of the Representative and will  maintain contacts with counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments on issues of importance to the Organization¿s programmes.
The Snr Administrative / Finance Officer is responsible for managing day-to-day personnel and administrative operations of the office and staff on personnel and administrative policies and procedures. He/she will oversee overall HR and administrative formalities concerning the Staff, review and approve the settlement of employee entitlements, ensuring compliance with the organization¿s internal control framework, financial rules, policies and procedures, while identifying potential risks in relation to the financial management of the office and proposing mitigating action to senior management when applicable. The incumbent  role will also foresee ensuring compliance with financial rules and regulations and with IPSAS provisions; guidance and training in Finance, MSRP (Finance & Supply chain module) and FOCUS. Required skills and expertise include proven Finance and Admin experience; experience in leading/supervising a team; sound technical knowledge of UNHCR's financial rules and regulations, accountability policies and standards; proven skills in Accounting, Finance, MSRP and FOCUS; good communication and training skills.
The incumbent will be expected to undertake support missions to the Field Offices, train staff, establish fraud prevention systems, risk registry and ensure effective internal controls and management oversight. Team work, good communication, analytical and drafting skills are essential.

The Snr Administrative / Finance Officer will be responsible for an ABOD of approx. USD 1 million.  He/she will ensure timely and accurate monthly and year-end closure of accounts, including bank reconciliation, and submit reports to headquarters as per prescribed deadlines. He/she will prepare a consolidated budget for the UNHCR Operation Peru for approval. He/she would prepare annual procurement plan and ensure receipt and utilization of purchased items including spare parts, stationaries, etc. on continuous basis.  He/she will also ensure timely and effective follow-up to audit observations and recommendations and providing training on financial matters. The incumbent should have a solid understanding of UNHCR financial management and possess good administrative skills. Apart from excellent functional competencies, the incumbent would also be expected to possess managerial and leadership skills. He/she directly supervises general service staff/awf under general administration, human resources, finance, IT and telecoms. ¿ At the end of 2015, Peru officially reported 700 asylum seekers in total. They were 4,500 at the end of 2016 and became 36,000 at the end of 2017. The dramatic increase has been determined by the constantly growing influx of VEN nationals. In the beginning of 2018, the influx has continued unabated with an average of 800 new asylum applications per day registered by the Special Commission for Refugees (CEPR). By the end of June 2018 numbered over 125,000 (highest number of asylum seekers from Venezuelan in one single country worldwide). VEN nationals who are arriving in an increasingly vulnerable condition (SGBV, women heads of households, etc.). If this pace continues, Peru may have over 200,000 asylum seekers from Venezuela by the end of the year.

¿ The main entry point into Peru is now the northern border with Ecuador (Tumbes). A certain percentage of the VEN nationals arriving in Peru move onwards to reach Chile (in 2017 about 60,000 VEN nationals left Peru entering Chile from Tacna). The influx of VEN nationals from Ecuador continues unabated at  the pace of approximately 1000/2000 per day. ¿ The authorities have reported that at the end of June 2018 , the VEN nationals in Peru number in total approximately 350.000. The government estimates that the VEN nationals in Peru will number between 700,000 and 1M by the end of 2018. In addition to the possibility of applying for refugee status, Peru also offers an alternative migratory solution (Temporary Residence Permit ¿ PTP) through which the migratory status of over 33,000 VEN nationals has been already regularized.

¿ UNHCR established an initial presence in the country with a NOA in September 2017 which has been strengthened with the arrival of an international staff in January 2018. In early April, the L2 Emergency has been declared and an emergency team has been deployed. ¿ UNHCR is responding to the influx directly and in support to the Government of Peru (e.g. to the Special Commission for Refugees to deal with the asylum backlog and strengthen registration procedures) and through an inter-agency effort co-led together with IOM, and also working closely with the civil society (partners). The cooperation with IOM is being increasingly consolidated within the framework indicated by the Secretary General who has stated that the UN response to the VENSIT will be under the joint leadership/coordination of UNHCR and IOM.

¿ In addition to Lima, UNHCR is focusing  on the entry and exit points (Tumbes and Tacna) while also attending to protection risks and needs along the routes from Tumbes to Lima (Piura and Trujillo) and from Lima to Tacna. UNHCR has already established a presence in Lima, Tumbes, and Tacna. The Office in Tumbes will be a UNHCR/IOM Office. Also in Tacna, UNHCR will offer the same arrangement to IOM. Despite the security concerns mentioned below, Lima is a family duty station.  It has good medical facilities. The recreational facilities, schools and hotels are of international standard. There are possibilities of renting private accommodation, as well as good banking facilities with currency exchange facilities available at the airport terminal, local banks, shopping malls and main hotels and  unlimited access to communication options such as internet, telephone Sim cards etc. Lima is a modern city with a great variety of commercial, economic, cultural and industrial activities.
No Vaccine is required to enter the country, however check if your itinerary includes endemic areas of malaria, dengue or yellow fever in order to take precautionary prevention measures.
February is the hottest month in Lima with an average temperature of 24°C and the coldest is August at 17°. Lima is categorized ¿A¿ family duty station.

Lima is considered of Low Security level according to the security Level system methodology.

The most frequent crimes nationwide are violent assaults in the streets during the night, extortion robberies in hotels, restaurants and malls. During the night, criminals attempt to break car windows at traffic stops to snatch whatever valuable; the route to Lima¿s Jorge Chavez International Airport is one of the selected targets. A high sense of vigilance and alertness is required
Social unrest is frequently reported in the city of Lima, instigated demonstrations and riots mainly related to socio-environment conflicts may occur at any time, hence can pose to be a threat to anybody near the demonstration.

Politically instigated demonstrations and riots may occur at any time and they are relatively frequent.
Peru is a highly expose country to natural disasters in particular it is a seismic country with several instances of devastating earthquakes and tremors therefore, the possibility of earthquakes is expected at any time. ¿ Spanish is essential.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in this Flash Vacancy is Thursday 23 August 2018 (midnight Geneva time).