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.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not 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.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Senior Administrative/Finance Officer positions. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates 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
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

 

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

 

Good coordination skills and ability to manage administrative actions to the BO and the offices in the field. Capability to analyse resource allocation needs and organise its prompt deployment in line with the rules, objectives and changing priorities. Experience in staff development and learning activities being able to timely address country-wide learning issues. Capacity to manage competing priorities within limited time-frame. Good networking skills and ability to  strengthen and develop relationship with the key counterparts and stake holders needed for effective support to implementation of UNHCR's activities. Ongoing conflict between the Houthi/Saleh alliance and the Saudi Led Coalition impacts civilians, refugees and is the cause of internal displacement. The war in Yemen, now in its third year, is exacting an unacceptably high toll on civilians, including on refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons.The crisis has been further compounded by pockets of famine and the outbreak of cholera since April 2017, which has put much of the population at risk, including persons of concern. Facts and figures: 20.7 million people in need ; 1,980,510 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) ; 84 per cent of IDPs displaced for more than a year ; 946,044 IDP returnees ; 280,623 refugees and asylum seekers (majority from Somalia and Ethiopia). Yemen is the only country in the Arab Peninsula that is a State party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. The Government of Yemen (GoY) has not yet incorporated its obligations under the 1951 Convention into national refugee-specific legislation or established a refugee status determination (RSD) procedure. In the absence of such legislation, the legal status of asylum seekers and refugees is governed by a mix of decrees and provisions, inter alia, the Republican Decree N° 47 of 1991 on the entry and residence of foreigners. UNHCR has a Country office in Sanaa (21 int/83 nat staff), a Sub-Office in Aden (7 int and 55 nat staff), as well as field offices in Hodeida (1 int/9 nat staff), Saada (1 int/6 nat staff), Ibb (1 int/3 nat staff) and Kharaz (13 nat staff) Moderate climate, dry most of the year with temperatures going from 20 to 30 degrees. Sana'a is located at a highland 2,300 m above sea level. The level of medical facilities and services available are different from place to place around Yemen. For this reason, persons with pre-existing medical conditions must consider the implications of working in Yemen, and should take all possible steps to ensure that they are medically prepared, including carrying sufficient supplies of any necessary prescription or other medication. Movement and travel of international staff is limited to and from the UN Compound and offices only. Very limited possibility for leisure and recreational facilities. Stressful work context, therefore capacity for self-care is very important and personal security awareness is critical. In order to support and protect the health and well-being of its workforce, time-off are granted to the international staff. The aim is to ameliorate our work-life balance and take a break from isolated, difficult and dangerous working and living conditions. Rest and Recuperation (R&R) in Yemen consists of a 4-week cycle. The UN in general faces, as a result of those conflicts, three general types of risks: collateral damage due to the armed conflict between the SLC and the ASC, terrorism due to the presence of AQAP/IS, especially in the south, but also sleeping cells in the north, crime due to the economic/financial collapse of Yemen and the dramatic rise in the needs of Yemenis to feed and to provide medical care for their families, and hazard due to long road travels in armored vehicles on narrow roads with no maintenance. The working and living space are well protected and are MOSS compliant. All physical security mitigation measures are in place, which include guards, secured walls, protected windows, etc. The security situation dictates that all international UN personnel in Yemen must reside within UN or other UNDSS approved compounds. For instance, in Sanaa all UN personnel reside at the UN compound (UNCAF). Due to the unstable security situation, when travelling by road, UN International staff members must only move in armored vehicles (AVs). This includes pick-ups and drop-offs at offices and airports.  International staff must not travel in soft skin vehicles or in public transport of any sort. Road missions should be undertaken only under approved required security clearances. All staff members must do the mandatory Based Basic Security in the Field and Advanced Security in the Field. The SSAFE training is to be completed by all international staff before deployment to Yemen (note these certificates expire after 3 years and must be updated if required). Those who have attended SSAFE in another country within the previous three years need only attend a refresher course in Yemen The incumbent will work under direct supervision of the Deputy Representative.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2018 Compendium is Thursday 18 October  2018 (midnight Geneva time).