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.

Administrative/ Finance Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The 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.
- The Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) is up-to-date and reflects the necessary segregation of duties in the office.
- The country operation complies with UN security standards.

Responsibility
General Administration
- Manage the day-to-day personnel and administrative operations of the office.
- Serve as a member of the Local Contracts Committee (LCC).
- 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.
- 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 operational context for all international posts in the office.
- Serve ex-officio in the APPC.
- 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
- 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 timely and accurate monthly and year-end closure of accounts, including bank reconciliation, and submit reports to headquarters as per prescribed deadlines.
- Prepare a consolidated budget for the country operation (Branch/Sub/Field Offices) for approval by Regional Office or Headquarters.
- Manage the FOCUS token for the country as a Focus Planning Coordinator.
- Ensure timely and effective follow-up to audit observations and recommendations.
- Provide training on financial matters.

Authority
- Select 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 vouchers, including ABOD and project disbursements;
- Approve and certify local bank reconciliation and petty cash accounts.
- Certify country-level financial expenditure reports submitted to the regional office or Headquarters.
- Settle amounts due, or recover travel payments, from country operation staff.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Accounting, Finance, Public or Business Administration, Economics or related field, OR undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in another field combined with a professional qualification in accounting or finance (CPA/CIA or equivalent) plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function of which at least 2 years in an intergovernmental organization (United Nations or similar). Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Working experience with PeopleSoft/Oracle Financial and/or HR modules.
- 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.

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 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.

 

The incumbent should be fully familiar with all relevant and updated knowledge of Admin rules of UNHCR. The incumbent of this position should also possess strong technical finance and HR knowledge, should be familiar with MSRP, FOCUS applications, experience in emergency administration and strong understanding and implementation of IPSAS are a plus. S/he should have advanced skills for planning and coordination of the work of the staff in admin, finance and HR units of the office.  Knowledge of the principals of the Internal Financial and Budgetary control is an asset.
Given the complexity of the situation, the incumbent has to have strong interpersonal and communication skills to support and guiding the staff members in applying those rules. The incumbent will have to demonstrate managerial, client orientation and good negotiation skills and he/he should have strong interpersonal skills and flexibility enabling provide support needed by the staff in this difficult working environment and he/she should be solution-oriented in organizing his/her work, using constructive and supportive approach in collaborating with others.    
A great sense of initiative and leadership as well as teambuilding skills are required for this position. S/he should be able to work effectively with people from all backgrounds and be comfortable in working with a large workforce which demands respect and appreciates leadership. Political sensitivity, effective resource management skills, performance orientation, pro activeness and maturity are crucial for effective management of the workforce and ensuring the best results in the operation. Some knowledge of Arabic would be an asset. With the Syrian conflict entering its seventh year, more than half of Syria's pre-war population has been internally displaced or forced to flee the country since the conflict erupted in March 2011. According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview for 2017, around 13.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Around 6.3 million people remain internally displaced (many on multiple occasions) and there are 5.2 million Syria refugees hosted in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.  The situation remains particularly precarious for the 4.7 million people living in hard-to-reach and besieged locations. In addition, the country hosts some 50,000 mostly Iraqi refugees in two main locations (Damascus and northeastern Syria).  The sanctions, deepening economic recession, fluctuating national currency, soaring food and fuel prices, destroyed infrastructure and reduced availability of basic services have further aggravated the humanitarian situation.  Conflict and repeated displacement have resulted in the loss of livelihoods and strained the coping capacities of communities across the country, exposing them to a range of protection risks.

While displacement continues unabated, particularly in areas still affected by hostilities amongst multiple parties, other areas of the country have recently seen increasing stability, including due to the consolidation of areas of control (e.g. East Aleppo, areas recently regained from the ISIS control) or due to the conclusion of ¿local agreements¿ bringing about a cessation of hostilities, in addition to the newly established de-escalation zones.  Resumed peace talks have renewed hope for a political solution to the conflict and increased humanitarian access to people in need. In this context, self-organized return of internally displaced people is continuing, with the return of some 670,000 IDPs, and 50,000 refugees so far this year mainly to relatively stable areas, while in the same period some 1.3 million Syrians have been newly displaced.  This compares with 560,000 returnees in 2016.  It is anticipated that in 2018, a reduction in hostilities in some areas, the potential implementation of de-escalation areas, improved and sustained access to certain communities and consolidation of ¿local agreements¿ will lead to further IDP returns to their areas of origin, particularly those most recently displaced.  About one million people are expected to return during 2018, mostly in Aleppo, Damascus, Rural Damascus, Homs, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-Ez-Zor governorates.  Increases in refugee returns are also anticipated, particularly from neighbouring countries.  Depending on conditions becoming conducive and protection thresholds being met, UNHCR will consider moving to the facilitation phase of voluntary repatriation. 

UNHCR¿s response for IDPs in Syria is structured around its lead agency responsibilities in the Protection/Community Services, Shelter and NFI sectors and is delivered within the overall framework of the inter-agency Humanitarian Response Plan.  As an operational agency, UNHCR is engaged in a variety of initiatives of community-based protection, largely conducted through a network of 74 Community Centres (increasing to 100 by the end of 2017), mobile teams and outreach volunteers, as well as in a series of interventions to support community resilience, via livelihood interventions, small-scale infrastructures and services rehabilitation, and community mobilization initiatives to foster social cohesion. UNHCR is reshaping its presence and programmes with greater attention to supporting return movements, initially with a focus towards area-based interventions in support to spontaneous IDP and refugee return and with a future plan to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Syrian refugees.  It is envisaged that Syria will become the world¿s largest repatriation operation.  Accordingly, the Syria operation is expanding its presence, programmes and staffing in order to cater to the whole range of populations of concern. 

Sub-Office Aleppo:
Sub-Office Office Aleppo currently covers Aleppo Governorate. The area has experienced conflict-induced internal displacement which continues unabated, with multiple causes and patterns, and the overall situation has become increasingly protracted. There are spontaneous returns of groups of IDPs occurring in areas where hostilities have ceased and a certain level of stability has been reached, especially eastern/rural Aleppo. However, in general the area continues to experience military hostilities, particularly in certain regions such as the northern part of the Governorate towards Idlib. The security situation in Aleppo is permissive to conduct UNHCR activities in all the Government of Syria controlled areas. Sporadic clashes continue between Government of Syria and non-state armed groups in the western side of the city with no changes in the control of the frontlines and an occasional retaliation of shelling between both sides which has minor impact on UN operations. In general, the humanitarian situation inside Aleppo city remains relatively calm with isolated mortars landing in parts of the city on a daily basis.  The surroundings remain insecure with reports of deteriorating humanitarian, health, living and security conditions. UNHCR and other UN agencies and their local partners have continued to provide multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance. Currently we have over 60 staff with 12 international and 50 national staff. Protection context:
The overall protection situation is expected to continue being characterized by chronic human rights violations and abuses in the context of armed conflict, violence and insecurity, and disregard for the minimum standards of international humanitarian and human rights law by all parties to the conflict, resulting in the absence of effective protection for large numbers of civilians in Syria. Forced displacement and family separation with the associated tearing of the social fabric have resulted in a high-risk environment for the population, with many particularly vulnerable categories of people. 

In light of the significant challenges to delivering protection in Syria, UNHCR¿s strategy is focused on community-based approaches and on ensuring maximum outreach to persons of concern, with the aim of reducing vulnerabilities, strengthening resilience and enhancing protection, with particular attention to the most vulnerable persons. Through community centres run by local NGO partners, UNHCR provides a range of integrated protection services to address the most pressing needs of the population, including legal aid, support for civil documentation and housing, land and property issues, psychosocial support, educational programmes, vocational training, small start-up business grants, child protection services, SGBV prevention and response, and primary health care and in-kind and other assistance and services for persons with specific needs. The present security situation in Syria also creates pressures at work and in daily life as priorities are frequently upended for other urgent ad hoc tasks. The incumbent should be prepared to work under such conditions and be able to manage stressful situations.
Syria is officially a non-family duty station with a four-week R&R cycle and the security situation remains volatile. All staff members are residing in the hotel accommodation. Curfew applies.

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in the Addendum 4 is Thursday 28 February 2019 (midnight Geneva time)