Finance Specialist - Strategic Resources Planning

New York City

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: New York City
Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Banking and Finance
- FINANCE
Closing Date: Closed

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the global development network of the United Nations system that is on the ground in 177 countries, with its Headquarters in New York, USA. The Bureau for Management Services (BMS) is a central Bureau tasked with the development of corporate strategies, policies, tools and systems in key cross-cutting management areas. Drawing on sound analytics and a risk-management approach, BMS supports the achievement of development results through management advice, innovative business solutions, and other corporate services in line with international best practices and evolving needs and expectations of development partners. BMS also ensures policy adherence in operations management within UN Rules & Regulations, safeguarding UNDP’s accountability vis-à-vis Member States and other stakeholders.

The Office of Financial Resources Management (OFRM) performs a pivotal role within BMS and within UNDP’s global finance function, partnering with Bureaux and Country Offices. The primary role of OFRM is to maintain the financial integrity of UNDP through providing financial leadership, supporting the efficient and effective management of its financial resources, promoting financial sustainability and responsible resource allocation in the context of a fluctuating funding environment. This is accomplished by the development and implementation of sound financial policies and practices, oversight of corporate financial management performance, and flexible scalable support to resource allocation. OFRM is a key source of information for the Executive Board, General Assembly, to Partners and wider civil society. It supports transparency through the provision of on time and quality statutory and other financial reports that comply with international standards and regulatory guidelines.

Effective and efficient integrated resources management is enabled through a continuous and robust process comprising:

Formulation and implementation of corporate financial and administrative strategies, policies and procedures;
Formulation, alignment, documentation and implementation of UNDP’s funding frameworks, assuring their integrity, viability and alignment with the Strategic Plan;
Provision of policy guidance, advisory services and operational support to strengthen client capacities and help them achieve results, seeking to build consensus within UNDP and with key stakeholders on critical budgetary related matters requiring Executive Board legislation;
Administration of the organization’s internal control framework, overseeing and monitoring financial management of all global UNDP offices, including through formulation/implementation of resource planning, management and oversight tools and reports;
Promoting clear accountability for financial transactions and producing financial statements, including financial reporting to donors and the UNDP Executive Board.

The Strategic Resource Planning (SRP) unit is responsible for a critical role within OFRM. It seeks to integrate UNDP’s strategic plans and evolving resource management trends into Integrated Resources frameworks with robust connections between strategy and results across all categories of activities underpinned by all sources of funds. The SRP unit works closely with all Divisions within OFRM in ensuring integrated strategic resources planning and management.

This post is part of OFRM's Strategic Resource Planning unit, and performs the critical functions described below. Reporting to the Manager, Strategic Resources Planning, the incumbent is expected to work in a team environment and will assume responsibility for specific areas, including of the IPSAS implementation within the context of strategic resources planning. The Finance Specialist is supported in the delivery of her/his deliverables by the Business Analyst, SRP. The Finance Specialist is the primary supervisor responsible for day-to-day guidance, setting of PMD objectives and evaluation of performance of the Business Analyst, SRP.

Duties and Responsibilities

This Finance Specialist plays a key role in this challenging corporate endeavor. S/he is expected to manage activities that contribute to the formulation and alignment of UNDP’s corporate performance upstream and downstream work, in particular in relation to monitoring global financial performance, to include through corporately agreed financial performance monitoring instruments such as the Integrated Resources Management Framework and related dashboards.

The Finance Specialist will work closely with relevant team members as well as Strategic Planning colleagues from HQs Bureaus and country offices, as well as ExO, and with the senior managers/staff of various Central and Regional Bureaux as well as other UN entities, as well as external stakeholders (Executive Board and funding partners) and external consultants. This includes the close coordination on UNDP’s resource policy frameworks such as the cost recovery policy and the integrated budget, as well as corporate strategic initatives in relation to the organizations Digital Strategy, tools and platforms as well as other corporate initiatives.

Contribution to preparation of strategic resource planning and management related EG/OPG papers as well as Executive Board documents

Assists in the preparation of reports, collection and analysis of information for the preparation of position papers, budget related documents and Executive Board documents on corporate matters assigned to OFRM, BMS.
Contributes to related activities on the integrated financial resource planning and monitoring framework and alignment of relevant mechanisms.
Provides relevant key data and analysis thereof.
Prepares planning models and scenarios to facilitate decision making by senior management.
Supports the negotiation of budget strategy and institutional results framework.
Leads in the development of UNDP IPSAS-compliant management reports that assess UNDP’s performance, stewardship of assets and evaluation of decisions associated with strategic resource planning and allocation.

Partnerships

Contributes to interagency knowledge sharing and cooperation in the areas of planning and performance assessment, results based management and results based budgeting.
Conducts trainings; provides guidance to RBx, HQ units and COs on the corporate resource planning related performance and management.

Integration and alignment of Resource planning frameworks with the corporate planning framework.

Working closely with organization-wide planning focal points, contributes to the integration of the financial and substantive planning, monitoring and performance assessment within UNDP.
In the context of the new Strategic Plan and Integrated Budget, supports the design of the results framework in collaboration with the relevant organizational units, i.e. refinement of relevant results, indicators, targets and baselines, including the reporting framework.
Design training materials to facilitate the implementation of the integrated financial resources framework across the entire organization.
Help ensure appropriate tools are designed and available for the different parts of the organization to implement the integrated financial resources framework and multi year budgeting.
Support clients in promoting integrated financial resources planning and multi-year budgeting.
Provide costing and analysis to aid in the formulation of UNDP’s institutional budget.

Participate in other strategic initiatives within the Office of Financial Resources Management (OFRM)

Involvement with advancing strategic initiatives within OFRM. Responds to ad hoc queries and takes an active role in special projects when assigned.

Adherence with resource planning frameworks and financial procedures and policies (including IPSAS)

With reference to the UNDP operating environment, and within the context of strengthening organization-wide strategic resources planning, ensure alignment with with UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules and IPSAS.
Oversee the maintenance and upgrading of the resource planning, management & monitoring reports and performance dashboards.

Impact of Results

All of the results delivered by the Finance Specialist have critical corporate level impacts. They will contribute to build the strategic financial planning, resource allocation, monitoring and performance assessment loop of UNDP, both at the Senior Management level as well as the office and staff levels.

Competencies

Professionalism

Proven IPSAS/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) skills and ability to develop accounting policies applying relevant IPSAS concepts and an appropriate development process.

Planning and Organizing

Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan as well as work plan of direct report(s).
Proven ability to work under pressure and produce output that is accurate, timely and of high quality. Ability to manage conflicting priorities.

Technological awareness

Ability to keep abreast of available technology. Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office.
Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks, and shows willingness to learn new technology.

Communications

Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally. Ability to prepare reports, formulate positions on issues, articulate options concisely conveying maximum necessary information, and making and defending recommendations.

Client Orientation

Ability to identify clients' needs and propose appropriate solutions as well as establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients.

Team Work

Resourcefulness, good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with financial counterparts.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Business, Finance/Accounting or a relevant discipline or a professional accounting qualification certificate from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy. Those with professional accounting qualification certificate from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience at the national and/or international levels in leadership roles within recognized development structures or organizations in a multi-cultural setting, with a proven track record of strategic resource planning and policy development areas.
Highly refined analytical capacity and drafting skills.
Proven track record of excellent management and leadership skills.
Work experience in assignments with the UN system desirable.
Knowledge of business modeling and practical application of the RBM principles.
A strong team player, with a shared belief in UNDP’s mission and mandate
Supervisory skills.

Language Requirements:

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, with an adequate working knowledge of another UN language preferred.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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