Finance Specialist (NPSA10)

Freetown Sierra Leone

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Freetown Sierra Leone
Grade: Mid level - NPSA-10, National Personnel Services Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Banking and Finance
Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The Presidential, Parliamentary and Local council elections in Sierra Leone will be held on 24 June 2023. The Election Commission of Sierra Leone (ECLS) and other election management bodies (EMBs) have advanced the preparation for the elections increasing venues for multi-stakeholders’ engagement in the electoral process. The electoral environment in Sierra Leone remains fragile raising the state institutions and stakeholders’ commitment for further promoting organization of inclusive, and fully transparent elections in 2023. Misinformation and hate speech used in the electoral process had been considered as a principal factor undermining the conduct of peaceful elections in Sierra Leone.

Despite significant achievements made in improving the electoral legislation and other related regulatory policies, frameworks in Sierra Leone, the EMBs and other state actors engaged in administration of elections require technical assistance for enhancing administrative processes to deliver peaceful and credible elections. Over the years, UNDP Sierra Leone was instrumental in providing electoral support to the EMBs and advancing engagement of vulnerable groups such as women, youth and persons with disabilities in electoral processes. Promoting coordination and strengthening of conflict prevention mechanisms in the electoral process were the primary objectives of the UNDP technical support projects. Following the request made by the ECSL, a new UN Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) was deployed to Sierra Leone in December 2020 which recommended the United Nation’s engagement in a number of electoral areas including providing of technical assistance to the ECSL and the Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC) and strengthening of early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms established under the management of national security sector. The UNDP Election Project “Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone 2022-2023” (election project) was established in June 2022 to assist the EMBs in the organization of peaceful and inclusive elections in Sierra Leone. The project includes a component funded under the UN Peacebuilding fund (PBF) aimed at promoting a peaceful environment towards the elections and supporting state institutions and security sector to mitigate and prevent conflicts before and after the elections.

Duties and Responsibilities

a. Timely Financial Management, Reporting, and Assurance Review Support:

Provide support and mentorship to the production and timely submission of reports, and supporting reviews;
Provide effective and accurate delivery of financial services, transparent utilization of financial resources, and management of finance processes;
Effective management of projects’ budget;
Preparation of financial reporting of the project to donors and other stakeholders;
Full compliance with administrative and financial activities, administrative and financial recording/reporting system, and audit follow-up with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.

b. Ensure implementation of operational strategies and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system, and audit follow up with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system;
UNDP election support operations business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal standard operating procedures in the Finance Unit; control of the workflows in the Finance Unit;
Continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, presentation of forecasts for development and management projects;
Elaboration of the framework and conditions of contribution within the IEC resource mobilization efforts;
Elaboration and implement cost-savings saving and reduction strategies (including introduction and development of e-banking);
Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigates anomalies or unusual transitions. Informs supervisors and UNDP CO of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.

c. Ensure proper cash management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements;
Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application;
Primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters;
Timely preparation of monthly cash flow forecast for use by the Operations Manager.

d. Project Budgeting and Control:

Prepare budget forecasts and estimates in coordination with the programme team for annual and quarterly budget requirements and project proposals, which involve financial forecasting, budgeting and accounts with emphasis on programme donor fund management requirements;
Maintain a record of all cost-sharing donors of the programme, undertake timely follow up action for release of tranches as per cost-sharing agreements;
Prepare financial and budgetary plans in compliant with UNDP to cooperate rules and regulations, policies, procedures and internal control frameworks;
Act as the programme focal person for all project audit purposes;
Undertake briefings to programme partners on project receipt of payments on financial procedures and requirements.

e. Financial resource management:

Ensure full compliance of project financial activities, financial recording/reporting systems and audits in line with UNDP cooperate rules, regulations, policies and strategies;
Ensure timely implementation of effective internal controls, and appropriate design and function of project financial resource management system;
Oversee and ensure timely operationalization of project finance business process mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal standard operating procedures (SoPs) and workflow controls;
Maintain regular analysis and monitoring of the financial situation, and presentation of financial forecasts necessary for the overall programme development and management;
Prepare and update financial reports for regular donor reporting in line with conditions and requirements set out in respective cost-sharing agreements between UNDP and programme donors;
Maintain regular review and monitoring of programme finance, delivery status and update the programme team and UNDP Country Office (CO) relevant units with emphasis on annual delivery commitments and target delivery rates;
Any other relevant tasks assigned by the Election Programme Manager.

Institutional Arrangement:

The Finance Specialist position will be based in the UNDP Sierra Leone CO in Freetown with regular travel and coordination with the Election Programme Manager. The Finance Specialist will directly report to the Election Programme Manager (CTA).

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Technical/Cross-functional Competencies

Finance: Finance-Audit (General):

Understands how regulations and professional standards in internal and external audits underpin audit work in the public services;
Understands the key stages of audit work, including planning, documentation, testing and reporting;
Ability to examine and verify accounts and records. Understands wider mechanisms for assurance and scrutiny;
Understands the law and best practice relating to anti-bribery and corruption controls and the fraud risks faced by public bodies.

Finance: Budget Management:

Ability to support budgetary aspects of the work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Finance: Finance Planning and Budgeting:

Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting.

Business Management: Risk Management:

Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance/Accounting, Business, Administration, and/or professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
First degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Finance/Accounting, Business, Administration, or professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience:

A minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in providing financial management advisory services and financial management operational systems;
Strong familiarity with project financial management, systems, processes, and reporting;
Experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP financials;
Experience in developing capacity and strengthening financial systems of national health entities including implementation of financial management capacity development plans, as well as on-the-job training and mentoring staff in the context of health or development Programmes;
Strong analytical and writing skills and a track record of producing high-quality finance reports and other materials;
Experience with IPSAS and/or IFRS;
Experience with UNDP and/or UN agencies is desirable;
Experience with IT systems in terms of ensuring authority levels are managed and being able to develop a system architecture;
Demonstrated relevant work experience from a developing country;
Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills and experience in working in a multi-cultural environment.

Language:

Fluency in both spoken and written English and Krio which is the common national language.

Professional certificate:

Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
Candidates without a professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will be required to take the Advanced UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test.

Disclaimer

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.

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