Management Finance Associate (UNDP)

Job Description

Required Languages: English and Vietnamese

Vacancy Type: Fixed Term

Education & Work Experience: Bachelor's Degree - 4 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 7 year(s) experience

Location: Ha Noi, Viet Nam

Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension

Application Deadline: 11/01/2024, 11:59 PM

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

Contingent upon UNDP corporate-wide decisions to outsource operational functions including financial services to Centers in the regions, the Operations Unit in the CO will become a smaller, leaner team. The CO Operations team will focus on ensuring oversight, assurance and client services functions, providing agency services and bridging towards the regionally clustered transactional services. These functions in the CO will include analytics and client relationship management to explore government co-financing opportunities, establishing benchmarks for development support services and explore non-core facility.

Under the overall guidance of the Operations Manager and direct supervision of the Finance and Assurance Analyst, the Management Finance Associate provides leadership in execution of financial services in the Country Office ensuring effective and transparent utilization of financial resources and integrity of financial services. The Management Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The Management Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the CO and UNDP HQ’s staff to resolve complex financial management and operational-related issues and information delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures administration and implementation of operational and financial management strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
CO Finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management
Preparation, implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements, follow up on contributions within the CO resource mobilization efforts.
Elaboration of proposals and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.

Ensures administration of budgets and functioning of the optimal cost-recovery system focusing on achievement of the following results through:

Preparation, creation, and modifications of budgets for UNDP management projects & common services projects, follow up with HQs on authorized spending limits (ASL) for management projects.
Establishment of criteria for pro-ration of Agencies contributions to the common services account, preparation and modifications of the common services budget, follow up on contribution from UN agencies on those common services projects (i.e. common premises, local securities, …) and timely recovery of payments from UN Agencies (include but not restrict to desk cost, pouch cost, international telephone cost, …).
Programme financial resources management through controlling of the resources.
Implementation of the control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications, budgetary status versus ASL, follow up with HQ on ASL for development projects, maintenance of the General Ledger.
Presentation of thoroughly researched information for planning of financial resources of the CO, reports containing analysis of the financial situation.
Timely preparation of cost-recovery bills in the ERP for the services provided by UNDP, elaboration and implementation of the income tracking system and follow up on cost recovery.
Act as the focal point for Direct Project Costing and Agency Service Portal.
Update/ maintenance of Local price list and elaboration in workload studies for the office.

Ensures effective administrative control in the office, provides accounting and administrative support to the Finance Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

Proper control of the supporting documents for payments, review of financial reports for projects.
Follow up on payments executive.
Timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including the invoices with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved invoices. Timely response to GSSC and HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
Create invoice adjustment and journal entry in Quantum (based on signed request from related departments/units)
Maintenance of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects; follow up with partners on contributions, AR pending items and carry out deposit request timely via Unall.
Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that invoices processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Quantum; payrolls are duly prepared; travel claims, monthly payment orders and other entitlements are duly processed.
Timely corrective actions on erroneous data in the Quantum; preparation of financial reports as required, especially for common service projects.
Act as VAT refund focal point, manage timely VAT reimbursements, payment of Government Contribution to Local Office Costs.
Coordination and review of accounts closure; preparation of year-end certification for the office.
Act as alternative contact point for Programme Finance Associate in case of his/her absent.
Provides other support as required.

Ensures proper CO cash management functioning 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.
Daily review of zero-balance account bank statements in the ERP to monitor imprest level; identification and recording of contributions.
Alternate to Finance Analyst (or Operations Manager) as primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of exchange rate on replenishment.
Circulate monthly UN exchange rate report to CO colleagues.
Timely follow-up on bank reconciliations and get certification from Head of Office on that report.
Performing Pay cycle daily
Timely preparation of monthly cashflow forecast for use by Operations Manager. Liaison with UN Agencies to obtain estimate of their cash requirement.
Alternate as cashier for cash disbursements made on site.
Act as treasury focal point of the office, in charge of the office safe.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

Organization of training for the operations/programme/projects staff on financial management.
Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in financial management.
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation. Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervise support staff on Programme Finance Team.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Development

Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience

Business Management

Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.

Finance

Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.
Financial reporting and analysis: Understand changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.
Management and cost accounting: Ability to produce periodic qualitative and quantitative performance reports to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Ability to use a range of costing techniques and analyse cost related data to provide quantitative information to the users of reports.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education. University degree in Finance or Accounting desirable. Part-qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
Candidate with no professional accountancy qualifications but with relevant experience must successfully undertake UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) before shortlisting and must complete the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.
Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited. However, no UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.
For fully qualified accountants from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy or for those that have full completion of the UNDP Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), no UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (AFT) is required.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years (with Secondary education) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience is required.
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), especially MS List, MS flow and Power BI is an asset.
Experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials will be an asset.
Involvement with of spreadsheet and database packages, utilizing ERP system.
Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS is at asset.
Strong experience in controlling, forecasting/reporting and tax/auditing is an asset.
Having experience with international or development organization is an asset.
Experience in processing VAT refund and managing timely VAT reimbursements is an asset.
Experience in handling Account Receivable/Account Payable is an asset.