National Project Officer - Finance Officer at UNODC - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Job ID: 25520
Location: Abuja
Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
Contract Duration: 1 year with possibility of renewal
 
Background
This position is with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office in Nigeria (CONIG). Under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator and guidance of the UNODC Finance Officer, the Project Finance Officer is responsible for effective and transparent utilization of project financial resources and integrity of financial services of the project.
 
The Finance Officer promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNODC / UNDP rules and regulations. S/he analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Officer promotes a collaborative approach consistent with UNODC/UNDP rules and regulations.
 
The Finance Officer would work in close collaboration with the Operations Team in the UNODC Country Office, UNODC HQ and with the Operations staff of UNDP in Nigeria, beneficiary Agencies’ officials and Partners, ensuring successful and efficient project financial implementation.
 
Duties and Responsibilities
The Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Accounting:

• Prepare and monitor a shadow budget to adequately capture project expenditures by activity.
• Review and analyse data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
• Provide support to the Project Coordinator with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions / revisions.
• Review, analyse and provide input into finalization of project budgets.
• Monitor budget implementation and determine / recommend reallocation of funds when and where necessary.
• Liaise with the Project Coordinator to implement the project in line with UN Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Continuously monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels, and that delivery targets are met.
• Administer and monitor budget resources, including review of agreements, grants and cost plans, ensuring compliance with UN regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Prepare relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions and maintain adequate budget /expenditure tracking system, ensuring that 100% of project expenditure are captured.
• Advise project management on all aspects of accounts maintenance, budget control, incomes and other financial issues regarding projects implementation, i.e. obligations and future programme/projects budgetary implications.
• Carry out reconciliation of accounts and expenditures with UNDP Atlas and UNODC ProFi.
• Supervise the closing of the monthly project accounts, assist in ensuring timely submission of Management Expenditures data to HQ and the requested financial reports to UNDP; reconciliation and replenishment of bank accounts.
• Ensure strategic financial resource management: suggest measures for adequate optional utilization of project funds and recommend cost savings and redeployments as appropriate.
• Act as key interface for project audits and accounts examinations.
• Maintains corporate automated financial systems (ProFi, UMOJA); for project finance, supervise upgrades and integrations; trains finance/programme staff on their application.
• Track Project expenditures and liabilities on monthly basis and report to CONIG Finance Officer
• Establish and maintain within the Project Core Unit a set of sound policies, procedures, standards and tools, which are consistent with UN policy and practice in order to ensure proper accounting, financial management and control.
• Participate in the preparation and implementation of the project work plan and budget to ensure the compatibility with work priorities and objectives, taking into account the most effective use of resources.
• In collaboration with the Project Coordinator, liaise with UNODC HQ to secure Grant approval.
• Ensure prompt disbursement of grants in line with approved guidelines.
• Monitor grant retirements from grantee.
• Ensure proper tracking of all project assets in collaboration with UNODC Administrative Associate.
• Liaise with bank for all workshop payments and ensuring proper retirement.
• Oversee proper recording of all project assets and related data.

Human Resources’ Management:

• Assist the Programme Support Team in ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures in HR Management.
• Provide to project staff support with respect to conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the UN Staff Rules and Regulations.

General Administration:

• Keep up-to-date documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme/project budget/project assets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Produce reports for management regarding financial/administrative issues.
• Supervise administrative staff and provide advice to project staff on human resource administration, financial administration and management information issues and practices to colleagues (including procurement of supplies and services; transport, travel and traffic, communications, engineering and information technology support and provision of local utilities and service requirements).
• Support the Finance / Administrative Assistant in preparation and implementation of the local elements of the procurement plan, taking into account the most effective use of resources.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Project and UNODC Country Office and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization/conduct of training for the operations/ projects staff on financial management.
• Organization/conduct of training for project beneficiaries’ focal points.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• UNODC Operations Team, Country Office staff and HQ staff in the Division for Management, Financial Resources Management Service, UNDP Operations Team in Nigeria and project beneficiaries.

Competencies
Professionalism:

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets; manage contributions and investments; manage transactions; and conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of responsibilities and honours commitments;
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost, and quality standards;
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules;
• Takes responsibility for delegated assignments;
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Communication:

• Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, including ability to prepare reports, make presentations in a variety of fora, and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely, conveying maximum necessary information as well as making and defending recommendations;
• Possesses excellent drafting and communication skills with proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to match style and format to audience.

Client Orientation:

• Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view;
• Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect;
• Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions;
• Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems;
• Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to clients.

Teamwork:

• Proven interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Works collaboratively with colleagues within and outside of UNODC to achieve organizational goals;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
• Is willing to learn from others;
• Places team agenda before personal agenda;
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position;
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning & Organizing:

• Able to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor work while prioritizing competing demands;
• Able to work on tight deadlines;
• Knowledge on how to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies;
• Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning;
• Monitors and adjusts plans and projects as necessary;
• Uses time efficiently.

Required Skills and Experience   
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master's Degree) in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business or Public Administration, or a First-level University Degree or equivalent in similar fields may be accepted in lieu of the Advanced University Degree.
• Candidates with a first-level university degree or equivalent, with a combination of at least 2 years of additional experience may be considered.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in providing financial management services, managing staff and operational systems.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages; experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft, UMOJA and ATLAS a plus. Experience of IPSAS and/or IFRS an asset.
• Knowledge of European Union financial procedures an advantage.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For the post advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of other UN official languages is an asset.