Finance Analyst job at United Nations Population Fund (Unfpa)

The Position:

The Finance Analyst is responsible for effective delivery of financial services and transparent utilization of financial resources within UNFPA. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Analyst promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNFPA rules and regulations.

You will report directly to the Finance Analyst.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies. 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

 UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

In a global organization, where many of our people are based in challenging environments, you will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of critical services relating to Financial management. The Finance Analyst works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the Country Office (CO) and with UNFPA HQs staff and Government officials ensuring successful Country Office (CO) performance in Finance.

The Finance Analyst actively participates in local inter-agency coordination to ensure UNFPA’s needs in common systems and service issues are met. External partners include other UN agencies, vendors, and other non-UN partners that are essential to the work of the Finance section. 

You would be responsible for:

1.    Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNFPA rules and regulations.
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets of management projects.
• Establishment of the development projects’ budgets preparation/modification monitoring system, control of budgetary status versus authorized spending limits (ASL) and budgets delivery levels.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Processing of cost-recovery bills in Quantum for the services provided by UNDP.
• Carry out financial analysis and ensure oversight of all resources managed by the CO and provision of high-quality professional advice to the CO management.
• Prepare timely and accurate donor reports.
• Undertake continuous analysis and monitoring of the CO’s financial situation, and preparation of regular updates on the status of financial resources.
• Ensure full compliance, of financial activities, financial recording/reporting systems with UNFPA’s rules, regulations, policies and strategies; proper design and functioning of the financial resources management. 
• Support the IPs in preparation for the annual HACT Audit, preparing audit action plans and following up on the implementation of the audit recommendations by the IPs.

2.    Implement operational and financial management strategies; adapt processes and procedures to maximize effectiveness and efficiency focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UN rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
• Conduct CO finance business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance, 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 contributions within the CO resources mobilization efforts.
• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies.
• Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors and other UNFPA staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Supervise delivery of effective and efficient financial services to UNFPA’s staff and clients (payments, F10 settlements, reversals, petty cash, vendor initiation, etc.).
• Establish internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that all transactions are duly authorized; AP vouchers are matched and posted; payrolls are posted; travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed; receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals are properly done in compliance with IPSAS and UNFPA rules, policies and procedures.
• Facilitate effective budget management of office resources; elaborate proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
  

3.    Exercise proper control of CO accounts, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Build systems and procedures to ensure proper use and regular reconciliation of balance sheet accounts; organize timely collection of receivables and settlement of liabilities;
• Ensure oversight of Operating Fund Account (OFA); ensure full compliance of CO transactions with OFA policy; overview regular reconciliations of OFA accounts;
• Coordinate financial closure activities and submission of all due certifications to HQ; overview preparation of monthly and quarterly accountability checklists;
• Ensure correct coding of all CO transactions by chart of account elements including oversight over correct use of account and implementing agency codes;
• Timely corrective actions on un posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
•  Control of the Accounts Receivables and maintenance of the General Ledger.

4.    Facilitate building and sharing knowledge of finance among Country Office staff:

• Stay abreast of new IPSAS-related policies and Quantum upgrades; organize regular learning events for staff;
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on Finance;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance;
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice and share any updates with other CO colleagues

5.    Ensures proper CO cash management  focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Timely review of cash position for local mobile banking account to ensure sufficient funds on hand for disbursements for workshop allowances. Timely identification and recording of receipts for income application.
• Monitoring of financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions and investigation of anomalies or unusual transactions. Provision of information to supervisors and other UNFPA staff at HQ on the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Primary contact with mobile bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of rate on transactions.
• Transaction and stop payment approval on mobile banking systems.
• Approval and submission of monthly mobile account reports to management.
• Timely and accurate approval of mobile account reconciliation, including documented review of exceptions.
• Timely preparation of monthly workshop allowances cash flow forecast for use by Operations Manager and Programme Specialists. Liaison with programme units to obtain estimate of their cash requirements.
• Role as cashier for cash disbursements made on site.

6.    Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the management of the Country Office.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Advanced (Masters) university degree in Business Administration, Finance/Accounting, or related discipline. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Relevant experience in providing financial management services and operational system;
• 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;
• Experience of IPSAS or IFRS is an added advantage.
• UN common system experience, especially field experience, is desirable.

Languages: 

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable. 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact 

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Implementing management systems
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Client orientation 
• Managing the organization’s financial resources
• Organizational awareness 

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus;
• Engaging staff and partners;
• Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance;
• Making decisions and exercise judgment.

• Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following results: Financial resources management through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNFPA rules and regulations.
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets of management projects.
• Establishment of the development projects’ budgets preparation/modification monitoring system, control of the budgetary status versus authorized spending limits (ASL) and budgets delivery levels.
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Processing of cost-recovery bills in Quantum for the services provided by UNDP.
• Carry out financial analysis and ensure oversight of all resources managed by the CO and provision of high-quality professional advice to the CO management.
• Prepare timely and accurate donor reports.
• Undertake continuous analysis and monitoring of the CO’s financial situation, and preparation of regular updates on the status of financial resources.
• Ensure full compliance, of financial activities, financial recording/reporting systems with UNFPA’s rules, regulations, policies and strategies; proper design and functioning of the financial resources management.
• Support the IPs in preparation for the annual HACT Audit, preparing audit action plans and following up on the implementation of the audit recommendations by the IPs.
• Implement operational and financial management strategies; adapt processes and procedures to maximize effectiveness and efficiency focusing on achievement of the following results: Full compliance of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow up with UN/UN rules, regulations, policies and strategies; implementation of the effective internal control, proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
• Conduct CO finance business processes mapping and elaboration/establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance, 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 contributions within the CO resources mobilization efforts.
• Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies.
• Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs supervisors and other UNFPA staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
• Supervise delivery of effective and efficient financial services to UNFPA’s staff and clients (payments, F10 settlements, reversals, petty cash, vendor initiation, etc.).
• Establish internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that all transactions are duly authorized; AP vouchers are matched and posted; payrolls are posted; travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed; receipting of goods and services and establishment of accruals are properly done in compliance with IPSAS and UNFPA rules, policies and procedures.
• Facilitate effective budget management of office resources; elaborate proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
• Exercise proper control of CO accounts, focusing on the following results: Build systems and procedures to ensure proper use and regular reconciliation of balance sheet accounts; organize timely collection of receivables and settlement of liabilities;
• Ensure oversight of Operating Fund Account (OFA); ensure full compliance of CO transactions with OFA policy; overview regular reconciliations of OFA accounts;
• Coordinate financial closure activities and submission of all due certifications to HQ; overview preparation of monthly and quarterly accountability checklists;
• Ensure correct coding of all CO transactions by chart of account elements including oversight over correct use of account and implementing agency codes;
• Timely corrective actions on un posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
• Control of the Accounts Receivables and maintenance of the General Ledger.
• Facilitate building and sharing knowledge of finance among Country Office staff: Stay abreast of new IPSAS-related policies and Quantum upgrades; organize regular learning events for staff;
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on Finance;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in Finance;
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice and share any upd