Job Description

Job no: 569354
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Mogadishu
Level: NO-1
Location: Somalia
Categories: Operations, Programme Management, Financial Management

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Protection

Purpose of the job

The Finance Officer reports to the Regional Chief/Chief Operations or Finance Specialist for close guidance, training, and supervision. The Finance Officer provides support to the supervisor and colleagues in the office by administering and executing a variety of technical and professional transactions/initiatives in financial management and services, applying theoretical skills, and acquiring thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and organizational goals and objectives, Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures through the performance of tasks.

Main activities

1. Support to financial planning and management.

• Provide operational and technical assistance in the financial planning process for CPMP by preparing/analyzing financial data/estimates and documentations verifying relevancy, accuracy, and completeness to support budget planning. Provide financial operations support throughout the financial planning and implementation process.
• Assist with the preparation budgets and plans for Global Fund grants in accordance with UNICEF and Global Fund budgeting guidelines.
• Assist in review of partner budget agreements before they are signed, ensuring congruence of agreements and the Global Fund budget partner allocations.
• Allocate funds to Zonal Offices and partners in accordance with their Master budget allocations with the approval of program managers & the Finance Specialist and regularly monitor on the utilization of allocated funds.
• Assess budget expenditures to verify compliance to allotment, codes, guidelines, and procedures. Prepare regular analysis, modification, and reports on the budget situation for higher management oversight and action.
• Contribute technically to the program counterpart to review budgets and financial plans of implementing partners; monitor compliance with HACT framework, including support to assessments, assurance, and capacity development of implementing partners.
• Prepare financial exception reports, highlight unusual activities and transactions, investigate anomalies, and keep supervisor informed for timely action.
• Review financial and reputational risks in the transactions carried out by the office and raise flags when action is needed by management.
• Assist the zonal offices in the timely preparation and submission of accurate financial reports to country office.
• Prepare timely and accurate donor financial reports on the assigned grants and work closely with the supervisor on the submission of shared donor templates.
•  Assist the Finance Specialist with the planning and coordination of sub-recipient annual audits and follow up with partners on the execution of audit recommendations.

1. Monitoring & Control

• Provide rigorous budget monitoring and control to ensure timely and accurate budget utilization and raise awareness of areas of significant under performance and delayed implementation of assigned grants.
• Monitor the aging of cash advances to partners and commitments of the Global Fund grants and fast track them as necessary.
• Ensure the production of monitoring reports (donor reports, other routine management reports produced by VISION, non-routine reports, and presentations) and share with the supervisor, GFATM and Health Section
• Carry out mid-term budget reviews (reprogramming) and promptly prepare revised budgets that are based on accurate performance analysis and realistic program implementation projections.
• Ensure that payments to partners are processed on time and in accordance with agreed budgets/Workplans, and financial reports are received on quarterly basis as required by HACT Guidelines.
• Ensure that program assets are correctly recognized, classified, and documented in compliance with UNICEF policies and procedures and reported to the donor.

1. Cash Management & Forecasting

• Create a reliable liquidity plan and financial forecast for Global Fund Grants on semesterly basis in accordance with approved budgets.
• Monitor the Global Fund's bank charges and ensure they are promptly paid.
• Work closely with HACT to ensure that ineligible refunds are properly credited to the correct grants and promptly refunded as required by the donor.

1. Knowledge and capacity building

• Promote culture of highest ethical standards and behavior in management of UNICEF’s resources.
• Support initiatives for management improvement by capturing, institutionalizing, and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Recommend improvements in processes and procedures to enhance productivity and performance including implementation of cost saving strategies.
• Participate and/or organize training and learning events to build capacity of staff and stakeholders/partners.
• Support operations of the office as required.

Experiences and Qualifications

Job no: 569354
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Mogadishu
Level: NO-1
Location: Somalia
Categories: Operations, Programme Management, Financial Management

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Protection

Purpose of the job

The Finance Officer reports to the Regional Chief/Chief Operations or Finance Specialist for close guidance, training, and supervision. The Finance Officer provides support to the supervisor and colleagues in the office by administering and executing a variety of technical and professional transactions/initiatives in financial management and services, applying theoretical skills, and acquiring thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and organizational goals and objectives, Financial Regulations and Rules, policies and procedures through the performance of tasks.

Main activities

1. Support to financial planning and management.

• Provide operational and technical assistance in the financial planning process for CPMP by preparing/analyzing financial data/estimates and documentations verifying relevancy, accuracy, and completeness to support budget planning. Provide financial operations support throughout the financial planning and implementation process.
• Assist with the preparation budgets and plans for Global Fund grants in accordance with UNICEF and Global Fund budgeting guidelines.
• Assist in review of partner budget agreements before they are signed, ensuring congruence of agreements and the Global Fund budget partner allocations.
• Allocate funds to Zonal Offices and partners in accordance with their Master budget allocations with the approval of program managers & the Finance Specialist and regularly monitor on the utilization of allocated funds.
• Assess budget expenditures to verify compliance to allotment, codes, guidelines, and procedures. Prepare regular analysis, modification, and reports on the budget situation for higher management oversight and action.
• Contribute technically to the program counterpart to review budgets and financial plans of implementing partners; monitor compliance with HACT framework, including support to assessments, assurance, and capacity development of implementing partners.
• Prepare financial exception reports, highlight unusual activities and transactions, investigate anomalies, and keep supervisor informed for timely action.
• Review financial and reputational risks in the transactions carried out by the office and raise flags when action is needed by management.
• Assist the zonal offices in the timely preparation and submission of accurate financial reports to country office.
• Prepare timely and accurate donor financial reports on the assigned grants and work closely with the supervisor on the submission of shared donor templates.
•  Assist the Finance Specialist with the planning and coordination of sub-recipient annual audits and follow up with partners on the execution of audit recommendations.

1. Monitoring & Control

• Provide rigorous budget monitoring and control to ensure timely and accurate budget utilization and raise awareness of areas of significant under performance and delayed implementation of assigned grants.
• Monitor the aging of cash advances to partners and commitments of the Global Fund grants and fast track them as necessary.
• Ensure the production of monitoring reports (donor reports, other routine management reports produced by VISION, non-routine reports, and presentations) and share with the supervisor, GFATM and Health Section
• Carry out mid-term budget reviews (reprogramming) and promptly prepare revised budgets that are based on accurate performance analysis and realistic program implementation projections.
• Ensure that payments to partners are processed on time and in accordance with agreed budgets/Workplans, and financial reports are received on quarterly basis as required by HACT Guidelines.
• Ensure that program assets are correctly recognized, classified, and documented in compliance with UNICEF policies and procedures and reported to the donor.

1. Cash Management & Forecasting

• Create a reliable liquidity plan and financial forecast for Global Fund Grants on semesterly basis in accordance with approved budgets.
• Monitor the Global Fund's bank charges and ensure they are promptly paid.
• Work closely with HACT to ensure that ineligible refunds are properly credited to the correct grants and promptly refunded as required by the donor.

1. Knowledge and capacity building

• Promote culture of highest ethical standards and behavior in management of UNICEF’s resources.
• Support initiatives for management improvement by capturing, institutionalizing, and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Recommend improvements in processes and procedures to enhance productivity and performance including implementation of cost saving strategies.
• Participate and/or organize training and learning events to build capacity of staff and stakeholders/partners.
• Support operations of the office as required.

Skills Required

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