Treasury Accountant At UNOPS

Background Information – Job-specific

UNOPS mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS provides its partners with advisory, implementation and transactional services, with projects ranging from building schools and hospitals, to procuring goods and services and training local personnel. UNOPS works closely with governments and communities to ensure increased economic, social and environmental sustainability for the projects we support, with a focus on developing national capacity.

UNOPS vision is a world where people can live full lives supported by appropriate, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and by the efficient and transparent use of public resources in procurement and project management.

With over 8,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

The Finance Group (FG) is a critical and strategic business function in UNOPS and serves as an authoritative and integrated partner in the organization on strategic financial planning and budgeting, financial policy, practices, analysis, management services and reporting, organizational treasury and investments, internal control and enterprise risk management. As the steward of resources of a self-financing UN entity, FG is accountable for processes to ensure timely cost recovery and reporting to partners, maintaining the integrity and transparency of financial management of resources in accordance with the highest standards of ethics and organizational/international accountability framework and the accurate and transparent financial reporting to governing bodies, clients, partners and stakeholders.

The Treasury Accountant reports to the Head of Financial Statements and UNBOA Relations who provides broad supervision and guidance. The Treasury Accountant is responsible for accounting and efficient financial reporting of treasury related transactions. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial regulations and rules and the applicable accounting standards (IPSAS) and provides solutions and advice to a wide spectrum of complex accounting transactions and promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS regulations and rules.

Functional Responsibilities

1. TREASURY ACCOUNTING
2. FINANCIAL REPORTING/OVERSIGHT
3. INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AUDIT/LIAISON
4. CAPACITY BUILDING

1. TREASURY ACCOUNTING

• Ensure appropriate accounting of treasury related transactions involving but not limited to the following
  1. FX – Spot, Forwards, NDF, Options
  2. Interest Rate Derivatives (OTC and Exchange Traded)
  3. Inflation Swaps
  4. Equity and Credit derivatives (CDS & Equity futures)
  5. Cash, Cash Equivalents, Fixed Income (Sovereign, Supranational,Agency MBS, Corporate Bonds, Money Market Funds)
• Support ad-hoc valuation exercises of UNOPS investment portfolios, including liaising with UNOPS asset managers and global custodian
• Ensure appropriate hedge accounting and review of hedging performance
• Support UNOPS Treasury unit with managing of hedge efficiencies and effectiveness, both from a policy perspective linked to hedge accounting requirements where needed, but from a treasury hedging point of view including hedge coverage, slippage, cost of hedging, etc
• Ensure accurate accounting of UNOPS financial portfolios (including the After Service Health Insurance – ASHI) in accordance with UNOPS business model and related accounting standards (IPSAS)
• Support treasury in triannual ALM study on liability driven investment portfolios (ASHI)
• Maintain a high level of accuracy and system integrity through reviewing of accounting results between UNOPS Treasury Management System and the ERP
• Advise backoffice on accounting and reporting matters of in-house treasury transactions and liaise with treasury unit on a regular basis including setup and structure of new financial instruments both within UNOPS policies and at system level in UNOPS TMS (Kyriba)
• Ensure accurate monthly recording and accounting of UNOPS investments externally managed in UNOPS book of records
• Ensure in-depth understanding and recording of collateralisation postings (paid/received) for the different types of margin calls in accordance with UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and other applicable Organizational Directives and Operational Instruction and accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Exercise periodic monitoring over transactions and account balances/ reconciliations to ensure compliance with UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and other applicable Organizational Directives and Operational Instruction and accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Ensure that all applicable deadlines to books closures are met

2. FINANCIAL REPORTING/OVERSIGHT

• Oversee and document accounting compliance of treasury related transactions in ERP to the treasury policies, Investment principles, UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and accounting standards (IPSAS)
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on accounting results of UNOPS portfolios and in collaboration with treasury unit bridge the accounting results with the financial performance of UNOPS portfolios
• Ensure treasury related transaction are accurately recorded and promptly reported in accordance with the relevant accounting standards (IPSAS)
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on analysis of foreign exchange results reported in General Ledger
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on analysis of externally managed investments
• Support preparation and consolidation of monthly and quarterly financial forecasts in close collaboration with other units including UNOPS treasury unit
• Support in preparation of corporate financial statements, in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), including all the necessary supporting schedules and notes

3. INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AUDIT / LIAISON

• Provide support to the head of the unit during internal and external audit processes.
• Manage treasury related external audit queries during interim and year end audit
• Manage internal audit related queries in relation to verification exercises
• Establish effective, robust and open working relationships with key counterparts (including front, middle, and backoffice) and ensure expectations are managed, key issues communicated and potential blockers resolved in a timely manner

4. CAPACITY BUILDING

• Support process documentation and continuous process improvements including development of SoPs and related PQMS

.

• Become a subject matter expert on accounting for treasury related transactions
• Develop innovative solutions to optimize financial processes and reduce manual work and increase automation around financial reporting
• Responsible for providing guidance and advice to finance practitioners in the area of financial accounting, interpretation and operational guidance on the application of the accounting standards (IPSAS) and UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules (FRR)
• Participates in the development of Operational Manuals.
• Monitor development and updates to accounting standards (IPSAS) related to financial instruments and ensure due knowledge sharing and operational preparation of organization for compliance purposes
• Provide expert advice and support in regular book closure and year-end closure process
• Maintain a log of issues identified, analyze data and draw a holistic action plan to improve processes and establish necessary controls based on lessons learned.
• Contribute to developing and maintaining a strong control environment around financial reporting and the integrity of financial transactions used for preparation of corporate financial statements.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• Master’s Degree or equivalent preferably in Finance, Accounting, Financial Management or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree.
• Fully qualified accounting qualification with a recognised accountancy body is required.
• Specialized certifications such as chartered financial analyst (CFA) is considered as asset

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of treasury accounting working experience within an international environment
• A thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is required.
• Excellent computer skills and ability to use software tools to present data clearly and concisely are required.
• Knowledge and experience in Treasury Management Systems, and ERP is considered an asset.
• Ability to constructively challenge the status quo and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Language

• Full working knowledge of English.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-2
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.