Finance Associate At UNOPS

Background Information – Philippines

Established in 2016, UNOPS Philippines provides expert support to ensure sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure activities in projects. With funds from the European Union (EU), UNOPS supports the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government under the Governance in Justice (GOJUST) Programme (GOJUST2) through procurement, logistics, and grants management to push forward the justice reform agenda of the Philippine government through innovations and interventions; as well as providing grants to civil society organisations to improve access to justice of marginalised groups. In the Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme, UNOPS is working with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Government strengthening capacities of the executive, legislative and judicial branches to ensure a smooth transition, also with funds from the EU.

In the health sector, UNOPS works with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the construction of health facilities in Eastern Samar, and with the DOH / ADB in the HEAL project (Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit COVID-19).

The UNOPS Philippines Office is part of the UNOPS Cambodia Multi-Country Officer (KHMCO), which provides oversight, support and services to UNOPS operations in the country offices.

UNOPS Philippines is in the process of expanding its area of engagement in cooperation with its development partners, focusing mainly on a portfolio of projects and programs in the infrastructure, logistics management, procurement in health, rule of law, and governance sectors and subsequently is looking for qualified and committed experts.

Background Information – Job-specific

Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme, the Action, is a 5-year programme funded by the European Union to contribute to a smooth and timely undertaking of the transition, through capacity building of the three branches of the Bangsamoro Government. This will promote an enabling good governance environment and support the efficient implementation of policies set up by the transition plan, with a focus on capacities that are critical for a sound functioning of interim institutions. These include: capacity of the BTA’s executive branch superstructure to drive and coordinate key transitional policies; capacity of the Parliament to exercise its law making and oversight functions; capacity of the Justice System to adjudicate litigations and improve access to justice, and capacity of the civil society to contribute to a peaceful transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The Action supports the institutional components of the peace process set out by the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Comprehensive Agreement and their implementing arrangements as well as BOL’s art. XVI provisions on the transition, through an integrated approach combining institution building and capacity building of core Bangsamoro democratic governance institutions, to efficiently undertake the transition, including post-transition.

UNOPS is one of the implementing partners of the SUBATRA Programme under Indirect Management and will be responsible for the provision of logistical and administrative support, which may include the organization of training, workshops, seminars and study tours; procurement of goods and services; infrastructure; and communication and visibility.

Under the direct supervision of the functional supervisor who reports to the Head of Support Services, the Finance Associate will provide financial and administrative support to the timely processing, recording, monitoring, and maintaining if financial transactions and accounts relating to payments and receipts in accordance with UNOPS’ financial rules, regulations, policies, and processes.

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Administration of budgets and cost-recovery system
2. Accounting, Payments and Administrative Support
3. Office cash management
4. Knowledge building and Knowledge sharing.

1. Administration of budgets and cost-recovery system

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

• Preparation and modifications of budgets for projects,
• Presentation of researched information for planning and status of office’s financial resources
• Provision of inputs for implementation of cost-saving and reduction strategies in consultation with the office management.
• Preparation of cost sharing allocations shared between projects , follow up on contributions within the office’s resource mobilization efforts.
• Periodically track and report on the projections and performance of the recoveries of Locally Managed Direct Costs (LMDC).

2. Project Accounting, Payments and Administrative Support

• Accounting and Payments functions focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Proper control of the supporting documents for payments and financial reports for projects; preparation of all types of vouchers; Pay Cycle and payments execution.
• As an alternative to the Finance DoA holder, review of payment requests for completeness prior to processing, ensuring that documentation needed is complete and that all required procedures are fulfilled to enable the payment.
• Liaise with the Project Management Office on tracking and reporting on annual targets, cash flows and other KPIs.
• Proper receipt of goods, services, and establishment of accruals.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, timely corrective actions on unposted voucher taken, including those with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers; transactions are correctly recorded and posted; travel claims, MPOs and other entitlements are duly processed
• Review of payment requests including supporting documents against the annual work plan.
• Assist in proper closure of projects and refund of unspent balances to donors from the financial accounting side.
• Timely response to HQ and to the KHMCO requests to resolve financial data issues.
• Timely corrective actions on erroneous data in the Enterprise system. Preparation of financial reports as required.
• Ensures effective and efficient provision of logistics and asset management support services and in compliance with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Preparation of vouchers for projects.

For Roving Positions outside ERP systems:

• Administer project advances, reconciliations, and replenishments, under authorized approvals as follows
• Liaise with the Project Manager and conduct necessary project visits to obtain all certified documents evidencing the completion of an activity, incurring of expenditure and identity of the party/vendor;
• Verify and monitor the accuracy of the statements and work plan compliance to provide replenishment of project funds.
• Collect all certified supporting documents, signatures, names and other particulars of the beneficiaries in receipt claims / reimbursements;
• Undertake required recording of transactions
• Reconcile the available balance of funds with the balance shown in the register;
• Where authorized, replenish funds upon receipt of relevant original documents and other evidence, and performing a reconciliation of the figures, beneficiaries, work plan and budget;
• Ensure settlement of the balance of cash in hand.

3. Office cash management

• Effect of petty cash and operational advances after submission of the reconciliation and settlement of the previous advances.

4. Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on finance-related topics.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources.
• Contribute feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively.
• As Key Business User provides financial management support in the financial management module of Enterprise system to internal clients.

Education

• Completion of secondary/high school is required.
• CPA, first University Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent disciplines is desirable but not required.
• A Bachelor or Masters would be an asset and may substitute for some of the required years of experience.
• Relevant certification in financial management or accounting is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant working experience within the areas of finance, accounting, business administration or related field is required.
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial rules and regulations is an asset.
• Working knowledge of ERP is desired.
• Fully proficient computer skills in either Microsoft (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) or Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) are desired.
• Some experience in UN system organizations is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in both written and spoken English and Tagalog is desired.