The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations body responsible for infrastructure, procurement and project management (General Assembly Resolution 65/176 of 2010). Our mission is to help people improve their living conditions and countries to achieve peace and sustainable development. The three priority areas of UNOPS correspond to:

Sustainable infrastructure: UNOPS designs, builds, repairs and maintains infrastructure in some of the world's most challenging environments, as well as in middle-income countries. Its activities are focused on the development of transportation, education and health infrastructure, among other areas. Public procurement: UNOPS is a central procurement resource for the United Nations system and its partners. It emphasizes efficient, transparent, and cost-sustainable delivery of goods and services. Project management: UNOPS manages over a thousand humanitarian, development and peacebuilding projects per year for different partners, ensuring quality, effectiveness and results that meet the highest standards.

The work of UNOPS seeks environmental, social and economic sustainability, which contributes to the progress of equity and the common good of the countries in which it operates, thus promoting the improvement of the living conditions of those most in need. UNOPS has a presence in 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The services, products and technical assistance comply with the principles of the public administration of transparency, equity, integrity, free competition, impartiality, morality, effectiveness, efficiency and respect for national institutions.

UNOPS has been providing technical assistance in the implementation of health infrastructure projects with the Government of Nicaragua and various International Development Banks. The assistance will include, among others, the strengthening of capacities and implementation of investment programs and projects, development and / or review of investment studies, designs and definitive studies, procurement strategies, bidding and contracting processes, as well as management of infrastructure works and supervision of works.

For the purposes of efficiently and pertinently fulfilling the commitments acquired in the framework of this technical assistance, UNOPS has structured a Technical Unit to implement products for the elaboration of designs, implementation of works and procurement of medical equipment and furniture, which must generate documents that compile terms of reference, bidding rules and procurement strategies for a group of projects. At the same time, UNOPS will implement procurement processes for goods and services and will manage the construction process through quality assurance.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Project Manager, the Financial Associate provides support to the operations of the office by carrying out financial and administrative processes that guarantee the process, registration, monitoring and timely maintenance of financial processes and transactions, with handling of accounts related to payments and receipts in accordance with UNOPS financial rules, regulations, policies and processes.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific activities:

Budget management and cost recovery system

• Ensure the administration of budgets and the operation of the expenditure system, focused on achieving the following results, preparation and control of the budget for projects.
• Financial planning and accounting (FP&A) real data, forecasting and budgeting.
• Provision of inputs for the implementation of savings and cost reduction strategies together with the office administration.
• Accounting, payments and payroll

Functions focused on the achievement of accounting, payment and payroll results:

• Adequate control of supporting documents for payments and financial reports for projects; preparation of vouchers / vouchers; Payment cycles and payment execution.
• Ensure accurate entry of project data into the Enterprise system (if you are a member of the finance team).
• Review of payment requests including supporting documents under the annual work plan. Accounting closures.

For positions outside the ERP System:

Manage progress, reconciliations and replenishment of projects, under authorized approvals, as follows:

• Maintain direct contact with the Program Officers and make the required and necessary visits to the Project to obtain the certified documents evidencing the completion of the activity, which incur the expenses of the parties / supplier, verify and monitor the accuracy of the states and the fulfillment of the work plan in order to provide the provision of the initial capital.
• Reconciliation of the balance of available funds reflected in the records.

CO Petty Cash Management:

• Ensure timely review of petty cash management of local accounts to ensure that sufficient funds are available for disbursements, bank statements from balance accounts.
• Timely and accurate preparation of bank reconciliations, monthly cash flow forecast.
• Liaison with clients to obtain an estimate of cash needs.
• Knowledge creation and exchange
• Organize, facilitate and offer training and learning initiatives for staff on finance-related topics.
• As a key user, provide support in financial management in the financial management module of the Enterprise system to customers / internal users.

Monitoring and control of progress:

• To ensure and verify the performance of the Financial Associate, performance evaluations will be carried out by the supervisor through the PER online evaluation.
• To see the complete list of functions download the attached PDF.

EDUCATION

Education

• Completion of secondary studies is required.
• A first-level university level (equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree) preferably in Public Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration or related disciplines is desirable and can replace some of the required years of experience .
• Studies at a technical level preferably in Public Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration or related disciplines is desirable and can replace some of the years of experience required .
• Relevant certification in financial or accounting management will be an advantage.

Work experience

• It requires from 02 to 06 six years of relevant experience (depending on academic credentials) in accounting services, finance, business administration or related area.
• Knowledge of UNOPS financial policies and regulations, knowledge of administrative or financial ERPs will be valued.
• Experience with MS Office, financial management, use of electronic systems, GSuite will be valued.
• Experience in organizations of the System of Nations is desirable.

Languages

• Fluent Spanish is required.
• Knowledge of the English language at work level is desirable.

Source:https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=20901