Finance and Admin Officer- Spotlight Initiative EVAW Full-Time

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Spotlight Programme is a joint initiative of the United Nations system and the European Union in partnership with the Government and civil society of Mozambique to contribute to the elimination of gender-based and sexual violence, harmful practices and obstacles to access to sexual and reproductive health rights. It will focus on consolidating gains by developing a more effective response to violence against women and girls and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights, through innovative approaches that strengthen an enabling legal and policy framework, effective and coordinated institutions, community mobilization and empowerment, increased and equitable access to holistic and integrated care services, access to and use of quality statistical data and strengthened and dynamic women’s rights organizations.

Under the overall guidance of the Country Representative and the daily supervision by the Spotlight Initiative (SLI) Programme Officer, the Finance and Admin Officer is responsible for the execution of a wide range of administrative and financial services in the Country Office ensuring timeliness, efficiency and transparent use of financial resources and delivery of services in support of the Spotlight Initiative and in accordance with organizational financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures. The Finance and Admin Officer promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations, standard practices and guidelines.

The Finance and Admin Officer works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations Team in the Country Office and Regional Office in solving complex finance and administrative -related issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Implement financial and admin strategies in support of the Spotlight Initiative (SLI), in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, and recording and reporting systems

• Perform duties in full compliance with UN Women financial regulations and rules, policies and standard operating procedures, including internal controls;
• Prepare all procurement and financial requests, activities, and documentation related to the Spotlight Initiative (SLI); taking corrective actions as needed and reporting any unusual activities;
• Monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities or transaction, investigate anomalies and report to the supervisor conclusions and present recommendations for actions/decisions;
• Follow-up on donor reports schedule as per agreement to ensure timely reporting of the SLI Progress and to all partners
• Collect, verify and present information and data for use in the planning of financial resources and the formulation of the Country Office, programme work plans, budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements and execution modalities;
• Provide advice and recommend solutions to a wide range of financial issues to Project and Programme Officers;
• Monitor the proper functioning of the financial resources management system for the SLI Programme budgets and resources;
• Implement cost saving and reduction strategies;

2.Contribute to the management of the SLI programme and budgets in full compliance of UN Women rules, regulations, policies, recording and reporting systems

• Support in Annual Work Plan, quarterly and annual report entry in Results Management System (RMS) as required;
• Keep hard and soft project files updated;
• Support SLI budget formulation, control allotments, monitor expenditures, and prepare revisions according to the needs of the Country Office;
• Track the appropriate and timely use of financial resources;
• Prepare cost recovery documents or bills for the services provided by UN Women to other programmes or organizations;
• Support budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds;
• Implement and maintain control mechanism for development projects through monitoring budgets preparation and modifications and budgetary status;
• Maintain internal expenditure control system;
• Input data in Atlas and monitor status. Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely action and/or decisions;

3.Provide finance support to the Programme and Operations team

• Prepare the necessary documentation related and support the entire partner selection process for the implementation of the SLI Project;
• In coordination with the Operations Team, conduct and document spot checks to ensure accountability by the implementing partners;
• Monitor the setup of budgets in ATLAS to ensure they are in accordance with budgets agreed with the donor and are input into ATLAS at the detailed Activity ID level;
• Monitor each month over-expenditure of budgets and follow up with Budget Owner;
• Monitor regularly transactions posted to projects ensuring actual expenditure has been recorded against correct budget category and activity, take timely corrective actions as required;
• Monitor advances to implementing partners, review progress and financial reports together with project managers proposing and following up implementation  of agreed upon corrective  measures;
• Monitor the financial status and under the guidance of the Programme Officer, implement control mechanisms for management/development projects;
• Monitor and proper follow up of all the financial items in Month-end and Year-end closure instructions status and under the guidance of the Programme Officer, take correction actions as required;
• Keep stakeholders and clients informed for timely actions/decisions and review status reports for quality control;
• Provide information inputs to financial reports for Regional Office, HQ Finance and stakeholders;
• Provide inputs and take necessary actions to facilitate timely Operational project closure;
• Support financial donor reporting by providing timely information and taking necessary actions as required by UN Women Virtual Global Service Centre for financial donor reporting;

4.Contribute to knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Support organization and facilitation of training activities and events related to the SLI and produce quality  reports;
• Organize and conduct training on finance and administrative matters to partners;
• Collect and compile lessons learned and good practices in financial management and services and disseminate clients and stakeholders as appropriate;
• Contribute to financial business operational practices and management innovations;
• Contribute to communities of practice in the areas of responsibility;
• Timely, complete and accurate administrative and financial transactions/activities/documentation;
• Timely and accurate advice on UN Women financial rules and regulations;
• Timely and regular monitoring of financial resources management system and timely expenditure of financial resources;
• Timely and accurate support to budget formulation and controlling allotments;
• Timely and accurate monitoring of internal expenditures control systems;
• Timely and accurate drafting of management financial reports.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies

• Strong knowledge of financial rules and regulations and accounting principles;
• Strong knowledge and application skills of IT tools and understanding of management systems;
• Strong knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems;
• Ability to administer and execute financial and accounting processes and transactions.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration;
• Specialized national or international certification in accounting and finance is an asset;
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in finance and administration;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems;
• Experience working on EU funded projects is an asset;
• Fluency in English and Portuguese is required;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.