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Finance Analyst (Nationals only)

Brasília

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Brasília
  • Grade: Junior level - NO-B, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Banking and Finance
  • Closing Date: 2025-01-06

Background
 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
 
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
 
As all countries around the globe are seeking new ways to address complex and interconnected challenges such as shocks from crises, economic stagnation, inequality and poverty, providing access to clean and affordable energy, protect the environment, or mitigating and adapting to climate change, UNDP aims to develop integrated responses to these issues.
 
UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to multi-lateral and bi-lateral partnerships, UNDP provides countries with specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme/project formulation and implementation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.
 
The UNDP Country Office (CO) in Brazil is a key development partner of the Brazilian government and supports national and sub-national public and private sector institutions and civil society to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive society by strengthening democratic institutions, improvement of governance effectiveness, reduction of poverty and inequalities and addressing climate change and biodiversity issues.
 
In the pursuit of aligning organizational resources with UNDP strategic objectives and serving as the overarching framework to propel the operational reform agenda and streamline the United Nations' (UN) operational presence in Brazil, the Country Office (CO) has structured its functional organization into three primary domains: the management support functions, the Programme team, and the Operations Team. The Operations Team is further comprised of units encompassing Finance, Human Resources (HR), Support to Projects, and the Common Back Office (CBO), which encompasses common services for the UN House, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Administration and Logistics, Procurement and Travel, and HR services tailored for UN entities and Protocol. All of these units bear the responsibility for ensuring the adherence to UN principles and UNDP policies and procedures in the realm of operational functions.
 
The Operations Team plays a pivotal role in enhancing the efficacy of UN operational services and UNDP Brazil. It does so by crafting a comprehensive service delivery platform aimed at providing operational solutions to all UN entities and UNDP programs and projects. Moreover, it coordinates operational services and explores their potential expansion to the UN Common Back Office.
The Finance team supports the Country Office (CO) in the promotion of its sustainable development agenda by continuously enhancing CO financial performance, delivering sound management of financial resources, and ensuring strong accountability through informed decision making, effective financial management processes, and transparent financial reporting that complies with international standards and regulatory guidelines.
 
 
Position Purpose
Under the guidance of the DRR, and direct supervision of the Operations Manager & UN Common Back-Office in Brazil, the Finance Analyst is responsible for effective delivery of financial services, transparent utilization of financial resources, and management of the Country Office (CO) Finance Unit. The Financial Analyst analyzes and interprets financial rules and regulations and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex financial issues. The Finance Analyst promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.
 
The Finance Analyst manages the CO Finance Unit and supervises and leads the unit’s staff. The Finance Analyst works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and Project teams in the CO, UNDP HQs and GSSC staff, and Government officials to ensure successful CO financial performance.
 
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
 
 
Duties and Responsibilities
 
1.) Ensure implementation of operational and financial management strategies and adapt processes and procedures.
  • Ensure CO financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and audit follow-up comply with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and strategies. Provide support in closure of audit gaps, implement effective internal controls, and ensure proper design and functioning of the financial resources management system.
  • Support office management in preparing and reviewing CO Finance business processes mapping and elaborate/establish internal standard operating procedures in the Finance Unit, and control Finance Unit workflows.
  • Provide continuous analysis and monitoring of the financial situation and potential risks; and provide forecasts for allocated development and management projects, transactions, and activities.
  • Support country office management to articulate the framework and conditions of contributions within the CO resources mobilization efforts.
    Elaborate and implement cost saving and reduction strategies.
  • Routinely monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. Inform senior CO management and other UNDP staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained.
 
2.) Clear the budget of development projects, manage budgets of management projects and Direct Project Costs (DPC), and organize an optimal cost-recovery system.
  • Manage financial resources through planning, guiding, controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP POPP guidelines.
  • Prepare and monitor budgets of management projects in ERP. Provide regular analysis and report on budget approvals and delivery situation of management projects.
  • Establish the management projects’ budget preparation/modification monitoring system; and monitor and report on control of budgetary status versus authorized spending limits (ASL) and budgets delivery levels.
  • Elaborate proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management.
  • Organize cost-recovery and DPC mechanisms for services provided by UNDP ensuring the preparation of pro-forma invoices for UN agencies in ERP and monitor through the ERP tracking system. Ensure cost-sharing financing contributions are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis.
 
3.)  Ensure proper control of CO accounts.
  • Elaborate internal expenditures’ control system for all transactions, including invoices and General Ledger. Ensure invoices processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ERP; and travel claims and other entitlements are duly processed in IPSAS compliance.
  • Exercise appropriate delegated authorities for transactions approval.
  • Ensure timely corrective actions on unposted invoices, including invoices with validation errors, match exceptions, and/or unapproved invoices. Provide timely response to HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
  • Ensure control of the Accounts Receivables for UNDP projects and accounts closure. 
 
4.)  Ensure proper CO cash and Treasury management, including risk assessment and adequate security for cash assets on site.
  • Provide timely review of cash position for local accounts to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements and maintain liquidity level approved by Treasury. Ensure timely identification and recording of receipts/deposit creation for revenue application.
  • Identify and record contributions.
  • Serve as primary contact with local bank management on routine operational matters including negotiation of exchange rate on replenishments. Serve as member of bank signatory panel.
  • Review bank reconciliation and provide documentation to GSSC in accordance with service level agreement.
  • Prepare monthly cash flow forecast and ensure sufficient cash balance in local bank account. Liaise with participating UN agencies to obtain disbursement estimate of their cash requirements. Serve as cashier for cash disbursements made on site.
 
5.) Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO and guidance to all stakeholders on financial matters.
  • Provide support in identifying training needs of UNDP staff for the purpose of capacity development in finance compliance.
  • Organize and conduct training for the operations/programme/projects staff on financial management and RBM. Assist in providing regular training and technical guidance/advice on audit and compliance matters, including implementation of Internal Control Framework (ICF).
  • Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in Finance.
  • Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
 
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
 
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervise personnel in the Finance unit.
 
 
Competencies
 
Core Competencies
  • ACHIEVE RESULTS - LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
  • THINK INNOVATEVELY - LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
  • LEARN CONTINUOUSLY - LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
  • ADAPT WITH AGILITY - LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
  • ACT WITH DETERMINATION - LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
  • ENGAGE AND PARTNER - LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
  • ENABLE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION - LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
 
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
 
 
Cross-Functional Competencies
  • BUSINESS DIRECTION & STRATEGY
    • SYSTEM THINKING: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
  • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
    • CUSTOMER SATISFACTION / CLIENT MANAGEMENT: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
 
Technical Competencies
  • OPERATIONS: FINANCE
    • ACCOUNTING (GENERAL): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, policies and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.
    • FINANCIAL PLANNING AND BUDGETING: Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.
    • AUDIT RISK MANAGEMENT: Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved.
    • FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT: Ensures financial resilience through proactive assessment of risk, implementation of controls and taking mitigating action. Understands risk and reward in relation to collaborative and commercial projects. Ensures a culture of positive risk management.
 
Required Skills and Experience
 
Education:
  • A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Master’s) University Degree in Finance and/or Accounting is required. OR
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  • Candidates with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
  • Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.
  • Candidates satisfying the two above criteria are exempted from undertaking the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT).
  • Candidates with MBA or master's in finance with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting.
 
Experience:
  • Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in providing financial management services, and/or managing staff and operational systems is required.
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages is required.
  • Experience of IPSAS and/or IFRS is required for external candidates is required.
  • Relevant experience at the national or international level in providing financial management advisory services and/or risk management is desirable.
  • Experience in providing financial and budget support to programmes/project is an asset.
  • Experience in working UN system or an international organization is considered an advantage.
  • Experience in audit and compliance management will be an asset.
 
Languages:
  • Fluency in English is required.
  • Fluency in Portuguese is required.
 
Disclaimer
Important applicant information
All posts in the NO categories are subject to local recruitment.
Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.
 
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
 
Workforce diversity
UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
 
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