Finance Specialist

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

The New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) leads the organization's New York-based portfolios to successfully deliver project and programme management as well as procurement, human resources, and financial management services for its partners with global mandates, ranging from the UN Secretariat to UN funds, programmes, and agencies, and ultimately to UN Member States.

The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

Under the direct supervision of the functional supervisor and the overall direction of the Finance Advisor, the Finance Specialist will support the Finance Advisor in maintaining a robust control environment. The incumbent acts as a key bridge between HQ-level policy and field execution, ensuring financial integrity and excellence in client-facing performance.The role contributes to the finance vision of being a true business  partner to UNOPS projects, by providing advice and governance of project financial reporting  and closure. 

The incumbent will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Important Considerations:

• These Terms of Reference are generic and indicative. Not all tasks listed may be required, and additional duties may be assigned as appropriate and consistent with the scope of services. 

• This recruitment aims to fill an ongoing, full-time position. Depending on actual needs, the hiring unit may decide to recruit endorsed qualified professionals for contracts with different working conditions (short/long term, part/full-time, retainer, regular or ongoing positions).

The Finance Specialist plans, manages and leads project and office financial operations, ensuring integrity, transparency and compliance with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRRs), IPSAS standards, and donor/ partner requirements. The role provides guidance on budgeting, cash management, cost recovery, financial reporting, and internal controls, while strengthening the financial management capacity of project and field teams.

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Finance Specialist directly have an impact on the overall execution of the UNOPS financial services.  Accurate analysis and presentation of financial information ensures proper financial processes in the organization.

1. Provision of strategic support to NYPO 

2. Management of Client Project Financial Closure & Verification of Final Financial Report

3. Project Fund Management and Budget Approvals 

4. Lead Partner Financial Reporting, refinement, and capacity building

5. Client reporting and other project finance-related aspects 

6. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing/ Team Management

1. Provision of Strategic Support to NYPO 

• Develop Finance/Budget annual work plan, setting of priorities and planning of work in line with corporate goals and business planning process for NYPO projects. 

• Monitor and analyze the operating environment to ensure adequate agility, risk management and quick readjustment of the operations as needed 

• Reduce reputational risk by ensuring NYPO's financial reporting requirements are met 

• Lead internal and external audit exercises and accountability for financial audit recommendations.

• Act as the practice specialist by contributing to corporate strategy requirements, and to corporate recommendations made by Finance Group 

• Drive finance function initiatives to ensure added value and optimal support across NYPO, as well as the achievement of the Strategic Objectives 

• Contribute with specialist financial knowledge to long-term strategy of NYPO's business efficiencies

• Ensure financial records are maintained and available on file for review by clients upon request. 

• Lead the revision of LSS models and manage financial conversations with clients regarding cost recovery.

• Support monthly LSS budget monitoring and communicate deviations to relevant teams

1. Management of Client Project Financial Closure & Verification of Final Financial Report

This includes the preparation of partner-related Final Financial Reports focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Lead financial closure activities, ensuring all activities conclude within agreed financial limits.

• Ensure that project financial closure activities are initiated in a timely manner to guarantee efficient project budget management.

• Responsible for verifying the Final Financial Reports (FFR) for the accurate and timely closure of client projects, in charge of requesting corrections and/or clarification where needed, and ensuring that the final financial reports are tailored to partner-specific needs and share the certified reports with the related field office after the approval of the report.

• Ensure that the FFR issued are in full compliance with UNOPS' rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and partner-reporting requirements as agreed in the legal agreement and/or in the global agreement between UNOPS and the partner.

• Support for any project audit/verification to identify transactions, prepare documentation etc. 

• Any other project financial closure and verification tasks as necessary.

1. Project Fund Management and Budget Approvals

• Review and release internal (project) budgets, including cost estimates and budget revisions in line with the approved budgets at engagement/legal agreement level.

• Verify the completeness and accuracy of the supporting documentation for advance financing requests and ensure the associated financial risks are mitigated as much as possible. Submits received requests transparently with a recommendation for action to senior management where applicable

• Track project budgets and conduct detailed variance analyses to identify risks to budget adherence.

• Ensuring that advance financing is recovered as it becomes due according to the terms of their approval. Escalate cases that can not be recovered as per the original plan, with a recommendation of action to senior management.

• Process refunds/transfer of surplus project cash balances once the partner has accepted the Final Financial Reports, as and when needed. The refunds are based on the approved FFRs, and the incumbent is expected to verify the correct banking information for the cash transfer to the partner.

• Process refunds/transfer of surplus project cash balances for ongoing projects. 

• Liaise with FG colleagues to process exceptional financial closure, including application of balances to the unclaimed balance account and oversight of balances on the account.

• Any other project fund management and budget management tasks as necessary.

1. Lead Partner Financial Reporting, refinement, and capacity building

• Provides support through tools and reports on the project financial closure process performance.

• Serve as a "third line of defense" regarding payroll payments to ensure compliance with client DoAs.

• Provides support through tools on the project financial reporting performance.

• Provides support through tools and reports on the refund/transfer process and the exceptional closure balances.

• Support the establishment and implementation of an effective expenditure control framework, ensuring that vouchers are matched, verified, and cleared in accordance with financial rules.

• Proposes solutions to resolve issues linked to the financial reporting and closure of partner projects, e.g. delay in partner responses, late submission of reports, etc.

• Advise management on financial accountability mechanisms, including full-cost recovery and spending limit oversight.

1. Client reporting and other project finance-related aspects

• Prepare, review and analyze monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports for management and donors, ensuring accuracy and adherence to reporting timelines.

• Support the preparation of client financial statements, interim financial reports (IFRs), and delivery reports in line with contractual and audit requirements.

• Develop and maintain financial dashboards and reporting tools for portfolio oversight and performance analysis.

• Ensure reports are timely, accurate, and compliant with donor requirements and funding agreements.

• Act as the main point of contact for clients’ financial queries and requests for information.

• Coordinate with clients to ensure data collection and reporting follow agreed formats and timelines

• Contribute to the annual financial closure process, ensuring all accounts are reconciled and adjustments made in compliance with UNOPS standards.

1. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing/ Team Management

• Serve as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) when the Finance Advisor is unavailable.

• Participate in strategic meetings, such as Steering Committees and Quarterly Assurance Meetings, to provide financial guidance.

• Ensure financial strategies align with project priorities and external donor expectations.

• Foster knowledge building by sharing best practices and contributing to financial SOP development.

• Assists in training of colleagues upon requests from portfolio managers, the supervisor and other finance officers on project finance management.

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or other disciplines with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• A master's degree (or equivalent) in any of the above disciplines with 5 years of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• Professional certification (e.g. CPA, ACCA, CA, CIMA) is desired.

• Knowledge of IPSAS or other international accounting standards is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in project financial management, budgeting, cash management and financial reporting, or related areas.

• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.

Desired

• Familiarity with digital technologies and their application in process optimization and automation is highly desirable.

• Familiarity with UNOPS or other UN policies, processes, tools and systems is an asset. 

• Experience in people management is highly desirable.

• Experience in large scale digital transformation would be an asset.

• Experience working in a UNOPS, UN or other large international organization at country level is desirable.

• Applicants with Non-UN experience are encouraged to apply. 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.