Job Title: Snr Regional Admin/ Finance Officer
Job ID: 7432
Location: Almaty,
Kazakhstan
APA Location: Almaty,
Kazakhstan
Salary Grade: P4
Hardship Level: B
Family Type Location: Family
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:
The Senior Regional Admin/Finance Officer is part of the
Senior Management of a Regional Office, Regional Hub or Regional Service
Centre. He/she will establish and maintain efficient administrative control
mechanisms to ensure compliance with UNHCR and UN administrative, human
resources and financial rules and procedures.
Frequent external contacts with counterparts in other
organizations or at working level in national Governments on issues of
importance to Organization's programmes. He/she acts as adviser or
representative of the Organization with authority to discuss problems and seek
common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines
provided by higher authority.
The incumbent directly supervises professional and general
service staff.
FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability:
* UNHCR premises in the region are managed in an efficient
and cost-effective manner, and provide a healthy, safe and respectful working
environment.
* UNHCR's financial rules and regulations, policies and
procedures are adhered to in the region.
* UNHCR's resources are allocated efficiently and
transparently to meet the region's objectives and priorities.
* UNHCR's cash is safeguarded in the regional office.
* The Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP) is up-to-date and
reflects the necessary segregation of duties in the region.
* Risks are identified, and a mitigation plan is
implemented.
Responsibility:
General Administration
* Provide functional direction to admin/finance officers
within the region.
* Ensure the provision of resources (human, material and
services) necessary to support the operations in the region.
* Manage services and contracts relating to the functioning
and maintenance of the regional office's premises, furniture and equipment.
* Participate in the physical verification of UNHCR property
plant and equipment.
* Advise the Regional Representative and senior staff on
personnel and administrative policies and procedures.
* Undertake missions to field locations within the region to
review administrative arrangements and make appropriate recommendations as
required.
* Provide support and advice to country offices, in close
coordination with Headquarters, in identifying and adhering to minimum
operating security standards (MOSS) and minimum operating residential security
standards (MORSS).
Human Resources
* Promote and monitor regional compliance with UNHCR's human
resources policies on gender, disabilities, diversity, ethics and HIV/AIDS.
* Manage a process to ensure that UNHCR's workforce in the
region is aware of its rights and obligations as well as its benefits and
entitlements.
* Manage a process to ensure that country operations review
the impact of learning on UNHCR's workforce;
* Facilitate inspections and investigations, ensuring
appropriate and timely follow-up.
* Support efforts by country operations to meet UNHCR's
minimum standards for working and living conditions for staff, allocating the
required resources and providing advice and guidance when necessary.
Finance/Budget
* Analyze projected budget requirements for the region
against UNHCR's priorities and to manage a transparent and consultative process
for the approval of country-level budgets and the allocation of resources
* Monitor and ensure compliance with UNHCR's internal
control framework, financial rules, policies and procedures, and provide
guidance and support as necessary;
* Provide timely and accurate monthly and year-end closure
of accounts, including bank reconciliation;
* Monitor and ensure compliance in the region with UNHCR's
financial policies and procedures.
* Ensure that budget submission deadlines within the region
are met, and prepare/endorse consolidated budgetary documentation for the region.
* Conduct regular checks of petty cash and cash accounts.
* Produce financial reports, analyses and projections for
the region;
* Manage a process to ensure that operations are capacitated
to provide risk-based financial oversight of partners;
* Identify potential risks in relation to the financial
management of the region, and propose mitigating action to senior management,
when applicable.
* Ensure timely and effective follow-up to audit
observations and recommendations.
* Provide training on financial matters.
Authority:
* Implement regional workforce management strategies.
* Approve and negotiate with service providers for the
regional office, within the established financial parameters.
* Ensure regional compliance with UNHCR's administrative,
human resources and financial policies and procedures.
* Approve and certify regional and country-level bank
reconciliation and petty cash accounts.
* Prepare financial expenditure reports from the regional
office and country offices to be submitted to Headquarters.
ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE:
* Advanced University Degree in Accounting, Finance, Public
or Business Administration, Economics or related field, OR university degree in
another field combined with a professional qualification in accounting or
finance (CPA/CIA or equivalent).
* Minimum 10 years of previous job experience (12 years with
University degree) in the field of accounting/finance, of which at least five
years in an international organization.
* Excellent understanding of the workflows of
PeopleSoft/Oracle Financial and HR modules, with working experience with either
one.
* Proven experience with risk management.
* Excellent computer skills, in particular in MS Office
applications.
* Excellent communication skills.
* Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of
another UN language.
(In offices where the working language is not English, excellent
knowledge of working language of duty station and working knowledge of
English.)
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES:
* Professional qualification in accounting or finance
(CPA/CIA or equivalent).
* Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific
training relevant to functions of the position.
* Excellent knowledge of UNHCR's administrative, human
resources and financial rules and procedures.
Operational Context
Central Asia is a sub-region of greater Asia located
geographically between Asia and Europe representing a strategic region
bordering Russia, China, Afghanistan,
Iran and the Caucasus. Central Asia
is a natural disaster - prone region and has the potential of an outbreak of
larger conflicts which could lead to massive population movement and
displacement within and outside the region.
With the break - up of the Soviet Union five former Soviet Republics
emerged as independent countries, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan.
This region is trying until today to solve issues related to border
demarcation, control over water resources, arable land, natural oil and gas and
looks for solutions for ethnic minorities. Religious extremism is on the rise
in Central Asia including in economically most successful Kazakhstan.
The Senior Regional Admin/ Finance Officer based in Almaty, Kazakhstan
will have the following responsibilities in the regional and country operations
context. One she/he will lead the admin and finance team of the Kazakhstan
country operation which has two offices on all aspects of field administration
and finance issues. The main office is located in Almaty (some 30 staff
members) and a Liaison Office in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan (3
staff members). In addition the incumbent will be responsible for all regional
administrative and finance matters, including mastering the regional ABOD.
She/he will provide required advice and be the first reference point on
technical aspects of the administration for operations in Central Asia, namely
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as well as Uzbekistan where
UNHCR is operating under UNDP dealing with the remaining mainly Afghan
refugees.
Given the above the incumbent should have demonstrated solid
knowledge in field administration and the ability to ensure that FICF, BCP,
RAF, MSRP (finance, supply, and treasury, HR / MIP) as well as FOCUS are
correctly applied in all operations of the region.
In addition strong skills in coaching and training of staff
in all countries of responsibility are required to continue the capacity
building of the staff in Central Asia in
administration, finance and human resources.
The incumbent oversees all human resources processes for all
countries in the region. With the increased number of staff in RO Almaty and a
significant number of staff members in the country offices a strong knowledge
of human resources management of international as well as local staff is
required. The incumbent will perform duties of the ex-officio of the Regional
APPC.
The incumbent coordinates all aspects of staff safety with
other UN agencies based in Kazakhstan
and provide advice on security matters to the countries in the region.
Therefore the incumbent should have experience in cooperation with UNDSS, good
knowledge of the Security Management System and Business Continuity Planning.
The incoming staff member will present UNHCR in the OMT of
Kazakhstan and should therefore have sufficient understanding of inter-agency
cooperation mechanisms.
The incumbent will be responsible for supply and procurement
processes in RO Almaty, including for the country operation Kazakhstan and
will advise other country offices in the region as required. For that reason a
detailed understanding of rules and procedures on asset management and
procurement are of outmost importance. It does include excellent knowledge of
IPSAS.
Knowledge of the Russian language would be desirable.
Closing Date
Please note that the closing date for vacancies in Part I of
the September 2012 Compendium is Thursday 27 September 2012 (midnight Geneva time).
To apply for this position and others at UNHCR, click here
Social Plugin