Finance Officer NOB
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NOTE: WFP DOES NOT SOLICIT FOR FEES OR ANY FORM OF PAYMENT FROM JOB APPLICANTS
WFP is looking for talented people who are committed to joining our efforts to eradicate hunger. It offers unlimited opportunities to grow your professionalism, talent and expertise. Start your journey to be a member of the world-wide effort to eradicate hunger. WFP has a policy of affirmative action for women.
WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.
ABOUT WFP
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year.
Brief description of WFP in Uganda
WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda. In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Uganda with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets.
As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.
ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?
We are seeking qualified individuals for the position of Finance Officer NOB to be based in Kampala. The selected candidate will be employed on Fixed Term
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
These jobs are found in Country Offices (COs), Regional Bureaux (RBs), and Headquarters (HQ). Job holders typically report to a more senior Finance Officer. They operate as part of a finance team in a CO or RB, providing general financial support. In HQ, the job holders operate within a narrower finance specialism. Depending on the size and needs of the office or unit, the job may cover all aspects of finance, budget, and administration, or it may emphasize finance or more of these aspects. Job holders at this level operate with minimal supervision, and provide guidance to junior staff to ensure that operation and project objectives are achieved. They are heavily involved in day-to-day activities and analytical work, and provide advice on less complex issues, applying rules and regulations and expertise in making determinations and recommendations across a range of activities.
JOB PURPOSE
The Finance Officer NOB is in charge of overseeing financial reporting, financial management at the WFP Uganda Country Office, supporting the continuous review and enhancement of internal controls and leading/coordinating the finance unit staff. The Finance Unit is preparing a roster for pre-vetted applicants for the Finance Officer role to ease the succession planning and business continuity in the unit.
To provide financial reporting and management services to the WFP Uganda Country Office, support the continuous review and enhancement of internal controls and lead/coordinate the finance unit staff.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
1) Support the development and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures, Guidelines and Policies to enhance financial management, reporting and internal controls. Review existing WFP policies and procedures on the major aspects of the financial operations to identify areas where additional guidelines are required to support effectiveness and efficiency of operations, liaising with other Units or offices on the requirement/applicability of new guidelines.
2) Lead and coordinate the effective functionality of the Country Office Finance Unit team. Lead the task allocations, staff appraisals, coaching and mentoring, identifying additional staffing needs and supporting the recruitment process for new staff and holding regular coordination meetings for finance unit staff.
3) Prepare routine and adhoc financial reports and analysis to both internal and external stakeholders to support decision making and to comply with donor, partner or other stakeholder requirements. Review the financial analysis work of other finance staff before presentation to the varied stakeholders and the presentation of these analyses to the varied stakeholders in the appropriate formats.
4) Oversee allocation of expenditure to the programmatic budgets. Provision of expenditure allocation codes to the various spending units in line with the budgets and workplans, review and release commitment documents entered into WINGS to ensure compliance with the approved expenditure allocation, budget and workplans.
5) Fund management of the Direct Support Costs (DSC) budget and monitoring of the expenditure on the other programmatic activity budgets. Review of the DSC budget line-item expenditure versus the implementation plan or budget, Monitoring Locally generated fund and tracking any inter-activity transfers of funds (borrowing).
6) Periodically review the staff cost allocations to the programmatic activity budgets to ensure that the staff costs are adequately covered for at least six months to one year ahead and the cost allocations reflect the staff work assignments. Liaison with activity managers and heads of area and field offices to ensure that the staff costs are accurately charged to the programmatic activities. This should also include review of staff cost allocations to grant relevant (restricted funding) to ensure it complies to the donor agreements.
7) Support the continuous review and enhancement of internal controls. Follow up on the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations, follow up and correspondence with Regional Bureau on periodic Financial Risks Analysis, planning for and carry out field offices oversight visits to ensure financial controls and processes are effective and efficient and ensuring that the delegation of authority and committee matrixes are up to date.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 1/1
Support the routine payments process and act as an alternate approval signatory in the absence of the principal signatories. Review and posting of the Service Contract payroll, routine payment processing as an alternate to the NOA, verification and first level approval for payments processed or Cash-Based Transfers as an alternate to the Head of Finance and Support Services.
9) Periodic Financial Reporting through the Monthly Minimum Closure Process (MMC) and periodic reconciliations. Preparation of the MMC package, follow-up of the enhanced-risk financial dashboard items, and bank reconciliations as an alternate to the Finance Officer NOA. 1
0) Follow-up the timely set-up of the Guest House (GH) and Common Service Provision Non-Donor Grants (NDG) and support in the tracking of logistic service provision financial entries. Review of the annual GH and Common service provision NDG budgets and tracking summaries, posting entries for logistics service provision.
11) Oversight over the Tax and Value Added Tax (VAT) claims processes. Review and posting of monthly VAT financial entries to recognize amounts receivable and actual refunds from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), review of the monthly tax collections versus the claims to ensure continuous improvements in the process, periodically review the outstanding unrefunded VAT receivable amounts to ensure that all unrecoverable amounts are fully provided for and included in write-off memos to the Head Quarters, prepare and relay correspondences with URA on any exceptions arising.
12) Represent the Finance Unit or Country Office at internal and external meetings and events with other UN agencies, banks and other financial institutions, or other partners and entities as required. Participation in the UN Finance Working Group, Resource Management Committee, Procurement and Contracts Committee, Cooperating Partners Committee, etc will be required.
13) Mentor and supervise junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
14) Perform other general financial and administrative duties as assigned by the supervisor e.g., facilitation and support to visiting oversight and audit teams, training/preparation of training materials for staff and other stakeholders, etc
4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES
Leads by Example with Integrity
Upholds WFP values, principles, and standards:
Demonstrates and encourages others to uphold the WFP values, principles and standards Respects others and values diversity:
Values diversity using respectful and inclusive language, and encourages others to do the same Stays focused and calm under pressure:
Stays focused and calm when under pressure and encourages others to do the same
Demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn:
Shows humility and a willingness to learn and share knowledge, frequently seeking and acting on feedback, and taking up opportunities to develop
Drives Results and Delivers on Commitments
Delivers results for maximum impact:
Holds self and/or others accountable for the delivery of results Delegates appropriately:
Delivers results against delegated tasks and seeks guidance and support where needed Adapts readily to change:
Responds readily to change adjusting work as needed
Fosters Inclusive and Collaborative Teamwork
Is inclusive and collaborative: Promotes inclusive teamwork and psychological safety by sharing ideas and openly raising issues
Gives timely and constructive feedback:
Supports development for others by giving timely and constructive feedback
Builds and shares new perspectives:
Listens attentively to others to capture, learn, build and share new perspectives
Applies Strategic Thinking
Communicates and fulfils WFP’s vision:
Fulfils WFP’s vision and is able to explain how their objectives support the vision
Embraces curiosity and new ways of doing things:
Demonstrates curiosity, and proposes new ways of doing things when relevant Analyses and evaluates data:
Gathers data and shares knowledge to inform team decision making
Considers the impact of decisions:
Implements decisions and asks questions to understand the impact for wider objectives
Builds and Maintains Sustainable Partnerships
Builds partnerships: Builds partnerships by seeking out opportunities to work with others
Collaborates to deliver common objectives:
Collaborates with partners by sharing information and working together to deliver common goals
FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES
| Capability Name | Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level |
| Internal Controls & Compliance | Utilizes understanding of risk management approaches and internal controls to monitor projects and programmes to confirm regulatory compliance and ensure data integrity. |
| Performance Budgeting, Reporting & Analysis | Manages budget, business planning, and forecasting discussions on a programme-wide level, integrating financial resource information from a portfolio of projects to analyze effectiveness and financial viability. |
| Resources Management (People, time, assets, etc.) | Monitors trends in staffing and resource usage to anticipate and escalate potential issues to programme leaders. |
| Financial Management and Accounting Principles | Monitors and advises senior leaders on the financial status of projects and programmes, tracking outcomes to ensure transparent and effective utilization of resources. |
| Supply Chain and Operations Knowledge | Demonstrates thorough understanding of WFP programme and financial policies, business processes and applies these in the implementation or support of WFP programme interventions. |
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Advanced University degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, or related fields, or first University degree in the same subject(s) with additional years of related work experience.
• Professional accounting credentials from an internationally recognized professional accountancy body such as Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPA) or its equivalent.
• At least five (5) years relevant professional experience in performing, reviewing and analysing complex financial analysis, statements and reports at a national and/or field operational level. • Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems such as SAP.
• Strong background in the review and enhancement of internal controls including the preparation of policy and procedure guidelines.
• Strong functional knowledge of the complete Microsoft Office suite, proficient in MS Excel. Ability to analyze, interpret and summarize large volumes of data and the capacity to identify process improvements and drive change.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across one or more dispersed and diverse teams is desirable.
• Proven professional commitment to professionalism, punctuality, accuracy, confidentiality, integrity and flexibility, as well as demonstrated experience in introducing new and more effective ways of working.
Languages: Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Friday 28th October 2022
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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment
WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.
