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General Information

Position Title
Finance Senior Officer
Job Category
Finance
Duty Station(s)
Home based
Seniority Level
Mid Level
ICS Level
ICS 09
Contract Type
ICA - LICA - Specialist - Regular
Contract Level
LICA 9
Posting Start Date
22-Jul-2026
Posting End Date
12-Aug-2026
Duration
Six (6) months, renewable subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Job Highlight

Under the direct supervision of the Finance Specialist and overall guidance of the Head of Finance, the Finance Senior Officer supports in ensuring efficient financial management, provision of accurate financial information, and effective delivery of financial services by the finance unit. The position works in close collaboration with the programme, operations, and project teams in the portfolios, Finance Group (FG), HQ, and clients and partners ensuring successful delivery of financial services.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

Job Specific Context

***This recruitment process aims to create a ready-to-use pool of qualified candidates for future potential needs.***

Role Purpose

The Finance Senior Officer  will support in the analysis and interpretation of UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations, Organisation Directives, Administrative Instructions, and guidance notes and provide solutions to a wide spectrum of financial issues. He/she assists in ensuring the effective and transparent utilisation of financial resources, the integrity of financial services, and promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS policies. 


Functions / Key Results Expected

Implementation of operational strategies and support to portfolio management.

  • Contribute to  the planning of financial resources for portfolios, continuous analysis, and monitoring of financial progress, as well as presentation of forecasts for the client and management of projects.
  • Ensure full compliance with the provisions of UNOPS FRRs, IPSAS, Organisation Directives, Administrative Instructions, and guidance notes in all financial transactions, recording, reporting, etc.
  • Maintain oversight of projects, programs, and portfolios to ensure compliance with internal control procedures and fiduciary standards for all financial and related transactions.
  • Perform  analysis and elaboration of proposals for cost-saving and reduction strategies.
  • Support programs in designing and formulating workplans, targets, and performance metrics.
  • Contribute in the engagement process of entering project data into ERP, ensuring alignment with pricing policy, finalization of funding agreements, etc.
  • Coordinate with projects and programs in the preparation and consolidation of cash-flow forecasts, ensuring inputs are extracted from approved cash-flow plans, activity plans, and monitoring tools.
  • Review the end-to-end inventory accounting, including stock valuation, general ledger reconciliations, variance analysis, and financial reporting 
  • Review the  the end-to-end accounting lifecycle for all grant portfolios, including processing advances, executing liquidations, reporting, and financial monitoring  

Budget preparation, financial reporting, monitoring and control.

  • Advises in the preparation of budgets and submissions, conducts regular analysis, and reports on budget and delivery progress; monitors expenditures against budget and reports on variances.
  • Review and analyze the budget proposals in accordance with established procedures, ERP (oneUNOPS) protocols, and client budgetary guidelines to meet reporting requirements.
  • Review financial statements and reports, addressing queries and observations from project teams, funding sources, clients, and donors. 
  • Contribute to the preparation of interim Project financial reports and management reports for approval by the Head of Finance, ensuring compliance with established reporting requirements for funding sources, donors, and clients.
  • Participates in identifying administrative budgetary requirements and provides guidance for budget preparation, formats, and submission procedures to facilitate consolidation at the portfolio level.
  • Monitor budgetary allocations, maintain contact with projects, clients, and donors to enhance budget management, and take corrective actions when necessary.
  • Monitor financial targets for projects and portfolios, including management budget expenditures, and assists in planning and adjusting expenditures. 
  • Coordinate  with project staff to verify, correct, add, and enhance the quality of financial activities for specific projects or portfolios, including financial reports and audits.
  • Conduct expenditure reconciliation and prepare various financial and statistical reports. 
  • Discuss concerns with projects and programs as needed to ensure timely corrective actions are taken regarding budget and financial reporting aspects.
  • Collaborate with finance, support services and program teams in planning and coordination of audit activities, including the implementation of recommendations and conducting project closure.
  • Monitor and provide advice to projects and programs on financial status, including pending and approved budgets, available contributions for expenditure, and contributions already expended.

Accounting, payments, treasury and administrative support.

  • Review and confirm the appropriateness of operational transactions processed by interpreting and determining applicable UNOPS policies and Financial rules and regulations.
  • Review payment requests for completeness before processing, ensuring that all required documentation is complete and that all necessary procedures are fulfilled to enable payment.
  • Ensure payment requests are properly obligated, control supporting documentation, prepare vouchers,, and enter transactions and financial data into the ERP (oneUNOPS).
  • Monitor financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigate anomalies or unusual transactions. 
  • Support Global shared services centre(GSSC) in banking and payment related activities in compliance with local financial and banking regulations, including processing bank transfers, recording miscellaneous deposits, and bank reconciliations.
  • Take timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including resolving budget check errors and match exceptions, and responding promptly to Finance Group,HQ requests to resolve financial data issues.
  • Assist in analyzing trends and forecasting income from projects and other sources. Support in monitoring Accounts Receivables and follow up with clients' contributions. 
  • Conduct periodic petty cash counts, review requests for petty cash establishment before submission for approval, and review requests and expenditure reports for replenishment.
  • Review requests for operational advances and prepayments, ensuring complete documentation for approval, and review requests and expenditure reports for settlement/clearance or replenishment.
  • Ensure timely submission of compliance reports such as advances and petty cash to FG,HQ and support in completing project related books closure activities .
  • Monitor VAT accounts and liaise with project managers to ensure reimbursements and clearances. Maintain files, including electronic filing, for all financial records and documentation. 
  • Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Capacity building and knowledge sharing.

  • Organize and conduct training sessions for project teams on policies, procedures and systems.
  • Observe emerging issues to Identify local finance training needs and develop tailored presentations for regular finance sessions
  • Provide training support services to project teams in setting up projects, handling budget revisions, troubleshooting, and understanding financial transactions, reporting, and related tasks.
  • Communicate with colleagues, projects, and clients in areas requiring verification, corrections, additional information, etc., to improve quality and enhance the knowledge base in the process. Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in Finance.
  • Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.


Skills

Budget Analysis, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Financial Reporting, Grant Monitoring, International Accounting Standards, Inventory Accounting
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • An Advanced University degree (Master’s Degree of equivalent) preferably in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field is required; or
  • A first-level university degree (Bachelor`s degree or equivalent) with an additional 2 years of experience in finance, reporting, budget, accounting, auditing may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree; 
  • Professional certification in accounting (CA, CPA, ACCA, ACA, CIMA, etc.),or  audit (CIA) or equivalent is required . 

Experience Requirements

Required

  • A minimum of Two years of relevant experience at the national or international level in accounting, budgeting, financial reporting and audit is required.
  • Good knowledge of budget management, accounting and reporting for global or regional multi-donor, mult-partner and multi-country programs and  is required;
  • Proven experience in supporting project audits and European Commission (EC) verifications as well supporting implementation of recommendations is required.


Desired

  • Experience with UN/UNOPS financial rules, regulations and procedures in accounting, budget, reporting etc is considered an asset.
  • A thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is Considered an asset
  • Good knowledge on the use  of ERPs and financial applications is an asset; 
  • Solid computer skills in word and spreadsheets processing is a strong asset.


Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired
FrenchFluentDesirable

Additional Information

  • UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • 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. 
  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
  • UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
  • We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
  • UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • 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.