Terms of Reference
1. Post Title: Accountant (P3)
Duration: 364 days (October 2014 – October 2015*)
* Consultant will require a 1-month break to meet HR requirements
Duty Station: New York
Supervisor: Accountant, Financial Reporting Unit, DFAM
Accountant, Analysis Unit,DFAM
Application closing date: 21 October 2014
Submissions of CVs and queries: All applications and questions on the post should be made electronically to Chief, Accounts Ms Johanna Clark ().
2. Background/Purpose of the post:
UNICEF’s Division of Financial and Administration Services (DFAM) is comprised of four sections, Accounts, Finance, Budget and Admin. The Accounts Section is required to provide significant input into processes and procedures as UNICEF plans and implements a fully operational Global Shared Service Centre (GSSC) for 2016. This large-scale project impacts resource availability within the Accounts Section and has resulted into staff secondments to GSSC. As a result, UNICEF is seeking temporary assistance to backfill for the temporary vacancies to ensure that the Section has the capacity to undertake its plans and deliver on its priorities.
The purpose of the incumbent will be to assist the Accounts Section with an array of functions as outlined below and as determined by the Chief of Accounts in order to provide back fill for secondments to the GSSC.
Given the above-noted, the incumbent is expected to have a broad skills set (accounting, analysis, systems) in order to contribute to various units within the Accounts Section.
3. Timeframe
The Systems Accountant will be recruited on a temporary assistance basis for a period of 12 months.
4. Major duties and responsibilities and output expectations:
The objective of this consultancy assignment is to support DFAM, particularly the Accounts Section with an emphasis on financial analysis and systems (SAP). The Accountant is expected to provide an array of functions within the Accounts Section.
Selected deliverables are outlined below. Deadlines and level of effort will be confirmed at a later time. The incumbent will be assuming, in part, duties of Accounts staff that are impacted due to GSSC.
Deliverables and Deadlines
Priority / Outputs/deliverables /Accounts Section - Financial Reporting Unit
1 / Analysis and reporting - Produce timely and informative reports, schedules and analysis on a routine and ad hoc basis.
2 / Periodic processing activities
- Identify anomalies/errors in the execution of the periodic activities and escalate to supervisor timely for resolution
- Uploading data
- Assist in the coordination of the systematic period closing activities
3 / Report enhancements - Assist the Unit in testing and reviewing program enhancements needed on IPSAS reports and provide specifications.
4 / Financial statement dry-run - Assist the Unit with the preparation of a dry-run of year-end IPSAS financial statements, including all supporting documentation.
5 / Reconciliations - Assist the Unit with the preparation of various periodic GL account and module reconciliations, including resolution of differences
6 / Process improvements - Identify and provide feedback and suggestions to the Unit related to improvements to the system, processes and procedures, reports…etc.
Accounts Section – Analysis Unit
1 / Oversight, monitoring and analysis of activities of offices
- Review, follow up and report on activities for the assigned regions ensuring transactions are processed in line with UNICEF policies and instructions;
- Monitor progress on all activities and report on a monthly basis;
- Ensure relevant monitoring schedules are prepared and uploaded on SharePoint on a timely basis.
2 / User support - Provide technical support to SAP finance users within the assigned regions required for users to process various transactions in the system.
Accounts Section – Other
1 / Perform other related duties, as assigned.
5. Profile
Required
· Professional Accounting Qualification (such as Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant or equivalent)
· Strong knowledge and experience with SAP, specifically FI
· Advanced knowledge and skills in Microsoft EXCEL and Word
· A minimum of five years of relevant and progressively responsible experience professional experience in accounting, and/or financial management in a large organization
· Fluency in English
· Good communication skills
· Ability to:
Express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in writing and orally
Research, analyse, evaluate and synthesize information
Work well under pressure
Desirable
· Knowledge and experience with SAP, specifically in a Public Sector environment
· Experience in training and support to SAP user community.
· Knowledge of United Nations accounting and finance policies and procedures
· Working knowledge of a second UN language