Background

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen facilitates humanitarian action across the country. OCHA mobilizes and coordinates principled humanitarian response in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies, advocates the rights of people in need, supports emergency preparedness and response, and facilitates sustainable solutions for vulnerable people adversely affected by conflict and natural disasters. OCHA supports the work of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), the Inter-Cluster Coordination Mechanism (ICCM) national authorities, and other humanitarian partners including NGOs in Yemen.

Under the direct supervision of the National Admin/Finance Analyst and overall guidance of the Head of Administration Unit, the Finance Associate provides financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOCHA rules and regulations.
Duties and Responsibilities

The Finance Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects staff in the Country Office (CO) and with UNOCHA HQs staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

OCHA adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, OCHA personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Implementation of operational and financial management strategies focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of financial processes and financial records with UNOCHA/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.
• Input to the CO business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and Head of Administration unit.
• Ensure UNOCHA CO financial activities, financial recording/reporting system, and follow-up on audit recommendations are in full compliance with UNOCHA rules and Operations Policies and strategies. 
• Facilitate the implementation of effective and proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system.
• Support the Head of Administration in preparing and reviewing UNOCHA CO finance business processes mapping and elaborating on the standard operating procedures in the finance in consultation with Admin/Finance Analyst.
• Routinely monitor financial expenditure reports for unusual activities and transactions; and investigate anomalies and report to the Head of Administration and Admin/Finance Analyst and Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory obtained.
• Knowledge of key notions and concepts, practices, and methodologies of internal auditing (IPPF and Other IIA Standards, COSO). Undertake audit assignments in accordance with international professional standards with respect of operational audits, financial audits, performance audits, project audits, and provision of advisory services.
• Ability to understand and use various concepts such as efficiency, effectiveness and economy. 
• Ability to identify potential alternative forms of finance and mobilize them for the purpose of addressing development challenges. 
• Ability to review the skills, capacities, procedures, and protocols that are needed to enable new financial mechanisms. 
• Ability to assess the risks, limitations, and implications of using new financial mechanisms. 
• Set up the processes and structures to design, test, and implement new financial mechanisms. Managing outreach and stakeholder engagement 

Ensure proper CO cash management functioning. of the following results:

• Elaborate on proposals and implement cost-saving and reduction strategies in consultations with the Admin/Finance Analyst
• Serve as an alternate to Admin/Finance Analyst (or Head of Admin) as primary contact with local bank management operational matters including the exchange rate.
• Prepare timely and accurate office expenditure records to ensure the office doesn’t overspend on budget lines. 
• Assist in proper control of OCHA-Yemen Finance function and records.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed.

Provides accounting and administrative support to the Administration Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist the Head of Admin and Admin/Finance Analyst in the preparation of UNOCHA’s CO cost plans in line with financial rules and regulations.
• Monitor budget implementation and determine/recommend reallocation and redeployment of funds as needed.
• Assist in monitoring the office expenditures; prepare financial reports and office expenditure tracker, prepare analytical reports on current and past expenditure trends; and make recommendations on expenditure rates.
• Review the national staff payroll and insert the monthly GL codes.
• Reconcile inter-office vouchers (IOVs) with Geneva and UNDP, to confirm the accuracy of accounts, correct financial entry as required, and ensure UNDP IOVs provide adequate information to allow for reconciliation with OCHA's accounting system,
• Processing of financial documentation (vouchers, supporting documents, telephone invoices, etc.) and maintaining internal expenditures control system by thoroughly reviewing all documents ensuring that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in UMOJA; common premises, monthly payment orders (MPOs) and other entitlements are duly processed.
• Performs Finance User function in UMOJA to raise invoices to process payments.
• Assist in providing the provision of information for reports on financial status, procedures, exchange rates, costs and expenditures, and potential funding challenges.
• Acting as OCHA Yemen CO petty cash focal point and managing of cash receipts, maintaining petty cash files, and monitoring performance. Make timely replenishment requests for petty cash from OCHA HQ. Support and train all other petty cash custodians in the UMOJA System.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Organize training for the operations/ programme/ projects staff on financial management.
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in financial management.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Ensure full compliance with all UNOCHA and UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules, Operations manuals, Internal Control policies and procedures, Standard operating procedures, Finance manual, and Delegations of Authority to ensure consistency across UNOCHA and harmonization with other UN Agencies.

Perform other duties as required:

• Perform other duties as required commensurate with the position.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: No

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy – Systems Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line With OCHA’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for OCHA.

Business Development – Integration within the UN

• Ability to identify, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Business Development – OCHA Representation

• Ability to represent OCHA and productively share OCHA knowledge and activities; advocate for OCHA, its values, mission, and work with various constituencies.

Business Management – Portfolio Management

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization's programmers and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Business Management – Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Business Management – Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfill and understand the real customers' needs. 
• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Operations: Administration, Finance, HR, Procurement, IT and Security (Finance) - Financial communication and impact

• Ability to report financial information clearly to non-finance leaders, including to various governing bodies such as the Executive Board.
• Willingness to make, communicate and implement difficult decisions based on accurate evidence and reflecting varied advice/viewpoints.
• Understands how to clearly communicate sometimes complex financial information to others using easy-to-understand media and language.
• Challenges effectively and gives and receives constructive feedback.
• Negotiates effectively to ensure optimum balance between best outcomes and best value for public funds.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Secondary education is required. 
• A university degree in Business or Public Administration or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national and/or international level progressively professional responsible experience in finance, accounting, and or administration. 
• Relevant experience in using ERP system (UMOJA) and Quantum processing all related financing functions is desirable. 
• Experience in working with a UN agency or other humanitarian agency is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) is required

Language requirement:

• Fluency in English and Arabic Languages (Oral and Written) is required.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer
Non-discrimination
UNOCHA has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNOCHA is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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