Under the direct supervision of the Country Director, the staff member is expected to lead the Finance/MSD/IT unit by supervising unit members, overseeing relevant units, representing WFP in operational UN coordination meetings, and contributing to various internal oversight committees. The staff member also plays as a compliance focal point for ensuring application of controls and compliance with policies and procedures, contributing to the overall effectiveness of operations and optimization of WFP resources and mainstreaming of WFP’s risk and compliance framework.
Responsibilities:
Coordinate, support and respond to oversights and audit in the country and follow up on recommendations.
Deliver financial controls and insight into WFP performance, undertaking periodic risk and internal control assessments to identify areas which may present potential audit, compliance or financial risks.
Contribute to accountability across functional units, prepare comprehensive reports summarizing the status of compliance of internal controls, key oversight themes, and using risk information (e.g. risk indicators, incidents) to highlight areas out of risk appetite and contribute ideas on required actions in areas of risk & compliance vulnerability.
Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP is able to quickly respond and deploy food and needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.
Perform any other task as required/requested.
Support corporate finance and resource management strategies and major ongoing programmatic initiatives.
Contribute towards the development of country-specific plans and processes, aligned with WFP strategy, policies and processes.
Analyze and report on key data for financial status and outcomes of projects in accordance with corporate governance requirements.
Monitor and analyze budgets for new and ongoing projects according to established corporate procedures and requirements.
Perform bank reconciliations, disbursements, clearance of receivables, overall cash management and monthly financial closures on a regular basis in accordance with corporate requirements.
Collect and analyze data for the preparation of accurate and timely reporting, in order to provide management to make informed decisions.
Track and analyze data to identify opportunities for improvements to policies, systems and procedures in order to minimize financial risks, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
Deliver financial controls and insight into WFP performance, undertaking periodic risk and internal control assessments to identify areas that may present potential audit, compliance or financial risks.
Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
Represent unit/CO at internal meetings, external meetings and events with other UN agencies, banks and other financial institutions, or other partners and entities as required.
Education:
Advanced University degree in a relevant subject such as Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, or related fields.
First University degree in the same subject(s) with additional years of related work experience plus membership in an internationally recognized professional accountancy body such as Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Certified Public Accounts (ICPA), or equivalent.
Work Experience:
At least 7 years of relevant progressively responsible experience in a finance role, proven experience also in overseeing an administration unit or other support functions is mandatory.
Languages:
Fluency (level C) in English and Portuguese languages, knowledge of French is considered an asset.
