The situation in Somalia remains fragile with continued political instability, climatic variability, and lack of basic social services. OCHA’s role is to coordinate effective and principled inter-agency humanitarian response and ensure that relief assistance reaches the people who need it in a timely manner. In line with OCHA’s global mission, OCHA Somalia’s priorities are:
• Maintain effective humanitarian coordination while reinforcing the collaboration and relationship with the government;
• Enhance advocacy for effective humanitarian financing;
• Improve safe, timely and unimpeded access to people in need in hard-to-reach or underserved areas through access and civil-military coordination approaches;
• Ensure that the implementation of the Centrality of Protection (CoP) Strategy is at the core of humanitarian action and bringing forward the Grand Bargain commitments in Somalia;
• Increase efforts towards joined-up analysis, planning and programming with development and peace actors.
The Finance Officer reports to the Head of Humanitarian Finance Unit / Fund Manager.
Duties and Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Finance Officer/ Deputy Pooled Fund Manager will be responsible for the following duties:
Summary of Key Functions:
• Management and oversight of the Finance section in the SHF Humanitarian Financing Unit.
• Support with the financial aspects of management of Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) allocation processes.
• Oversight of financial aspects of the SHF Accountability Framework;
• Supports with ensuring proper SHF cash management, analysis and staying abreast of relevant policy developments.
Oversee the financial aspects of SHF allocation process management:
• Review grant agreements and supporting documents to ensure accuracy, consistency, reasonableness in compliance with the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules (UNFRR) and the Country-based Pooled Funds (CBPF) Guidelines;
• Review and advise on the clearance of the project budget and grant agreements;
• Review and advise on budget amendments or no-cost extension requests;
• Maintain complete, accurate and updated detailed list of disbursements to IP;
• Regular follow-up with IP to obtain financial reports.
• Review of interim and final financial reports and confirm the amount for additional disbursements.
• Initiate the process to ensure disbursements as required and follow-up on any reimbursements.
Oversight of financial aspects of SHF Accountability Framework:
• Liaise with companies carrying out a financial audit of partners and other services ensuring compliance with the UNFRR;
• Review audit financial reports to make sure that it is in line with the signed agreement and project budget;
• Verify Implementing Partners (IP) financial documentation as required.
• Liaise with companies carrying out partner capacity assessments ensuring compliance with the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules (UNFRR);
• Conduct financial spot-checks in line with the operational modalities.
• Oversee the audit process including facilitation of the contracting of external auditing companies, supporting the planning, advise on the clearance of audit reports and ensuring follow-up of critical audit findings.
• Support IP regarding compliance with the UNFRR and the Guidelines for CBPFs and participate in training activities accordingly;
• Participate in the design and roll-out of the financial elements of the risk management and the strategy of the Fund;
• Ensure compliance with any other requirements stemming from the UNFRR, grant agreements and guidelines.
Supports with ensuring proper SHF cash management, analysis and staying abreast of relevant policy developments:
• Maintain complete and updated cash flows for the Fund and inform the Head of Unit and CO management on a regular basis and upon request on the available cash balance.
• Support Fund analysis for informing future allocations.
• Prepare financial analysis for standard and ad-hoc reporting requirements.
• Provide input for the preparation of CBPF Annual Reports.
• Ensure timely financial reporting in compliance with donors’ requirements.
• Liaise with relevant OCHA sections at HQ.
• Stay up to date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to the programme and/or OCHA budgets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.
Competencies
Core Competencies
• Innovation : Ability to make new and useful ideas work ;creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them;
• Leadership : Ability to persuade others to follow; plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers;
• People Management : Ability to improve performance and satisfaction ; Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others;
• Communication : Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform ; Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others;
• Delivery : Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement; Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions.
Technical/Functional Competencies:
• Building Partnerships : Maintaining a network of contacts ; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Basic research and analysis ; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise : Fundamental knowledge of own discipline; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Promoting Organizational Change and Development :Basic research and analysis; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Design and Implementation of Management Systems : Research and analysis and making recommendations on management systems; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Client Orientation : Establishing effective client relationships; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.
• Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management :Basic monitoring; Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance/Accounting, Business, or Public Administration, or a professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy or related field with five (5) years of relevant work experience is required;
• Professionally qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• Diploma/Certificate of vocational training in the fields of financial controls or auditing (for example, a Certified Public Accountant) is an advantage.
Experience:
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in providing financial management advisory services or managing staff or operational systems or administration, budget, business administration or related area;
• Experience working in a finance capacity in an International Organization, NGO or Multilateral Aid Agencies or comparable organization is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft.
• Experience of IPSAS or IFRS is required for external candidates.
• Relevant experience in the UN Common System is desirable, but not necessary.
Language Requirements:
• Proficiency in English. Working knowledge of other UN language desirable.
• Other: Proficiency in English and national language of the duty station.
• Working knowledge of other UN language is desirable.
