Org. Setting and Reporting
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA's services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you. The MD Chief, Finance Division reports to the MD Director.
Responsibilities
Is responsible for the standardization of MD’s overall financial, accounting and treasury policies and procedures, in compliance with, and ensures adherence with finance and accounts policies and procedures as required by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), International Accounting Standards (IAS) and UNRWA finance, budget and treasury technical instructions and regulations, including updating yearly adjustments to the Financial Technical Instructions and the Financial Manual in order to comply with IFRS and IAS. Oversees and manages the financial projection and planning, including monitoring of cash balances and cash flows, liquidity and operational funding requirements are met on a timely basis. Acts as a member of the executive management team and participates in key decisions and reporting to high-level management of MD and to donors, UN agencies, regulatory parties and other stakeholders with respect to financial aspects of MD. Oversees the performance of MD Finance and Accounts Management staff, at HQs and Fields to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, including their capacity development and training, fostering teamwork and developing cooperation between finance and accounts staff through a shared vision and common goals to meet its financial standards and regulations. Leads the MD’s capital, assets, including assets registry and resource allocations Agency-wide to ensure appropriate, profitable and low-risk capital management; monitors, tracks and verifies the Department’s donated and revolving loan funds, and provides recommendations on their efficient utilization and investment strategies. Is responsible for the development, monitoring and controlling MD's risk profile, including financial liabilities; takes the required actions to mitigate such risks, ensuring the safeguarding of MD’s assets. Is responsible for the production of the annual and quarterly financial statements of the Department, HQs, Fields and branch offices as well as other financial specialised ad-hoc reports; submits the financial statements to the internal and/or external auditors and addresses all findings and recommendations. Maintains proper and constructive relationships with all stakeholders, including respective banks in the Fields of operations to ensure efficient and smooth operations and banking transactions
Competencies
UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default. Functional - Deciding and Initiating Action - Leading and Supervising - Planning and Organizing - Relating and Networking - Analyzing Leadership - Managing Complexity and Change - Delivering Results
Education
Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in business, finance, accounts or management.
Job - Specific Qualification
Training in microfinance management is required.
Work Experience
At least 10 years’ experience in finance management, supervision, administration and development of a microfinance or financial institution of which five years should have been in a large governmental or international organization at a senior level is required. Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in business, finance, accounts or management is required. Experience in the IAS, IFRS and CGAP standards and regulations; able to implement all requested accounting standards when preparing the Financial Statements of the department is required. Experience in analysing and reviewing portfolio quality and formulation of credit policy initiatives to improve its performance and efficiency is required. Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic is required. Experience in developing and conducting training courses is desirable. Are you currently residing in Duty station. Please specify your current location. It is required. Please explain how you meet this criterion using examples. Do you currently hold a contract of 1 year or more with UNRWA? If yes, please confirm whether you have completed your mandatory probation period. It is required Indicate your current involvement in any outside activities, as it is required. Including but not limited to employment, independent contractor/freelance consultant, board member (corporate, academic, etc), expert group, lobby, public speaking/writing (article, book, blog, social media etc), teaching, conferences, training, press statement, voluntary work, political activity, fundraising/donation for non UNRWA entity, running for public office, role in political party or orgs, owning business, work for gov./NGO/private company/charity, UNRWA partner/vendor, full/part-time, paid or not. A "yes" answer doesn't necessarily lead to exclusion from future work at UNRWA, yet misrepresentation in providing accurate/complete info can lead to disqualification/termination of appointment, if hired
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English and Arabic are required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIArabicUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level III Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice Type of Contract: Fixed Term Appointment for 1 year, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance, and continuing need. Grade and Salary: Grade ML7 Monthly basic salary $2243.60 plus special occupational allowance (SOA) of 90% of the basic salary (SOA may change from time to time). Other benefits: Other benefits include a monthly Provident Fund contribution (15.4% of basic salary paid by the Agency), compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, and dependency allowance (if applicable). Additional benefits:- 2 days of sick leave for each completed month of service.- 14 weeks of Maternity Leave.- 2 weeks paternity leave. This vacancy notice is open to internal and external candidates. Only candidates residing in West Bank, and within commuting distance of the duty station with authorization to work in the duty station at the time of application are eligible to apply. The Agency will not assume responsibility or accountability to support or facilitate the issuance of work permit in West Bank, and without a valid work permit, the appointment may be rescinded. - The incumbent is required to travel frequently throughout the Agency’s areas of operations. - Possession of a valid driving license. - The incumbent should have the willingness to work after normal duty hours and official holidays. Preference will be given to registered Palestine refugees and candidates assisting the Agency to meet its commitment to gender parity. Only applications that have been fully completed in UNRWA's online e-recruitment system inspira will be considered and no late applications will be accepted. The Personal History Profile (PHP) should be completed with full work experience under the experience tabs as per the requirements in the Job Opening. All university degrees must also be stated where applicable. UNRWA personnel must ensure adding their contract type and grade level. For UNRWA internal staff, they are required to specify and include their current UNRWA grade level. To do so applicants should select under "Category" RLG, scroll down to see all categories, then select their local grade. Given the large pool of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment. Applicants applying to positions for Grades 12 to 20 or LDC Bands E to H must submit a cover letter/motivational statement in order to be considered. Providing incorrect or misleading information on an application form will result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate. Advertisements published in English will only accept applications in English, other language submissions including Arabic will not be considered. UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities. A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for appointments to the same post or a similar post, when the need arises. Equivalency: Equivalency may apply for this post. NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination. The Agency disqualifies applicants whose name appears on the UN Sanctions List or a UN database of staff separated for reasons of misconduct or of staff who separated while a misconduct process was pending. UNRWA shares investigation and misconduct information with other UN Agencies, and past and prospective employers about staff members who have been separated for misconduct, or who have separated while an investigation and/or disciplinary process for misconduct is underway; and those individuals may be prohibited from employment with the United Nations. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live. For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org United Nations Considerations Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to assignment by him or her. UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from under-represented groups. At UNRWA, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. UNRWA Considerations UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence, neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear on the UN Sanctions List. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA) DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR REQUEST MONEY FROM CANDIDATES AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING, ONBOARDING). UNRWA DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
