Job Description

The Position:

Under the overall supervision of the head of the SRU, the Accounts Specialist supports continuous strengthening of UNFPA compliance with IPSAS at the operational and policy level, plays a key role in the annual, quarterly and hard closure of accounts, participates in, and coordinates the preparation of UNFPA’s financial statements and other statutory and management reports, supports the implementation of new systems and tools, including automation of Financial Reporting and mapping solutions, and contributes to building the financial management capacity of UNFPA business units. You will report directly to the head of the SRU under the overall supervision of the Chief, Finance Branch.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

Under the overall supervision of the head of the SRU, the Accounts Specialist supports continuous strengthening of UNFPA compliance with IPSAS at the operational and policy level, plays a key role in the monthly, quarterly, and annual closure of accounts, participates in and coordinates the preparation of UNFPA’s financial statements and other statutory and management reports, supports the implementation of new systems and tools, including automation of Financial Reporting and mapping solutions and related quality assurance activities, and contributes to building the financial management capacity of UNFPA business units.

You would be responsible for:

IPSAS compliance

• Develop new and/or update accounting policies, procedures and guidance documents to ensure ongoing compliance with IPSAS, including new or revised standards and related operational guidance; perform research and analysis to determine appropriate IPSAS-compliant financial disclosures associated with any accounting policy changes;
• Support the implementation of new or revised accounting standards and contribute to sustaining compliance with standards already implemented, including through validation, reconciliation, exception review, data-quality checks and other quality assurance exercises.
• Serve as a lead for selected specialized accounting areas including inventory, employee benefits, intangible asset accounting, leases, etc. This includes periodic account reconciliations, valuation and aging; data collection and validation; oversight over transactions originated by different business units and initiation of corrections, including quarterly or periodic accounting entries and reconciliations where applicable;
• Develop and implement second line of defense controls in selected areas, including management of programme supplies, leases, employee benefits, account mapping and other high-risk reporting areas under SRU purview; monitor compliance with the corporate policies; identify and enquire about potentially exceptional transactions and balances and support implementation of corrective actions.

Accounts closure and preparation of statutory and management reporting

• Coordinate accounts closure activities, which includes drafting the closing instructions, scheduling and tracking closure activities, and developing and implementing remedial actions in case of delays or unforeseen events;
• Coordinate and participate in the preparation of UNFPA’s financial statements; ensure that all statements, notes and schedules are accurate and adequately supported, internally consistent, reconciled to source data and maintained with appropriate version control;
• Provide guidance / support to and oversight over inputs of other business units to financial statements in order to ensure their accuracy and completeness;
• Liaise with external and internal auditors and respond to their queries and recommendations; prepare responses to audit observations, organize supporting evidence and contribute to audit recommendation tracking;
• Implement quality assurance activities over information included in the financial statements, statutory reports and related reporting outputs before, during and after the closure of accounts. This includes periodic enquiry of high risk areas / transactions, follow-up on lessons learnt, support of business units in clean-up activities and developing measures for minimizing user errors, including risks arising from new standards, system changes and data-quality issues;
• Prepare other statutory and external reports such as the statistical and financial review report for the Executive Board and financial section of the UNFPA annual report, as well as assigned governance and oversight reporting inputs such as Oversight and Advisory Committee materials;
• Develop, produce and improve financial management performance monitoring reports in select areas, highlighting main financial results and trends, and reporting on risks, potentially exceptional transactions, compliance deviations and efficiency improvement areas; formulate recommendations for management action, including through ERP, Power BI or other approved reporting tools.

Implementation of new systems and tools and capacity building

• Serve as one of the key business process experts supporting the implementation, enhancement and testing of ERP system features and related reporting tools, especially as they relate to maintaining IPSAS compliance; actively participate in business process design, development of detailed specifications, development of system prototypes, data conversion or migration where applicable, user acceptance testing, user training and other related activities.
• Participate in the design, development, testing and implementation of system-generated statutory and financial performance monitoring reports, including validation of report outputs, mapping logic, data integrity and follow-up of defects with relevant technical teams;
• Continuously review and improve existing business processes with the ultimate goal of increasing automation, building efficiencies, addressing risks, and integrating lessons learnt and best practices, while preserving auditability, traceability and reporting quality;
• Provide support, guidance and training to users in business units on financial management matters related to accounts closure, financial systems and processes, management of programme supplies and financial performance results, including through Global Service Desk responses, Operations Community communications, FAQs and Financial Management Community updates;
• Perform other duties as required by the Supervisor or UNFPA leadership

Key Outcomes

• New accounting policies, procedures and guidance developed/ updated and IPSAS-compliant
• Monthly, quarterly, and annual accounts closure implemented
• Corporate financial reports, including statutory financial statements, and assigned governance or oversight reporting inputs, completed on time
• Business process efficiencies captured and developed in the ERP, reporting tools, GL-to-financial statement mapping and Account Dictionary processes
• Positive relationships developed and maintained across UNFPA and UN sister agencies

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree in accounting / financial reporting or related discipline. A recognized professional accounting designation (CPA, CA), together with a bachelor's degree, will be deemed equivalent to a master’s level degree for this position.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in accounting / financial reporting
• Demonstrated experience in preparation of financial statements, financial data analysis and account reconciliations
• Sound understanding of IPSAS or IFRS
• Experience with financial modules of ERP systems, preferably Oracle-based product/s
• Experience in ERP system improvement, including translating business requirements into systems specifications, testing system-generated reports, supporting user acceptance testing and validating data or mapping outputs
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong engagement, presentation and writing skills
• Experience in drafting accounting policies, guidance documents or technical accounting analyses is a significant advantage.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Initiative and coordination
• Client orientation
• Innovation and innovative use and marketing of new approaches
• Organization and UN system awareness

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.