Job Description

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

June 12, 2026

D

Non Family with Residential Location

Dakar, Senegal

PR4

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-05-26

Senior Finance Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
In the Regional Bureaux, the incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Regional Controller and in functional coordination with Division of Resource Management's (DRM) Admin, Finance and Treasury Service (AFTS). In the Country or Multi-Country Offices, the incumbent is normally supervised by the Representative, Assistant Representative (Admin) or other senior positions as delegated by the Representative.

The incumbent is responsible for co-ordinating, guiding, monitoring, advising on, and supporting the financial operations in the area of responsibility (AoR).

With the objective to safeguard and optimize the utilization of UNHCR's monetary and physical resources, the incumbent establishes and maintains efficient mechanisms and reliable processes to ensure compliance with UN financial regulations and UNHCR's rules, policies and procedures including, and not limited to, accounts payable and treasury processes, accounting, and implementation of internal control mechanisms, including support to oversight and audit functions. The incumbent also identifies and manages risks under their responsibility in close coordination with the Risk Management and Compliance Advisor.

The incumbent supports the work of the Regional Controller with authority to discuss problems and seek common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines provided by higher authority.

The incumbent directly supervises professional and general service staff.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Oversee and guide integrated financial management and reporting for the assigned geographic area of responsibility.
- Assess, review, and ensure application of finance-related policies, instructions, procedures, etc.
- Provide advice to management regarding the application of financial policies and procedures and, when necessary, coordinate with the Regional Controller or Office of the Controller, as applicable, regarding the interpretation of such policies and procedures.
- Ensure accounting records are correct and reliable, including - and not limited to - timely bank reconciliations, maintenance of open items, timely processing of travel financial transactions, clearance of residual requisitions and purchase order balance.
- In close coordination with the Admin, Finance & Treasury Service, support the preparation and review of donor financial reports, and endorse such reports before submission to donors.
- Ensure monthly and yearly closing as well as any other periodic accounting-related processes are executed in a timely and accurate manner.
- Ensure the maintenance and on-going validity of the Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP).
- Identify potential risks in relation to financial management, including the effectiveness of internal controls, and propose mitigating actions; monitor the application of internal control mechanisms.
- Make proposals for the continuous improvement of financial monitoring and control mechanisms, including the streamlining of financial systems and procedures.
- In coordination with DRM's Change Management and Field Support Section, identify and provide training on accounting matters, and recommend or develop training modules as necessary, aiming at the development of financial management skills.
- In close liaison with DRM's System Administration Section and other divisions as necessary, provide and plan activities for rollout of new processes or systems.
- As delegated, supervise and manage local financial personnel, including participation in recruitment of senior local financial personnel.
- Ensure that payments made are timely and accurately, and all month-end and year-end cut-off processes are implemented in line with relevant guidance.
- Supervise the preparation of financial reports, monitoring and supervising expenditures with respect to approved budgets and work plans.
- Ensure that local bank account administration and associated cash management functions are performed in adherence to financial guidelines.
- Perform financial management and control related to Cash-Based Interventions in adherence to financial guidelines.
- Review and certify vouchers, including ABOD and project disbursements.
- Perform project control functions for both directly and indirectly implemented activities, in the absence of a dedicated project control position.
- Coordinate, review and endorse responses to audit queries from internal and external audits and ensure the implementation of accounting audit recommendations.

- Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.
- Perform other relevant duties as required.

Regional financial services applicable to positions in the Regional Bureau only
- In coordination with relevant services in HQ, and to improve cost-effectiveness and process efficiency for operations, implement and manage regional finance-related services such as: vendor and other related master data management and maintenance, invoice posting, travel claim processing, payments, bank reconciliations, accounting housekeeping and period cut-off activities, donor financial reporting, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4/NOD - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Accounting; Finance; Public or Business Administration;
Economics; or other relevant field;

Certificates and/or Licenses
Professional accounting, auditing or financial management designation (CPA/ACCA/CIA/CMA or equivalent)
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential

Work experience in the field of accounting/finance, project management, business analysis, quality assurance and/or risk management. Excellent knowledge of, and experience in working with, international accounting and auditing standards, with a minimum of two years of practical experience in the audit process and/or in financial statements preparation. Working experience with accrual accounting (such as IPSAS or IFRS). Excellent understanding and/or experience of financial modules a major Enterprise Resource Planning system (such as PeopleSoft, SAP or Oracle). Good understanding of project and resource management. Excellent computer skills, in particular in MS Office applications, especially MS-excel. Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Experience of managing people in multinational/multicultural environments.

Desirable
Project management accreditation highly desirable. Risk management certification. Good knowledge of UNHCR's ERP system. Excellent knowledge of United Nations financial rules and procedures.

Functional Skills
FI-Financial Accounting - Modified cash-based accounting as per international standards
FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc)
FI-Financial auditing
FI-General Financial Management
FI-International Auditing Standards
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Essential attributes
• The ideal candidate must possess substantial professional experience including with the UN agencies.
• S/He should also have relevant working experience with UNHCR in the areas of Administration and Finance.

• The incumbent must be conversant with Cloud ERP and COMPASS and have an excellent knowledge of United Nations administrative, human resources and financial rules and procedures.
• The incumbent is expected to be attentive to all aspects of internal control mechanisms, in accordance with UN financial regulations and UNHCR’s rules, policies and procedures and Code of Conduct.
• He/she must have strong capacities in terms of coordination, guiding, monitoring and advising financial operations skills, etc.
• S/he should be fluent in French (oral and written).

Desirable attributes:
• Previous experience with UNHCR in the Sahel Countries or in similar extremely sensitive contexts in the areas of Administration, Finance and Human Resources
• Excellent interpersonal skills for interaction with Snr Management, Regional Bureau and Division of Resource Management.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to this position

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

UNHCR's operation in Burkina Faso includes as of 31 December 2025, 42,962 refugees and asylum seekers who had to flee their country of origin because of the socio-political crisis that prevail since February 2012. The majority of refugees live with the community and in the site of Ouezin in the Sahel region. Others are living in border areas and in the two biggest cities of Burkina.

Due to insecurity, people in Burkina Faso have been uprooted from their homes due to the presence of terrorist groups, increased criminality and ongoing counterterrorism operations which expose the civilian populations to violence. The number of people moving inland continues to increase particularly in the Liptako, Soum and Kuilse regions. As of 31 March 2023, their number amounted to 2 062,588 displaced. At the end of 2025, the government also reported that more than one (1) million IDPs have returned to their areas of origin and need solutions-oriented support.

The Senior Finance Officer is part of the Senior Management team and supervised directly by the Representative. He/she will establish and maintain efficient administrative and financial control mechanisms to ensure compliance with UN Financial, Administrative and Staff rules and procedures. The incumbent is supervising IT, HR, admin/finance colleagues and the drivers.

The UNHCR Burkina Faso Office structure represents 118 staff disseminated among the Representation in Ouagadougou, 04 Field Offices in Kaya, Dori, Ouahigouya and Fada-Ngourma and 02 Field Unit in Bobo-Dioulasso and Djibo.

The incumbent must travel regularly to the filed for monitoring purposes and ensure that living and working conditions of staff are up to UNHCR ' standards.

The incumbent is an OMT member and in that capacity he or she will attend monthly OMT meetings with other UN Agency members and comply with OMT/UNHCT decisions.

Living and Working Conditions:

Burkina Faso has very basic infrastructures, including in the health sector. In Ouagadougou, there are more than 20 health clinics and hospitals, but only nine are recommended by the UN System.

Epidemics and other disease outbreaks are common in the operational area.

Ouagadougou is a non-family duty station and education is generally in French, however there is also a US English school. Currently, international appointed staff members are not authorized to bring their families to Burkina Faso.

Banking services available include more than five international banks among which two are recommended by the UN System (United Bank of Africa and Ecobank).

Hot and dry desert environment with high daylight temperature fluctuations.

In the field, due to security-borne restrictions, the office has built some well-organized guest houses where all staff are advised to reside during field missions (in FU Djibo, FO Dori, FO Ouahigouya and Fada N’Gourma).

Housing in Ouagadougou is mainly individual houses and are easily available. Electricity is very expensive, and a backup generator is recommended.

Ouagadougou is a D duty station with an 8-week R&R cycle. The R&R location is in Accra, Ghana.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Accounting, Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts: Economics, Bachelor of Arts: Finance, Bachelor of Arts: Public Administration

Certifications

Accounting - Other, Auditing - Other, Financial Management - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026 - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance