Finance Specialist (Payroll Finance Oversight (PFO)) - Open to internal and external applicants who are nationals of the EU, EEA and Switzerland)
Overview
The Finance Specialist (Payroll Finance Oversight) provides specialized technical expertise and serves as a Subject Matter Expert on payroll accounting, offering technical oversight, monitoring, and analysis of payroll expenses and related balance sheet accounts.
Key Responsibilities
- Review and maintain payroll-related financial policies, procedures, and accounting treatments.
- Assess and strengthen the payroll control environment, including Quantum ERP (Oracle HCM) application controls.
- Lead the review of payroll accounting mappings and centralized processes from Quantum ERP (Oracle HCM) through to the General Ledger.
- Design, develop and maintain payroll oversight tools and reports.
- Provide technical oversight of payroll-related financial risks.
- Contribute to the preparation of IPSAS-compliant financial statements and other corporate financial reports.
- Develop and maintain payroll-related risk and control matrices in line with SICFR requirements.
- Lead annual control testing for payroll processes and accounts.
- Lead on identification of control gaps, recommend remediation actions, and oversee completion of corrective measures.
- Liaise with OAI and external auditors on payroll-related SICFR testing.
- Design, implement and maintain a monitoring strategy for payroll-related General Ledger (GL) accounts.
- Perform periodic reviews of payroll-related GL accounts, transactions, reconciliations, and related adjustment journals.
- Oversee staff advances and payroll receivable accounts.
- Liaise with offices, ITM, and system vendors to troubleshoot payroll accounting issues.
- Conduct complex analyses and engage with actuaries and third-party administrators to assess employee benefit liabilities.
- Lead research and risk analysis to inform the development of financial policies.
- Lead in drafting and updating financial policies and procedures.
- Benchmark policies against international standards and peer organization practices.
- Engage stakeholders to gather feedback and ensure policies are risk-informed, user-friendly, and contextually appropriate.
- Manage audit requests and queries.
- Support post-audit follow-up and year-round audit readiness.
- Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in Finance.
- Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Required Experience
Minimum 5 years (with master´s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor´s degree) of experience in financial management, accounting or auditing. Proven experience and a sound understanding of IPSAS/IFRS required. Experience with ERP financial systems is required (preferably Oracle). Strong analytical and report-writing skills with a proven track record. Demonstrated experience in AI, digital transformation, and process automation and demonstrated ability explore and apply new technologies. Experience as a collaborative team player with flexibility to work across global time zones. Audit experience (internal and/or external) is an asset. Experience with project costing and time and labour distribution and timecards would be an asset. Experience in working with actuaries and actuarial reports would be an asset. Experience working in the UN system would be an asset.
Qualifications
Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance or Accounting, and/or a professional accounting qualification from an accredited institute of accountancy is required. Or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. Those with professional accounting qualifications from an accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage. Candidates with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting. Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and certification Programme (FTCP),if recruited.