Finance Officer

Organizational Context

The Department of Finance supports WHO Country Offices, Regional Offices, and Headquarters in all financial matters, ensuring precise and timely services. Its scope includes accounting, financial policy, reporting, treasury, investments, and managing financial statements and external audits. The department emphasizes transparency, accountability, and excellent customer service.

Job Purpose

The Finance Officer provides crucial project management, advice, and coordination for the department's financial management and improvement initiatives. This role supports all FNM units and clients by advising on financial management strategies and facilitating related improvements. The officer also monitors, analyzes, and guides on expenditure policies and procedures, addresses audit requests, and supports periodic financial closure processes, ensuring efficient and compliant financial operations across the organization.

Responsibilities

The Finance Officer is responsible for providing project management, advice, and coordination for financial management and improvement initiatives within the FNM department. This includes advising and supporting FNM units and clients on financial management strategies and improvements. The role involves monitoring, analyzing, and providing guidance on expenditure policies and procedures, responding to budget, finance, and programme staff inquiries, and supporting periodic closure processes. Additionally, the role may involve duties related to the Contract Review Committee (CRC), such as tracking and analyzing clearance requests, preparing recommendations, responding to queries, maintaining the CRC database, and liaising with relevant internal and external stakeholders to harmonize best practices in procurement and contractual services.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressive financial management experience in a large, complex international organization, preferably with decentralized operations, is essential. Experience with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and demonstrated international-level experience are also required. Desirable experience includes managing contract review committees and using ERP systems (Workday or Oracle preferred).

Skills

Key skills include integrity, tact, discretion, the ability to recommend and interpret financial policies, and establish effective working relationships in a multicultural environment. Strong interpersonal skills, the ability to maintain a global finance network, comprehensive knowledge of international accounting and financial management principles, and strong procurement procedure knowledge are also essential. WHO competencies such as Teamwork, Communication, Producing Results, and Setting an Example are also required.

Explore related opportunities