Finance Officer

As the Finance Officer, you will support effective stewardship of organisational resources by providing quality financial management, accounting, treasury, and compliance services that enable efficient programme delivery and operational excellence. You will contribute to financial planning, budgeting, monitoring, reporting, and risk management activities while ensuring compliance with organisational policies, financial regulations, procedures, and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

Responsibilities

• Support budget preparation and implementation, monitoring expenditures, analysing financial performance, processing financial transactions, maintaining accurate accounting records, reconciling accounts, and contributing to period-end closure activities.
• Review financial reports and implementing partner transactions, identify exceptions and risks, strengthen internal controls, and recommend corrective actions as required.
• Support cash and treasury management through cash forecasting, bank account monitoring, and ensuring the availability of funds for programme and operational activities.
• Contribute to donor and statutory reporting requirements, support audit exercises and oversight reviews, promote ethical financial practices, and facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity-building initiatives.
• Help ensure accountability, transparency, and the effective use of resources in support of organisational objectives and sustainable programme results.

Requirements

• Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, finance, auditing, public administration and any other related fields.
• 1 years of relevant work experience in Audit and Investigation, Financial Management.
• Experience in financial planning and budget analysis for programme and operational implementation.
• Experience in control of accounts, payment processing, journal entries, reconciliation, accounts closure and financial reporting.
• Experience in treasury and cash management, including bank and cash account monitoring, cash forecasting and follow-up with GSSC.
• Experience in risk review, compliance monitoring, audit support, and follow-up on financial observations and recommendations.
• Experience in knowledge sharing, process improvement and capacity building for staff, stakeholders and partners.
• Strong knowledge of financial management, accounting, budgeting, reporting, reconciliations, and transaction processing.
• Proven ability to analyse financial data, monitor budgets, identify anomalies, resolve discrepancies, and prepare exception reports.
• Sound understanding of IPSAS, financial regulations, internal controls, accountability frameworks, and audit requirements.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement, and client-service skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and external partners.
• Excellent planning, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with commitment to ethics, continuous learning, and process improvement.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience working with UNICEF, UN agencies, international organizations, or other public-sector finance environments is desirable.
• Experience with database packages, web-based management systems and ERP systems, preferably SAP financial modules, is an asset.
• Familiarity with IPSAS-based accounting principles, donor funding management, and financial compliance requirements is desirable.
• Knowledge of ERP systems (SAP), financial management applications, Microsoft Excel, and digital tools for data analytics is desirable.
• Knowledge of another local language of the duty station, e.g., Chichewa, Chiyao, Chitumbuka is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is desirable.

Skills

• Finance Management
• Audit and Investigations
• Financial Planning
• Budget Analysis
• Accounts Control
• Payment Processing
• Journal Entries
• Account Reconciliation
• Accounts Closure
• Financial Reporting
• Treasury Management
• Cash management
• Bank Account Monitoring
• Cash Forecasting
• Risk Review
• Compliance Monitoring
• Audit Support
• Process Improvement
• Capacity Building
• Financial Data Analysis
• Budget Monitoring
• Anomaly Identification
• Discrepancy Resolution
• Exception Reporting
• IPSAS
• Financial Regulations
• Internal Controls
• Accountability Frameworks
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Client Services
• ERP Systems
• SAP Financial Modules
• MS Excel
• Data Analytics

Languages

English