Advisor, Finance

UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UNOPS in New York seeks a Finance Advisor to lead strategic financial management for the New York Office, ensuring robust controls, high-quality reporting, and integration of financial services across portfolios. You will drive continuous improvement, mentor a high-performing team, and partner with regional and field offices to align with organizational goals.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, risk management, and the delivery of efficient financial processes consistent with

Qualifications

• Experience in financial management, budget oversight, and strategic financial planning.
• Experience managing the financial components of project management cycles.
• Experience managing teams in a professional environment, including hybrid or multicultural work environments.
• Experience working in an international organization or the UN system.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial support and budget oversight to NYPO.
• Deliver cross-functional integration and process efficiency improvements.
• Enforce compliance with organizational requirements.
• Ensure client-facing performance and reporting is excellent and undergoing continuous improvement.
• Lead a high-performing team.
• Lead budget and business planning processes and monitor resource utilization.

Skills

Budget Process

Financial Analysis

Financial Planning

Stakeholder Management

Team Leadership

Effective communication

Continuous Improvement

Mentoring

Education

Master degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or related fields

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or related fields

Job description

This is an excellent opportunity to provide strategic financial leadership within a dynamic international organization. The position offers exposure to a diverse portfolio of projects, cross-functional collaboration, and the chance to drive significant improvements in financial management and operational efficiency.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Support Services, the Finance Advisor manages a team of 6 and maintains close working relationships with other finance practitioners located in regional and field locations to ensure a robust control environment, high-quality financial reporting, and the integration of financial services across four diverse portfolios. The Advisor, Finance provides strategic oversight and comprehensive financial management for the New York Office , ensuring compliance with organizational requirements, driving continuous improvement, and leading a high-performing finance team.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Provide strategic financial support and budget oversight to NYPO

Develop Finance/Budget annual work plan, setting of priorities and planning of work in line with corporate goals and business planning process

Monitor and analyze the operating environment to ensure adequate agility, risk management and quick readjustment of the operations as needed

Strengthen client and stakeholder satisfaction by ensuring NYPO's financial reporting requirements are met

Lead internal and external audit exercises and accountability for financial audit recommendations

Act as the practice specialist by contributing to corporate strategy requirements, and to corporate recommendations made by Finance Group

Drive finance function initiatives to ensure added value and optimal support across NYPO, as well as the achievement of the Strategic Objectives

Contribute with specialist financial knowledge to long-term strategy of NYPO's business efficiencies

2. Deliver cross-functional integration and process efficiency improvements

Bridge the gap between HQ-level policy development and execution at field level, including conducting financial training to personnel

Lead cross-functional integration and process efficiency improvements through linkages between program and operations with an emphasis on finance and budgeting

Work towards coherence in processes and in policy improvements for long-term solutions to repetitive challenges

Benchmark internal financial practices with external best practices

Work closely with other management practice advisors on the utilization and enhancement of systems and tools

Knowledge building and sharing with regards to financial management and operations

3. Enforce compliance with organizational requirements

Supervise the performance of monthly, quarterly and year-end accounting processes

Mitigate reputational risk by ensuring integrity and accuracy of financial performance and expenditure

Ensure transactions are correct and elevate complex and recurring challenges.

Drive inputs on budget design across programmes

Lead control and data integrity tests of systems

Contribute to practice-led initiatives on common operational recommendations when developing new systems

Drive the delivery of training to the business to raise financial capacity, awareness and compliance

4. Ensure client-facing performance and reporting is excellent and undergoing continuous improvement

Constant assessment of client-satisfaction and performance through KPIs related to Financial Management as part of internal and external benchmarking

Conduct a thorough analysis of statistics and trends to inform and guide the portfolio

Establish a knowledge management system to ensure Financial Management trends and lessons learned are captured to inform future decision making and best practices

Lead financial quarterly reviews with the clients and stakeholders to communicate challenges and achievements

Contribute as practice specialist to resolving NYPO functional challenges by coordinating and developing long-term strategies towards innovative solutions

Review and lead financial process efficiencies, and contribute to the development of NYPO SOPs

Enable the assessment of risks versus opportunities considering the Internal Control Framework

5. Lead a high-performing team

Lead an effective, high-performing, and inclusive Finance team. Ensure team cohesion and integration across the two Finance sub-teams. Foster and role-model a safe and inclusive work environment that upholds dignity and respect for all personnel. Uphold the highest standards of conduct and take decisive action to address behaviours that undermine inclusion, equity, or psychological safety.

Ensure that hybrid working arrangements are managed equitably, with conscious attention to ensuring that remote and part-time team members have equal access to development opportunities, visibility, and recognition; in accordance with UNOPS policy requirements.

Ensure that DEI objectives are embedded in PER/PRAs for all IC S-10 and above Finance team members at a minimum, and that training and development plans include inclusive leadership competencies.

6. Ensure resource maximization and business planning is effective and embedded in business as usual (BAU)

Lead the budget and business planning process, reflecting the strategic and operational requirements

Monitor the budget implementation and resource utilization/status related to NYPO's admin and LSS budgets

Steward the management resources of NYPO clusters ensuring timely cost recovery and adequate pricing

Improve and where necessary develop costing/budgeting models to ensure adequate resource planning is embedded into new projects.

Monitor NYPO's performance against financial targets

Skills

Budget Process, Continuous Improvement, Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, Mentoring, Stakeholder Management, Team Leadership, Effective communication

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required * Master degree (or equivalent) preferably in Business A dministration, Finance, Accounting or related fields with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience; or * Bachelor's degree preferably in Business A dministration, Finance, Accounting or related fields with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience

Experience Requirements

Required

Relevant experience is defined as progressive professional experience in business process analysis and/or redesign, and/or optimization in financial management, budget oversight, and strategic financial planning.

• Experience in managing the financial components of project management cycles is desired.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience managing teams in a professional environment is required. Experience fostering diverse and inclusive team cultures, including in hybrid or multicultural work environments, is desirable.
• Experience working in an international organization or the UN system.

Additional Information

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here .
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