Finance Associate

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

In November 2023, ADB approved the Verification of Claims and Expenditures Project (VCEP) to conduct a verification of outstanding claims from contractors, consultants, suppliers and project management offices for the works and services completed in Afghanistan under ADB-financed and administered projects prior to 15 August 2021. UNOPS is the executing agency for VCEP.

The main objective of VCEP is to verify claims from contractors, consultants and suppliers for works and services completed prior to 15 August 2021 under different types of contracts, including civil works, supply of goods and consulting services in Afghanistan. VCEP also includes a verification of advances provided to contractors, consultants and suppliers and eligible expenditures incurred by the project management offices prior to 15 August 2021 under ADB-financed and administered projects.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Finance Senior Officer (ICS-9), the Finance Associate supports the provision of financial services, ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work. The Finance Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS rules and regulations.

1. Budget Administration and Cost Recovery

• Support the preparation, monitoring and revision of project and office budgets, ensuring accuracy and alignment with UNOPS financial policies and donor/partner agreements.
• Prepare and maintain financial data and analysis on budget utilization, claims and invoices for management decision-making.
• Contribute to the preparation of verification reports, follow up with implementing agencies to obtain supporting documentation, and ensure proper recording in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and Management Information System (MIS).
• Prepare forecasts of payments verified and to be paid under PVEP and liaise with component leads to gather estimates.
• Assist in preparation of correspondence and reports in accordance with the set procedures.
• Provide inputs on the financial implications of operational plans and support the implementation of cost-saving and efficiency measures.
• Assist in project financial closure processes, ensuring accuracy and completeness of records in accordance with UNOPS project closure protocol

2. Accounting and Payments

• Review and verify payment requests and supporting documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with approved budgets and UNOPS FRRs.
• Prepare and process vouchers (purchase orders, accounts payable, and journal vouchers) and execute pay cycles in the ERP system.
• Ensure timely and proper control and recording of supporting documents for payments and pending liabilities, goods receipt, service delivery, and accruals.
• Maintain an internal expenditure control system, ensuring transactions are properly matched, posted, and supported by adequate documentation.
• Process and reconcile accounts receivable and accounts payable, including follow-up with partners and projects on pending items.
• Perform monthly and quarterly account reconciliation, identifying and resolving discrepancies in coordination with project teams.
• Ensure timely month-end and year-end submission of required financial and progress reports.
• Respond promptly to queries to resolve financial data or audit issues.

3. Cash and Treasury Management

• Review and monitor cash positions for local claimants to ensure sufficient funds for disbursements.
• Ensure the proper recording of receipts, invoices, and other supporting documents.
• Prepare monthly cash flow forecasts for expected disbursements and liaise with operations and project teams to gather cash requirement estimates.
• Conduct account reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and prompt resolution of variances.
• Initiate and record bank transfers, replenishments, and foreign exchange transactions in the ERP system/trackers.

4. Financial Reporting and Analysis

• Prepare and review financial reports, verification reports, and management dashboards.
• Support preparation of variance analyses, cost distribution summaries, and project-level expenditure reconciliations.
• Participate in quarterly and annual financial closure activities, ensuring completeness and consistency of data.
• Support internal and external audit exercises, ensuring timely submission of documentation and clearance of audit findings.
• Analyze and prepare adjusting entries (GLJEs) and ensure accuracy of financial postings across projects.
• Initiate communication with claimants eligible for payments under PVEP to obtain information/documents required to process their payments.
• Support checking of partners/contractors and key personnel against sanction lists.
• Obtain confirmation from the donor on the sanction status of each partner/contractor.

5. Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of training and learning sessions on finance topics.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on finance-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.
• Ensure full compliance with the verification methodologies and processes agreed with the donor and other stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with the data management SoPs, including documentation categories and naming conventions, etc.

Required

• Secondary school diploma or equivalent.

Desired

• University degree (Bachelor's or Master's) in Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.

Required

• Secondary School Diploma with a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in project operations, finance, HR, procurement, or administrative support.
• Bachelor’s Degree with a Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience.

Desired

• Experience working within a UN System organization. Direct experience managing operations or audit responses for large-scale donor-funded projects (e.g., ADB).
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration tools and web-based ERP management systems is required.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• 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.
  

• 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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• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.