Treasury Accounting Specialist

The Finance Group serves as a strategic partner and fiduciary advisor, ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective resource management across UNOPS. The Group defines financial strategy in alignment with organizational goals, establishes finance policies, systems, and processes, and leads corporate budgeting to enable full cost recovery and ensure long-term financial sustainability. Throughout the project lifecycle, the Finance Group provides expert guidance, oversight, and tailored financial solutions. Responsibilities include delivering comprehensive financial and corporate performance reporting, strengthening financial capacity across the organization, and continuously enhancing resource planning and allocation. In addition, the Finance Group prepares and oversees the implementation of finance-related policies, upholding the highest standards of financial stewardship and supporting UNOPS in achieving operational excellence and fiscal responsibility.

This is a roster replenishment, i.e. a call for applications for future function-specific opportunities, determined by emerging needs. The process is similar to a regular recruitment, but is not linked to a current vacancy. It can be used to hire into ICA and FT contracts, in Copenhagen or various duty stations.

The Treasury Accounting Specialist reports to the Chief of Financial Statements and UNBOA Relations who provides broad supervision and guidance. The Treasury Accountant is responsible for accounting and efficient financial reporting of treasury related transactions. He/she analyzes and interprets the financial regulations and rules and the applicable accounting standards (IPSAS) and provides solutions and advice to a wide spectrum of complex accounting transactions and promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNOPS regulations and rules.

1. TREASURY ACCOUNTING

• Ensure appropriate accounting of treasury-related transactions involving but not limited to:

a. FX-Spot, Forwards, NDF, Options

b. Interest Rate Derivatives (OTC and Exchange Traded)

c. Inflation Swaps

d. Equity and Credit derivatives (CDS & Equity futures)

e. Cash, Cash Equivalents, Fixed Income (Sovereign, Supranational, Agency MBS, Corporate Bonds, Money Market Funds)

• Support ad-hoc valuation exercises of UNOPS investment portfolios, including liaising with UNOPS asset managers and global custodian.
• Ensure appropriate hedge accounting and review of hedging performance.
• Support UNOPS Treasury unit with managing of hedge efficiencies and effectiveness, both from a policy perspective linked to hedge accounting requirements where needed, and from a treasury hedging point of view including hedge coverage, slippage, cost of hedging, etc.
• Ensure accurate accounting of UNOPS financial portfolios (including the After Service Health Insurance - ASHI) in accordance with UNOPS business model and related accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Support treasury in triannual ALM study on liability-driven investment portfolios (ASHI).
• Maintain a high level of accuracy and system integrity through reviewing of accounting results between UNOPS Treasury Management System and the ERP.
• Advise back office on accounting and reporting matters of in-house treasury transactions and liaise with the treasury unit on a regular basis including setup and structure of new financial instruments both within UNOPS policies and at system level in UNOPS TMS (Kyriba).
• Ensure accurate monthly recording and accounting of UNOPS investments externally managed in the UNOPS book of records.
• Ensure in-depth understanding and recording of collateralisation postings (paid/received) for the different types of margin calls in accordance with UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and other applicable Organizational Directives and Operational Instructions and accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Exercise periodic monitoring over transactions and account balances/reconciliations to ensure compliance with UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and other applicable Organizational Directives and Operational Instructions and accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Ensure that all applicable deadlines to books´ closures are met.

2. FINANCIAL REPORTING/OVERSIGHT

• Oversee and document accounting compliance of treasury-related transactions in ERP to the treasury policies, Investment principles, UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules and accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on accounting results of UNOPS portfolios and in collaboration with the treasury unit bridge the accounting results with the financial performance of UNOPS portfolios.
• Ensure treasury-related transactions are accurately recorded and promptly reported in accordance with the relevant accounting standards (IPSAS).
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on analysis of foreign exchange results reported in General Ledger.
• Prepare regular periodic management reports on analysis of externally managed investments.
• Support preparation and consolidation of monthly and quarterly financial forecasts in close collaboration with other units including UNOPS treasury unit.
• Support in preparation of corporate financial statements, in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), including all the necessary supporting schedules and notes.

3. INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AUDIT / LIAISON

• Provide support to the head of the unit during internal and external audit processes.
• Manage treasury-related external audit queries during interim and year-end audit.
• Manage internal audit-related queries in relation to verification exercises.
• Establish effective, robust, and open working relationships with key counterparts (including front, middle, and backoffice) and ensure expectations are managed, key issues communicated, and potential blockers resolved in a timely manner.

4. CAPACITY BUILDING

• Support process documentation and continuous process improvements including development of SoPs and related PQMS.
• Become a subject matter expert on accounting for treasury-related transactions.
• Develop innovative solutions to optimize financial processes, reduce manual work, and increase automation around financial reporting.
• Responsible for providing guidance and advice to finance practitioners in the area of financial accounting, interpretation, and operational guidance on the application of the accounting standards (IPSAS) and UNOPS Financial Regulations and Rules (FRR).
• Participate in the development of Operational Manuals.
• Monitor developments and updates to accounting standards (IPSAS) related to financial instruments and ensure due knowledge sharing and operational preparation of the organization for compliance purposes.
• Provide expert advice and support in regular book closure and year-end closure processes.
• Maintain a log of issues identified, analyze data, and draw a holistic action plan to improve processes and establish necessary controls based on lessons learned.
• Contribute to developing and maintaining a strong control environment around financial reporting and the integrity of financial transactions used for preparation of corporate financial statements.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Finance, Accounting, Financial Management or a related field is required with 7 years of relevant experience OR
• A Master's Degree (or equivalent) in any of the above disciplines with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
• Fully qualified accounting qualification with a recognised accountancy body is required.

Desired

• Specialized certifications such as chartered financial analyst (CFA) is considered an asset.

Required

• Relevant experience is defined as treasury accounting working experience within an international environment is required.
• A thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is required.

Desired

• Experience in Treasury Management Systems, and ERP is considered an asset.

• 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.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• 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.