Background/Context
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.ย
UN Women Financial Management Services (FMS), led by the Deputy Director of Financial Management, encompasses five specialized teams: Finance Section (Revenue & Asset Management), Virtual Global Service Centre (financial donor reporting and project closure), Financial Operations, Finance Country Office Support, and Regional Office Finance Specialists. The unit oversees strategic financial planning and management, including accounting, revenue management, treasury operations, internal controls, and corporate financial solutions. It provides critical financial reporting and risk advice to the Executive Director and Senior Management while representing UN Women in inter-agency and external financial policy forums. Additionally, the unit offers financial advisory support to headquarters, country, and regional offices, covering project proposal guidance, donor agreement negotiations, audit management, reconciliations, and cost recovery. It ensures compliance through annual financial statements, donor reporting, account reconciliations, and asset and treasury oversight. Dedicated client support includes project closures, advance management, recruitment of finance staff, and induction training for new users. Capacity-building initiatives, such as regional training, country missions, webinars, and one-on-one guidance, further enhance financial management knowledge across the organization, ensuring alignment with UN Womenโs strategic goals.
UN-Women's accounting policies, effective from January 1, 2012, now follow the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). UN Womenโs financial activities are governed by UN Womenโs Financial Rules and Regulations, which have been in place since the inception of the entity in 2010. UN Women is currently in the review and implementation of IPSAS 43, which outlines the principles and requirements for the recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of leases.ย
Reporting to the Chief of Financial Reporting, the consultant will coordinate closely with the Deputy Director of Financial Management to ensure aligned implementation.
Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work
Within the overall guidance of the Chief of Financial Reporting, the consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive assessment of the UN Women's lease agreements to determine the accounting treatments and journal entries required for compliance with IPSAS 43 โ Leases. This will include identifying lease classifications, calculating right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, and determining appropriate transition adjustments.ย
Furthermore, the consultant will be expected to design and recommend a standardized process and internal controls to facilitate the accurate and timely preparation of these entries on a recurring basis.ย
This work will be carried out in close collaboration with the Financial Management Section (FMS) and the Facilities Management team to ensure completeness, consistency, and operational feasibility.
Consultantโs Workplace and Official Travel: Home Based or New York withย no official travel.
Competencies:
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Valuesย
Functional competencies:ย
Strong analytical andย draftingย skillsย Strong knowledge of UN system Financial Regulations and Rulesย Strong interpersonal skills Working knowledge of IPSAS and IFRS principles Skillsย in the analysis, design, and optimization of financial systems and accounting processes Solidย understanding of asset management accounting, including capitalization and depreciation processesEducation and Certification:
Masterโs Degree (or equivalent) in Finance/Accounting, or a Professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy, Chartered Accountant, or Certified Public Accountant is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) preferred.Experience:
A minimum of 7 years of hands-on experience in general and financial accounting is required. Lease accounting experience is desirable. Experience with creation and posting of complex journal entries and period-end adjustments is required. Experience in the preparation of audit workpapers, supporting schedules, and financial statement notes is required. Experience in using Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis tools is required.Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or Spanish or any other UN official language is an asset.ยDiversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
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