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The Payroll Finance Oversight (PFO) function provides financial oversight and governance over UNDP’s global payroll operations. PFO ensures the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of payroll-related financial information by establishing and monitoring controls, reviewing payroll accounting, overseeing compliance with applicable policies and financial rules, and assessing payroll-related financial risks. In fulfilling its mandate, PFO partners closely with and interacts regularly with the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) to align operational processes with financial governance objectives. The function acts as a critical second-line capability, supporting management through analysis, issue resolution, and coordination with service providers and internal stakeholders, while safeguarding the organization against financial, compliance, and reputational risk arising from payroll activities.
Within the Payroll Finance Oversight (PFO) function, the Finance Specialist provides specialized technical expertise and serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on payroll accounting, providing technical oversight, monitoring, and analysis of payroll expenses and related balance sheet accounts. The Finance Specialist works closely with the Global Payroll Services (GPS) and Benefits Entitlement Services (BES) teams within the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) to strengthen payroll finance processes, advise on payroll system configuration and accounting treatments to mitigate risk, and review higher-risk transactions, providing assurance over IPSAS-compliant financial recording and reporting and contributing to reduced audit risk.
Duties and Responsibilities
Establish effective payroll finance oversight and policy implementation:
Review and maintain payroll-related financial policies, procedures, and accounting treatments affecting the financial statements, including inter-agency balances, payables, and employee benefit liabilities.
Assess and strengthen the payroll control environment, including Quantum ERP (Oracle HCM) application controls, system configuration, and audit trails, proposing process and system improvements to enhance efficiency and risk management.
Lead the review of payroll accounting mappings and centralized processes from Quantum ERP (Oracle HCM) through to the General Ledger, including review of segregation of duties and compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and industry best practices.
Design, develop and maintain payroll oversight tools and reports (e.g. exception reports, dashboards, and models) to support monitoring, analysis, and periodic reporting of payroll costs and employee benefits.
Provide technical oversight of payroll-related financial risks, including employee benefits, staff receivables and advances, inter-agency transfers, and unrecovered balances.
Contribute to the preparation of IPSAS-compliant financial statements and other corporate financial reports, including:
Planning and preparation activities, including researching applicable reporting requirements, assessing materiality, and determining reporting scope. This requires in-depth knowledge of IPSAS standards, including complex areas such as revenue recognition, leases, transfer expenses, financial instruments, employee benefits, property, plant and equipment, intangible assets, provisions and contingencies, foreign currency translation, consolidation…etc.
Leading, as required, the financial statement compilation process and preparing the primary financial statements and related notes.
Overseeing or performing analytical reviews, including year-over-year trend analysis, ratio analysis, and investigation of variances, for management review.
Preparing draft briefing notes and talking points, including high-level insights on financial performance and the impact of changes in accounting standards, assumptions, or estimates.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance or Accounting, and/or a professional accounting qualification from an accredited institute of accountancy is required. Or
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Those with professional accounting qualifications from an accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
Candidates with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting.
Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete UNDP Finance Training and certification Programme (FTCP),if recruited.
Experience:
Minimum 5 years (with master´s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor´s degree) of experience in financial management, accounting or auditing.
Proven experience and a sound understanding of IPSAS/IFRS required.
Experience with ERP financial systems is required (preferably Oracle).
Strong analytical and report-writing skills with a proven track record.
Demonstrated experience in AI, digital transformation, and process automation and demonstrated ability explore and apply new technologies.
Experience as a collaborative team player with flexibility to work across global time zones.
Desirable Criteria:
Audit experience (internal and/or external) is an asset.
Experience with project costing and time and labour distribution and timecards would be an asset.
Experience in working with actuaries and actuarial reports would be an asset.
Experience working in the UN system would be an asset
Required Language(s):
Fluency in English is required.
Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.