Switzerland: Controller and Director (D-2)

Organization: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Country: Switzerland
Closing date: 01 Dec 2014

Controller and Director (D-2) in Geneva, Switzerland

United Nations of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is an international humanitarian organisation operating in approximately 124 countries in 458 offices worldwide. As of 1 August 2014, the organisation had 9,036 staff , of whom 8,000 were working in the field. The Organisation has an annual budget of approximately $3 billion. UNHCR is funded almost entirely from voluntary contributions and operates in a highly dynamic operational environment, responding to numerous emergency situations. The Organization has adopted the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) effective 2012 and uses PeopleSoft as a corporate IT system.

In this context, the Controller:

• has the key responsibility for financial and budgetary strategy and policy formulation, the production of the statutory accounts and the cash management;
• is responsible for financial change management and related project implementation including the development and maintenance of key corporate IT systems;
• sets the UNHCR policies on implementing partnership management, and monitors its implementation.

As the Director of the Division of Financial and Administrative Management (DFAM), the Controller oversees and supervises the Division consisting of approximately 120 staff, located both in Headquarters, Geneva and Budapest. The assigned responsibilities of this post include regular liaison with Senior Management of UNHCR (i.e. the High Commissioner (HC), the Deputy High Commissioner (DHC), the Assistant High Commissioner (AHC), Directors, Representatives and a variety of staff at Headquarters and in the field), with member state representatives, the United Nations Board of Auditors, the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight, the Independent Audit and Oversight Committee, as well as with relevant senior officials of the UN system organizations and other organizations.

The requirements for this position are:

-an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in finance, business administration or accounting and a minimum of 20 years of supervisory experience in accounting, and/or in financial management in an international, decentralized and/or multinational environment;

-knowledge and practical experience of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) at headquarters level;

-demonstrated experience in statutory reporting and management reporting;

-excellent knowledge of United Nations (or United Nations system organization’s) financial regulations and rules, procedures and processes, as well as its organization’s programme and budget formulation/methodologies;

-demonstrated leadership qualities, good management and communication skills;

-excellent knowledge of English (written/oral/comprehension). Highly developed drafting skills in English. Working knowledge in French.

How to apply:

If you are interested in working at the forefront of humanitarian assistance, for an organization that prides itself on its ability to help those in need, information on this position, as well as details on how to apply, is available on the UNHCR website at: www.unhcr.org/careers.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 1 December 2014

UNHCR aims for workforce diversity at all levels and encourages qualified women and persons with disabilities to apply. Acknowledgments will only be sent to short-listed candidates under serious consideration.