Director, Finance Division

The Director of the Finance Division leads the Finance Division within the Department of Program Planning and Finance. The role involves co-creating a vision for finance transformation, driving technology strategies including AI and ERP initiatives, managing resources and teams, ensuring customer-centric financial services, managing risks and internal controls, and engaging strategically with Member States and oversight bodies.

Responsibilities

• Co-create a vision for continuous innovation and transformation with the CFO.
• Provide process change thought leadership and execution, building new capabilities to re-envision processes and operationalizing new ways of working.
• Continuously explore and evaluate innovative finance technology solutions, emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices in finance that can transform finance work.
• Ensure finance functional strategy aligns fully with the overall business strategy of the Organization's transformation goals.
• Build a roadmap for Finance transformation.
• Redesign the finance operating model based on the opportunities enabled by technology and automation, ensuring alignment with business objectives and best practices.
• Drive the implementation of the new operating model, managing change and ensuring seamless integration across the finance function.
• Lead the digital and ERP transformation of the Finance Division including redesign of the operating model and adoption of new technologies such as AI.
• Champion automation to minimize manual effort, increase speed and accuracy of accounting processes and digitalize internal controls.
• Drive coordinated change management across finance ensuring smooth adoption of the new finance operating model.
• Deliver comprehensive training and support to finance staff to bolster proficiency in new technologies and processes.
• Work closely with key stakeholders to foster a culture of continuous adherence and improvement of financial systems and processes.
• Take a people-centered approach to build awareness of how individuals and teams respond to change.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with stakeholders including business areas, management functions, Member States, UN and international organizations, national IP offices, and clients.
• Direct the Division's portfolio of work and manage human and financial resources, determining priorities and allocating resources.
• Monitor operational performance levels and proactively manage talent needs through development initiatives including mobility and recruitment.
• Ensure staff are informed of their duty to report potential fraud/abuse/misconduct.
• Lead development, review and update of accounting policies ensuring alignment with professional standards and compliance with WIPO's Financial Regulations and Rules and IPSAS.
• Identify and manage financial risks ensuring effective mitigation and internal controls; take action towards fraud prevention and detection.
• Provide technical leadership and advice on finance/accounting matters for WIPO and related funds, leveraging data-driven insights and digital tools.
• Direct accounting close and ensure timely delivery of quality financial statements and reports to management and oversight bodies; respond to audit comments and follow up on implementation.
• Oversee treasury and investment management functions and lead strategic engagement with banking partners.
• Direct preparation and review of financial management reports and documents for governing bodies and senior meetings; represent the Organization and provide authoritative advice.
• Perform other job-related duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in accounting, finance, or a relevant subject.
• A first-level university degree in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience in addition to the 15 years as referenced in the section "Experience" below.
• Professional accounting qualifications, such as ACA, CPA, etc.
• Active membership of a Professional accounting body (desirable).
• Certification that evidences comprehensive knowledge of applicable accounting standards (desirable).
• Professional certification in Treasury Management (desirable).
• At least 15 years of professional experience in the financial and/or accounting field, of which at least seven years at the international level.
• Professional experience acquired as part of the professional accountant qualification will be counted as relevant experience.
• Substantial managerial experience, including managing multi-cultural teams.
• Demonstrated experience in contributing substantively to finance digital transformation and ERP implementation projects, including change management.
• Experience in building strong partnerships within and outside the Organization.
• Experience in the use of data to drive decisions and policies (desirable).
• Experience in advancing the maturity of risk management and internal controls systems (desirable).
• Experience in delivering quality services to private sector customers (desirable).
• Experience in interacting and engaging with Boards, Shareholders or Governing Bodies on financial reports, matters and issues (desirable).
• Experience in leading Finance transformation projects enabled by ERP and AI technologies (desirable).
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of other UN official languages; French would be useful.
• Proven competence in problem solving; devising methods and solutions to address business needs.
• Sound knowledge of ERP systems, in particular in the accounting, finance and budgetary fields.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies (e.g., agile, lean) and how to apply them to Finance value streams.
• Ability to manage technology vendor relationships including segmentation, onboarding, offboarding, defining performance and relationship expectations, and identifying and mitigating risks.
• Excellent managerial skills and ability to provide leadership and motivate staff.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills to build relationships with key stakeholders across the organization.
• Confidence in asking for the appropriate level of finance transformation resources and authority to evolve the finance operating model.
• Proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives and accountability in delivering results.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Digital and data fluency.

Skills

• Accounting
• Finance Management
• Professional Accountancy Qualification
• Treasury Management
• International Finance Experience
• Senior Managerial Experience
• Finance Digital Transformation
• ERP Implementation
• Change Management
• Partnership Building
• Data Driven Decision Making
• Risk Management
• Internal Controls
• Private Sector Financial Services
• Board Engagement
• Finance Transformation
• AI Technologies
• ERP Systems
• Project Management Methodology
• Technology Vendor Management
• Leadership
• Oral and Written Communication
• Presentation Skills
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Finance Operating Model
• Strategy Development
• Digital Fluency
• Data Fluency

Languages

English, French