ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT (TWO POSITIONS)

Contract

This is a G-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-5 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located the Payments Section of the Financial Services within the Pension Administration of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).

The incumbent reports to the chief of Payroll Unit under the general supervision by the chief of Section. The Payments Section manages monthly payroll for the UNJSPF periodic benefits, updates cost-of-living adjustments, and administers returned payments and Accounts Payable.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Accounting Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

•Records and processes all types of payroll transactions such as PI update, suspension, reinstatement, deletion, and split payment. •Examines and records actions performed in the workflow and routes to auditors. •Reconciles more complex bank accounts in various currencies. •Assists in the testing of JIRAs and processing of ASHI deductions. This includes, amongst other things, calculating, inputting, and checking payments for correctness and communicating discrepancies to supervisors. •Assists in monthly payroll closing for periodic benefits of UNJSPF beneficiaries. •Drafts/prepares communication to UNJSPF pension beneficiaries and to relevant other work units in the UNJSPF. •Responds to queries from staff members and third parties. •Performs other duties as may be required.

Competencies •Professionalism: Knowledge of the Organization’s financial rules and regulations as well as accounting policies and practices. Ability to maintain accurate records, interpret and analyze a wide variety of data. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and other problems. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

•Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

•Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience A minimum of five years of experience in accounting, finance or related area is required. Experience in pension-related fields is desirable. Experience in preparing international (SWIFT) payments is desirable. Experience in payroll processing is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a desk review of PHPs, an assessment exercise and/or a competency-based interview.

Special Notice - DURATION: Please note that this is a temporary job opening, open to internal as well as external candidates. This position is available until 31 December 2020, with possibility of extension, which is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.

• Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

• This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

• Passing the Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) at Headquarters or an equivalent recognized locally-administered test at a United Nations Office is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Secretariat.

• The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) is an independent inter-agency body established by the United Nations General Assembly. The applicable human resources procedures are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Fund and the UN Secretariat. Any candidate from a member organization of the UNJSPF applying for these posts is considered as an internal candidate provided he/she has been appointed through the appointment and promotion procedures applicable in his/her respective organization.

• If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to "internal candidates," who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

  United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.