FINANCE AND BUDGET ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 6 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 7,855 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between states. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival(www.cites.org). The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP and is located at the Geneva duty station.

Under the supervision of the Administrative Officer, the incumbent will, within limits of delegated authority provide assistance and support within the team as well as to other teams of the Secretariat by performing the following functions:

Responsibilities 1. Budget and Finance:

• Keep records of the payment of contributions to the CITES Trust Fund as agreed by the Conference of the Parties and additional voluntary contributions offered by Parties and non-Parties for specific purposes.

• Liaise with UNEP contribution section on preparing and issuing annual assessed contribution invoices to CITES Parties.

• Assist in the preparation of monthly contribution reports for transmittal to the Parties to the Convention. Responds to queries from Parties on the status of their contributions and prepare follow-up letters to the Parties in arrears.

• Participate in the preparation of initial budget estimates and of revision thereof and assists in the revision-of project documents.

• Support the Administrative and Fund Management Officer with the review of budget performance reports for accuracy and analyze variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

• Prepare or customize financial reports from Umoja for submission to donors and project/ program managers as required.

• Reconcile Project Account Statements received from UNEP Headquarters against records of payments and disbursements initiated in the CITES Secretariat. Reviews various reports in the ERP system to identify inaccurate balances, initiates and follows up on any necessary adjustments, and independently interprets and troubleshoots any system errors encountered during the review or processing of transactions.

• When instructed, prepare journal vouchers to correct inaccurate entries, transfer funds between budget lines and/or projects, and liquidate obligations.

2. General Administration:

• Assist with the logistical and travel arrangements for meetings and conferences relating to CITES Programme activities, including verifying DSA accuracy and preparation of roster for meeting participants for certification and approval.

• Draft routine correspondence to respond to inquiries in respect to relevant administrative, finance and, budget, personnel matters.

• Coordinate extensively with service units and frequently liaises with internal team members at Headquarters and in the field.

• Monitors accounts and payments to vendors, Consultants, and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software, and systems; organizing and coordinating seminars, conferences, and translations).

3. Contract Administration:

• Assists with the day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services. Audits the contractors' invoices against the goods and services provided, and process the payment of contractors' invoices and monitor payment disbursements.

• Prepare and process all on-boarding forms for Interns, Staff, and Consultants, including IT access forms, UN grounds passes, property passes, and parking permits.

4. May be responsible for guiding, training, and supervising the work of junior General Service staff.

5. Assist with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.

6. Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

7. Performs other related administrative duties as required.

Competencies PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations, and procedures in the UN environment. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyze, format data across the full range of finance and budget functions, including programme development and database management, claims and treasury operations. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems. Ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. Shows pride in work and in achievements and 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.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently.

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 is required.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Successful passing of the Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) in English at the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

The GGST is administered to applicants when required before the administration of a written assessment and/or interview.

Job - Specific Qualification Supplementary training in the field of accounting and finance or related fields is desirable.

Good knowledge of computer applications is desirable.

Work Experience A minimum of seven (7) years experience in finance, budgeting, accounting, or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced by two (2) years for candidates who possess a first level university degree.

Experience in project / grant management, budgeting, accounting and financial management, which is preferably within the UN, or a similar organization, is desirable.

Experience with IPSAS and the financial management programs /systems used by the UN or similar organisations is desirable”.

Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Systems Applications and Products (SAP) is desirable.

One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

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.

Internal Applicants – when completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.