Finance and Budget Assistant

Contract

This is a G-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 4 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-4 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) within the Office of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI) in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) in New York. The Finance Assistant will report to the Chief of Policy, Advocacy, Donor Relations and Outreach Section through the Donor Relations Officer.

Established in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) works to eliminate the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices by coordinating United Nations mine action, leading operational responses at the country level, and supporting the development of standards, policies and norms.

As a specialized service of the United Nations located within the Department of Peace Operations, UNMAS operates under UN legislative mandates of both the General Assembly and the Security Council. UNMAS also responds to specific requests for support from the UN Secretary-General or designated official. For more information on UNMAS please visit www.mineaction.org/unmas.

Responsibilities Within limits of delegated authority the Finance Assistant is responsible for the following duties:

Budget:

•Generates budgetary or financing tracking reports, including statistical/financial/expenditure vs. funding source data for tables, charts and spreadsheets using office software and templates, and Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP).

•Amends, rearranges and edits statistical tables. Ensures that officers submitting documents/reports/proposals adhere to established guidelines set by the Controller's Office and/or the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and align with UN rules and regulations. Makes necessary follow-up with client departments on the above.

•Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) in setting up ERP project structure and budgets, creates and maintains ERP grants (including supporting documentation), verifies accuracy of data in ERP.

•Liaises with UNMAS Sections, on Umoja transactions and deposits, timeliness of publications, completeness of submissions, particularly of performance reports, preparation/finalization of budget performance reports including expenditure variances vs. budget.

•Monitors electronic transmissions of documents (local and overseas) and determines appropriate recipients within the Division or Department.

•Produces layouts of annexes to the budget and overview tables to conform to specifications in the programme budget.

•Summarizes, through statistical tables, all extrabudgetary proposals reflecting budgetary and programmatic changes, retrieving information from different updated tables from the ERP System and compiles frequently updated reports.

•Takes note of approved appropriations and other data to be reflected in the Annual Report of UNMAS and other publications.

•Prepares notes on contribution agreements to ensure compliance with UN rules and regulations as requested/assigned.

•Updates and logs incoming contributions into the ERP; Assigns sequential numbers to manually prepare allotment advises in accordance with account type, i.e., programme budget, miscellaneous (including working capital fund and revenue-producing activities) and projects. Distributes allotment advises, as appropriate. Answers inquiries.

•Obtains information on status of unpaid voluntary contributions to trust funds or special accounts from Contributions Service, financial statements from Trust Fund Unit.

Claims:

•Enters data into form letters, e.g. payment request sent to Permanent Missions in support of mine action programming.

General:

•Provides general administrative/secretarial support to the officers including support with logistics for donor meetings and events.

•Performs other duties as required.

Competencies •PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Ability to maintain accurate records, review and interpret a wide variety of data. 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.

•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.

•CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience Three years of experience in finance, administration, accounting or related area is required. Experience in drafting and editing correspondence is desirable. Experience working with senior managers is desirable. Work experience in and knowledge of ERP such as SAP is desirable. Proficiency in Excel or an equivalent spreadsheet software is desirable.

Languages Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

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

Special Notice CORREGENDIUM

• This position is available for six months with a possibility of extension to 364 days. 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.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

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. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International criminal tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

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.

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.