Finance and Budget Officer

Contract

This is a FS-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as Field Service. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education. More about FS-6 contracts and their salaries.

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) in Kinshasa. The incumbent will report to the Chief Finance and Budget Officer.

Responsibilities

Within the delegation of authority and under the supervision of a Chief of Unit/Section, Finance and Budget or a Senior Finance and Budget Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: • Prepare cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of mission’s resourcing requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; review, analyse and revise data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs. • Provide support to programme/fund centre managers (Substantive and Support Sections) with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. • Administer and monitor extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. • Administrate the mission’s allotments in accordance with the established procedures including redeployment/reallocation of funds. • Ensure the efficient and effective use of budgetary resources through robust monitoring of budget utilization to the approved budget and timely provision of information to Mission management for decision making; Provide support and guidance to fund centre/programme managers on budget implementation and corrective actions where necessary. Analyse complex/unusual accounting transactions and open items in the accounting system and implement corrective actions. • Prepare the budget performance report of the mission and ensure that correct and accurate data and information are provided by the various programme /fund centre managers in compliance with the Controller’s instructions. Review and finalise the performance reports ensuring valid and adequate variance explanations between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Advise and ensure that only valid year-end budget commitments confirming with established criteria are valid for carrying forward. • Review and verifies that appropriate relevant supporting documents have been provided for the processing of payments for goods and services received. Act as a Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 105.5 or Approving Officer under Financial Rule 105.4 in adherence with the UN Regulations and Rules. • Provide advice, financial interpretations, adaptations and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars under the supervision/guidance of the Chief Finance and Budget Officer. • Supervises the disbursement processes as appropriate and the replenishment of petty cash, monitors the house bank account balances and transaction summaries. Performs the Treasury role for all payments liaises with the UN Treasury at HQ for the oversight on payments of vendors and personnel. • Cash management , including preparing cash flow forecasts. Ensures that cash in the vault are accounted for on a daily basis. Monitors cheque stock and cash receipt vouchers and requests for new stock as required. • Process vendors payments in Umoja after verification of accuracy and consistency with Purchase Order and Goods Receipt/Service Certification checking the accuracy of posted transactions for outgoing payments and conducting or generating payment runs for various payees. • Liaise with service provider bank to ensure that all cash requirement requirements for payroll and other purpose are delivered on time or available on site. • Acts as Approving Officer under Financial Rule 105.4 in adherence with the UN Regulations and Rules. • Supports the review of monthly financial reports and provide response to Management commentary. Monitors the house bank account balances and transaction summaries. • Examines the validity of requests for increases in petty cash levels; approve disbursement vouchers to replenish petty cash accounts. Verifies receipts and deposit slips for all incoming funds. • Plans, organizes, manages, guides, trains, supervises work of the cashier team; Respond to staff members, uniformed personnel and clients regarding queries on payment and deposit-related issues. • Carry out other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism : Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Thorough knowledge of travel related processing requirements; good understanding of SAP Travel modules; ability to apply sound judgment in the context of assignments given; ability to analyze data, plan, manage and resolve conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; 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 peace operations. 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.

Job - Specific Qualification

A technical or vocational certificate in accounting, finance, budget, travel or related fields is required.

Work Experience

At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience within the United Nations system or in the private sector at the national or international level in accounting, budgeting or financial management is required. The minimum years of experience is reduced to five (5) years for candidates who possess a first level or advanced University degree is required. Knowledge of an ERP computer system, such as Umoja or another SAP-based application is required. Experience in a United Nations Mission operation is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 30 June 2024 with a possibility of an extension. 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. • 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.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.