FINANCE 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. More about G-6 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions.

The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda (RSCE), was established in July 2010, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/269. The Centre provides efficient, client-oriented and scalable services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions to the Centre from its client entities. This includes transactional elements of human resources, finance, multimodal movement and control, personnel and cargo transport and information and communications technology (ICT) support. In addition to these services, the Office of the Director RSCE and the Deputy provides overall guidance on the operations of the RSCE including strategic planning, communication, budgeting, human resources management, property management, quality assurance and business intelligence, conference services, record keeping and archive management, and audit response and risk management.

For more information, please visit https://rsce.unmissions.org.

These positions are located in the Travel, Claims and Education Grants Pillar, Education Grant Service Line at the RSCE.

Responsibilities Within the delegated authority, the Finance Assistant will carry out the following duties:

• Releasing of all commercial vendors or services payments for all RSCE Client Missions House banks
• Review and Process Education Grant requests for RSCE and all Client Missions in conformity and adherence to applicable United Nations education grant policy and ST/AI issuances or practices.
• Assists in the development of the Service Line’s annual budget, particularly with respect to the establishment of major resourcing priorities, and preparing cost estimates and budget proposals, in line with the Service Line’s resourcing requirements. Assists in the review, analysis and revision of data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs;
• Releasing payments of staff members’ entitlements including claims, danger pay, daily subsistence allowance, mission subsistence allowance for Government Provided Personnel, Civilian Police and Staff Officers, volunteer living allowance and any other allowances for payments in conformity and adherence to applicable United Nations policies e.g., staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices, IPSAS policy framework etc.;
• Provides 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 guidance of the Service Line Manager;
• Reviewing Business Partner maintenance request for both Vendors and, Staff members and third parties and following up to obtain missing documentation; Maintains a record of pending issues, updating case files weekly; Responses to queries from Vendors, Procurement, SAU, R&I, etc.; Assists in measuring performance against established KPI’s;
• Services related to the processing of payroll related payments and electronic bank transfers for non-payroll payments; Processing cheque payments. BP maintenance for new staff and amendment of bank details for existing staff. Processing local transfer payments to house banks. Verifying and checking all transfers to house banks depending on currency and location. Imprest payment and preparation of imprest statements. Preparation of remittance requests to UNHQ and projection of off-cycle payments. Liaising with local/international banks. Answering queries from staff members, missions, and banks; Keeping accurate records for the purpose of auditing, and performance reports.

• Releasing payroll for all categories of staff and non-payroll related payments after a thorough review, verification and reconciliation and report preparation.

  Competencies Professionalism – 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

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.

Planning & 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.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required. Technical or vocational certificate in accounting, finance or related fields is desirable

Job - Specific Qualification A test or examination in [field of the test / examination, including the GGST for the general service, if applicable is required.

Work Experience A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in financial management, administrative services Treasury/Cashier Services or related area is required.

“Experience in application of UN Financial Rules and Regulations, including administration of a broad range of Allowances and Payments, in an operational environment or similar organization using SAP or Umoja is desirable”

Experience working in a United Nations common system field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds and programmes) or similar international organization or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable

Experience in advanced Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Power BI and work flow tracker is desirable

Experience in data analysis and management is desirable

Experience in application of United Nations education grant policy in an operational environment using Field Support Suite system, Adobe and ERP or Umoja is desirable

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English 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 post is funded for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension. •The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. •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.

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.