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 This position is located in the Centres Operations Section (COS), Information Centre Services (ICS) of the Campaigns and Country Operations Division (CCOD) in the Department of Global Communications (DGC).

The COS provides administrative, finance, and budget support to a global network of more than 60 United Nations information centres (UNICs), which are field offices of the DGC that promote the work of the Organization to a local audience in local language. To learn more about the work of the UNICs, go to https://unic.un.org/.

The incumbent is under the overall supervision of the Finance and Budget Officer and reports directly to the Associate Finance Officer.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Finance Assistant may be responsible for the following duties:

• Provides support with respect to the annual budget review. Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary. Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditures have been charged, and (b) availability of funds. Prepares pre-commitments, obligations, financial authorisations and related revisions for individual DGS field offices and/or specific events. When required, prepares pre-commitments and obligations for procurement tasks at Headquarters.

• Consolidates and monitors budget/work programme with respect to the budget, trust funds, grants and procurement of the global UNIC network, including reallocation and redeployment of funds, reviews shopping carts, low value acquisitions and service orders, including cost recovery accounts and cost plans.

• Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures including review of obligations and unliquidated obligations. Prepares or customizes financial reports from systems utilised to generate relevant UNIC reports.

• Undertakes research and provides support to relevant Managers and/or Finance and Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.

• Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff at Headquarters and in the field on related issues during preparation of budget reports. Prepares request to Controller’s Office on redeployment of funds and to Finance section on movement of funds. Assists in processing fund distribution received from HQ and/or input allotment advice using relevant systems and/or standards such as Umoja and/or IPSAS.

• Assists with periodic reconciliation of accounts using relevant systems and/or standards, such as Umoja and/or IPSAS. Monitors integrity of various financial databases; verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.

• Assists in updating, maintaining documents and databases, reports and guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme, administration, finance and budget, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with UN policies and procedures and taking into account filing needs related to platforms and standards such as Umoja and IPSAS.

• Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant finance and budget matters. May be responsible for providing guidance, training and daily supervision to other General Service staff in the area of responsibility, contributing to Umoja and/or IPSAS-related training and interacting with the relevant Executive Office teams.

• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

  Competencies - PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyse and 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. 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.

• 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 A high school diploma or equivalent is required.

  Work Experience A minimum of seven years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required.

  Experience with using an ERP system such as Umoja is required.

  Experience in relevant Umoja modules (FM, GM, SD, Travel, Source to Acquire) is desirable.

  Experience in providing support to globally dispersed clients is desirable.

  Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN official languages 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 as soon as possible for an initial period of six months, with the possibility of 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.