Finance Associate, Fixed-Term General Services Level 6, Warsaw, Poland #120081 (Applicants must be a national or have the legal status necessary to work in Poland)

Senior Finance & Economy

Overview

Ensure accurate and timely finance functions for UNICEF operations.

You have:

• Completion of secondary education, professional/university level courses in Accounting and Finance/Business administration considered an asset.
• Minimum of six years of clerical experience in the area of finance and accounting, or four years with a university degree, two years with an advanced degree.
• Experience in an international organization and/or large corporation is preferred, experience in a UN system agency is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel required, experience in ERP systems is an asset.
• Fluency in English and Polish, knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

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.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, A CHAMPION.

The war in Ukraine has triggered the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. The overwhelming majority of refugees are women and children, often separated from husbands and fathers who remained in Ukraine; older people; and significant numbers of unaccompanied children, including those from state care facilities.

Local and national authorities have established reception facilities at border crossing points to receive new arrivals and are providing life-saving assistance, including accommodation, food, and other basic needs, as well as onward transport for those moving to urban centers. In the reception centers, information is also provided on the asylum process and temporary protection, as well as on the risks of trafficking. Access to basic rights and services, such as health, has been facilitated. Steps have already been taken to foster protection and inclusion into national systems, such as for health and education. Referral services are being scaled up, focusing especially on case management and protection of unaccompanied children and those evacuated from boarding schools, institutions and other alternative care arrangements, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

UNICEF has established an emergency response office in Poland and initiated a cooperation agreement with the national and municipality authorities and local NGOs to provide crisis support to the Ukrainian Refugees.

How can you make a difference?

The Finance Associate will be responsible for providing a variety of specialized tasks in finance functions, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF financial rules and regulations, whilst demonstrating the capacity to research, adapt and evaluate irregular cases, and also to recommend improvements to process delivery and design.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks****:

• Assist on all aspects related to preparation of reports, compilation of data and answering queries on pledges recorded, funds received, adjustments made to ensure financial compliance, accuracy and completeness of data for its inclusion into statement of accounts and adjustment of budgets. Advise units of discrepancies and assist to resolve differences in their records.
• Maintain financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for day-to-day transactions and reports.
• Select and enter data from a wide variety of documents, verifying and ensuring accuracy by checking sources, making necessary calculations and assuring inclusion of all relevant data.
• Prepare recurring reports as schedules and special reports, as required for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
• Close year-end account and assist in the preparation of year-end reports related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, prepayment, deposits, NEP and leave balances, etc.
• Assist staff, experts and consultants on all aspects of allowances, salary advances, travel claims and other financial matters, and calculates and authorizes payments due for claims and services.
• Initiate correspondence to verify data, answers queries and obtains additional information on accounts and financial transactions, as required.
• Maintain liaisons with officials of local banks to obtain day-to-day information on exchange and interest rates, changes in procedures and regulations, and matters pertaining to maintenance of office bank accounts. This includes prepares recurring reports and bank reconciliation.
• Prepare detailed cost estimates, and participates in budget analysis and projects, as required.
• Serves as the office’s Finance Local Focal Point for transactions such as invoice processing, bank reconciliation, general accounting, and liaison to the Global Shared Service Centre (GSSC).

As a champion for every child, qualifications are…

• Completion of secondary education. Professional/university level courses in Accounting and Finance/Business administration considered an asset.
• Minimum of six years of clerical experience in the area of finance and accounting. If the candidate has a completed university degree in business administration, accounting, finance or banking, four years of relevant work experience may be considered. If the candidate has a completed advanced degree in business administration, accounting, finance or banking, two years of relevant work experience may be considered.
• Experience in an international organization and/or large corporation is preferred. Experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel required. Experience in database packages, web based management systems and ERP systems (preferably SAP financial modules) is considered as an asset.
• Familiar with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English and Polish. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org