Senior Finance and Budget Assistant

Contract

This is a G-7 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-7 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Executive Office, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), New York.

The Executive Office is responsible for all resource planning, financial management, staff and personnel administration matters, and general administrative matters concerning the Department. With about 1,600 staff positions established in the Department and many temporary language professionals hired each year (between 100 and 200 are working each month), the biennial budget amounts to over 340 million US dollars.

The Executive Office strives for business excellence by continuously enhancing the delivery of services to support its clients and meet the objectives of the Department and the Organization as a whole.

The core functions of the Office include the following: •To provide policy advice with regards to implementation and compliance with policies and procedures of the Organization. •To assist the staff and managers of the Department in the development and implementation of the delegation of authority framework with regards to financial, HR and administrative framework. •To support programme managers in the preparation of the proposed programme budget and financial performance reports, to provide guidance and necessary templates to facilitate resource planning process. •To review and certify the incurring of obligations and expenditures against the funds allocated to the Department and to advise on exception requests. •To coordinate the full range of staff and human resource issues, i.e. performance appraisal, staff recruitment and promotion, training and career development, and staff and personnel administration ensuring consistency in the interpretation and application of the Staff Regulations and Rules and related personnel policies and directives. •To represent the Department in intergovernmental bodies that deal with administrative, budgetary and financial matters. •To maintain contact with other Secretariat bodies, in particular the Offices in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and the Department of Operational Support (DOS) on a wide range of policy implementation and operational matters. •To provide guidance to staff and management on all staffing matters and policy issues. •To coordinate resource planning, budget implementation and staffing matters with the Department's offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.

The incumbent reports to the Budget and Finance Officer who leads the Team.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority assigned by the Executive Officer, the Senior Finance and Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

•Acts as Certifying Officer for transactions. •Undertakes research and provides support to EO Officers with respect to budget reviews and programme budget implications associated with programme of work of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. •Prepares cost estimates in coordination with other offices and divisions of the Department. •Monitors and ensures integrity of various financial databases; prepares monthly management reports assigned to the Team. •Provides expert assistance to the Executive Office in the preparation and development of the Department's work programme and annual budget, gathers necessary information and completes templates, coordinates inputs with duty stations. •Assists in monitoring budget performance and implementation of work programme with respect to various budgets, trust funds, grants or other funds on a regular basis, and suggests reallocation and redeployment of resources and performs redeployments. •Collects and analyzes data from relevant databases and ensures accuracy of reports and analysis produced by the Executive Officer; provides inputs for responses to questions prepared by the Department to facilitate legislative process. •Reviews, analyses, and assists in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from offices within the Department, including programmatic aspects; ensures compliance with the strategic framework and other legislative mandates. •Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged and (b) availability of funds. •Monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring adherence to those. •Provides audit support. •Provides training to colleagues or clients, where necessary. •Performs other duties, as required.

Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyze and format data across the full range of finance and budget functions, including programme development and database management, claims and treasury operations. Ability to perform a broad range of budget and finance functions, e.g. budget/work programme, database management etc. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems. Ability to prepare reports and perform financial analysis. 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.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget or accounting is required. Experience in the use of ERP systems and business intelligence tools is required. Experience with budget formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting in line with the principles of results-based budgeting is required. Experience with performing qualitative and quantitative analysis on the basis of large and diverse data sets using different collection and analysis methods while deriving trends and recommendations is desirable. Experience with processing and trouble-shooting travel and procurement requests in an ERP system is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

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

Special Notice Appointment against this temporary job opening is for a period ending no later than 5 May 2022 and may be subject to extension.

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.

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. Staff members who were granted a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment as a result of having passed a predecessor test recognized by the Office of Human Resources Management, and who have continuously held such appointments, are not required to take the new test.

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.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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.