Full Job Description
Org. Setting and Reporting
The Department of Operational Support was established to provide operational advisory services to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices away from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions. The Payroll and Accounts Payable Section processes global payroll and payments, provides travel finance related support, consultants payment, vendor payments, provides policy advise and operational guidance, testing and implementation of enhancements. This position is located in the Payroll and Accounts Payable Section in the Division of Administration, Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Finance and Budget Assistant will report to the Chief of the Payroll and Accounts Payable Section.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Finance and Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
Claims: • Reviews, analyses and prepares payments to staff members in relation to travel expense reports, third-parties, commercial entities, with respect to settlement of certified death and disability, contingent-owned equipment, stores, pay and allowances, and letters of assist claims.
Finance: • Scrutinizes source documents for completeness, accuracy and validity of charges. • Investigates erroneous charges and takes appropriate corrective accounting actions as part of the review of rejected payments in the travel liability account and rejected GL. • Communicates with field offices regarding missing documentation or any other issues related to discrepancies between their accounts and those maintained at Headquarters. • Reconciles and reviews suspense accounts and ensure proper clearance procedures have been followed. • Extracts details of income, expenditure, assets and liability from accounting system in order to analyze and verify accuracy and validity. • Process travel ticket invoices, analyses the travel ticket GL and liquidate unspent balances. • Assists with the monitoring and review of the open items in the travel payroll accounting GL accounts. • Investigates and processes the relevant journal voucher to clear the open items in these accounts. • Prepares worksheets and assists with the preparation of financial statements. • Audits various accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, vendor payments, final payments, income tax returns, travel claims, etc., to ensure correctness of disbursements and adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices. • Serves as Approving Officer for disbursements up to an authorized level. • Provides guidance and training to colleagues as required.
Budget: • Provides support with respect to the review, analyses and preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions. • Prepares supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements. • Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. • Undertakes research and provides support to higher level Finance and Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary. • Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds. • Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Monitors integrity of various financial databases. • Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued. • Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. • Prepares request to the Controller’s Office on redeployment of funds and to the Finance Section on movement of funds. • Reviews the monthly Troop Strength on uniformed personnel (military contingent, United Nations Police (UNPOL) and Formed Police Unit (FPU) upon receipt from military and police components. • Reviews data on monthly staffing complement. General: • Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures. • Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters. • Maintains and keeps up-to-date files. • May be responsible for providing guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility. • 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. 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
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, such as Umoja, SAP or equivalent is required. Experience working with the United Nations or a large global organization’s systems and procedures is desirable. Experience with disbursements and adherence to relevant Staff Rules and Regulations including entitlements and Financial Regulations, Rules and procedures of the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
