Finance and Budget Assistant, G5

Job Opening number: 18-Finance-UNISDR-102850-R-NAIROBI (X)

Org. Setting and Reporting

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNISDR has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNISDR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyses action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.

The position is located in the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa. The incumbent reports to the Administrative Officer (NO-C) in the Regional Office and has a functional link to the Resource Planning and Management Section in Geneva.

Responsibilities

The incumbent is responsible for the following duties:

• Assists the regional office in all matters related to planning and monitoring, finance and budget; provides advice to staff and management in the regional office on matters related to planning, monitoring, finance, budget and audits, liaising with the Resource Planning and Management Section (RPMS) in Geneva, to obtain guidance and ensure compliance with United Nations rules and regulations; Assists during audits and other evaluations; Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters;
• Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions, including by preparing supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements; Provides support with respect to the review, analyses and preparation of the work plan and cost plan for the regional office and its revisions; Monitors expenditures and compares to ensure compliance with approved budget; proposes adjustments as necessary; Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds; Provides inputs to the Finance Unit in RPMS on the preparation of financial and budget reports; Contributes to the periodic reconciliation of accounts, as needed; Assists with the review of unliquidated obligations in Umoja;
• Initiates low-value procurement by preparing vendor profiles in Umoja and raising the shopping carts for purchases up to 10,000 USD for the regional office and offices in the region; Prepares service entry sheets and vendor and service provider’s payments; Prepares bills to service providers and vendors, including utility bills;
• Contributes to the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) under areas of responsibility in close collaboration with the RPMS and ensures that SOPs are circulated and understood by staff members in the regional office. 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;
• Provides support to conferences, meetings and events organized by the regional office, by ensuring that related finance, budget and procurements matters are effectively dealt with;
• Acts at back up to the other assistant(s) in the office; performs other duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Excellent knowledge of excel spreadsheets. Ability to maintain accurate records, review and interpret a wide variety of data. 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.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or other related area is required. Experience in the finance and grants management modules of SAP is desirable. Experience in processing large amount of data in spreadsheets is desirable. Experience in procurement processes in the United Nations Common System is desirable. Experience working in international organizations such as the United Nations is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This job opening is only open to (1) staff members of the United Nations Secretariat serving in Nairobi who hold a permanent, continuing or fixed-term appointment and have been appointed following the review of the Central Review Panel, and (2) staff members of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Nairobi, who hold a fixed-term appointment issued by the United Nations Development Programme. Other applicants including staff members holding a temporary appointment are not eligible for consideration.

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

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 or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, 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.

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.

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.