FINANCE ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. Under the strategic guidance of the Department of Operational Support (DOS), the Kuwait Joint Support Office provides efficient and client-oriented services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions from its client entities. These include transactional elements of human resources, finance, travel and payroll. This position is located in the Kuwait Joint Support Office (KJSO) in Payroll Unit under the Office of the Deputy Chief KJSO. The incumbent will report to the Chief of Payroll Unit.

Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority, and under the direct supervision of Chief of Payroll Unit and with the overall guidance of the Deputy Chief KJSO, the Finance Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Budget: • Assists in the preparation of supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements. • Supports the Finance Assistant in extracting information and generating expenditure reports from computerized information system databases; assists in preliminary analyses of the extracted information and the reports generated, and highlights areas of concern for the attention of the Finance/Budget Officer(s). • Processes of payment to governments and vendors for goods and services. This includes, amongst other things calculating, inputting, and checking payments for correctness and communicating discrepancies to supervisors. • Reviews and processes requests to create “other” (non-vendor, non-staff) business partners in the UMOJA system, checking the accuracy and completeness of submissions and preventing duplication of existing records. • Researches/compiles data and other information required by the Finance Budget Officer(s) in the review and analysis of relevant proposals. • Consolidates data and provides support to Finance/Budget Officer(s) with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the preparation/finalization of budget performance reports, performing preliminary analysis of variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Prepares pre-encumbrances and obligations in IMIS and review them to ensure that funds are available and the correct account has been used. • Assists in drafting the initial versions of the Financial Aspects section of the Secretary-General’s reports to the Security Council, draft resolutions and Reports of the Fifth Committee for peacekeeping operations and the Annotated Agenda for peacekeeping items. • Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) with data input in the budget instructions for peacekeeping operations. • Assists in the financial backstopping of trust funds, including monitoring the status of voluntary contributions, generating expenditure reports from IMIS and monitoring reporting requirements by donors. • Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the issuance of allotments and related staffing table authorizations. • Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued. • Reviews draft reports, verifying overall accuracy, consistency and uniformity in the presentation, and ensuring comprehensiveness and compliance with the format prescribed by the Editorial and Documents control of GACM; cross-checks consistency of figures in tables with the text of the reports, and verifies references to other reports and documents, bringing errors to the attention of the Finance/Budget Officers(s) concerned; ensures that all necessary corrections are incorporated in the reports; co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. Claims: • Verifies and prepares less complex payments to third parties, commercial entities, and individuals, with respect to settlement of certified death and disability, contingent-owned equipment, stores, pay and allowances, and letters of assist claims. • Peer reviews draft business partner entries created by colleagues. • Supports other UMOJA master data tasks as required. • Review account balances at individual payee Id level and advise the concerned Unit on pending balances and obligations to be transferred to the correct Id. • Assist in the creation of receipts and deposits for all ASHI related payments. • Assists staff members regarding queries on payment and deposit-related issues. Treasury: • Reviews outgoing payment with regard to banking details and sources of funds. • Prepares payments for final disbursement by Cashier. • Dispatches payment instructions and cheques to banks. • Creates receipts and deposits for all incoming funds. • Notifies payees of status of payments. • Assists staff members, Fund Management Officers and donors regarding queries on payment and deposit-related issues. • Identifies and annotates bank account movements. • Files and archives documentation as required. Payroll • Processes travel claims in conformity with approved travel authorization, ensuring compliance with relevant rules and instructions, and proper documentation and certification. • Assists in verifying payroll and processing payments to staff members for their entitlements including salaries, claims, education grants and income tax. • Assists in verifying and running off-cycle and correction payroll. • Assists in reconciling payroll and payments related to general ledger and vendor accounts. • Prepares separation notification for UN Joint Staff Pension Fund. • Assist in the creation of receipts and deposits for all After Service Health Insurance (ASHI) related payments. • Assists staff members regarding queries on payment and deposit-related issues. General: • Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures. • Drafts routine correspondence with respect to enquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters. • Maintains and keep up-to-date files. and assist in retrieving and locating documents to verify the accuracy and legitimacy for account balance in payable, receivables and disbursement accounts • Provides administrative support to the Chief of Payroll and/or Finance/Budget Officer(s), as required. • Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: 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. 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. 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. Certificate/coursework/training in accounting, finance, banking or direct related fields is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

Five (5) years of experience in finance, accounting or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced by two (2) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience working with United Nations Financial Rules and Regulations and Staff Rules or those of a similar international organization is desirable. Experience in processing, verifying or reconciling accounts related to salary, payroll or accounts payable experience is desirable. Experience in payroll or finance modules of ERP systems, such as SAP, is desirable. Three (3) years of relevant experience within the United Nations Common System or a similar large, international organization, 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 Arabic is desirable. 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

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. This position is temporarily available for 364 days. 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. 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.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.