FINANCE AND BUDGET ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This post is located in the Global Funds Finance Unit, Ecosystems Division, at the Nairobi duty station. Under the direct supervision of the Finance and Budget Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for the following functions:

Responsibilities

PROJECT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT: • Verify documents for overall budgetary accuracy, consistency and uniformity in presentation and ensure comprehensiveness and compliance with formats prescribed; Cross-check consistency of figures in tables with the text of the reports, and verify references to other reports and documents, suggest corrections to be made to the Fund Management Officer (FMO) and Programme Manager concerned; • Co-ordinate with other finance and programme staff in preparing budgets with respect to project documents; • Liaise with Programme Management Team and UNON to obtain and review banking details forms, F.249 and required supporting information. • Coordinate input of data in the Integrated, Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Tool to facilitate Results Based Management Reporting PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: • Prepare/review funding documents for budget allotments, • Review expenditure reports from executing agencies to ensure: (a) correct expenditure coding block has been charged; (b) validity of charges; (c) availability of funds; • Prepare fund commitments in Umoja Extension 2, review and process cash advances, UNDP authorizations and fund transfers to Executing Agencies (EAs), ensuring that the advances are within the approved budget and approved by the FMO; • Initiate processing of cash advances and expenditures through UMOJA and follow up with UNON for remittances of funds and approval of recorded expenditure reports and liquidation of issued advances. • Assist FMO with regular review of UNDP Inter Office Vouchers (IOVs) to ensure that they have been properly recorded; – Review of UNOPS Expenditures and process payments and ensure recording of expenditure. • Notify payees on status of payments and investigate complaints of non-receipt. • Monitor expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels; prepares adjustments as necessary • Analyse variances between approved budgets and expenditures and prepare requests for adjustments as necessary; • Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds. • Monitors integrity of various financial databases. • Assist in preparation of annual project revisions and supporting schedules; • Reconcile project accounts against independent audit certificates received from executing agencies. • Review/prepare project structure and commitments in Umoja; • Conduct project management training on use of various project reporting templates during the inception workshop. PROJECT EVALUATION AND CLOSURE: • Update project database with relevant project information on revision/closure of projects; • Provide financial information required in Project Implementation Review (PIR), Mid-term review/evaluation and Terminal Evaluation; • Assist in the preparation of project completion and closing revision and supporting schedules. • Process disposal of non-expendable equipment in accordance with UNEP procedures before closure of projects. • Prepare request for refund of unspent balances for approval by Fund Management Officer; Track receipt of expected income through Treasury deposit report and ensures credit is posted correctly to the proper Trust Fund. GENERAL • Provide general administrative support to Fund Management Programme Management Officers and other team members; • Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters • Provide guidance and training to colleagues and supervise other General Service staff as required; • Archive documentation as required, Keep log of archived files and track of archived information. • Track and follow-up on administrative processes in progress; Maintain and keep up-to-date project files • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making • Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. • Performs other 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. Ability to perform analysis, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors’ language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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 is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

Supplementary training in administration, finance or related field is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years’ of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Systems, Applications and Products (SAP), e.g., UN Umoja, in grants management, funds management and financial management modules is required. Experience with Global funds such as Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund (AF) and/or Green Climate Fund (GCF) is required. Experience in an international organization such as the United Nations is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area 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. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand), and “knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is temporarily available for a period of 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 urgency in filling the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. 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. 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. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the duty station is identified. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred to take-up the appointment. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. When completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. 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. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link

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.