Budget Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Budget Section (BS), Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS), Division for Management (DM), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in Vienna. The Budget Assistant will report to the supervisor of a sub-unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: • May act as Certifying Officer on behalf of and in the absence of programme managers. • Provide support with respect to the review, analyses and preparation of the programme plan. • Prepare supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements. • Assist managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. • Undertake research and provide support to higher level Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Review and approve allotments, released budgets, redeployments or budget returns. • Monitor expenditures and compare with approved budget; prepare adjustments as necessary. • Review fund commitments to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, (b) availability of funds, and (c) close the final balances, if not required. • Assist in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Review cost plans for cost recovery activities, approve related allotments, process position funding and staffing requests related to such activities. • Assist programmes on service delivery related requirements, serve as local process expert on service delivery and maintain related service and activity type catalogues. Regularly review and update the standard service catalogue. • Prepare files for billing of services provided as required • Assist in the financial backstopping of trust funds, including monitoring the status of voluntary contributions, generating expenditure reports from Umoja and monitoring reporting requirements by donors • Monitor integrity of financial data in Umoja. • Verify accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued. • Co-ordinate with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. • May assist Senior Budget Assistant in charge of Post Management with Position Funding, upkeep of Certifying Officers Lists, and Organisational Management in Umoja.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the United Nations environment. Has the ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. Has 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. Is able 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. • Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches. • 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 work experience in budget, finance or other related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Strong computer skills, including experience in financial management applications is required. Proficiency in spreadsheet and word processing applications is required. Experience in Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) systems is required. Experience with Umoja (SAP), and in particular fund management, grants and projects related modules, as well as business intelligence is desirable. Experience in working with service cost recovery is desirable. Experience in working on technical cooperation projects is desirable. Experience with the United Nations system or similar international organization financial rules and regulations 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 an advantage.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

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.