Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Resident Audit Office, Internal Audit Division (IAD), Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in Lebanon. Audits/assignments are undertaken in the areas of finance, administration and operations. The Chief of Section reports directly to the Chief, Peacekeeping Audit Service, IAD. The Internal Audit Division provides assurance services to all activities of the United Nations under the Secretary-General’s authority. Clients comprise of the United Nations Secretariat, five regional commissions, select funds and programmes and other United Nations entities.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: • Develops and implements the Section’s medium and long-term goals and objectives, and related annual audit and work plans. • Plans, organizes, directs and coordinates the activities of multiple teams and resources of the Section. • Defines the broad objectives and scope for each audit/review. • Provides direction and leadership with respect to all phases of each audit/review with a view to ensuring that OIOS standards are complied with and that audit/review objectives are achieved within budget. • Reviews working papers and related audit/review communications (e.g., audit reports). • Provides guidance to audit staff on technical and administrative matters. • Leads audits/reviews of a sensitive and complex nature. • Collects, organizes, manages and disseminates information with attention to detail and accuracy • Conducts data collection and analysis using data analysis tools • Analyses guidelines and standards for internal audit activities in the course of ensuring consistency of approach and adequacy of practice of subordinate auditors. • Coordinates and recommends improvements in, or reviews proposed changes to, the financial rules of the Organization. • Monitors the status of audit/review recommendations. • Liaises with internal audit functions of other United Nations organizations. • Empowers/challenges staff to assume more responsibility. • Establishes and maintains a positive relationship with auditees. • Carries out other tasks as may be assigned by the Chief of Service Work implies frequent interaction with the following: Staff at all levels throughout the Organization Senior management of other Organizations Chief Technical Advisers, experts and consultants Counterparts in sister organizations Professional organizations (e.g., IIA, CISA) Results Expected: Independently responsible for overall planning, development, management and supervision of a large mission with complex audit operations and issues.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of auditing standards and practices, knowledge of applicable financial rules and procedures. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions and present conclusions and recommendations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. 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. Managerial Competencies Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), and Certified International Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in audit, finance, accounting, administration, statistics, computer science or related area is required. Experience in audit management is required. Experience in analysis of complete sets of data to identify anomalies and trends is required. Experience in using data analytics tools such as IDEA, ACL, and Excel for analysis of entire populations of data is required. Experience in auditing in the public sector is desirable. Experience within the United Nations system, or similar large international organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is temporarily available for 9-month period. The appointment, or assignment, and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval, or extension of the mandate. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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.

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.