Organization Mission

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.

Our mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, we work through our divisions as well as our regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence. We also host several environmental conventions, secretariats and inter-agency coordinating bodies. We categorize our work into seven broad thematic areas: climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and waste, resource efficiency, and environment under review. In all of our work, we maintain our overarching commitment to sustainability.

Headquartered in Brasília since 2004, the office in Brazil is linked to the regional headquarters in Panama. UNEP Brazil”s mission is to disseminate, among its partners and to society in general, information on environmental agreements, programs, methodologies and knowledge on relevant environmental issues on the global and regional agenda, in addition to promoting greater participation and contribution of experts and Brazilian institutions in international forums, initiatives and actions.

Context

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. This position is in UNEP’s Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, GEF Climate Change Mitigation Unit at the Brasilia duty station.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Finance and Budget Assistant, the UN Volunteer Finance & Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Project Design and Development:
• Verify documents for overall accuracy, consistency and uniformity in presentation and ensure comprehensiveness and compliance, cross-check consistency of figures in tables with the text of the reports and verify references to other reports and documents and ensure that all necessary corrections are incorporated.
• Assist in preparation of budgets with respect to project documents.
• Initiate set up of banking details for executing agencies.
• Facilitate the disbursement of funds to the executing agencies.

Project Implementation:
• Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on financial reporting as per the project cooperation agreement with the agencies, and on the templates to be used for meeting these reporting requirements
• Track circulation of new project internalizations and all projects revisions through UNEP clearance and approval processes
• Prepare fund documents for budget allocations and prepare the necessary documents in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Operating system
• Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the expenditure report template; review expenditure reports to ensure (a) correct amount and objects of expenditures have been charged (b) validity of charges (c) availability of funds; provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order for the agency to complete the document correctly
• Initiate processing of expenditure recording
• Assist in the follow-up on outstanding financial reports with the executing agencies
• Utilize the Unit’s finance dashboard to the financial reporting of all Executing Agencies and overall status of projects and advise on any anomalies.
• Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the cash advance template, review cash advances received and provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order to complete the document correctly
• Process cash advances and follow up on remittances of funds, process UNDP fax authorizations and sub-allotments to Executing Agencies
• Notify payees on status of payments and investigate complaints of non-receipt
• Prepare budget revision templates, provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the budget revision template, review budget revisions received and provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order for them to complete the document correctly
• Ensure that all Executing Agencies are using the same budget, expenditure report and cash advance templates, and work with these partners to facilitate the use of the correct templates where needed
• Assist in the reconciliation of project accounts against independent audit certificates received from executing agencies
• Inform Executing Agencies of upcoming financial reporting requirements

Project Evaluation and Closure:
• Update a project database with relevant project information on revision/closure of project
• Assist in provision of 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.
• Prepare request for refund of unspent balances.
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General
• Develop new flowcharts and improve on existing flowcharts for the review, approval and processing of financial transactions and project contract documents.
• Provide general administrative support.
• Maintain and keep up-to-date project files
• File and archive documentation in soft and hard copies and keep log of archived files
• Draft routine correspondence with respect to enquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day)
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNEP team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNEP and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions.
• Accurate project finance data maintained
• All financial reports of all projects assigned which are due to be completed within the duration of the UNV contract are finalized.
• Executing agency partners receive timely guidance on completing financial reports.
• All executing agency partners receive responses to their queries within five working days.
• The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (Ips);
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

Required Skills and Experience

• A Minimum of 3 years of work experience in finance, accounting services or related area
• Experience with finance or administration within the UN system is an asset, as is experience working in other international development organization
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, and reporting skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Core Competencies

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNEP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNEP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy, and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgment; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: the ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality, and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNEP’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living Conditions

The assignment will be in Brasília, the Federal capital of Brazil and seat of government of the Federal District. Brasilia is a family duty station and classified A (hardship). The living conditions in Brasilia are good as well as the access to health services. The accommodation facilities are in general good, and the choice is wide.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.

Brazil is security level 3 (moderate). United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, is very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning.

All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.

Information on entitlements at the duty station is available at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.