Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 211002
Job Network : Management and Administration
Job Family : Finance
Category and Level : Field Service, FS-5
Duty Station : KABUL
Department/Office : United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
Date Posted : Jan 24, 2024
Deadline : Feb 22, 2024

Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located within the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Finance and Budget Assistant will be based in Kabul. The Finance and Budget Assistant reports to the Finance and Budget Officer.
Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Finance and Budget Officer, the Finance and Budget Assistant will perform the following tasks:

• Assists with the preparation of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of Mission’s resourcing requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; assists, reviews and revises data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs.
• Assists with support to programme/fund centre managers (Substantive and Support Sections) with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Supports the administration and monitoring of extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans for Trust Funds and Cost Recovery/sharing, ensuring compliance with regulations, rules and established policies and procedures.
• Processes the Mission’s redeployment of funds in accordance with the established procedures.
• Supports with the review in ensuring the efficient and effective use of budgetary resources through robust monitoring of budget utilization to the approved budget and timely provision of information to Mission management for decision making.
• Provides support and guidance to fund centre/programme managers on budget implementation and processes corrective actions where necessary.
• Assists with the preparation of budget performance reports for the Mission, ensuring that correct and accurate data/information is provided by the various programme /fund centre managers in compliance with the Controller’s instructions.
• Assists with reviews and finalizes performance reports ensuring valid and adequate variance explanations between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Reviews and allocates to the respective Mission’s fund centers the initial allotment and, once approved by the Fifth committee, the remainder of the Mission’s allotment advice for the implementation.
• Analyzes accounting transactions and open items in the accounting system and recommends corrective actions.
• Reviews and reconciles various clearing accounts, investigates erroneous/invalid entries and recommends corrective accounting actions.
• Provides support to Fund Center managers for the year-end reviews of budget commitments in accordance with established criteria.
• Reviews and verifies that appropriate relevant supporting documents have been provided for the processing of payments for goods and services received.
• Processes staff and non-staff members’ entitlements including claims, danger pay, daily subsistence allowance, mission subsistence allowance, volunteer living allowance and any other allowances for payments in conformity and adherence to applicable United Nations policies e.g., staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices, IPSAS policy framework etc.
• Assists with the management of cash flow requirements of the mission; verifies imprest documentation and processes imprest statements.
• Provides advice, financial interpretations, adaptations and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars under the supervision/guidance of the Finance and Budget Officer.
• Contributes to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables, and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting.
• Documents requirements and background information used for data analysis.
• Performs other related duties as required.
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; Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent. Technical or vocational certificate in accounting, finance, budget, or related fields is a requirement.
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience with the United Nations System or in the private sector at the national or international level in accounting, budgeting or financial management is required.

Hands-on experience of financial ERP systems (e.g. SAP/Umoja) is required.

Experience in cost management, budget formulation, financial monitoring, financial reporting or other related areas is required.

Experience in cost recovery budgeting, monitoring and reporting is desirable.

Knowledge of UN financial rules and regulations is desirable.

Knowledge of Business Planning and consolidation (BPC) platform or Results Based Budgeting (RBB) is desirable.

Experience in working with MS Excel or similar programme involving large data sets (using pivot tables and arrays) and calculations is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a second United Nations official language is an advantage.