Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the United Nations Liquidation Entity (MINUSMA), Bamako. The Finance & Budget Assistant at this level reports to the Chief of the Budget Unit and the Chief of the Finance and Budget Section.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Finance & Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Budget preparation and monitoring: • Provide support with respect to the review, analyze and preparation of the budget and performance report. • Use Umoja Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC), including reviewing and adjusting entries in the military and police units (MPU), position (POS), travel (TVL) model, materials and services (MAS), and summary (SUM) models for the budget and running relevant reports as required. • Prepare supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of performance reports, cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements. • Maintain staffing tables and monitor accuracy of data in Umoja, while liaising with relevant counterparts in Human Resources and other sections • Support the Finance/Budget Officers in extracting information and generating expenditure reports from computerized information system databases; assist in preliminary analyses of the extracted information and the reports generated and highlight areas of concern for the attention of the Finance/Budget Officers. • Assist managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. • Undertake research and provide support to higher level Finance & Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Monitor expenditures and compare with approved budget; prepare adjustments as necessary. • Assist in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, highlighting variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Review status of relevant expenditures and compare them with the approved budget, monitor integrity of various financial databases. • Prepare data input for allotments received, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued. • Coordinate with other finance/budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. General • Keep up to date on guidelines that have bearing on matters related to programme/peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures. • Draft/prepare memoranda and cables to various offices, sectors, other field missions and/or headquarters. • 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. • Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge in the use and application of the Organization’s financial regulations and rules as well as accounting policies and practices. Ability to extract, interpret, and analyze a wide variety of data and to resolve data discrepancies and other 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. Planning & 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. 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. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience within the United Nations system or in the private sector at the national or international level in accounting, budgeting or financial management is required. Experience in working with Excel or similar programme involving large data sets (using pivot tables and arrays) and calculations is required. Knowledge of an ERP computer system, such as Umoja or another SAP-based application is required. Experience and technical competence on the preparation of the proposed budget using Umoja Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC), including demonstrated experience on using the military and police units (MPU), position (POS), travel (TVL) model, materials and services (MAS), and summary (SUM) models is desirable. Experience and technical competence such as local process expert qualification in the following Umoja modules: Funds Management (FM), and/or Financial Accounting (FI), is desirable. 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 this position, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable.

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 within the UN Liquidation Entity (MINUSMA) until 31 December 2024, subject to budget approval. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member of the UN Secretariat, the selection will be recorded 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 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. United Nations 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.