Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in Financial Analysis and Reporting Section (FARS), Financial Reporting and Contributions Service, Finance Division, the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Finance and Budget Officer reports directly to the Service Chief. The Finance Division accounts for and reports to the appropriate authorities on the use of United Nations financial resources. The Financial Reporting Service is mainly responsible for the preparation of IPSAS-compliant financial statements for all funding sources and ensures the sustainability of IPSAS-compliant accounting and reporting. The Finance & Budget Officer is responsible for the coordination and update of the UN Secretariat IPSAS policies and corporate processes including recent IPSAS changes in lease accounting and property plant and equipment.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Finance: • Manages a complete financial operation, encompassing a wide variety of funding sources, a large volume of transactions, and extensive dispersed activities. • Approves/Confirms that proposed obligations or expenditure for services, facilities supplies and equipment expenses, as well as those pertaining to personnel, are in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the UN, relevant appropriations and staffing tables and corresponding approved allotments/appropriations. • Analyses accounts, reviews/prepares regular financial reports. Proposes/implements solutions with respect to problem transactions and irregularities. • Ensures that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained. • Prepares or consolidates financial statements for inclusion in the UN Audited Financial Statements to be audited. Responds to internal/external audit observations. Reviews the financial statements of other entities for which the Controller has certification authority. • Produces major/complex financial reports for management including trend and forecast analysis. • Provides substantive support to the development and implementation of new accounting systems. Takes initiative to improve accounting processes and approaches. • Provides data for the preparation of year-end performance reports. • Coordinates with other UN Entities on special Finance projects. • Guides, trains and supervises staff in the function. Programme plan: • Reviews, analyses and finalizes the preparation of the programme plan and its revisions on the basis of departmental submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies. • Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their review of the programme plan and its revisions; secures approval from the General Assembly. • Ensure legislative mandates are accurately translated into program budgets. Budget preparation: • Reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from (a) Departments/offices at headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects; (b) peacekeeping operations; ensure compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates. • Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions. • Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program budget/financial implications to the Security Council statements in light of additional mandates. • Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; assists in securing approval from the General Assembly. Budget administration: • Issues allotments/appropriations, authorizes sub-allotments/appropriations, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures. • Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary. • Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels. • Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. • Authorizes payment to Governments for settlement of certified death and disability, contingent-owned equipment and letters-of-assist claims; determine average monthly troop strengths, establishing amounts reimbursable and initiating payments for reimbursement to troop-contributing countries. • Prepares budget performance submissions. • Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. General: • Provides advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and field staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, • Participates in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions on matters related to resource requirements, programming, financial and budgetary issues. • Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to finance and budget, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures. • Drafts reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on financial and budgetary issues, and correspondence. • Drafts official documentation to troop contributing countries concerning reimbursements from the United Nations. • Undertakes research and analysis of financial and budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications. • Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them. • Provides support with respect to representation of the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs. • Represents OPPFB or division in inter and intra-departmental meetings. • Incumbent may be asked to perform other related duties.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards. Ability to apply conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills in accounting operations. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 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. 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
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting or related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job – Specific Qualification
Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) or equivalent is required.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, budget and administration is required. Experience in applying private sector or public-sector accounting standards such as International Financial Reporting Standard(s) (IFRS) or International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) is required. Progressive experience preparing financial statements is required. Experience working with financial systems or financial modules/functions of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, Oracle or similar is required. Experience in applying financial policy with respect to lease accounting is required. Experience supporting and accounting for Property Plant and Equipment, Intangibles, Self-Constructed assets and Inventory is required. Experience in analyzing audit reports and applying financial control and reporting procedures is desirable. Experience preparing published documents is desirable. Experience with accounting policy research and implementation is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretarial. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. 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 financed by the Support Account for Peacekeeping Operations. Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. 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. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to 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.