Finance Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, Islamabad. The Finance and Budget Assistant reports directly to the Chief of Mission Support and is responsible for managing the Budget Unit in its delivery of strategic planning support and business intelligence, providing advice to operational counterparts and leadership on financial resourcing and stewardship and organizational performance of the mission in line with mission priorities.

Responsibilities

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; assist, review and revise data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs.

• Plans and oversees the preparation, review and finalization of budget performance reports in compliance with the Legislative requirements and recommendations and Controller’s instructions; review and ensures valid variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Prepares inputs to the UN’s legislative processes for consideration of mission financing requirements by FBFD, Controller’s Office, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly.
• Administrates the allotments of the mission in line with the updated policy on administration of allotments including advise, guidance and approval of redeployment/reallocation of funds in line with implementation of planned and/or prioritized activities.
• Ensures 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; provide support and guidance to fund center/program managers on budget implementation and corrective actions where necessary.
• Assist with reviews and finalize the performance reports ensuring valid and adequate variance explanations between approved budgets and actual expenditures. Draft reports for intergovernmental bodies and management on budgetary issues, and correspondence.
• Provide substantive support at meetings and before legislative and expert bodies on matters related to Results-Based Budgeting frameworks and its related resources, and budgetary issues.
• Coordinate and review responses to queries raised by the legislative bodies. Prepares Budget dashboard to facilitated monitoring and decision-making. Provides training and guidance to mission staff on budget formulation and preparation. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

• A technical or vocational certificate in business administration, accounting, finance, budgeting, or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

• At least eight (8) years of progressive 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. Relevant experience in budgetary and financial administration working in a United Nations common system field operation (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds, and programmes) – or similar international organization or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post conflict environment is required. Knowledge of UN financial rules and regulations is desirable. Experience in the drafting of responses to questions from the ACABQ and 5th Committee is desirable. Hands-on experience on financial ERP systems (i.e. Umoja) is desirable. Knowledge of Business Planning and consolidation (BPC) platform or Results Based Budgeting (RBB) in peacekeeping or special political missions is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in English is required; and working knowledge of French and Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/244526?language=en