Finance Assistant

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Description

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This position is located in the Programme Support and Management Service (PSMS), Finance and Budget Section (FBS), of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The incumbent reports to the Finance Officer, under the overall supervision of the Chief of Finance and Budget Section.

Responsibilities

• Assists in the preparation of supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
• Supports the Finance/Budget Officers(s) in extracting information and generating expenditure reports from computerized information system databases; assists in preliminary analyses of the extracted information and the reports generated, and highlights areas of concern for the attention of the Finance/Budget Officer(s).
• Assists in the development of resource requirements for budget submissions and in the preparation of budget performance submissions.
• Researches/compiles data and other information required by the Finance Budget Officer(s) in the review and analysis of relevant proposals.
• Consolidates data and provides support to Finance/Budget Officer(s) with respect to budget reviews. 
• Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the preparation/finalization of budget performance reports, performing preliminary analysis of variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Prepares commitments and payment actions in UMOJA and reviews them to ensure that funds are available and the correct account has been used.
• Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) with data input.
• Assists in the financial backstopping of trust funds, including monitoring the status of voluntary contributions, generating expenditure reports from UMOJA and monitoring reporting requirements by donors.
• Assists the Finance/Budget Officer(s) in the issuance of allotments and related staffing table authorizations. 
• Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
• Reviews for accuracy the monthly expenditure reports related to field offices (ex. clearing accounts), takes action to correct errors and processes the related transactions in Umoja, bringing errors to the attention of the Finance/Budget Officers(s) concerned; ensures that all necessary corrections are incorporated in the reports; co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. 
• Verifies and prepares payments to third parties.
• Reviews final financial/audit reports and prepares payments for final disbursement.
• Notifies payees of status of payments.
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures.

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required.
• The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to 3 years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.   
• Out of which, a  minimum of 2 year of experience with the United Nations system or other similar international organization is desirable.   
• Experience in finance-related modules in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as UMOJA is desirable.   
• Experience with analysing and processing of Clearing Accounts is desirable.   
• Experience in analysing and assessing financial reports is desirable.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of French is desirable.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/258598?language=en

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