Senior Finance and Budget assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This is a vacancy in the General Service category for which local recruitment procedures shall apply, in accordance with the Staff Regulations of the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union. Candidates shall be solely responsible for any travel or other expenses incurred in order to participate in the recruitment process or, upon selection, take up the appointment. Staff members subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances and benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. With its 192 member countries, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.

Responsibilities

Control and monitor the financial performance of a programme, project group or operational area. Evaluate budget requests and write budget proposals, prepare financial reports, manage billing and ayments. Provide the secretariat for the programme, including the POC subgroup.

Budget

• Review, analyze and assist in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals.
• Ensure compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates.
• Elaborate on resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Provide input in the preparation of allotments/appropriations, including the redeploy¬ment of funds when necessary, and ensure appropriate expenditure.
• Prepare and update monitoring reports on expenditure and budgets.
• Recommend the reallocation of funds as necessary.
• Review requisitions for goods and services to ensure: a correct objects of expenditure have been charged; and b availability of funds.
• Monitor extrabudgetary resources, including the review of agreements and cost plans, and ensure compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Finalize budget performance reports, analyzing variations between approved budgets and actual expenditure.
• Ensure consistency across various fund databases.
• Check the accuracy of input data, ensuring the consistency of data between previous allotments/appropriations and new allotments/appropriations issued.
• Liaise with other finance and budget staff on related issues when preparing budget reports.

Finance

• Process and track invoices, expenses and payments.
• Make financial accounting recommendations to various stakeholders.
• Review and reconcile clearing accounts to ensure appropriate balances.
• Investigate erroneous/invalid entries and take appropriate corrective accounting action.
• Propose solutions and manage the accounting follow-up system.
• Review and analyze the programme budget/financial implications statements in the light of additional mandates.
• Draft business requirement changes for finance processes.
• Monitor various accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, travel claims, final payments, income tax returns, travel claims, etc., to ensure correct disbursement computations and adherence to relevant internal rules (financial regulations).
• Prepare financial statements for various funds, e.g., the Quality of Service Fund, Union, the Voluntary Fund, revenue and other special accounts.
• Provide financial and administrative support to clients, including the preparation of travel, procurement actions, and consultant/individual contractor agreements.
• Regularly consult and liaise with the UPU Finance Directorate and the Quality of Service Fund on all budgetary and finance matters related to the ongoing project.

Procurement

• Draft requests for proposal.
• Prepare or assist in the preparation of agreements.
• Assist in the purchasing process by preparing purchase orders, obtaining quotes from vendors and tracking delivery timelines.
• Assist with contract management by tracking expiration dates and renewals, and ensuring compliance with terms and conditions.
• Collaborate with the Legal Affairs Directorate to ensure that procurement processes align with internal rules.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and procedures, and maintain up-to-date records and documentation.

Administration

• Prepare various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs for publications, talking points, articles, etc., using graphic design and data visualization techniques, etc.
• Provide substantive support for consultations, meetings and conferences by prepar¬ing documents and presentations, etc.
• Research, analyze and present information gathered from diverse sources.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent, with training in the area of finance and/or accounting

Job – Specific Qualification

• A minimum of five years’ experience in accounting, finance, budgeting, business administration or a related area, with a progressive increase in responsibility is required Demonstrable knowledge of the principles of accountancy and information technology in order to extract information promptly and accurately from financial databases is required Demonstrable knowledge of Microsoft Excel is required Knowledge of, and the ability to apply, financial rules, regulations and procedures is required Possession of the knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyze and format data across all finance and budget functions, including programme development, database management, claims and treasury operations is required Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems is required Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously is required Ability to work under stress and manage priorities is required Speak and write clearly and effectively, listen to others, correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately is required Work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals is required Ensure confidentiality and discern sensitive data is required

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years’ experience in accounting, finance, budgeting, business administration or a related area, with a progressive increase in responsibility is required

Languages

• English or French (Knowledge of the other language would be an advantage)

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/241274?language=en