FINANCE AND BUDGET ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Budget and Finance Unite and reports to the Chief Unit/Section or to a Finance & Budget Officer. Provides accurate and timely support to the development of budget proposals and administration of approved budget, processing and disbursement of payments to staff members and vendors, accurate recording of financial transactions and preparation of bank reconciliations. ResponsibilitiesMajor duties and responsibilities. • Performs/participates in the monthly and yearly closing of accounts procedures in ERP (Umoja). • Analyzes complex/unusual accounting transactions and all open items in the accounting system ERP (Umoja) for corrective actions and makes recommendations to the Chief of Unit/Section on appropriate follow-up procedures. • Reviews and reconciles various clearing accounts and investigate erroneous/invalid entries to take appropriate corrective accounting action. • Processes incoming/outgoing interoffice vouchers (IOVs), interoffice billings (IOBs) and intermission billings (IMBs) from/to HQs, agencies, funds, programs and other field missions. • Assists in the preparation of the bank reconciliation on a daily basis. • Ensures compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in all financial transactions. • Reviews current budget period commitments to ensure their validity to carry them forward and cancel outstanding commitments where not valid; • Verifies that relevant supporting documents have been provided, confirming that goods and services have been received in accordance with the contract, agreement, purchase order or other form of undertaking by which they were ordered and that they have been certified by a duly designated certifying officer before vouchers are processed and/or submitted to approving officers for further review and approval. • Reviews relevant banking details including amendments of banking details in the Business Partner (BP) for wire transfer payments, to ensure that payments are made only to those to whom the organization legitimately owes funds for goods and services actually received. • Assists with the computation of staff members’ entitlements including salaries, claims, danger pay, daily subsistence allowance, mission subsistence allowance, voluntary living allowance and any other allowances for payments. • Reviews relevant documentations for payments and accounting entries e.g., payroll, payment of staff entitlements, final payments, travel claims, vendor invoices, agencies, etc., to ensure conformity and adherence to applicable United Nations policies e,g., applicable staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices, IPSAS policy framework etc. • Assists, review and prepare year-end reports for the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) on all pension contributions made by locally-recruited staff. • Assists in the review, analysis and preparation of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of mission’s resourcing requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects. • Assists with the review of justification for resource requirements for budget submissions in coordination with relevant Sections/Offices on related issues during preparation of the budget proposals • Assists in monitoring extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. • Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and assist with the reallocation and re-deployment of funds as necessary. • Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued • Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Prepares, disburse and release payments by cheques, cash or wire transfer; assist with exception payments for corrective actions • Identifies and annotate bank account movements and monitors bank balances of the mission’s accounts. • Assists in cash management, including preparing cash flow replenishment. • Record incoming cash and outgoing cash in ERP (Umoja) to/from the cashiers imprest • Assists to make sure cash in vault is replenished timely to avoid shortage of cash • Monitors cheque stock and cash receipt vouchers and requests for new stock as required. • Reviews documents assigned to payment lists to ensure that partner banks commensurate with payment methods to avoid rejected or returned payments • Coordinates/Assists with filing and archiving of financial records as required. • Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to budgetary and financial matters. • Assists in the maintenance of fixed asset register, as required. • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. • Performs other duties as assigned. CompetenciesProfessionalism: Ability to 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. 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. 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. EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceWith a high school certificate a minimum of seven (7) years of experience within the United Nations system or in the private sector in accounting, budgeting and financial management is required. The minimum year's of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first level university degree or higher in accounting, finance, budget is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge in oral and written in Dari or Pashto is desirable AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeAt 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. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.