Org. Setting and Reporting
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It is composed of 15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The Court is the only principal organ of the United Nations not serviced by the Secretariat and has its own Registry, which provides judicial support to the Court and acts as a permanent administrative organ. The Registry is headed by a Registrar, elected by the Court. The incumbent is appointed by the Court upon the recommendation of the Registrar (Rules of Court, Art. 25). The position is located in the Registry’s Finance Division. The incumbent reports directly to the Head of the Finance Division.
Responsibilities
The Associate Finance and Budget Officer performs the Certifying Officer role, ensuring that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules. The incumbent provides assistance to the Head of the Finance Division in the preparation of the yearly budget and to heads of departments and divisions in preparing and managing their respective budgets in compliance with the United Nations Financial Rules and Regulations, including training on budgetary and financial policies. Under the supervision of the Head of the Finance Division and within delegated authority, the Associate Finance and Budget Officer will perform the following duties in particular: Certification of documents: Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 105.5 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules. Budget administration: Prepares allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures. Runs reports and monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels. Budget preparation: Reviews, analyses and assists in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements. Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. Finance and accounts: Ensures consistent application and observance of the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules. Provides guidance on accounting matters, supports the preparation of financial statements, and ensures compliance with deadlines, particularly at year-end. Administrative tasks: Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, and ensures compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
Competencies
Professionalism: Ability to identify and resolve budgetary problems and identify sources for data collection. Ability to work independently and manage priorities. Excellent drafting skills. 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. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently. 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
An advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in business administration, finance or related fields is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
Job – Specific Qualification
Advanced skills in computing and office applications, especially spreadsheet and word processing applications are required
Work Experience
A minimum of two years (four years with a first level university degree) of relevant and progressively responsible experience in finance or budget working within international institutions is required. Relevant experience within the United Nations is desirable. Experience in budget formulation, including drafting of relevant documents, is desirable. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP or Umoja, and particularly the finance modules and analytics tools, is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the official and working languages of the International Court of Justice. An excellent command of either English or French (equivalent to UN Level III – Advanced Language Competence) and a full working knowledge of the other language (equivalent to UN Level II – Intermediate Language Competence) are required.
Assessment
The assessment of qualified candidates will include written tests and a competency and/or knowledge-based interview.
Special Notice
The Court is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply to become a staff member. The selected candidate may be subject to security clearance, including verification of the information provided and a criminal record check. All candidates should be prepared to submit an electronic copy of their passport and all diplomas listed on their profile when requested. The Registrar reserves the right not to appoint any candidate to the post, or to appoint one at a lower level or on the basis of a modified job description. Applications that are found by the Court to meet the vacancy announcement criteria may be added to a reserve list in case a similar vacancy arises in the future. Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The Court’s salaries are calculated in US dollars but may be paid in euros. They consist of a basic salary and a post adjustment which reflects the cost of living in the Netherlands and the euro/dollar exchange rate. In addition, the Court offers an attractive benefits package including 30 days of annual leave, home travel every two years, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan and subsidized medical insurance. If the selected candidate is a staff member from an organization applying the United Nations Common System of Salaries and Allowances, the provisions of the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan shall apply.
United Nations Considerations
In accordance with the ICJ Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 ICJ 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. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable 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 in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
ICJ does NOT charge any fees or request money from candidates at any stage of the recruitment process, nor does it concern itself with bank account details of applicants. Requests of this nature allegedly made on behalf of ICJ are fraudulent and should be disregarded.