Senior Finance and Budget Assistant (Temporary)

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the Director-General of UNON is the representative of the Secretary-General in Kenya. UNON supports programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Resident Coordination System (RCS) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, security, conference and information services (www.unon.org). This position is located in the office of the Budget and Financial Management Services (BFMS) within the Division of Administrative Services (DAS).

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief, the incumbent is expected to perform the following duties: BUDGETING: 1. Preparation of cost estimates and budget proposals in terms of staff and non-staff requirements for regular budget and extra-budgetary resources under UNON Administration. 2. Monitor budget implementation and performance and recommend reallocation of funds as necessary. 3. Ensure that requisitions for goods and services are in line with authorized budgets, the priorities of the organization and the UN financial rules and regulations. 4. Review requests for creation and extension of positions as well as requests for recruitment. 5. Assist in the execution of cost recovery in line with established agreements and policies and support on the collection of associated receivables. 6. Perform certifying functions of financial transactions as per delegation. ACCOUNTING: 1. Responsible for the processing of financial documents in line with the financial rules and regulations. 2. Review and analysis of various accounting data, financial statements input and preparation of reports. 3. Scrutinize supporting documents for completeness, accuracy and validity of requests in line with applicable policies, procedures, rules and regulations. 4. Verify accuracy of postings and process corrections as appropriate. 5. Analyze and monitor Open Item Managed accounts (OIM) in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (Umoja) and initiate corrective action. 6. Perform approval functions of financial transactions as per delegation. PAYROLL AND BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION: 1. Performs Payroll comparison and data validation of simulation runs (in HANA Payroll Analysis Tool); Prepares Payroll data for monthly mass upload files (direct payroll deductions/payments). 2. Audits various accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, education grants, final payments, income tax returns, etc. to ensure correctness of disbursement and adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices. 3. Provides information to Pension Fund participants and beneficiaries on participation entitlements and benefits and prepares year end pension schedules for financial statement reporting. 4. Monitors all insurance transactions including those involving participants on non-Headquarter payroll but covered under Headquarters insurance plans. 5. Serve as Lead Payroll Processor in approving off cycle requests and payroll – Education Grant advances, Salary advances, Assignment and Relocation grants etc. 6. Serve as Lead Payroll Processor in running the monthly payroll and correction payroll and ensure the completeness and correctness of the payroll posting. 7. Performs supervisory functions as team leader and First Reporting Officer (FRO). GENERAL: 1. Prepare and analyze reports with a view to identify anomalies and unusual trends and recommend corrective action as appropriate. 2. Perform data extraction and prepare various reports for management review. 3. Respond to queries and draft correspondence in relation to budgetary and financial matters from management, clients (internal and external), auditors and other stakeholders. 4. Ensure that accurate and complete accounting; reporting and internal control systems are functioning. 5. Ensure that all relevant records and audit trails are maintained. 6. Act as team leader and provide day to day management and supervision, training and guidance to other General Services staff. 7. Assist in the planning of unit and team staff work plans, monitor and report performance against the plans. 8. 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. 9. Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. 10. Knowledge retention and quality assurance focal point for the team. 11. Performs other related duties as required by Section or Unit Chief.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyze and format data across the full range of finance and budget functions, including programme development and database management, claims and treasury operations. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems. 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. Committed to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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. 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.

Education

A high school diploma or completion of secondary school is required. Supplemental courses/ training in finance, administration, project management or related field is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

A recognized accountancy qualification (e.g. Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants (CIPFA) is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of Ten (10) years of working experience in payroll, finance, budget or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight (8) years for candidates who possess a first-level University degree. Experience with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and finance system such as Oracle or SAP is desirable. Experience with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is desirable. Experience with integrated business processes, data analytics and reporting 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 knowledge of French is an advantage. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. “NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this position is for a duration of six 6 months. It is for a limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the duty station is identified. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred to take-up the appointment. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. At 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. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

United Nations Considerations

According 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 Fee

THE 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.