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.
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.
Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test in English at the United Nations Headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia maybe accepted in lieu of the GGST.
This position is located in the Accounts Division in the United Nations Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts (OPPBA). This position involves a variety of tasks which include the maintenance and validation of various operations with respect to fund accounting, resolution of queries from staff and other UN units, and the preparation of worksheets to assist in the preparation of financial statements and ad hoc reports. The incumbent will report to the Chief Incoming Grants within Trust Fund and Technical Cooperation Section.
Within delegated authority, the Accounting Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
• Scrutinizes source documents for completeness, accuracy and validity of charges.
• Reconciles and reviews suspense accounts and ensure proper clearance procedures have been followed.
• Extracts details of income, expenditure, assets and liability from accounting system in order to analyse and verify accuracy and validity.
• Consolidates data into financial statements. Assists with the monitoring of expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels.
• Follow up with Donors or Departments requesting information for application of deposits.
• Checking bank reports and running GL reports for unapplied deposits.
• Keeping track of unapplied deposits and clear deposits
• Creating documents in SAP for recognition of revenue and recording various accounting adjustments.
• Preparing financial reports of projects as per donor requirements.
• Examines the validity of requests for increases in imprest levels.
• Prepares disbursement vouchers to replenish imprest accounts.
• Prepares worksheets and assist with the preparation of financial statements. Specifically, contributes to the analysis of income, expenditure, assets and liabilities of the funds at grant and fund level for the purpose of annual financial statements or donor reporting.
• Audits various accounting transactions, e.g. , payroll, education grants, final payments, income tax returns, travel claims, etc., to ensure correctness of disbursements and adherence to staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices.
• Processes payment requests for advances to implementing partners and grants out to end beneficiaries. This includes, among other things, calculating, inputting, allocating down payment line items and checking payments for correctness and communicating discrepancies to supervisors.
• Monitors commitment documents approval, creates Accounts Payable documents and related clearing documents including advances to IP and grants made through UNDP using Financial Authorizations.
• Contributes to updating summary of payment requests file and coordination with Treasury in daily monitoring disbursement process on a timely basis.
• Drafts/prepares memorandum and/or faxes to various offices, departments and overseas offices.
• Responds to queries from staff members and third parties including colleagues in substantive and executive offices.
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to projects, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures, and the UN Financial rules and Regulations.
• Contributes to preparation of supporting documents requested for review by internal or external auditors.
• Provides guidance and training to colleagues as required.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.
• Professionalism: Knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards. Ability to apply conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills in accounting operations. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make conclusions and recommendations.
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.
High school diploma or equivalent.
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance or related area is required. Experience in analyzing and presenting data using MS Excel is required. Experience with the Financial and Grants Management Module of and ERP system such as SAP or similar software is required. Experience in revenue and receivable allocation is required.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
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, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The screening and 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, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: 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 a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
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.