These positions are located in the United Nations Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts (OPPBA), other departments/offices throughout the Secretariat and in the field. Incumbents at this level usually report to a senior staff member or the Chief of a Unit/Section.
Within delegated authority, the Accounting Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Accounting Assistants.)
• Records and reconciles more complex accounting transactions.
• Examines and records financial transactions of Offices-away-from Headquarters/Peacekeeping Missions/other UN organisations and prepares remittances for disbursement.
• Reconciles more complex bank accounts in various currencies.
• Assists in the processing of payments to governments and vendors for good and services. This includes, amongst other things, calculating, inputting, and checking payments for correctness and communicating discrepancies to supervisors.
• Assists in processing payments to staff members for their entitlements including salaries, claims, education grants and income tax.
• Drafts/prepares memoranda and/or faxes to various offices, departments and overseas offices.
• Responds to queries from staff members and third parties.
• Performs other duties as may be required.
• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the Organization’s financial rules and regulations as well as accounting policies and practices. Ability to maintain accurate records, interpret and analyze a wide variety of data. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and other 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. 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.
• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• 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.
• CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• 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.
• COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
• TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
High school diploma or equivalent. For posts at Headquarters in New York, candidates must have passed both the United Nations Competitive Examination for Accounting Assistants (AACE) and the United Nations Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT). For posts at Offices away from Headquarters, candidates must have passed the equivalent locally-administered tests or examinations.
Several years of experience in accounting, finance or related area.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise, which will be followed by a competency-based interview.
This position is for local recruitment.
Passing the Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) in English at Headquarters, ECA, ESCWA, UNOG, UNOV, ICTR, or ICTY or the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Secretariat.
Any candidate from a member organization of the UNJSPF applying for this post is considered as an internal candidate provided he/she has been appointed through the appointment and promotion procedures applicable in his/her respective organization.
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.
Aucune restriction ne sera imposée par l'Organisation à l'accès des hommes et des femmes, dans des conditions égales, à toutes les fonctions, dans ses organes principaux et subsidiaires. (Charte des Nations Unies - Chapitre III, Article 8). Le Secrétariat des Nations Unies est un espace non-fumeurs.
L’ONU NE PERÇOIT DE FRAIS À AUCUN STADE DU RECRUTEMENT (DÉPÔT OU TRAITEMENT DE LA CANDIDATURE, ENTRETIEN, FORMATION, ETC.), ET ELLE NE DEMANDE AUCUNE INFORMATION BANCAIRE.