Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Financial Management and Operational Support Section at the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The Associate Finance Officer will be responsible to manage payables, payroll and staff entitlement transaction team members, and will have a direct reporting relationship to Chief of Financial Management and Operational Support Section, ESCAP and its partner UN Office at Geneva which provide services to their clients under a Service Level Agreement with ESCAP for payments and payroll operations.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Financial Management and Operational Support Section, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions: 1. Assists in monitoring payments and payroll operations for ESCAP and/or its clients (including Offices Away from Headquarters) to ensure accurate and timely operations as well as the enforcement of all related UN Regulations and Rules and administrative instructions: – Oversees the achievement of the Key Performance Indicators and all Service Level Agreements components relating to payments and payroll; Ensures that the outputs produced by the team maintain high quality standards; Builds and maintains trusted relationships with all stakeholders who can be located worldwide. – Plans, organizes, manages, guides, trains, and supervises work of the team assigned. – Provides substantive support in the evaluation of workflow process and procedures; introducing new measures as required to ensure effective and efficient payroll and payments operations. – Assists in the establishment of internal control mechanisms ensuring that verification processes are enforced at all processing stages, and that data integrity is upheld. 2. Exercises approving authority, under the delegated authority from the Controller, ensuring compliance with the UN Financial Regulations and Rules covering the area of: – Payroll and payments to staff members, third parties, consultants, meeting participants, vendor invoices etc. – Travel expense reports. – Financial authorizations to incur payroll and payments related expenditures. – All other applicable transactions such as payroll correction, payments correcting entries, journal vouchers. 3. Performs other duties as assigned: – Works in close coordination with all responsible offices including UNHQ and Offices Away from Headquarters on payroll and payments matters. – Contributes to the preparation of briefing papers, reports and comments on payroll and payments related issues. – Assists in the testing and implementation of various modules of Umoja related to payroll and finance. – Provides support, financial interpretations, adaptations, and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and information circulars.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of financial principles and practices. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. • Planning & 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. • 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 first-level university degree in business administration, finance, or related field is required. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage. Diploma in accounting is an asset.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of two years of responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. Experience in managing a team in finance department, preferably payment and/or payroll is desirable. Experience in the United Nations Common System or international organizations similar to UN Common System is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English and Thai are required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.

Special Notice

Candidates for the National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located. This post is open to Thai nationals only. Appointment against this post is on a local basis; candidates shall be Thai nationals and will be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the ESCAP office. If no suitable local candidate is identified, Thai nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to travelling and relocating to Bangkok in the event of an employment offer. This is a temporary position and will be available for 364 days . If selected, an internal candidate will be on temporary assignment to the post; an external candidate will initially be offered a temporary appointment. Any extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance and continued availability of the post. Should a current General Service staff member be selected for this temporary position, he/she will be on a temporary assignment and may be granted a special post allowance (SPA), in accordance with ST/AI/1999/17. Locally recruited General Service staff members applying for this post must meet the minimum requirements, including academic qualifications and years of relevant experience. Relevant experience in the General Service category at G-6 and G-7 levels may count towards experience requirements.

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.