Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the respective office of the Secretary-General. UNON supports programme implementation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Resident Coordination System (RCS) and the UN Human Settlements Programme UN-HABITAT) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org).

These posts are located in the office of Budget and Financial Management Services (BFMS), Division of Administrative Services (DAS). Under the direct supervision of the Section or Unit Chief, the incumbents will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities

BUDGETING:
1. Assist in the collection of data for 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. Assist with the data extract for and preparation of various reports to management;
3. Assist in monitoring budget implementation and performance;
4. Assist with ensuring that requisitions for goods and services are in line with authorized budgets, the priorities of the organisation and the UN financial rules and regulations;
5. Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.

ACCOUNTING:
1. Process financial documents such as accounts payable, payroll and account receivable, in line with the financial rules and regulations;
2. Audits various accounting transactions, e.g., vendor payments, payroll, education grants, taxes, etc. to ensure correctness of disbursement and adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices;
3. Assist in the review and analysis of various accounting data;
4. Scrutinize supporting documents for completeness, accuracy and validity of requests in line with applicable policies, procedure, rules and regulations before submission to Supervisor;
5. Process accounting adjustments and corrections in line with requests submitted by Clients and approved by the Supervisor;
6. Assist in the analysis of open item managed accounts (OIM) in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and initiate corrective action;
7. Perform reconciliation of general and subledger accounts and clears suspense accounts.

GENERAL:
1. Receive and distribute various documents received in the unit/section.
2. Respond to queries and draft correspondence to clients and other stakeholders in a timely and effective manner.
3. Assist in ensuring that accurate and complete accounting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained.
4. Assist with data extraction and analysis and preparation of regular and ad hoc reports.
5. Perform duties as backup for other team members when required.
6. Supervise junior member of staff and interns.
7. 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.
8. Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
9. Perform other related duties as assigned.

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; The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided as “clients’ and seeks to see things for their point of view; Identifies clients’ needs and matches appropriate solutions; Keeps client informed of progress or setbacks,

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 if such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

High school diploma or completion of secondary school is required. Supplementary qualification in finance, administration, project management is desirable.

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. The GGST is administered to applicants when required before the administration of a written assessment and/or interview. Successful passing of the Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) in English at the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively work experience in finance, budget or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced by two years for candidates who possess a first level University degree.

Working experience with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and finance system such as Oracle or SAP and experience with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is desirable.

Experience with data analysis and reconciliation in excel or similar tools is desirable.

Working experience with Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable or Treasury functions is desirable.

Experience on client support such as communication with clients and handling of iNeed tickets or equivalent is desirable.

Experience with the use of Microsoft Excel is desirable.

Experience in reconciling financial data from two or more sources is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. 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 or assignment against this position is for a period of three (3) months. A limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. 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.

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.

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.

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 e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. 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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully 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 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.