Senior Finance and Budget Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Corporate Services Division (CSD) is the guardian of UNEP's corporate interest, mitigating its exposure to risk and supporting the organization with management tools, plans and related capacity building. It oversees UNEP's efficient and effective management, in line with UNEP's accountability requirements, rules, regulations and UN core values.

This position is located in UN Environment, Corporate Services Division, Budget Unit in Nairobi. The Senior Finance & Budget Assistant will report to the Head of the Budget Unit.

Responsibilities

Budget:
â¢Acts as Certifying Officer for the Corporate Services Division and Executive Office.
â¢Undertakes reviews, analyses and preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions.
â¢Reviews, analyses and assists in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; ensures compliance with UNEP Programme of Work and other legislative mandates.
â¢Provides support to managers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements and assist in the preparation and submission of the budget proposals and allocations for the Regular Budget, Environment Fund, and Programme Support Cost (PSC).
â¢Provide support in the preparation and monitoring of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) budget and funding status.
â¢Undertakes research and provides support to higher level Finance and Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
â¢Provides input into the preparation of allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
â¢Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary.
â¢Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged and availability of funds.
â¢Monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
â¢Assists in the preparation of budget performance submissions as well as periodic and ad-hoc reports including monthly budget dashboard reports to senior management, Programme Performance Reports (PPR) to UNEP Senior Management as well as to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR).
â¢Assists in finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
â¢Monitors integrity of various financial databases.
â¢Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
â¢Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.
General:
â¢Keeps up to date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
â¢Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters.
â¢Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
â¢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.
â¢Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
â¢Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of financial rules,regulations and procedures. 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. 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.

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.

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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Job - Specific Qualification

Supplementary training in administration, finance, budget, accounting or related fields is required.

Training in Business Intelligence (BI) reporting is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in administration, budgetary and
financial operations, procedures and practices is required. The minimum years of relevant
experience is reduced by two (2) years for candidates who possess a first level university
degree.

Experience working with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, such as Umoja, in finance and budget modules is required.

Demonstrated experience working with a Business Intelligence (BI) reporting tool is required.

One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in written and oral English is required. Knowledge of another UN official 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 United Nations Considerations 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 APPLICANTSâ BANK ACCOUNTS.