Posting Title: FINANCE ASSISTANT, FS5

Job Code Title: FINANCE ASSISTANT

Department/Office: United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

Duty Station: KUWAIT

Posting Period: 09 July 2023 – 27 August 2023

Job Opening Number: 23-Finance-UNAMI-212049-F-Kuwait (M)

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Organisational Setting and ReportingThe Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services, and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. Under the strategic guidance of the Department of Operational Support (DOS), the Kuwait Joint Support Office provides efficient and client-oriented services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions from its client entities. These include transactional elements of human resources, finance, travel, and payroll. This position is in the United Nations Kuwait Joint Support Office (KJSO). The incumbent will report to the Chief of Accounts unit under the general guidance of the Chief Finance Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Finance Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Payroll

•  Approve of off cycle payments of relocation grant and settling-in-grant for International Staff.
•  Approve travel expense reports for all personnel category as well as relevant payments to individual contractors and consultants.
•  Reissue rejected and returned payroll deposits for National and International Staff. Accounts
•  Perform the monthly and yearly closing procedures in Umoja ERP
•  Analyze complex/unusual accounting transactions and difficult claims for travel, invoices, and entitlement matters, etc. and make recommendations to the Team Leader or Chief Payroll Officer on appropriate follow-up procedures.
•  Review and reconcile all open-item-managed (OIM) accounts and investigate erroneous/invalid entries to take appropriate corrective accounting action.
•  Review various vouchers and accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, payment of staff entitlements, final payments, travel claims, vendor invoices, agencies, field missions, etc., to ensure conformity adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations and rules, ST/AI issuances or practices.
•  Issue of invoice to agencies through Service Delivery Module and generate periodic report to review the agencies/missions’ balances.
•  Review prior and current budget period commitments for review, recommitment and cancellation of outstanding commitments.
•  Respond to queries from staff members and third parties. Perform bank reconciliation, follow up on delayed and/or returned/rejected payments and unidentifiable deposits with the banks/customers.
•  Monitor Assets under Constructions (AuC) and Fixed Assets reports, perform monthly AuC cost settlement and Final Assets cost settlement in Umoja; adjust/correct FA data when required
•  Review and analyze UNDP SCA reports, raise Financial Authorizations to UNDP Country Office, upload UNDP SCA reports in Umoja, execute monthly/mid-year/end-year UNDP SCA reconciliation Payments
•  Verify that the necessary goods and services have been received in accordance with the contract, agreement, purchase order or other form of undertaking by which they were ordered and that they have been certified by a duly designated certifying officer before vouchers are submitted to approving officers for further review and approval.
•  Review and prepare payments to staff and vendors for goods and services, including checking payments for accuracy and correcting any discrepancies.
•  Assist in preparing of the year-end reports for the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) on all pension contributions made by locally-recruited staff. Treasury/Cashier
•  Identify and annotate bank account movements and monitors bank balances of the mission’s accounts.
•  Assist to make sure cash in vault are accounted for on a daily basis.
•  Monitor cheque stock and cash receipt vouchers and requests for new stock as required.
•  Monitor/review methods used to remit payments.
•  Coordinate filing and archiving as required. Budget
•  Review, analyses and prepare cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects.
•  Assist managers in the justification of resource requirements for budget submissions, coordinate with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of the budget reports.
•  Assist in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
•  Verify accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
•  Provide inputs into the preparation of allotments and prepare redeployment requests. General
•  Keep up to date on guidelines that have bearing on matters related to programme/peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with United Nations policies and procedures.
•  Draft or prepare correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to financial and budget matters.
•  Provide guidance and training (including preparation of training materials) to junior staff with respect to transaction processing and the use of various systems such as Umoja ERP System (SAP).
•  Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor(s).

CompetenciesProfessionalism: Knowledge of payroll, accounting, finance and budget functions and treasury operations. Ability to analyse and apply data across the full range of finance, accounting, and budget functions. Demonstrated use of initiative and ability to make appropriate linkages in work processes and anticipate next steps showing skills and ability to analyse and interpret financial data. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and understanding 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. 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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.

EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. Technical or vocational certificate in accounting, finance, budget business administration, public administration or related fields is a requirement.

Job – Specific QualificationTechnical or vocational certificate in accounting, finance, budget business administration, public administration or related fields is required.

Work ExperienceA minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience within the United Nations system or in the private sector at the national or international level in accounting, budgeting or financial management is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience with the HCM module of SAP, PeopleSoft, or similar ERP systems is required A minimum of two (2) years of experience in a Service Center is desirable. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in Finance and Budget in a UN Peacekeeping or Special Political Mission is desirable.

LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

AssessmentPreviously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

Special NoticeThis “Recruit from Roster” job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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.

United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.