Senior Finance and Budget Assistant, G7 at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities

FINANCE

• Assists the Associate Administrative Officer in developing the programme’s annual budgets.
• Supports the Fund Management Monitoring and Procurement Officer in preparing accurate and detailed expenditure reports, budget revisions, cash advance requests, co-finance reports, audited financial statements, and other financial documents.
• Records and accounts for foreign exchange in expenditure reports.
• Supports the Fund Management Monitoring and Procurement Officer in recording and managing income of the programme, in accordance with the Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) and facilitate return of funds to UNEP.
• Co-manages programme finances using appropriate accounting software.
• Manages payments, transactions and others according to the programme timelines with a view to achieve 70% disbursement for annual cash advances.
• Tracks budget reallocations and ensures they do not exceed 10% across programme outputs.
• Ensures Programme Management Costs remains compliant with Green Climate Fund (GCF) policies.
• Obtains and reports bank statements periodically.
• Liaises with the Executing Entities on financial management and approvals, advances, and reporting.

ADMINISTRATION

• Ensures proper record keeping of programme documents, reports, and files in shared platforms and hard copies.
• Supports event organizing, workshops, meetings, travel arrangements, field missions, and other activities.
• Prepares documents, files, and reports for audits and evaluations.
• Provides other support functions to the Programme Management Unit as required.
• 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.
• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyse 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.
• 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 & 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.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required. Supplementary training in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area 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. 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.
• The GGST is administered to applicants when required before the administration of a written assessment and/or interview.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required.
• Experience in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) accounting and finance system and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is desirable.
• Experience in the United Nations system or other comparable international organization is desirable.
• Experience working in the Pacific region is desirable.
• Experience in supporting the implementation of financial controls and assisting in financial management of projects with bilateral or multilateral support and/or funding is desirable.
• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.