The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 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.
UNEP’s Science Division is responsible for analysing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyse and promote international cooperation and action on the environment. This position is located within the Financial Management Unit of the Science Division at the Nairobi duty station.
Under the direct supervision of the Financial Management Officer (FMO) and within delegated authority, the incumbent will perform the following:
Responsibilities
Budget:
• Provides support with respect to the review, analysis and preparation and revision of the medium-term plan.
• Prepares supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to project budget submissions and UNEP Programme of Work.
• Assist Project managers in the estimation of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Undertakes research and provide support to the Finance and Budget Officer with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
• Monitors of project expenditures and comparing with approved budgets; preparing adjustments as necessary to correct variances.
• Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure and coding blocks have been charged, and funding is available and sufficient.
• Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analyze variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures and bring anomalies to the attention of the Finance and Budget Officer.
• Monitors integrity of various financial databases for accuracy and completeness.
• Verifies accuracy of input data, ensures consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
• Co-ordinates with Project teams, other finance and budget staff, on related issues during preparation of budget reports.
• Performs periodic reconciliation of accounts.
• Prepares of correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters.
Finance
• Reviews incoming payment instructions with regard to banking details and sources of funds.
• Prepares payment requests for final disbursement by Cashier and Notifying payees of status of payments.
• Monitors of weekly contributions list and ensuring deposits received are applied correctly. Creating project structures in Umoja, revenue grants and accurately linking to the expenditure grants.
• Assists project teams , Fund Management Officers and donors regarding queries on payment and deposit related issues.
General Administration
• Keeps up to date documents/reports/guidelines on matters related to projects, ensuring compliance with
intergovernmental recommendations and decisions, as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Maintain and keep up-to date project and vendor files.
• Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to two support staff in the finance unit.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned from time to time.
Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. 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. 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.
Planning and 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.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
Education
Completion of high school diploma or equivalent is required. Supplementary training in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is desirable. Training in Power BI 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 Seven (7) years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required.
Practical experience in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) accounting and finance system and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is desirable.
Experience with integrated information management systems based on SAP, Power BI or other similar platforms is desirable.
Experience in the United Nations system or other comparable international organization is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post 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.
