Finance and Budget Assistant

The Finance and Budget Assistant supports the OneEO Client Desk 1 in monitoring assessed and extra-budgetary resources, assisting in budget preparation and review, monitoring budget utilization, reconciling accounting transactions, and ensuring compliance with UN financial regulations and policies. The role involves data analysis, report preparation, and coordination with finance and budget staff to support financial operations within the Department of Operational Support at UN Headquarters in New York.

Responsibilities

• Monitors assessed, and extra-budgetary resources administered by the OneEO Client Desk 1, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Assists in the preparation of supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
• Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Undertakes research, compiles data and provides support to higher level Finance & Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
• Monitors budget utilization and proposes adjustments as necessary.
• Reconciles complex accounting transactions.
• Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds.
• Assists in the development of resource requirements for budget submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Monitors integrity of various financial databases and preparing customized reports.
• Analyzes and verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments to new allotments issued.
• Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.
• Conducts transactions in Umoja such as raising pre-commitment and commitment documents, requisitions for goods and services, and funds redeployments.
• Conducts periodic reconciliation of accounts.
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters.
• Maintain and keep up-to-date files.
• May be responsible for providing guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
• 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.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• A minimum of seven years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related areas is required.
• The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.
• At least one year or more of experience in data analytics or related areas is required.
• Experience in the use of information technology programs related to spreadsheets, databases and work processing is required.
• Experience in reviewing cost plans, including budget formulation, is required.

Skills

• Budget Formulation
• Budget Monitoring
• Financial Reporting
• Accounting Transactions Reconciliation
• Data Analysis
• Spreadsheet Software Knowledge
• Database Management
• Word Processing
• UN Financial Regulations Knowledge
• Cost Plan Review

Languages

English, French