Finance and Budget Assistant Job at UNEP – UN Jobs

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• Description of assignment title: Finance and Budget Assistant
• Assignment country: Kenya
• Expected start date: 04/01/2024
• Sustainable Development Goal: 13. Climate action
• Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Specialist
• Host entity: UNEP
• Type: Onsite
• Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)
• Number of assignments: 1
• Duty stations: Nairobi
• Closing Date: 13/03/2024

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Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the 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 mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

This post is in UNEP’s Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Mitigation Unit, Global Environment Facility (GEF), Climate Change Mitigation Unit at the Nairobi duty station.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the UNEP Administrative Officer, the UNV Finance & Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Project Design and Development:

•  Verify documents for overall accuracy, consistency, and uniformity in presentation and ensure comprehensiveness and compliance, cross-check consistency of figures in tables with the text of the reports and verify references to other reports and documents and ensure that all necessary corrections are incorporated.
•  Assist in preparation of budgets with respect to project documents.
•  Initiate set up of banking details for executing agencies.
•  Facilitate the disbursement of funds to the executing agencies. Project Implementation:
•  Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on financial reporting as per the project cooperation agreement with that agency, and on the templates to be used for meeting these reporting requirements
•  Track circulation of new project internalizations and all projects’ revisions through UNEP clearance and approval processes
•  Prepare fund documents for budget allocations and prepare the necessary documents in the ERP Operating system
•  Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the expenditure report template; review expenditure reports to ensure (a) correct amount and objects of expenditures have been charged (b) validity of charges (c) availability of funds; provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order for the agency to complete the document correctly
•  Initiate processing of expenditure recording
•  Assist in the follow-up on outstanding financial reports with the executing agencies
•  Utilise the Unit’s finance dashboard to the financial reporting of all Executing Agencies and overall status of projects and advise on any anomalies.
•  Provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the cash advance template, review cash advances received, and provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order to complete the document correctly
•  Process cash advances and follow up on remittances of funds, process UNDP fax authorizations and sub-allotments to Executing Agencies
•  Notify payees on status of payments and investigate complaints of non-receipt
•  Prepare budget revision templates, provide guidance to Executing Agencies on the budget revision template, review budget revisions received, and provide feedback to Executing Agencies as necessary in order for them to complete the document correctly
•  Ensure that all Executing Agencies are using the same budget, expenditure report, and cash advance templates, and work with these partners to facilitate the use of the correct templates where needed
•  Create Special Service Agreements/ Purchase Orders /Travel Requests (TVRQ)/Travel advances (RCTAs)
•  Assist in the reconciliation of project accounts against independent audit certificates received from executing agencies
•  Inform Executing Agencies of upcoming financial reporting requirements Project Evaluation and Closure:
•  Update a project database with relevant project information on revision/closure of project
•  Assist in provision of financial information required in Project Implementation Review (PIR), Mid-term review/Evaluation, and Terminal Evaluation.
•  Assist in the preparation of project completion and closing revision and supporting schedules.
•  Prepare request for refund of unspent balances. General
•  Develop new flowcharts and improve on existing flowcharts for the review, approval, and processing of financial transactions and project contract documents.
•  Provide general administrative support.
•  Maintain and keep up-to-date project files
•  File and archive documentation in soft and hard copies and keep log of archived files
•  Draft routine correspondence with respect to enquiries related to relevant financial and budget matters. eFl6xDC B2wJsS
•  Perform other related duties as assigned. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
•  Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day)
•  Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country
•  Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities
•  Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc
•  Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers
•  Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. Results/expected outputs:
•  As an active UNEP team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support rendered to UNEP and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions.
•  Accurate project finance data maintained
•  All financial reports of all projects assigned which are due to be completed within the duration of the UNV contract are finalized.
•  Executing agency partners receive timely guidance on completing financial reports.
•  All executing agency partners receive responses to their queries within five working days.
•  The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring, and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (Ips);
•  A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed

Eligibility criteria

Age: 27 – 80

Nationality: Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

5 years of experience in administration, finance, accounting services, or related areas

•  Experience with finance or administration within the UN system is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization
•  Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, and reporting skills
•  Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners
•  Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel
•  Computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet;
•  Self-motivated, ability to work with tight deadlines;
•  Sound security awareness;
•  Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Area(s) of expertise: Economics and finance, Administration, Business management

Languages: English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in business administration, finance, or accounting fields is a requirement.

•  Additional technical qualifications, ACCA, certified public account (CPA) or equivalent, at any level, is a requirement

Competencies and values

•  Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNEP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNEP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
•  Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNEP in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;
•  Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
•  Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
•  Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
•  Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
•  Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
•  Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNEP’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

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