Job Title
ACCOUNTING
ASSISTANT (Project Post), G7
Department/ Office
United
Nations Office at Nairobi
Duty Station
NAIROBI
Posting Period
9
April 2013-9 May 2013
Job Opening number
13-FIN-UNON-27489-R-NAIROBI
(X)
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN Headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the Secretary-General. We support programme implementation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, conference and information services (www.unon.org). This post is located in the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), Division of Administrative Services (DAS), Budget and Financial Management Service (BFMS), International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) Project Unit
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Chief, IPSAS Project Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:
(1) Act as Team Leader and Supervising Officer for other Unit members.
(2) Serves as approving officer for disbursements up to an authorized amount.
(3) Audits various accounting transactions, to ensure correctness of disbursement computations and adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations, ST/AI issuances or practices.
(4) Reviews completeness of reports and consolidates the accounts of overseas offices on a periodic basis.
(5) Keeps up-to-date documents/reports/guidelines relating to programme matters ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
(6) Prepares worksheets and analyzes accounts.
(7) Assists in the preparation of financial statements for various funds like general, peacekeeping, technical co-operation, trust fund, revenue and other special accounts.
(8) Approves payment and journal vouchers for various claims/payments ensuring compliance with relevant rules and control procedures.
(9) Drafts and prepares correspondence to provide guidelines to Secretariat personnel for interpretation of United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules.
(10) Produces regular and ad hoc reports for Management and other Secretariat officials.
(11) Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
(12) Provides guidance and training (including the preparation of training materials) to staff at Headquarters and in the field with respect to transaction processing and the use of various systems used by the organization.
(13) Represent the Organization at meetings, make records of comments and decisions and produce formal reports to Management.
(14) Drafts/prepares memoranda and responds to queries by staff members, internal and external auditors and from their counterparts in offices away from Headquarters.
(15) Maintain and keep up-to-date filing systems.
(16) Performs other duties as may be required.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and
- procedures in the UN environment; Ability to maintain accurate records, review and interpret a wide variety of data; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns, be conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.
- 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.
- Teamwork: Work collaboratively with clients and colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
- Communication: Demonstrated openness in sharing information and keeping clients informed; Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
- Completion of secondary school education is required. Additional technical training in the field of accounts/finance is desirable. Good computer skills (Microsoft Office Windows applications), proficiency in MS Excel and knowledge of accounting software required
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive responsible experience in a large computerized accounting environment
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in written and oral English is required. Knowledge of a second UN language is desirable
Assessment Method
Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment which may be followed by a competency-based interview
Special Notice
- This is a project post initially for one year and extension will be subject to funding availability. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please send an email to recruitment@unon.org, quoting the job opening number in the subject header of your email.
- Appointment against this post is on a local basis. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the duty station is identified. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred in order to take-up the appointment. Staff members are subject to the authority of and assignment by the Secretary-General. All staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
- This is a temporary vacancy. Appointment against this post is for a limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal.
United Nations Considerations
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
No Fee
THE 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.
