Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Accounts Section (AS), Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS), Division for Management (DM) of the United Nations Office at Vienna and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOV/UNODC), in Vienna. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Accounts Section or Head of the Unit as required, and may work closely with the Chief of Financial Resources Management Service. For more information on UNOV and UNODC, please visit our websites: www.unov.org and www.unodc.org.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties depending on the specific position assigned: • Supervise and direct the activities of the functional units/teams of Accounts Section as required. • Analyse accounts and prepare/review/evaluate regular financial reports. Identify problem transactions and irregularities in related accounts, resolving them in a timely and effective manner. • Approve/Confirm that proposed obligations or expenditure for services, facilities supplies and equipment expenses, as well as those pertaining to personnel, are in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the UN, relevant appropriations and staffing tables and corresponding approved allotments. • Ensure that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained. • Assist, prepare or consolidate IPSAS compliant financial statements and other types of financial reports/statements of all entities for which UNOV has received delegated authority. • Provide advice and guidance concerning the United Nations’ Financial Regulations and Rules and IPSAS Accounting Instructions. • Provide authoritative interpretation of requirements for handling transactions. • Coordinate and supervise the processing of Inter-Office transactions, payroll, government and vendor claims, travel, billing of government accounts, other types of billings, application of deposits, bank reconciliations, and petty cash/imprest accounts replenishments and monitoring, etc. • Monitor, analyse, and approve other diverse finance transactions (such as grants management, fixed assets accruals, etc.) for entry into the ERP system. • Define requirements and work with systems units and HQ with respect to production of relevant financial reports. • Participate in the development of accounting policies. • Support Clients/Field Offices by troubleshooting specific finance-related cases, delivering finance related trainings, preparing reports tailored for Clients/Field Offices’ operations, develop dashboard/reports to assess key performance indicators, and triage Umoja operational issues escalating as needed. • Oversee the recording, reporting, and compliance of EU funding arrangements. • Coordinate with various offices to assess, document, and improve internal controls. Prepare statement of internal controls and other relevant reports relating to status of internal controls. • Develop and maintain an enterprise risk management framework within the Division, by assessing risks and vulnerabilities, collaborating with various offices on risk mitigation, and monitoring and reporting on risk management activities. • Act as the focal point for internal and external audits/verifications, facilitate planning, logistics, and effective communication with auditors, provide guidance to various offices, review audit findings to assist in the formulation of management response and corrective action plans, and monitor/report on progress of implementation. • Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Perform other related duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards. Has ability to apply conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills in accounting operations. Has ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make conclusions and recommendations. Has very good IT skills with extensive knowledge of complex computerized accounting systems such as SAP. Has ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • 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. • Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. Managerial competencies • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in accounting, business administration, finance or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, budget, or related area is required. Working experience with Enterprise Resource Planning systems is required. Working experience with financial audit is desirable. Working experience with an SAP system is desirable. Working experience in preparing Financial Statements is desirable. Experience in working with international organizations such as the UN system is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is funded from extra budgetary resources. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year and any extension of the appointment will be subject to the availability of funding. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 31st October 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply:Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. Vienna is classified as an H and a family duty station.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.