Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Budget Unit within the Office of Administrative Services (OAS) of the International Seabed Authority, headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an international organization established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The ISA is the organization through which States Parties to UNCLOS shall, in accordance with the regime for the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (the Area) established in Part XI and the 1994 Agreement, organize and control activities in the Area, particularly with a view to administering the resources of the Area.
Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Director of the Office of Administrative Services (OAS) and the direct supervision of the Budget Officer, and within delegated authority, the Budget Assistant will perform the following duties: Budgetary Roles and Responsibilities Monthly Budget Preparation (Regular & Extra-Budgetary Funds)
Assist in the preparation and review of financial proposals/requirements; instrumentally consolidate all monthly Budget Reports for the regular budget, trust funds and extra budgetary funds; maintain and manage updated status on these reports and ensure accuracy of these reports.
Monitor expenditures and formulate budget performance reports, analyze variances and compare with approved budget. (The budget reports are a combination of reports downloaded from SAP Business One and processed in Microsoft Excel. The final product of this report is presented in the form of a meaningful budget and finance dashboard whereby the Budget Officer (BO) reviews and forward to the Director of OAS (D/OAS) for his final review and sharing with the ISA Senior Management Group.)
Export data from the ERP system to Microsoft Excel by using query model syntaxes and advanced Excel formulas to sort and analyze the data to produce the relevant information for the budget reports.
Manage the updating of ERP records with budget related matters; responsible for ensuring that all budget supporting documents and related are scanned and attached to the ERP system (SAP Business one) to form part of a complete audit trail and to facilitate the work of auditors. Monitoring of Budget Implementation and Performance
Assist the Budget Officer (BO) in budget preparation and budget performance and analyzation, especially in the result-based budgeting context to keep financial related outputs and deliverables in the most efficient and transparent manner.
Assist in monitoring budget/staff related costs (based on approved staffing table) and suggest reallocations of resources and implement the reallocations as necessary.
Review, analyze and assist in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of personnel requirements from offices in the secretariat, including programmatic aspects, and ensure compliance with the medium-term plan and other legislative mandate.
Assist the finance unit with backup duties especially during absenteeism, including the processing of payments/invoices in the ERP system (SAP Business One) for clients/business partners, calculating and processing of travel requests and authorization forms from staff and other business partners.
Serve as alternate approving officer for ISA, including approving allotments, posting of expenditures, commitments and obligations, and redeployment of funds, and approving payment whenever requested by FRO or Director of OAS. Maintaining Bank Accounts and Reports Preparation
Prepare accurate and monthly bank reconciliations of all bank accounts (A total of10 bank accounts in one international US bank and three local banks) held by the Authority, to ensure that the amounts in the Authority’s books/records synchronize with those amounts on the bank statements.
Monitor the bank accounts for incoming contributions from member States, contractors and donors and update the accounts in the ERP accordingly and issue relevant receipts to the focal points.
Maintain separate accounts and analyses for three Voluntary Trust Funds (VTF for the participation in meetings of the Legal and Technical Commission and the Finance Committee by members from developing countries; VTF for the participation of developing states in the Council. and VTF for the Enterprise) and Extra Budgetary Funds.
Assist programme managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions; report to substantive offices on the performance and expenditures of projects (including many workshops at ISA HQ or abroad) executed and held by ISA in partnership with other stakeholders.
Keep track of all workshop expenses to ensure comparative analyses of the budget versus the expenditures are done.
Prepare reports entail listing of all expenditures and commitments by expenditures (travel, venue, media, transportation, translation, and several other activities.), including workshop / project reporting and follow-up with the substantive offices, to ensure precise and highly accurate information on funding sources and requires certain skills and knowledge in ERP for the project structure to record expenditures and commitment by pre-determined and approved structure agreed upon with organizers and donors of the workshops.
Ensure the financial integrity of allocated budgets to units and substantive offices, primarily by monitoring their balances and expenditures, particularly to ensure that the expenditures reflected in the budgets carry the complete and correct dimensions that serve to identify expenditures as per offices/programs.
Provide updates and respond to queries from programme managers regarding the relevant programme budgets.
Also engage on a weekly basis with the ISA substantive offices regarding budgetary matters pertaining to their cost centers and functional areas. Additionally, based on occasional guidance from the Budget Officer (BO), engage with the Directors of offices to provide them with interim updates of their budget expenses and balances and suggestion of what funds to use for expenses.
Assist with the provision of charge/budget codes for expenses presented by other units. Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged and (b) availability of funds. Administrative Responsibilities & Filing
Assist in preparing and organizing schedules for the year-end financial audit, for example, by providing copies of journal vouchers, all the bank reconciliations and the relevant supporting documents.
Check all bank accounts daily for any receipts and other peculiar items and notify my FRO accordingly.
Maintain an organized and well-documented and sequential filing system of all budget documents.
Assist in the preparation/creation of routine correspondence to respond to relevant administrative, financial and budgetary matters to ISA clients/business partners both internal and external.
Participate in the UN Operations Management Teams and, if necessary, Security Management Teams in Kingston.
Perform other duties as required by the Secretary-General.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point). 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.
TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. 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.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in finance, budget, accounting, administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.
Working experience in grants management, funds management and financial management modules using an Enterprise Resources Planning System such as SAP or other is required.
Experience carrying out finance and accounting related tasks in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and financial rules and regulations of international organizations is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The appointment is available for a fixed period of 2 years, and renewal thereof is subject to the availability of the post, funds and satisfactory performance in the role.
This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the UN Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.
Applicants who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other ISA/UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other ISA/UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.
At the ISA/UN, 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 ISA/UN is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.
The ISA/UN 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.
The ISA/UN Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
Only nationals of ISA Member States are eligible for consideration.
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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.