Org. Setting and Reporting
The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda (RSCE), was established in July 2010, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/269.
The Centre provides efficient, client-oriented and scalable services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions to the Centre from its client entities. This includes transactional elements of human resources, finance, multimodal movement and control, personnel and cargo transport and information and communications technology (ICT) support.
In addition to these services, the Office of the Director of RSCE and the Deputy Director of RSCE provides overall guidance on the operations of the RSCE including strategic planning, communication, budgeting, human resources management, property management, quality assurance and business intelligence, conference services, record keeping and archive management, and audit response and risk management. For more information, please visit https://rsce.unmissions.org.
These positions are located in Accounts & Financial Reporting, Accounts Payable and Internal Control Service Lines within the Financial Services and Compliance Monitoring Section and reports to the Finance Officer and or the respective Service Line Manager.
Responsibilities
The Finance Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
Provides advice, financial interpretations, adaptations and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars under the guidance of the Finance Officer or the Service Line Manager;
Processing of travel and non-travel related commercial vendors or services including low value acquisition invoices to all RSCE Client Entities (processing invoices resulting from commitments such as purchase orders, fund commitments, direct expenditures, medical clinic invoices and replenishment of imprest and petty cash);
Assists in the development of the Service Line’s annual budget, particularly with respect to the establishment of major resourcing priorities, and preparing cost estimates and budget proposals, in line with the Service Line’s resourcing requirements.
Assists in the review, analysis and revision of data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting (RBB) inputs; Support with review and analysis of data provided by the service line managers and the chief of sections for the finalization of the cost estimates and budget proposals regarding staffing and operational requirements for the Service Line.
Populate supplementary forms with inputs for the operational and staffing changes in line with the Service Line 's mandate.
Processing of travel and non-travel related commercial vendors or services including low value acquisition invoices to all RSCE Client Entities (processing invoices resulting from commitments such as purchase orders, fund commitments, direct expenditures, medical clinic invoices and replenishment of imprest and petty cash);
Receives invoices and records in tracking tool; Reviews completeness of relevant supporting documentation for invoices and payment requests; Processes vendor payments after verification of accuracy and consistency with Purchase Order and Goods Receipt/Service Certification; Advises Vendors, Procurement Office, Self Accounting Units, R&I, etc. on any missing documentation or anomalies that may delay payment within one business day; following up to obtain missing documentation; Maintains a record of pending issues, updating case files weekly; Responses to queries from Vendors, Procurement, SAU, R&I, etc.; Assists in measuring performance against established KPI’s;
Processing of payroll related payments and electronic bank transfers for non-payroll payments; Processing cheque payments. BP maintenance for new staff and amendment of bank details for existing staff. Processing local transfer payments to house banks. Verifying and checking all transfers to house banks depending on currency and location. Imprest payment and preparation of imprest statements. Preparation of remittance requests to UNHQ and projection of off-cycle payments. Release payroll and non-payroll related payments. Liaising with local/international banks. Answering queries from staff members, missions, and banks;
Keeping accurate records for the purposes of internal and external auditing, performance reports and implementing RSCE internal control recommendations within the respective Service Line transaction processes for operational effectiveness and continuous improvement.
Other duties
Participates in the respective service line open items resolution and management in line with the section strategic objectives and overall Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Regulations and Rules, procedures and guidelines
Draft relevant correspondence on finance matters for clearance by the Finance Officer or the Service Line Manager
Prepares ad hoc reports on finance matters.
Performs other related duties, as assigned.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of and ability to apply United Nations financial rules and regulations and budgetary principles, practices and procedures. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyze and format data across the range of finance and budget functions. Ability to apply knowledge to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems. Ability to draft budget documents and provide articulate responses to questions from relevant stakeholders. Ability to provide advice on budgetary and financial matters.
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 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: 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.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Job - Specific Qualification
A technical or vocational certificate in finance or accounting is required. A technical or vocational certificate in Relevant training in FI, FM and BI modules of Umoja (SAP) or similar application are required.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven 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 degree or higher. Experience in application of UN Financial Rules and Regulations including preparation of cost estimates and various financial reports in an operational environment are required. Experience in the use of modules of Umoja an Enterprise Resources System ERP 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 Competency Based Interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. The selected candidates are expected to start as soon as possible.
These positions are subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations 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.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions.
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. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
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.