FINANCE AND BUDGET ASSISTANT (Multiple Positions)

Organizational Context

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) serves as the UN headquarters in Africa, supporting UNEP, UN-HABITAT, and other UN entities by providing essential administrative, conference, and information services. These Finance and Budget Assistant positions are situated within the Budget and Financial Management Services (BFMS) and the Division of Operational Support, OnePayroll.

Job Purpose

The Finance and Budget Assistant will support the Budget and Financial Management Services (BFMS) and the Division of Operational Support, OnePayroll at UNON. This role involves assisting with budget preparation, monitoring expenditures, processing financial transactions, reconciling accounts, and performing payroll analysis. The incumbent will ensure accuracy and compliance with UN financial rules and regulations, support budget reviews, and provide guidance to junior staff. Key contributions include maintaining financial integrity, facilitating efficient resource management, and resolving client inquiries related to finance and budget matters.

Responsibilities

Manage and process complex financial transactions, ensuring accuracy and compliance with UN financial rules and regulations. Scrutinize source documents for completeness and proper authorization before processing. Investigate and resolve erroneous or incomplete transactions, initiating journal vouchers for corrections. Conduct in-depth analysis and reconciliation of general ledger accounts, including suspense, clearing, and payroll accounts. Perform payroll analysis, validate data, and prepare monthly payroll uploads, including deductions and entitlements. Audit payroll payments and other financial transactions for accuracy and adherence to regulations. Serve as an approving officer for disbursements within delegated authority. Resolve client inquiries, explain procedures, and liaise with relevant departments to ensure timely issue resolution. Assist in budget preparation, review expenditures against approved budgets, and prepare adjustments. Review requisitions for goods and services to ensure fund availability and correct expenditure objects. Support budget performance reporting by analyzing variances. Provide guidance, training, and supervision to junior staff.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of experience in finance, budget, or accounting is required, reduced to five years with a first-level university degree. Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is mandatory. Desirable experience includes three years in payroll activities or administering staff benefits, knowledge of UN financial regulations, GAAP, IFRS, IPSAS, and financial statement analysis.

Skills

Professionalism in applying financial rules and regulations. Ability to extract, interpret, and analyze financial data. Proficiency in database management and problem-solving. Strong analytical judgment and initiative. Accountability and commitment to deadlines. Client orientation and partnership building. Ability to perform analysis, modeling, and interpretation of data. Competence in UN financial procedures and operations.

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