Senior Budget Assistant (2 Positions), G7

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa, informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA’s five strategic directions which are:(a) Advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solution to the continent; (b) Developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; (c) Designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; (d) Contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; (e) Advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. The Administration and Conference Management Division (ACMD) is headed by a director, who reports to the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support). The Division is responsible for providing effective, efficient and systematic management of the Commission’s human and financial resources, facilities, supply chain, publications, conference services and information technology. Other activities of the Administration and Conference Management Division are the United Nations Health Care Centre, the Common Administrative Platform (CAP) and capital projects emanating from the Capital Investment Plan (CIP). The Division consists of seven organizational units, namely, Finance and Budget, Human Resources Management, Facilities Management, Supply Chain Management, United Nations Health Care Centre, Publications and Conference Management and Digital and Information Technology Management. This position is located within the Budget Unit of the Finance and Budget Section, under the Administration and Conference Management Division of the Economic Commission for Africa. The Senior Budget Assistant typically reports to the Head of the Unit and to a Finance and Budget Officer.

Within delegated authority, the Senior Budget Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Budget formulation • Undertakes reviews, analyses and preparation of the programme plan and its revisions. • Reviews, analyses and assists in the finalization of cost estimates in budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; ensures compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates. • Acts as Certifying Officers on behalf of and in the absence of programme managers at offices outside headquarters. • Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. Budget Monitoring • Undertakes research and provides support to higher-level Finance & Budget Officers with respect to budget reviews of relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. • Provides input into the preparation of allotments/appropriations, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures. • Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary. • Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds. • Monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. • Assists in the preparation of budget performance submissions. • Assists in finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Monitors integrity of various financial databases. • Verifies accuracy of input data, ensuring consistency of data in previous allotments /appropriations to new allotments/appropriations issued. • Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports. Financial Control and Compliance • Analyses complex and/or unusual accounting transactions and difficult claims. Makes recommendations to Chief of Section on appropriate follow-up procedures. • Reviews and reconciles various clearing accounts to ensure appropriate balances. Investigates erroneous/invalid entries and takes appropriate corrective accounting action. • Audits various accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, education grants, final payments, income tax returns, travel claims, etc., to ensure correctness of disbursement computations and adherence to relevant staff rules, financial regulations, ST/AI issuances or practices. • Reviews completeness of reports and consolidates the accounts of overseas offices on a periodic basis. • Prepares worksheets and analyses accounts. Assists in the preparation of financial statements for various funds, e.g., general, peacekeeping, technical co-operation, trust fund, revenue and other special accounts. • Approves payment and journal vouchers for various claims/payments, e.g., travel reimbursement, education grants, salary advances, etc., ensuring compliance with relevant rules and control procedures. • 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 • Supervises other general service staff when required. • Drafts/prepares memoranda and responds to queries by staff members, internal and external auditors and from their counterparts in offices away from Headquarters. General: • Keeps up to date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme and/or peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures. • Keeps up to date on current financial regulations/professional publications and accepted principles; • Has an in-depth understanding of generally accepted accounting principles; • Drafts or prepares correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant financial and budget matters. • Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility. • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures • Performs other related duties, as assigned.

• Professionalism: Knowledge of, and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Knowledge, skills and ability to extract, interpret, analyse and format data across the full range of finance and budget functions, including programme development and database management, claims and treasury operations. Ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies and operational problems. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. • Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

High school diploma or equivalent is required. A university degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field is considered an advantage.

Not available.

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in finance, accounting, administrative services, or a related field is required. Experience using SAP or similar enterprise resource planning systems, as well as proficiency in spreadsheet, database, and word-processing applications, is desirable Experience in results-based budgeting, including budget formulation, implementation, monitoring, and reporting, is desirable. Ability to analyse large datasets and develop evidence-based recommendations is desirable.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a substantive assessment, which may be followed by a competency-based interview

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. 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. Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience, and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving a 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity 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. 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 email acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link

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.