(For Lao National Only) Temporary Appointment (TA)/Finance Assistant, level: GS-5, EAP, UNICEF Vientiane, Lao PDR.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child,

The United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) in Vientiane, Lao PDR, requires an experienced and qualified Lao National to fill the position of Temporay Appointment (TA) Finance Assistant at GS-5 level to be based in UNICEF Country Office in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the TA/Finance Assistant is responsible for executing a broad variety of standardized financial tasks, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF financial procedures, processes and policies, including support to Global Partnership for Education (GPE)-funded transactions.

In this capacity, the need to project the image of a credible and reliable service provider is imperative to quality of process delivery, and the impact of work directly reflects on the overall reputation of the team in terms of responsiveness to client needs and quality of process execution.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Invoice Processing:

• Review and process payments related to HACT, utility payments, supplies, purchase orders, advances and other payments. Check if requests have the necessary supporting documents, usually the original document, validity of the charge, if they are certified by the staff responsible and are coded correctly. File the transactions and the related supporting documents regularly and share copies with relevant sections as required. 
• Respond to client transaction status and other inquiries.

Bank transactions:

• Maintains liaisons with officials of local banks to obtain day-to-day information on exchange and interest rates, changes in procedures and regulations, and matters pertaining to maintenance of office bank accounts. This includes preparing recurring reports and bank reconciliation.

Support to Financial Control:

• Close year-end accounts and assist in the preparation of year-end reports related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, prepayment, inter-agency balances, etc.
• Prepares recurring reports as schedules and special reports, as required for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
• Prepares detailed cost estimates, and participates in budget analysis and projects, as required.
• Provide relevant information for the response to audits.

Performs other duties, as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Qualifications and experience:

Education:

Completion of secondary education preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization.

Work experience:

A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible accounting/financial or clerical work experience is required.

Languages:

Fluency in English and Local language of the duty station is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are…

View our competency framework at:

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.