Administrative & Finance Assistant GS-6 (Honduras)

The Administrative and Finance Assistant will be responsible for providing a variety of specialized tasks in finance and administrative functions, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF financial rules and regulations, whilst demonstrating the capacity to research, adapt and evaluate irregular cases, and also to recommend improvements to process delivery and design.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

The Administrative and Finance Assistant will be responsible for providing a variety of specialized tasks in finance and administrative functions, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF financial rules and regulations, whilst demonstrating the capacity to research, adapt and evaluate irregular cases, and also to recommend improvements to process delivery and design.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

• Advise and assist on all financial and administrative aspects related to preparation of reports, compilation of data and answering queries on pledges recorded, funds received, adjustments made to ensure financial compliance, accuracy and completeness of data for its inclusion into statement of accounts and adjustment of budgets. Advise units of discrepancies and assist to resolve differences in their records.
• Act as a Finance Local Focal Point to prepare payment requests for all transactions in the office to be sent to the Global Share Service Center (GSSC) verifying and ensuring accuracy by checking sources, making necessary calculations and assuring inclusion of all relevant data in the request and appropriate filling of the supporting document. Monitors that payments are timely done and troubleshoots problem arising. Respond to client transaction status and other relevant inquiries.
• Maintains financial records, monitors, analyze and follow up necessary actions to resolve outstanding Open items and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for day-to-day transactions and reports.
• Under the coordination of the Operations Officer, collects and prepares timely Cash Flow Forecast and its analysis and prepares the draft of Replenishments as per the rules and regulations. 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 the preparation of recurring reports including supporting documentation to request the GSSC the processing of the bank reconciliation.
• Assists in the follow up of Open Items related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, prepayments, deposits, refunds, reimbursements, etc. in the financial activities for the month end closure and in the completion of the year-end closure.
• Performs interpretation and processing of entitlements for official travels based on the organization's rules and regulations. Review travel itineraries to ensure consistency with travel plan and compliance with UNICEF policy and procedures. Ensures that cost calculations are in line with approved plan and consistent with policy, and that any deviation from entitlements is charged to staff personal accounts.
• Liaises with relevant travel agencies to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all official travel. Advises and assists staff members, experts, consultants, vendors and other claimants on all respects of allowances, travel claims, payments and other financial matters. Create and POST trips in VISION. Calculates and authorizes payments due for TRIP claims and services. Monitors timely submission of travel claims and ensures timely processing in VISION. Prepares travel monitoring reports on a regular basis.
• Initiates correspondence to verify data, answers queries and obtains additional information on administrative and financial transactions, as required. Prepares recurring reports as schedules and special reports, as required for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
• Provides support to the Operations Officer in the preparation of annual budgets/cost estimates for services related to facilities and building maintenance. Prepares detailed cost estimates, and participates in budget analysis and projects, as required.
• Advises and assists the office on administrative arrangement for logistical requirements for workshops, meetings and other events. Reviews and analyses the various options for venues and other services and provides recommendation to the Operations Officer.
• Organization of shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for UNICEF shipments (received/sent). Preparation of all necessary documentation, implementation of follow-up actions.
• Performs all duties related to Asset Management by reviewing the asset counting report and update the VISION data and status of items as well as items approved by the PSB. Ensures that staff is billed for personal use of mobile and office telephones on a timely basis. Responds in a timely manner to all queries regarding administrative support services.
• Responsible for the administration and arrangement of vehicle transportation, regular vehicle maintenance and insurance. Organization of office cell phone communications and contracts.
• Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution.
• Performs any other duties, as required by the supervisor.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate 

Education

• Completion of secondary education is required. Professional/university level courses in Accounting and Finance/Business administration is desirable.

Experience

• Six years of progressive experience in the area of finance, accounting, operations or administrative work is required.
• IT Skills. - Computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools and other office technology to create documentation, exchange and maintain electronic filing systems
• Knowledge and experience in the use of SAP, will be considered as an asset.

Language

• Good working level of English and Spanish is required.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication (II)
• Working with People (II)
• Drive for Results (II)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (II)
• Leading and Supervising (II)
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts (II)
• Planning and Organizing (II)

General Service Staff are recruited locally. Candidates must be in possession of an existing work permit or resident/citizen of Honduras to be considered eligible for this post. Please note that General Service (GS) staff are locally recruited staff and therefore, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.