Org. Setting and ReportingThe United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) was established in 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide retirement, death, disability, and related benefits for staff of the United Nations and other member organizations of the Fund. UNJSPF administers benefits of more than 80,000 beneficiaries residing in more than 190 countries, paid in 18 currencies, and services more than 150,000 participants who work in the 25 member organizations of UNJSPF. The Fund has offices in New York (United States) and Geneva (Switzerland) and two liaison offices in Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand), respectively. The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund-Pension Administration (UNJSPF-PA) comprises about 250 staff from diverse countries and cultures, based across four prominent duty stations (New York, Geneva, Bangkok, and Nairobi). We are a career employer offering unique opportunities for growth within the United Nations system. Our office is located in the heart of Manhattan, within walking distance from the Grand Central Station hub, in a state-of-the-art facility (the One Dag Hammarskjöld building). Visit www.unjspf.org for more details. This position is located in the Payments Section of the Financial Services within the Pension Administration of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) in New York. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Unit, under the overall supervision of the Chief of Section. The Payments Section manages monthly payroll for the UNJSPF periodic benefits, updates cost-of-living adjustments, and administers returned payments and Accounts Payable. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, the Senior Accounting Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: • Analyse complex and/or unusual accounting transactions and difficult claims for invoices, entitlements etc. Make recommendations to Chief of Unit/Section on appropriate follow-up procedures • Review and reconcile various clearing accounts to ensure appropriate balances. Investigate erroneous/invalid entries and take appropriate corrective accounting action • Audit various accounting transactions, e.g., payroll, cost-of-living adjustment, accounts payable, miscellaneous payments, etc., to ensure correctness of disbursement computations and adherence to relevant rules, financial regulations, ST/AI issuances or practices • Review completeness of reports and consolidate the various accounts on a periodic basis • Prepare worksheets and analyse accounts. Assist in the preparation of financial statements for various purposes • Approve payment and journal vouchers for various claims/payments, e.g., payroll, cost-of-living adjustment, accounts payable, miscellaneous payments, etc., ensuring compliance with relevant rules and control procedures • Provide guidance and training (including the preparation of training materials) to staff with respect to transaction processing and the use of various systems such as IPAS, BI Dashboard, Oracle, CRM system • Supervise other General Service staff when required • Draft/prepare memoranda and respond to queries by participants, beneficiaries, internal and external auditors • Assist 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 • Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures • Perform other duties as may be required Competencies• Professionalism: Knowledge in the use and application of the Organization’s financial regulations and rules as well as accounting policies and practices. Ability to extract, interpret, and analyse a wide variety of data and to resolve data discrepancies and other 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 • Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight (8) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience in pension-related fields is desirable. Experience in preparing international (SWIFT) payments is desirable. At least three years of experience in multi-currency payroll processing is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, fluency in oral and written English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in this language, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details). Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations is desirable.