Chief of Section, Finance

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Reimbursement Claims Management and Performance Section (RCMPS) within the Uniformed Capabilities Support Division (UCSD) of the Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM) in the Department of Operational Support (DOS). DOS is mandated to provide strategic support for the administrative, logistics and technology requirements of all United Nations field missions, including peacekeeping operations and political offices. Within its responsibilities, UCSD is located within OSCM/DOS and manages the Troop-Police Contributing Countries (T/PCC) reimbursement policy frameworks, coordinates the negotiation of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), calculates/processes the payment of reimbursements in excess of $2 billion annually for contingent owned equipment (COE) and personnel to countries contributing military and police contingents to field missions, develops and conducts performance analysis on a variety of deliverables using key performance indicators and metrics. UCSD also administers the triennial COE Working Group and the quadrennial troop cost survey. The Chief of Section, Finance reports to the Director of the Division.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Section will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provides guidance and analysis to the Division Head to support the preparation of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with contributing countries, in conjunction with input from the Department of Operational Support (DOS), Department of Peace Operations (DPO), and Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) to support the deployment of military and police contingents to United Nations field missions.
• Plans and oversees the activities of the Section in ensuring the accurate and timely calculation of reimbursements payable to Member States for the lease and deployment of contingent owned equipment (COE) , personnel, and other items such as ammunition, loss and damage of COE, etc, needed to sustain the operations of military and police contingents in United Nations field missions.
• Plans and oversees the activities of the Section in ensuring the accurate and timely calculation of reimbursements payable to Member States for the lease and deployment of equipment and other items needed to sustain the operations of military and police contingents in United Nations field missions.
• Administers and authorizes the assessment of claims from Member States for compensation for the death or disability of military or police personnel deployed to United Nations field missions, coordinating input as needed from medical and legal sources.
• Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Section by maintaining and updating detailed processes and procedures; prioritizing, assigning and guiding individual
responsibilities; developing needed expertise and knowledge; evaluating performance; and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Prepares and provides guidance and other information as needed to Member States and meetings of inter-governmental bodies on payment of death and disability compensation and
reimbursement of equipment costs for countries contributing military and police contingents to United Nations field missions.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards, and that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Acts as a Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 110.4 to ensure that proposed payments are in accordance with approved funding allotments and UN Regulations and Rules.
• Prepares reports on performance of military/police units, using standardized metrics related to equipment availability and serviceability, with a primary focus on operational capability gaps, safety considerations, and financial inefficiencies.
• Reviews, develops, and reports on COE performance management key performance indicators (KPI).
• Reviews the Verification Reports (VR) on contingent owned equipment produced by field mission for quality assurance and policy compliance for accurate reimbursement.
• Calculates and provides budget estimates for contingent owned equipment and personnel reimbursement taking into account the mandate and strategic guidance provided to field missions and other stakeholders inputs.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Proven analytical skills and ability to provide seasoned advice in a complex organizational setting. Demonstrated capacity to undertake complex negotiations and engage senior stakeholders in discussing military and police equipment and other capabilities. Knowledge in developing and administering policies and procedures in calculating significant payments and analyzing related data. Knowledge and understanding of peacekeeping operations or other field operations. 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. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies and deadlines; identifies priority activities and assignments, and adjusts as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.


CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES:

LEADERSHIP- Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

JUDGEMENT/DECISION- Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business, public administration, accounting, finance, logistics, engineering, law or related fields is required. A first-level or advanced degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in any fields of studies mentioned above with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree in the specified fields of studies.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, budget, business administration or related field is required.
Experience in military or police planning associated with Contingent Owned Equipment (COE) concepts is required.
Experience working in an international organization or non-governmental organization in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

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.

Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Applicants from troop- and police-contributing countries who are found most suitable and recommended for selection will be given due consideration for positions in a peacekeeping operation or Headquarters support account funded positions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 66/265 and 67/287. For the latest list of troop- and police-contributing countries, visit the following website: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/troop-and-police-contributors.

The recommendation or selection decision for this position shall be void if the recommended or selected candidate does not obtain a clearance according to ST/SGB/2005/7 on designation of staff members performing significant functions in the management of financial, human or physical resources.

United Nations Considerations

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.