Batch recruitment (02 positions): Finance Assistant

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, deliver.

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. Cameroon’s 2020 population is estimated at 26,545,863 people according to UN data. The population is young and generates strong socioeconomic demand. In rural areas, limited access to basic social services and the effects of climate change led to household impoverishment and severe child deprivations. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and out of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to take part in the struggle to meet the challenges that lie ahead. It is together that we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

For more information about UNICEF Cameroon, please click here.

How can you make a difference?

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the finance assistant may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

1. Maintains financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for day-to-day transactions and reports. Code and record receipts and payments, assures accuracy of computation and completeness of documents, and maintains continuing status of allotments against obligations. Updates data base system on files management. Retains and disposes financial records in accordance with UNICEF’s retention policy on financial documents.

2. Prepare recurring reports on assigned accounts, noting problems resulting from excess cost or less-than-expected receipts. Prepare special reports to clarify problems or for other reasons. Calculate and compile cost estimates and projected budget requirements and assists in preparation of budget statements for area of assignment.

3. Reviews travel-related invoices and initiates the payment process. Monitors house bank GL daily for payments for manual processing. Acts on payments to be processed through the main house bank.
Review payment supporting documents and submit payment case to Service Gateway against supporting documents and follow up until the closure of the case. Responds to queries, if any, on payment transactions have been rejected.

Please follow the link below to see the full job description: TA Requisition Form – Finance Assistant.pdf

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

• Completion of secondary education is required. · University degree/specialized certification/university level courses in finance, accounting, business administration or other relevant academic discipline is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years relevant finance and accounting work experience, which includes cash handling and responsible administrative work. For this position, a bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a relevant field may replace three years of related work experience. A master’s degree may replace additional two years.
• Hands-on experience in SAP financial modules.
• Hands-on experience in office software packages and web-based management systems.
• Ability to operate calculator or other machines used to maintain accounts.
• Experience in the UN system agency or any international organization is preferred.
• Fluency in French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert diversity profile] are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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