Location:

Budapest, Hungary
Salary:

$100,000 - $135,000 / YEAR
Job type:

FULL_TIME
Posted:

2 months ago
Category:

Finance
Deadline:

01/11/2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

Deadline for Applications

October 31, 2025

Grade

GS5

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

Hardship Level

H (no hardship)

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Target Start Date

2025-11-01

Target End Date

2026-06-30

Standard Job Description

Senior Finance Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Finance Assistant is normally supervised by a more senior finance colleague who defines work objectives and provides regular advice and guidance. The incumbent also refers to UNHCR Manuals and relevant policy papers on financial issues.
The incumbent assists with the processing of financial transactions. S/he keeps frequent contact with staff at various levels in the office and with bank officials to exchange information.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR”s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
– Maintain financial records for project or other office accounts for which responsibility is assigned.
– Record receipts and payments, assure accuracy of computation and completeness of documents and maintain continuing status of allotments against obligations.
– Prepare recurring reports on assigned accounts, noting problems resulting from excess cost or less-than-expected receipts.
– Prepare special reports to clarify problems or as requested for other reasons.
– Calculate and compile cost estimates and projected budget requirements and assist in preparation of budget statements for area of assignment.
– Prepare routine correspondence and maintain contracts with others to discuss matters concerning accounts and related assignments.
– Maintain contacts with local banks to clarify questions pertaining to office bank accounts.
– Brief and assist new staff on basic financial procedures and requirements with respect to payments, entitlements, banking and currency provisions and other requirements relating to accounts and finance.
– Initiate correspondence to verify data, answer queries and obtain additional information on accounts and financial transactions, as required.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Accounting; Business Administration; Finance; HCR Learning Prog;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified

Desirable
Not specified

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other)
IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

Global Shared Services (GSS) provides location-independent transactional services in Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, Supply, and IT, to enable operations to focus on strategic and context-specific priorities globally.

The GSS located in Budapest serves as the backbone of the service, which is supported by satellite teams in Panama, Amman, Kuala Lumpur, Dakar, and Nairobi.

The GSS also works very closely with all enabling functions, DPM, DRM, DEPS, and ITS, to ensure policies and controls are implemented and delivered in an efficient manner.

The strategic direction and operating modalities of the service are governed by the GSS Advisory Board.

This position is part of the Finance section of the GSS and will report to the Finance Officer.

Along with the Standard Job Description, the primary responsibilities include the following tasks:

Maintain financial records ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with financial policies.

Record financial transactions such as receipts, invoices and payments, and verify calculations.

Identify opportunities for process improvements and suggest changes to management.

Assist in the testing of changes and updates in the ERP system within development environments to ensure smooth implementation and minimal disruption to operations.

Conduct training sessions for new colleagues on financial procedures, reporting, and ERP usage.

The incumbent must have proven experience in:

Practical experience in maintaining financial records and processing financial transactions, preferably in an international or shared-service environment.

Experience with financial modules of a major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system such as Oracle or SAP, and the capability to learn new software tools.

Experience with MS Excel or similar analytical or reporting tools.

Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a multicultural, team-oriented environment.

The Ideal Candidate Will Also Demonstrate:

Accuracy and attention to detail in recording financial transactions, reconciling accounts, and preparing reports.

Ability to identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies in financial records, escalating complex issues as required.

Knowledge of financial record-keeping workflows, internal controls, and accounting standards.

Strong client-service and interpersonal skills for liaising with internal staff, external stakeholders, and project teams.

Capacity to contribute to process improvements, adapt to new system functionalities, and support ERP testing or updates.

Additional information:

Candidates are expected to have the right to work in Hungary. UNHCR does not facilitate the obtaining of the visa for recruitment.

For G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher.

NOTE: A completed and relevant minimum first level university degree (equivalent to BA or higher) shall count in full (100%) towards the required years of work experience. Priority will be given to eligible applicants meeting the full requirements.

Remuneration:

In case of appointment, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.

G5 – Salary range: NET 684,443 HUF – NET 801,631 HUF.

Benefits:

Annual leave: UNHCR staff members holding a temporary appointment will accrue annual leave at the rate of 1.5 working days for each full calendar months of service (i.e. 18 working days per year).

Pension system: Staff members holding granted a minimum of 6 months temporary appointment will become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).

Health insurance plan: locally recruited staff members in Budapest will be enrolled in the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP). The coverage is also optionally available for eligible family members.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a test. No late applications will be accepted. UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Functional Clearance

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance