Generic Vacancy Announcement: Talent Group for Finance Assistants, GS-5, Finance Section, Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC), Budapest, Hungary

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

The vacancy is created to fill any temporary and regular GS-5 level Finance Assistant positions in the Finance Section, UNICEF Global Shared Services Centre.

For every child, a calling.

We are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not a job, it’s a calling.

UNICEF's Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) in Budapest, Hungary provides services to UNICEF offices globally in the areas of Finance, Human Resources, Payroll and Information Technology. For more information about GSSC please visit our webpage at Global Shared Services Centre | UNICEF and check this Working for UNICEF’s Global Shared Services Centre - YouTube

How can you make a difference?

As a Finance Assistant, you will play a vital role in supporting UNICEF Offices worldwide in key finance areas such as Payments, General Accounting, Invoice Processing, or Master Data Management. Your main responsibilities will include processing and verifying data with precision, ensuring that information entered into the organization’s ERP systems is precise and reliable, addressing and resolving discrepancies to maintain high standards of financial accountability. You will also assist offices and support various GSSC initiatives by reviewing case documentation for completeness, validity, and compliance with current rules and regulations, while providing expert guidance and continuously improve quality and efficiency. It is a great opportunity for career development in a fast-paced, multicultural context and for taking the first step towards an international career as part of the UN family.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Transactional Processing and Client Service

• Ensure accurate and timely processing of financial transactions and resolution of cases in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Validate financial data for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with relevant policies.
• Proper handling and protection of sensitive and confidential information in line with data privacy rules and internal controls.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders in a timely manner to facilitate effective issue resolution.

2. Daily Operational Support

• Contribute to efficient daily operation of assigned finance workstreams, ensuring high-quality service and timely communication.
• Proactively identify recurring processing issues and flag potential risks or inconsistencies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for queries and understand when to escalate complex cases as needed.
• Stay informed on relevant updates, guidance and communications from management.

3. Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Maintain and update knowledge materials and support the interpretation, such as step-by-step guides and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Participate in knowledge-sharing activities, promote a culture of continuous learning, and support process improvements.

4. Collaboration and Strategic Engagement

• Collaborate with other units and relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth end-to-end transaction flows and effective issue resolution.
• Maintain flexibility to rotate and support different finance streams and processes as required, adapting quickly to evolving priorities.
• Assist the management with ad hoc tasks, reports, project support as required.
• Contribute to cross-functional coordination and process optimization initiatives.

For general information please check the Job description.

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

Education: Completion of secondary education (i.e., high school diploma) is a minimum requirement. University level courses in finance, accounting or business is desirable.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience in finance and administration or other relevant field of work is required. A completed BA degree from an accredited institution qualifies as 3 years experience and will be counted towards will be counted towards the minimum work experience requirement. Minimum two (2) years of relevant experience is required for candidates holding bachelor’s degree in relevant fields. Master`s degree will be considered additional two years of relevant work experience.
• Experience in a shared service center or at an international organization are considered as an asset, especially in the fields of Accounts Payable, Master Data, General Accounting, Financial Controlling, Treasury, Fraud Prevention, Transaction Level Monitoring and Corporate Card Administration.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Suite Products (MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint) is required.
• Knowledge of Contracting services/procurement is desirable
• Experience in planning, organizing and delivering administrative support services is desirable.
• Strong focus on accuracy and process consistency is required.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and reporting skills are required.
• Proven ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information tailoring communications is required.

Language requirements: Fluency in English both verbal and written is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish or Chinese) or a local language is an asset.

Skills: Project Management, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Digital Dexterity

Internal applicants from the GSSC are required to complete the Learning Path corresponding to their current level before applying for another position. Additionally, they must attach a snapshot of the completed path to their applications. Applications that do not meet these two minimum requirements will not be considered. For further details on learning paths, please visit the L&D Portal Learning and Development (sharepoint.com).

As an advocate for every child, you will receive:

UNICEF offers an attractive remuneration package with UNICEF GSSC Benefits.pdf

For further details, please visit Compensation and Benefit site on UNICEF Career page

Applicants must be nationals of Hungary or EU/Schengen countries or in the possession of a valid long-term Hungarian residence and work permits. Temporary and sponsored permits are not accepted. UNICEF GSSC does not facilitate MFA accreditation for locally recruited staff. Applicants with non-EU citizenship must attach copies of their valid Hungarian residence and work permits, otherwise their applications will not be considered.

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.