Finance Assistant

UN Secretariat; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The UN Secretariat’s Cashier's Office seeks a Finance Assistant to run daily payment processes and oversee global bank replenishments. You will handle FX requests, post transactions in Umoja, and support payroll payments, ensuring accuracy and timely settlements.

Required is a high school diploma with at least seven years in finance, banking, or treasury; five years if you hold a first‑level university degree. Proficiency in SAP/SWIFT and Excel is essential.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Seven years in finance/banking/treasury is required; five years with a first‑level degree.
• Experience with ERP and payment systems is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily payment processes and prepare cash management spreadsheets.
• Replenish approximately 150 bank accounts globally and confirm FX transactions.
• Record FX transactions and process USD replenishments; monitor settlements and reconciliations.
• Support payroll and staff payments; liaise with payroll/travel units.
• Assist with bank reconciliations and maintain Umoja banking data.

Skills

Professionalism

Cash Management

Payment Processing

Financial Regulations

Banking Systems

Problem-Solving

Planning and Organizing

Client Orientation

Attention to Detail

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

SAP

SWIFT

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Organizational context: The UN Secretariat's Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, specifically the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, houses the Cashier's Office. This office is responsible for managing the organization's global cash, including investments, currency and country risk management, and payment disbursements.

Job purpose: This role is crucial for the effective management of the UN's global cash and payment operations. The Finance Assistant will execute daily payment processes, manage bank account replenishments worldwide, and handle foreign exchange transactions. Key contributions include ensuring timely settlement of payments, accurate record-keeping in Umoja, and resolving payment discrepancies. The position also supports payroll and staff benefit payments, maintains banking details, and assists with bank reconciliations, directly contributing to the financial stability and operational efficiency of the Organization.

Responsibilities: Manage daily payment processes and prepare cash management spreadsheets. Replenish approximately 150 UN House Bank accounts globally, creating Foreign Exchange (FX) requests and confirming transactions via Bloomberg FXGO. Record FX transactions in Umoja and process US Dollar replenishment requests. Ensure excess cash is invested and request funds during shortages. Monitor bank account replenishments, FX settlements, and SWIFT transactions, resolving any issues. Liaise with payroll and travel units for staff payments and monitor these processes. Process and verify payment proposals, amend exceptions, and ensure timely release and execution of payments. Conduct payment investigations, initiate stop-payment actions, and communicate with banks to resolve discrepancies. Assist with bank reconciliations and support the Treasury cash management team. Maintain banking details records in Umoja and assist internal and external parties with related queries.

Education: A high school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work experience: A minimum of seven years of experience in finance, banking, or treasury is required. This is reduced to five years for candidates with a first-level university degree. Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP), payment systems (e.g., SWIFT), and Microsoft Excel is mandatory. Experience with international organization payment processes and banking systems is desirable.

Skills: Professionalism, Cash Management, Payment Processing, Financial Regulations, Banking Systems, Problem-Solving, Planning and Organizing, Client Orientation, Attention to Detail, Communication.

Required languages: English, French

Desired languages: