Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant

August 24, 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

GS5

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-09-01

Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant processes financial transactions and provides technical support to the Field with the processing of financial transactions, and monitors compliance with applicable financial rules and regulations. The incumbent therefore keeps frequent contact with staff at various levels, including Country/Field Offices, Regional Bureaux and HQ divisions.
The Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant is normally supervised by a more senior colleague who defines work objectives and provides regular advice and guidance.
The duties of the Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant may have different focus depending on the specific area of responsibility, including the followings.
General Ledger (GL) coordinates the drafting of the annual account closing instructions, complies with annual financial statements, and coordinates audit for the areas under its responsibility.
Accounts Payable (AP) processes AP vouchers and central payments for UNHCR, provides related technical support to the Field and coordinates the accounts closure and audit for AP and Expenses and handles requests related to the appropriate segregation of duties through the Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP).
Accounts Receivable and Donor Reporting (ARDR) processes incoming deposits and provides related technical support to the Field, accounts for revenue adjustments, raises bills for miscellaneous income, and coordinates the accounts closure and audit for AR and Revenue, compiles financial reports to UNHCR's donors, which requires active liaison with colleagues from the Division of External Relations (DER) and the respective Field Offices.

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
- Process assigned transactions and maintain financial records accurately, completely and duly for accounts for which responsibility is assigned.
- Provide technical support to Field Offices, Regional Bureaux and HQ divisions, and provide answers and guidelines to accounting and finance related matters.
- Monitor compliance by users in different entities with the relevant financial rules, regulations and procedures. Bring issues related to non-compliance to the attention of supervisors.
- Escalate to supervisors any indication of breach in the internal control system, including suspected fraud.
- Prepare ad-hoc and recurring reports, analyses and reconciliations on assigned accounts/areas of responsibility. Verify that the financial transactions are correct and in accordance with UNHCR rules and procedures. Monitor and follow-up on open items, variances, errors and other issues identified.
- Liaise with relevant counterparts to obtain information and verify data on accounts and financial transactions, as required.
- Carry out month-end and year-end closing activities.
- Gather information and documentation requested by auditors.
- Identify possibilities for improving processes, and recommend ways to improve cooperation between key stakeholders at different geographic locations. Implement agreed improvements.
- Actively participate in the testing related to the implementation of new systems and tools.
- Update standard operating procedures, guidance notes and training materials.
- If requested, guide, support and supervise assigned team members.
- Brief and assist new team members on requirements relating to accounts and finance.

- 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

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;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience with ERP financial modules (PeopleSoft, Oracle or SAP).

Desirable
Experience with MSRP Finance applications. Experience with accrual accounting (IPSAS, IFRS or similar). Experience with UN/UNHCR financial rules, regulations and procedures.

Functional Skills
*IT-Computer Literacy
*IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
*FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc)
*FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other)
(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.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the UN agency mandated to protect and assist refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, returnees and stateless persons worldwide. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950, UNHCR leads and coordinates international efforts to safeguard the rights and well-being of people forced to flee. It works to ensure that everyone has the right to seek asylum and find safety, while pursuing durable solutions through voluntary return, local integration, or resettlement in a third country. Today, UNHCR employs around 12,000 personnel in more than 120 countries, supporting and protecting millions of forcibly displaced and stateless people around the world.

The Global Service Centre (GSC) in Budapest supports UNHCR's worldwide operations by delivering critical services in Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Supply, Procurement, Learning, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With more than 500 colleagues representing nearly 80 nationalities, the GSC provides a diverse and inclusive work environment where professionals from a wide range of backgrounds contribute directly to UNHCR's global mission of protecting and supporting people forced to flee.

UNHCR GSS Finance is looking for a Senior Finance and Accounting Assistant on a fixed-term appointment for an initial period of one year.

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 be legally present in the country and have the right to work in Hungary at the time of their recruitment. UNHCR does not facilitate obtaining a visa for recruitment purposes.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

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

Remuneration:

In case of appointment, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered, according to the years of relevant experience.

G5 - Salary range: NET 724,718.6 HUF - NET 848,943 HUF.

Benefits:

Annual leave: UNHCR staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will accrue annual leave at the rate of 2.5 working days for each full calendar months of service (i.e. 30 working days per year).

Pension system: Staff members holding a fixed-term appointment will become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). https://www.unjspf.org/

Health insurance plan: locally recruited staff members in Budapest will be enrolled in the Medical Insurance Plan (MIP), which is a self-administered insurance scheme. The plan is designed to provide financial protection against healthcare expenses and allows members to choose their own healthcare providers, subject to the plan's rules and coverage limits. 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).

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

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 as well:

·   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. 

Living and Working Conditions:

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other), FI-Financial Accrual Accounting under internationally accepted standards (IFRS,IPSAS,etc), IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software

Certifications

Accounting - Other, Business Administration - Other, Finance - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance