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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

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 (GSSC) and check this YouTube.

How can you make a difference? 

The GSSC Finance team is looking for a self-motivated, results-driven individual who can work independently, prioritize tasks across multiple projects, perform complex technical analyses and testing with minimal supervision, and effectively manage challenging stakeholders. The Senior Finance Associate (Process Support) is part of the Finance Management Support team and holds responsibilities that bridge technical financial expertise with broader project or process improvement initiative.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Provide technical knowledge and procedural expertise to transactional teams to resolve complex issues
2. Lead stream specific project implementations, initiatives in close collaboration with the different sections (e.g. SQM, BIS)
3. Provide data-driven insights and reports to drive change and support informed decision making
4. Develop strong working relationships with challenging stakeholders
5. Proactively seek and recommend procedural improvements to increase internal efficiency and implement automation
6. Work on project delivery internally, ensure accurate representation of business units’ needs to the project teams
7. Support the smooth rollout of system enhancements through communication, training, and issue resolution
8. Assist in troubleshooting system issues and liaise between transactional teams and other stakeholders for quick resolution
9. Provide guidance on best practices and standard operating procedures
10. Develop and update relevant process documentation

As an advocate for every child, you will receive

• A competitive salary which is exempted from paying national income taxes in Hungary on United Nations emoluments. The tax-free salary of this position starts at net HUF 957,635 per month. Please check SalCalcLocal (undp.org) for simulation.
• Hybrid work opportunity
• Holidays and leave (30 days of annual leave per year)
• Parental leave
• Dependency allowance
• United Nations sponsored medical insurance plan
• Pension plan
• Optional life insurance plan
• Access to professional development and learning programs, online learning and learning path
• Access to staff well-being support
• Access to career development support

Please visit Compensation and Benefit site on UNICEF Career page.

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

Education

• Completion of high school education is required.
• University Degree in the field of Business, Finance, or Accounting from a reputable institute or qualified accountancy from an internationally recognized accountancy body is an asset.

Work Experience

Requirements:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional work experience in finance processes with International Corporates or other international organizations is required. A completed BA degree from an accredited institution qualifies as 3 years experience and will be counted towards the minimum work experience requirement. Minimum four (4) 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.
• Minimum 4 year of relevant work experience in systematic methods of troubling shooting and problem solving is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant work process experience within a Treasury, Procure to Pay (P2P) or Record to Report (R2R) Shared Services Centre is required.
• Significant hands on SAP experience and data analysis.
• Experience with the interaction between business operations and technical staff and the able to analyze the impacts/changes on financial data, reports and systems based on proposed data or policy changes.
• Proven ability to organize, plan and priorities assignments within multiple projects and perform difficult analytical tasks with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated a positive, proactive approach and working collaboratively with stakeholders.
• Genuine interest and knowledge in technical solutions and its development, continuous improvement and delivery of change within a Shared Service Environment.

Desirables:

• Strong knowledge of internal controls and risk management in relevant finance process is desirable
• Project management skills and project implementation experience is an asset
• Knowledge of payments, banking procedures, and SAP Bank Communication Management (BCM) is an asset

Skills:

• Project Management, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Digital Dexterity
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF systems

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English (Spoken and Written) is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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).

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/or sponsored visas are not accepted. UNICEF GSSC does not facilitate MFA accreditation for locally recruited staff, applicants must be holders of acceptable permits already at the time of application. Applicants with non-EU citizenship must attach copies of their valid Hungarian 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

The 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.