Title:  Associate Finance Expert

​Requisition ID: 6623 
Grade: L2 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: Project-funded Professional and higher 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Staff-Full-time
Appointment Type: Fixed Term - 200 series
Indicative Minimum Net Annual Salary: 85,227 USD 
Application Deadline: 20-Nov-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
THE APPOINTMENT IS LIMITED TO THE SPECIFIED PROJECT(S) ONLY AND DOES NOT CARRY ANY EXPECTATION OF RENEWAL. 
Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
Detailed information on the project can be found at UNIDO’s Open Data Platform: https://open.unido.org/

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability.  The mission UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies to a greater or lesser extent to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) is UNIDO’s core strategic document. As the Organization moves from the 2022–2025 cycle to the 2026–2029 MTPF, it sets a renewed vision to support Member States shape their industries for development. The new priorities include renewable and clean energy, sustainable access and climate action, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, and fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Corporate Services and Operations (COR), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible and accountable for the management of UNIDO’s human, financial and material resources, ensuring the capacity of the Organization to fulfil its mandate.  The Directorate oversees a full range of corporate services to meet the support needs of the Organization, acts as a custodian for corporate management policies, and promotes a culture of cooperation, service orientation and corporate excellence throughout the Organization to deliver efficient and effective high-quality work and enable tangible impact on the ground to achive ISID worldwide.

Under the supervion of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Corporate Services and Operations, and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Financial Resource Management (COR/FIN) enables the Organization to implement its mandate through high quality, accurate, innovative and timely financial services. COR/FIN is responsible for the financial management of UNIDO, supporting and enabling programme delivery across all UNIDO function (TC, normative, policy advisory and convening).

The services provided include budgeting, financial control, financial planning, management of both budgetary and extra-budgetary financial resources; cash management and treasury operations; determination, management and reporting of assessed contributions; receipts and disbursements of funds, including payroll operation for Headquarters and Field staff; financial management of technical cooperation services; and accounting and reporting for both budgetary and extra-budgetary activities of the Organization. The Organization chairs the Procurement Committee and the Property Survey Board, improving their procedures and enhancing financial management processes and ERP systems to ensure hight-quality, automated, and digital financial services. It also provides vendor master data management support and ensures appropriate internal controls in financial management, which includes full compliance with Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption policies and identifying, mitigating, and monitoring key financial and fiduciary risks. 

This position is located in the Division of Financial Resource Management (COR/FIN). The incumbent reports to the Director, Financial Resource Management.

Project Context

At the L2 level, the incumbent is expected to deliver: (a) work that is analytical in contributing to results achieved by the Division; (b) in creating an enabling environment for collaborative work which is catalytic to achieving results; (c) in building relationships which contributes to counterparts engagement and (d) in achieving results that provide baselines for a service.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Appraisal and Management System reinforces the collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams.  In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her supervisor and colleagues, within as well as outside the unit. Within the formal teams, the incumbent may be expected to backstop other team members as required. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Director-General and in this context all staff are expected to serve in any assignment and duty station as determined by the needs of the Organization.

1. Main Responsibilities

The incumbent is responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating the work of the office of the Director, Financial Services; managing and coordinating the Procurement Committee (PC) secretariat; and participating in Division’s improvement initiatives and projects. More specifically, the incumbent will carry out the following main duties:

• Manages the work of the office of the Director, including planning and coordination of work, follows up on the established priorities, including goals and targets, assists in managing human and other resources.
• Coordinates the preparation of the division’s annual budget, monitors budget implementation, and updates forecasts; and maintain the division’s human resources plan, monitors implementation, and updates forecasts.
• Sets up the regular Divisional meetings, prepares the agenda and action points for the divisional units.
• Manages and coordinates the PC Secretariat, including review of the receivable cases, prepares the agenda and notes of the meetings, informs all stakeholders of the meeting outcomes, and keeps a list of recurring issues. Participates in preparation of the updated Terms of Reference of the PC and leads the design and roll-out of the digitalized case submission tool.
• Tracks due dates for responses, inputs, and clearances, as well as coordinates timely responses; collaborates with the Executive Assistant to ensure timely responses to all internal and external queries and communication.
• Receives draft memoranda, communications, and documentation (such as budgets, financial statements, etc.) from units and Treasury, carries out initial reviews, and shares for final review. Tracks deadlines for major internal and external meetings, working groups (IWG), and governing bodies documentation, and ensures coordination with units and Treasury, through the Executive Assistant.
• Supports the Director in meetings with the Member States and other key stakeholders, as required. Coordinates and compiles background documents and other relevant information, including in preparation for high-level meetings and duty travel.
• Participates in Division’s improvement projects and takes a leading role in selected project(s), including process re-engineering, automation or digitalization, and development of tools for fund allocations (e.g. RPTC). Collects information and data on best practices in financial management (across UN system organizations, governments, and private sector), and prepares analyses and project plans.
• Supports the adoption and integration of cloud-based solutions for knowledge management, document storage, and collaborative workflows, ensuring compliance with organizational IT and security standards.
• Supports end-to-end financial management of projects, including grants management (master data, budgets, revisions, compliance, and donor reporting, closure), ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely financial reporting.
• Performs other tasks as assigned by the Director COR/FIN.

2. Core Values and Competencies

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those, we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

3. Minimum Organizational Requirements

Education: 

Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in economics, finance, and business administration or another relevant field is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of three (3) years of working experience in project cycle management, with a strong focus on financial planning and reporting at the international level, is required.
• Proven report writing capabilities and the ability to perform under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and take corrective or adaptive actions is required.
• Demonstrated analytical thinking, problem-solving, planning, and organizational skills is required.
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively in diverse teams, with strong interpersonal skills, is required.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, are required.
• Experience working with SAP Financial Module or other ERP systems such as Oracle is desired.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

NOTE: 
For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/

Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.

Visit the UNIDO careers site for details on how to apply: https://careers.unido.org/ 

NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.

Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unido.org