Pan American Health Organization

Talent Pool Finance Assistant (Accounts) - (2501138) 

Grade: Multiple grade levels

Contractual Arrangement: Multiple contractual arrangements

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): Duration will depend on the contract type, however, if fixed term offered it is usually for 1 year renewable subject to availability of funds, satisfactory performance and continuing need for the post

Job Posting

: Mar 18, 2025, 4:07:01 PM

Closing Date

: Dec 31, 2025, 10:59:00 PM

Primary Location

: France-Lyon

Organization

: Budget and Finance Office

Schedule

: Full-time 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings. 

This vacancy notice is a talent pool for finance assistants at GS5 and GS4 levels and may be used to fill other similar positions at these grade levels or lower

This post is subject to local recruitment and will ideally be filled by persons residing within the local commuting area of the duty station.

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the cancer research agency of the World Health Organization (WHO) and is based in Lyon, France. The objective of IARC is to promote international collaboration in cancer research.

The role of the Services to Science and Research branch (SSR), led by the Director of Administration and Finance (DAF), is to support the achievement of IARC’s scientific objectives through efficient and effective management of the Agency’s resources; and provision of administrative, legal and operational support services, ensuring accountable risk mitigation and implementing strategies to strengthen capacities and maximize IARC’s impact.

The Finance Office is a unit within the Budget and Finance Office (BFO), Section of Support to Research (SSR), responsible for providing supports to various programmes and activities of IARC in respect of financial services such as payments, payroll, travel advance/reimbursements, etc. and managing IARC accounts in accordance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS).

The incumbent will support in the increasing workload and the financial closure as well as provide support to the Business Management System (BMS) project which will be in critical phase in 2025.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Finance Officer and overall guidance of Admin and Finance Officer the incumbent performs the following duties:

1) Processing of accounts payable invoices, Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA), Agreement for Performance of Work (APW), consultants and consortium agreements.

2) Reconciliation of accounts:

a. Making Adjustments: Correct errors or make necessary adjustments in the internal records.

b. Clear advances.

c. Documentation: Keep a detailed record of the reconciliation.

3) Recording revenue in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (SAP):

a. Classification: Categorize the revenue based on type.

b. Documentation: Collect and organize all relevant documents like invoices, receipts, and contracts.

c. Recording: Enter the revenue transactions into the accounting system or ledger.

d. Adjustment: Make necessary adjustments for any discrepancies found during reconciliation.

e. Reporting: Generate financial reports that reflect the recorded revenue for analysis and decision-making.

4) Manage the asset register and run depreciation in the SAP:

a. Post Asset transfers.

b. Asset Retirements: Document the disposal or retirement of assets and record it in the system.

c. Run monthly depreciation in the system.

d. Generate depreciation report and check for any inconsistency.

5) Liaising with bankers to answer all sorts of bank queries.

6) Assisting in the management of the bank’s portfolio.

7) Management of the interest income:

a. Calculate the interest earned over time and ensure it’s recorded in the appropriate periods.

b. Record year end accruals.

c. Monitor the interest rate.

d. Maintain detailed records of all transactions related to interest income.

8) Back up colleagues during the testing phase of the new ERP system.

9) Assist with the translation of the IARC financial documents.

10) Performs other related duties as requested by the supervisor.

WHO COMPETENCIES

• Producing results.
• Teamwork.
• Communication.
• Moving forward in a changing environment.
• Knowing and managing yourself.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Essential: Graduation from secondary school or equivalent complemented by subsequent training in accounting at Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) level.

Desirable: Relevant university degree in accounting or certification in accounting such as Diplôme de Comptabilité et de Gestion (DCG) and Diplôme Supérieur de Comptabilité et de Gestion (DSCG). Knowledge in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Essential:

For GS5 level: At least five years’ experience in similar positions, including experience or knowledge of practices and procedures related to ledger maintenance (livre de compte).

For GS4 level: At least three years’ experience in similar positions, including experience or knowledge of practices and procedures related to ledger maintenance (livre de compte).

Desirable: Experience in a governmental and /or an international institution.

USE OF LANGUAGE SKILLS

Excellent knowledge of English and/or French and working knowledge of the other language.

SKILLS

• Knowledge in Microsoft 365 excel and word.
• Knowledge in SAP or other ERP system is an advantage.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while keeping attention to accuracy.

REMUNERATION

The fixed remuneration for the above position currently amounts to:

For GS5 level: EUR 3,766 per month.

For GS4 level: EUR 3,396 per month.

The above amounts are expressed net of income tax but before deduction of the employee share contributions for mandatory participation in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) and in the Organization’s private insurance plans covering health, accident, illness and disability.

Other benefits include different types of leave and allowances for dependent family members.

Employment status is that of an international civil servant.

Note: due to the legal status of WHO/IARC as an international organization, its staff do not contribute to and do not generate benefits in French mandatory schemes for health insurance (“assurance maladie”), pension (“assurance vieillesse/retraite or unemployment (“Pôle-Emploi”) throughout their period of employment with the Agency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice is a talent pool for finance assistants at GS5 and GS4 levels and may be used to fill other similar positions at these grade levels or lower.
• This post is subject to local recruitment and will ideally be filled by persons residing within the local commuting area of the duty station.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test and/or presentation/seminar may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. IARC/WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• According to 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. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules, and Manual noting that first year of fixed term contracts is a probationary period which may be extended subject to performance evaluation.
• For information on IARC’s operations please visit: https://www.iarc.who.int, and for more general information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• IARC/WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The IARC/WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
• IARC/WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Participating States https://www.iarc.who.int/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-at-iarc are strongly encouraged to apply for IARC/WHO jobs. Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. IARC/WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the IARC/WHO Values Charter https://www.iarc.who.int/about-iarc-who-ethics into practice.
• IARC/WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the IARC/WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to IARC/WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment, and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, IARC/WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• IARC/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• IARC/WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to fully express and develop their talents.
• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

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