Unit Head

Job Posting Organization:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. Established in 1957, the IAEA has a mission to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health, and prosperity throughout the world. The organization operates in over 170 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,500 employees. The IAEA is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and works closely with various member states and international organizations to ensure the safe and secure use of nuclear technology.

Job Overview:
The Unit Head position is a critical leadership role within the Division of Budget and Finance at the IAEA. This role involves overseeing the financial transactions of the organization, ensuring compliance with the Agency's rules and procedures. The Unit Head will report directly to the Section Head and will be responsible for leading a team of financial professionals. The position requires a strong focus on accuracy, integrity, and timely processing of financial transactions. The Unit Head will also play a key role in change management initiatives, promoting best practices within the financial operations of the IAEA. This position is designed for a proactive leader who can effectively manage a team while also collaborating with various internal and external stakeholders to facilitate financial processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Unit Head will be responsible for leading and managing the accounts payable segment of the financial operations. This includes ensuring the accurate and timely recording of all financial transactions in accordance with the Agency's rules and procedures. The Unit Head will act as the payment authorization officer within delegated monetary limits and will coordinate the monitoring and reporting of key performance indicators related to the accounts payable segment. Additionally, the Unit Head will review accounting records and financial exception reports to ensure data integrity. The role also involves leading less complex change initiatives and participating in more complex change initiatives, recommending and implementing innovative solutions to enhance the effectiveness and quality of financial operations. The Unit Head will oversee the periodic and year-end closure tasks assigned to the Unit/Section and will contribute to the preparation of year-end financial statements.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a directly related field. An advanced university degree or recognized professional accounting certification is considered an advantage. The ideal candidate should have a very good knowledge of financial, accounting, and internal control matters, particularly in the international public sector. Hands-on experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, such as Oracle, is essential. A high degree of accuracy is required to ensure the correctness and integrity of financial information, along with excellent analytical and decision-making skills.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor's Degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a directly related field is required. An advanced university degree or recognized professional accounting certification is advantageous and may enhance a candidate's qualifications for the role.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of relevant experience in finance and accounting, with at least two years in an international environment. Experience in a supervisory role is essential, as is experience in drafting various policy and procedure documents. The candidate should demonstrate a strong ability to lead teams and manage financial operations effectively.

Languages:
Excellent oral and written command of English is mandatory. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish, is considered an asset and may enhance a candidate's profile for the position.

Additional Notes:
The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package, including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $70,212, subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance. Additional benefits include a variable post adjustment, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses, six weeks of annual leave, home leave travel, pension plan, and health insurance. The IAEA is committed to gender equality and diversity in its workforce, encouraging applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries. Staff members are international civil servants and must adhere to the highest ethical standards, with a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with the aims of the United Nations and the IAEA.