Mission and objectives

MONUSCO/MONUC was established in 1999 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). SCR 2277 (2016) requests MONUSCO to support efforts of the Government of DRC towards the protection of civilians, through a comprehensive approach involving all components of MONUSCO, including through reduction of the threat posed by Congolese and foreign armed groups and of violence against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children to a level that can be effectively managed by the Congolese justice and security institutions; and to support Stabilization through the establishment of functional, professional, and accountable state institutions, including security and judicial institutions. The project aims at a better understanding of the most serious violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law in DRC and supports the leadership of the Mission through informed policy and decision making on future vetting of security forces through risk assessment and mitigation, joint planning for MONUSCO operations, as well as advocacy efforts.

Context

Assignment is non-family (BENI)

Task Description

A. Budget and Finance responsibilities: • Assists with preparing cost estimates and budget proposals for the Transport Section's resourcing requirements, including staff and non-staff requirements, as well as programmatic aspects. Reviews and revises data to finalize budget proposals and Result-Based Budgeting inputs. • Assists with support to programme/Head of Unit (FVIU, Dispatch, Driving Permit, Workshop, Acquisition, and Carlog Units) concerning elaborating resource requirements for budget submissions. • Supports the administration in monitoring budgetary resources, including reviewing agreements and cost plans and ensuring compliance with regulations, rules, and established policies and procedures. • Processes the mission's redeployment of funds by the established procedures. • Supports the budget review by ensuring the efficient and effective use of budgetary resources through robust monitoring of budget utilization against the approved budget and the timely provision of information to Mission/Section management for informed decision-making. Additionally, provides support and guidance to the Head of the Unit on budget implementation and processes, and takes corrective actions where necessary. • When preparing budget performance reports for the Transport Section, ensure that the various Head of Units provide accurate and correct data/information in compliance with the Controller's instructions. Assists with reviewing and finalizing performance reports and providing valid and adequate variance explanations between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Supports the Head of the Unit in year-end reviews of budget commitments, following established criteria. • Consolidate the requirements of the transport units to be considered in the annual Demand Acquisition Plan (DAP) using the UMOJA Supply Chain Management Tool and the quarterly review of the same plan based on the approved budget. • With the supervisor's guidance, provides advice, financial interpretations, adaptations, and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins, and Circulars. • Carries out duties consistent with the financial delegation in adherence with the UN Regulations and Rules in performing analysis, preparation, and delivery of strategic support and business intelligence to operational counterparts and section leadership on financial resourcing and stewardship and organizational performance of the section in line with mission priorities. B. Admin Responsibilities: • Provides general office support and administrative support services to ensure the smooth functioning of the Chief Transport Officer's Admin Office. • Follows up with Human Resources on all relevant transport staffing matters and recruitment processes and provides up-to-date status information for all Transport Section staff. • Follows up and provides accurate, up-to-date daily and monthly attendance reports for all the transport staff within the area of operations. • Prepares all necessary documents and conducts interviews (in person or online) for all Transport Section staff for recruitment purposes. • Responds or drafts responses to routine correspondence and other communications; uses standard software document processing packages to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports. • Receive phone calls and visitors, and respond to routine inquiries and requests for information. • Review written products for completeness and grammatical and typographical accuracy, and maintain file records (both paper and electronic) and databases for the work unit. • Maintains calendars and schedules; monitors changes and communicates relevant information to the appropriate staff within and outside the work unit. • Prepares CTO's field visits. • Performs any other task as directed by the CTO.

Competencies and values

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in the area of specialty and ability to apply sound judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative, and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept broad responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality, and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented. • Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations. • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in the area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in the work environment. • Planning and organizing: practical organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender. • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote, and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as may be necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, including solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, self-reliance, and commitment towards the UN core values.

Living conditions and remarks

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse. Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative. All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, except for Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Entebbe which are now considered family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma. Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UN Volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations, though this is unlikely. All UN Volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad. In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.