Auditor Consultant

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract

Level :  Level 2 - Middle

Hiring Unit : Internal Oversight Service (IOS)

Duty Station : Paris

Work location : On site

Duration of contract : 11 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+1 Time) : 24/07/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW

Under the authority of the Director of the Internal Oversight Services (IOS) and the supervision of the Head of Internal Audit (IOS/AUD), the incumbent will be tasked with carrying out audits of the Organization’s activities in both Headquarters and field locations to assess adequacy of governance, risk management and internal control arrangements and practices, in accordance with the applicable professional standards and criteria adopted by the Organization. 

Long Description

ASSIGNMENTS

 While working with IOS, the consultant will support IOS/AUD team in:
(1) planning audit missions, (2) performing and documenting assigned audit tests and (3) preparing reports on systemic issues or any other analysis/data statistics related to UNESCO’s programmes and operations. 

Long Description

Long Description

CONTRACT DURATION

The engagement is scheduled to begin in September 2026. The initial estimate is for 11 months of full-time equivalent work for the consultant, with the potential for extension, pending further discussions.

Long Description

DELIVERABLES

The assignment will be managed by a principal auditor from IOS. Activities of the consultant may include the following tasks:
•    conduct interviews
•    conduct targeted testing as per the workplan
•    review information systems to determine whether they are adequately protected, reliable and properly managed
•    review financial transactions and performance data for accuracy and compliance with UNESCO’s regulations, rules, and policies
•    assess the overall control environment
•    appraise the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of programmes and administrative/support functions
•    analyse the results of the testing and interviews and develop appropriate conclusions and recommendations
•    draft audit findings for final clearance by the audit team leader
•    monitor follow-up actions taken in response to audit recommendations

Long Description

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

•    University degree (Masters’ degree or equivalent training) in Auditing, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Data Science or other related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•    At least 3 years of professional experience in auditing and/or accounting. 

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•    Excellent analytical skills, ability to collect, synthesise and analyse information. 
•    Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to deal with clients on complex and sensitive matters.
•    Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to prepare, present and discuss findings and recommendations clearly and concisely. 
•    Ability to work in a team and to maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment.
•    Good IT skills, in particular of MS365 and MS Suite (PowerPoint, Word, Excel and PowerBI). 
•    Good knowledge of risk management principles.
•    Thorough knowledge of Internal Control methods, tools and techniques.

LANGUAGES

•    Excellent knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language. 

Long Description

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE
•    Previous experience in the conduct of audits with a UN organization, international financial institution, international commercial organization and/or international public accounting firm. 
•    Work experience in developing countries and the development sector.
•    Work experience in data management and/ or data visualisation•    Work experience leveraging AI-powered tools (e.g., Copilot) to enhance audit efficiency, analytics, or reporting. 

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
•   Knowledge of TeamMate+ and other audit systems.
•   Knowledge of programming language Python, VBA, SQL.
•   Familiarity with generative AI tools and prompt engineering techniques to support audit planning, data analysis, and report drafting.
•   Experience applying AI/machine learning tools for risk assessment, anomaly detection, or audit sampling.
•   Certification from an internationally recognized accountancy body or internal audit certification.
•   Experience in developing Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme
•   General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures.

LANGUAGES
•    Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO (Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and/or Russian).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Following the closing date for online applications, our recruiting team will carefully review all submissions. Candidates who are pre-selected will be contacted to take part in a competency-based interview, which may include a case study or use case analysis relevant to the role.
Based on the outcome of this stage, the successful candidate will be contacted directly with an offer.
We thank all applicants for their interest; due to the volume of applications received, we regret that we may not be able to respond individually to every candidate.

Long Description

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. 

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.  

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. 

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.