IT Budget Manager Consultant

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

JOB TITLE: IT Budget Manager Consultant
TYPE OF CONTRACT: Regular Consultant Contract, CST Level 2
UNIT/DIVISION: Technology Division, Resource Management
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, HQ
DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
WFP’s Information and Technology Strategy define a transformative vision to accelerate the organization’s evolution into a digitally enabled, data‑driven enterprise, strengthening its ability to deliver on the mission of achieving zero hunger. While substantial progress has been achieved, the increasing scale, complexity, and interdependency of WFP’s digital platforms, enterprise systems, and field‑facing solutions require a more technically informed approach to financial management to fully realize the benefits of this transformation.
The Technology Division (TEC) delivers, operates, and continuously evolves a diverse portfolio of enterprise applications, digital services, infrastructure platforms, and transformation initiatives, including those under the five‑year Digital Business Transformation Plan (5YP) and the modernization of Global Headquarters capabilities. Effective delivery of this portfolio depends on financial governance that is tightly integrated with IT architecture, service lifecycles, delivery roadmaps, and operational models, ensuring that technical design choices, implementation sequencing, and service sustainability are accurately reflected in funding strategies, cost models, and investment decisions.
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Financial Management and Performance, the Budget Manager performs a technically grounded role in ensuring the effective and efficient management of resources within TEC’s scope of competence, bridging financial management and IT delivery by translating complex technology portfolios, platforms, and services into transparent, lifecycle‑based financial frameworks that support disciplined execution, cost efficiency, and long‑term sustainability of WFP’s digital investments.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Demonstrated understanding of IT cost drivers and cost allocation principles, with the ability to translate technical portfolios into transparent cost models and shared funding rationales with stakeholders.
2. Support IT delivery by aligning the release and programming of funds with the implementation schedule of IT initiatives, enabling timely procurement, contracting, and resource mobilization.
3. Oversee the comprehensive financial planning, monitoring, and management of the TEC Divisional funding, with oversight of 5YP CCI funding and other corporate funding.
4. Coordinate the preparation, consolidation, and validation of annual and multi-year budgets for all TEC deliverables, ensuring accurate allocation of resources and compliance with funding envelopes and Board-approved budgets.
5. Ensure that IT budget proposals reflect the full lifecycle cost of IT services and solutions, including development, operations, support, maintenance, enhancement, and decommissioning.
6. Manage robust processes for tracking expenditures, monitoring burn rates, and reconciling actuals against planned budgets across the Division including validation of cost efficiencies and savings targets as per approved funding.
7. Participate in technical IT discussions to enable informed resource utilization, based on technical changes and new technology implementation.
8. Monitor and develop funding and expenditure databases using advanced Excel techniques, including query functions and data compilation, and analyze actual results against forecasts to assess financial status and improve the efficient use of available resources.
9. Lead the implementation of tools and dashboards for real-time financial tracking, cost analysis, and reporting, ensuring transparency of resource utilization across TEC Division funding.
10. Monitor WFP shadow IT, through advanced SAP analytics utilizing a deep understanding of different IT technologies and via collaboration with different technical teams, thereby linking WFP’s CCI success to overall efficient gains.
11. Support the development and maintenance of IT cost‑recovery models by linking service catalogues, costing models, and pricing mechanisms to actual IT service delivery.
12. Perform other duties as required, including ad hoc analyses, participation in strategic reviews, and support to risk and performance assessments.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
 

Education: University degree in one of the following fields: Finance, Accounting, Budgeting, Economics, Mathematics, Business Administration, Science, or another related field.
 

Experience: At least 5 years of relevant working experience with/in: funds management, budgeting, account reconciliation, cash management, financial management / financial analysis / financial reporting related to technology.

Knowledge & Skills:

• In‑depth knowledge of IT budget management, preferably within WFP or another UN agency.
• Strong experience with IT‑related financial analysis, including technology spend, platforms, vendors, and shadow IT.
• Solid understanding of IT cost drivers and cost allocation, including translation of technical portfolios into clear cost models.
• Proven ability to review budgets and assess financial processes, controls, and procedures in IT environments.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze financial statements and audit reports, including those related to IT investments and services.
• Good understanding of IT service and solution lifecycles, from development to decommissioning.
• Advanced knowledge of Excel, including Excel Query and data‑modelling functions.
• In‑depth knowledge of SAP, including financial reporting, analytics, and expenditure tracking.
• Ability to engage in technical IT discussions with service owners, architects, and delivery teams.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain IT financial topics clearly.
• Strong team player with the ability to work independently in a technically complex environment.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English with an intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.