The position is situated in the Procurement Services Accounting and Reporting, Accounting Unit (PSARU) of the Financial Management and Administrative Centre in UNICEF's Supply Division. PSARU is responsible for financial management of GAVI and Procurement Services Partners’ procurement services operations focused on procurement of vaccines and vaccine-related supplies for GAVI eligible and Procurement Services countries.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
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For every child, the right to Health
How can you make a difference?
Reporting to Programme Budget Manager with responsibility for the overall effective management of PSARU, the position is responsible for the ongoing coordination and analytical work related to the harmonization of the GAVI program approvals and the cash transfer process between UNICEF SD and GAVI, cash management across multiple escrow accounts and financial instruments and implementing financial systems and procedures for efficient and effective financial management of GAVI Procurement Services accounts
- Manage the financial lifecycle of an entire portfolio of Gavi-funded programs, providing strategic oversight that includes all aspects from financial approvals and inception of funds to utilization monitoring and reporting, while ensuring effective cash management and compliance.
- Under the general guidance and supervision of the Unit Manager, act as financial operations liaison with Gavi, representing UNICEF SD finance function in negotiations on new financing agreements, funding mechanisms, and day-to-day operational issues.
- Monitor Gavi programme implementation in relation to procurement and delivery of annual Gavi approved quantities and coordinate with Gavi, SD Vaccine and Health Technology Centres the timely receipt of such approvals, request of funds, ensuring budgetary and operating cash needs are met.
- Perform Gavi Project approval-related procedures and records management in conformity with agreed procedures and guidelines.
- Ensure financial transactions are recorded in compliance with existing policies and procedures.
- Prepare reports and schedules supporting UNICEF's annual statutory note disclosures and provide inputs to the annual financial statements and related financial discussion and analysis pertaining to PSARU’s areas of responsibility.
- Ensure Escrow account transactions are accurate, and cash movements are communicated to JP Morgan Chase (JPM) in a timely fashion.
- Ensure financial monitoring of LTAs and POs for which special financial arrangements have been executed, e.g. volume guarantees, firm contracts, advance payments to manufacturers; map the steps and develop procedures for operationalization of new non-standard procurement arrangements (AMC, FoC LTAs, Prepayments).
- Lead the systems-related projects for the unit in aforementioned areas, enhancing the ERP business process flows, monitoring reports, and performance indicators.
- Participate in cross-center meetings (representing PSARU’s Gavi financial management stream as requested) and provide financial/funds management advisory to partners.
- Acts as back–up to the other Accounting Officers in the unit or the unit Manager on an as needed basis.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:
JD - Programme Budget Specialist_P-3_00102939.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Statistics and any other related fields.
- Work Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in the areas of Budget and Finance Management, Monitoring and Reporting, and Project Management, preferably in an international environment, is required. Experience in working on financial systems/ application development and/ or business process analysis is required. Advanced skills in MS Excel and PowerPoint are required. Knowledge of SAP or similar ERP system is required.
- Skills: Financial Reporting, Stakeholder Engagement, Process Optimization, SAP, Excel.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
Desirables:
- Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
- Professional qualifications in Finance or Accounting are an asset.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per 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.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.