FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER

These positions are located in United Nations Field Missions. The Finance and Budget Officer at this level usually reports to the Chief of Section/Unit or to a Finance & Budget Officer at higher level.

The Finance and Budget Officer manages a complete and homogeneous operation of the Mission's financial system, including planning, preparation, monitoring and reporting on all budget submissions, fund redeployments, and performance reporting.

Within delegated authority, the Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Strategic Resourcing and Stewardship:

•Prepares cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of mission’s resourcing requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; reviews, analyses and revises data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals as well as Result Based Budgeting inputs.
•Provides support to programme/fund centre managers (Substantive and Support Sections) with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
•Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
•Administers the mission’s allotments in accordance with the established procedures including redeployment/reallocation of funds.
•Ensures the efficient and effective use of budgetary resources through robust monitoring of budget utilization to the approved budget and timely provision of information to Mission management for decision making; provides support and guidance to fund centre/programme managers on budget implementation and corrective actions where necessary.
•Prepares the budget performance reports of the mission and ensures that correct and accurate data and information are provided by the various programme /fund centre managers in compliance with the Controller’s instructions. Reviews and finalises the performance reports ensuring valid and adequate variance explanations between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
•Advises and ensures that only valid year-end budget commitments confirming with established procedures are valid for carrying forward.
•Carries out duties consistent with the financial delegation in adherence with the UN Regulations and Rules.
•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 under the supervision/guidance of the Chief of Unit/Section, Finance and Budget.

Performance Monitoring:

•Performs analysis, preparation and delivery of strategic support and business intelligence to operational counterparts and mission leadership on financial resourcing and stewardship, and organizational performance of the mission, in line with mission priorities. Actively participates and engages in planning, monitoring and reporting of financial and operational performance.

Risk Management:

•Identifies, analyzes, evaluates and treats risk, including the introduction of methodologies for collecting, collating and disseminating data related to risk management planning.

Other

•In the absence of a Chief of Section/Unit, oversees the daily operation of the Office.
•Ensures that daily activities are in compliance with the DPKO/DFS Environmental and Waste Management policies and in line with the DFS Environment Strategy objectives.
•Performs other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies:

Professionalism: Advanced knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop comprehensive budgetary policies, procedures and new programmes. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to complex budgetary matters. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matters. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, risk management, finance, or in a related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience in accounting, budget, finance or risk management may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of five (05) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget, administration, public administration, business administration, risk management or related area is required. Experience in cost management, budget formulation, financial monitoring, accounting, audit, financial reporting or other related areas is required. Experience in translating strategies into financial plans and operations is desirable. Experience working with international or multi-national organizations is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English or French is required; knowledge of English is required; knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

The United Nations Secretariat maintains rosters of qualified candidates to fill anticipated job openings in peacekeeping operations, special political missions, and other field operations. The purpose of this job opening is to generate a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in the Finance and Budget Officer (P3) roster.

Please note that the Finance and Budget Officer (P3) positions are typically in a volatile, conflict or post-conflict locations in non-family and/or hardship duty stations.

The Finance and Budget Officer may also be housed in camp environments. An updated list of missions and additional information on working in the field can be found at https://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/about/work.shtml

The entire assessment process takes an average of six months; all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) within 14 days of the conclusion of the process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently will be invited to apply for field mission vacancies open only to roster members.

Roster membership does not guarantee selection.

According to 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. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.