Vacancy Announcement: Programme and Budget Specialist, NOC, Fixed Term, Amman MENARO #0042115

Under the guidance of the Regional Chief of Programme and Planning, contributes towards the programme planning function of the RO, formulation of strategies related to programmes and budget monitoring, and financial reporting on programmes and activities. The team manages RO budget, including Whole of Syria Grants.

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Accountability

Since 2011, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has undergone a dramatic transformation. What was once a middle-income region, where UNICEF was implementing mostly upstream work, has now become the region with the greatest concentration of humanitarian needs in the world with two Level 3 emergencies (Yemen and Syria) and many countries that are facing protracted conflicts as well as civil unrest and/or political transition. The role of MENARO is to support all countries in the region in a more deliberate, consistent and value-added way, explicitly allocating the vast majority of programme and cross-cutting staff time and resources to country office technical assistance and quality assurance.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the Regional Chief of Programme and Planning, contributes towards the programme planning function of the RO, formulation of strategies related to programmes and budget monitoring, and financial reporting on programmes and activities. The team manages RO budget, including Whole of Syria Grants.

1. Budget Planning and Monitoring:

The Programme Budget Specialist in the Regional Office will ensure an effective programme budget planning process is in place to formulate and deliver on the Annual Works Plans and  MENA accelerators in alignment with the overall UNICEF budgetary framework.

2. Analysis: Provide regular analysis and recommendations to management on the overall MENARO and MENA countries utilization including expenditure patterns and cost drivers to ensure sustainability. (b) Provide financial analysis, related to MENARO and MENA countries to enable UNICEF to remain competitive, retain trust with donors and maintain high rates of opportunity capture. (c) Maintain an overview of the financial requirements and conditions of all grants and support programme teams with effective processes and technical guidance to ensure allocations (and reallocations), full fund utilization, quality management and compliance. Ensure on quarterly bases reconciliation of all grants and provide analysis and related reviews. Monitors and reports effectively on pipeline funding and income projections and its management.  Develops alerts/KPIs to highlight funding gaps and their impact on both programme and staffing costs. 

3.  Capacity building: A capacitator to Country Offices and Regional Office sections to ensure optimal budget planning, management, and monitoring

4.  Payroll and salary planning: Ensured annual salary planning exercise and monthly administration and maintenance of payroll for national and international staff is delivered effectively.

 Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1.  Supervise and lead a small unit which is the focal point for contribution management and monitoring in all matters relating to the multiple grants and contributions received by the RO.

2. Guide Advisers and the Output Managers on any conditionalities and effective use of the resources, including ensuring that guidelines, policies, rules, and regulations are fully understood and correctly applied.

3. Coordinate with the senior management, Output managers, and Advisers to ensure timely utilization of funds; closely monitor due dates for any financial reports and deadlines for utilization of all contributions.

4. Contribute to capacity building of MENA country office staff and the regional office in budget management and monitoring capacities. Serve as the focal point for country offices budgetary advice, changes in country programme ceilings, and liaison with DFAM and DAPM on budgetary management and monitoring.

5. Prepare monthly contribution management reports, financial reports (including Whole of Syria and Syria +), and analytical reports concerning MENA Accelerators and SP Goal areas. Ensure quality information management through regular maintenance of contribution-related information in VISION and collection of good practices concerning contribution management in SharePoint.

6.Inform Management and Chief of Programme and Planning on Strategic Plan analyses for the region: provide complex analysis focusing on the financial inputs towards the goal areas, intended results areas, and cross-cutting programmes. Analyse financial performance in the context of enablers, and change strategies.

7. Conduct strategic analyses to inform regional office management and RMT decision-making, and carry out any special studies and analysis requested by management to programme and budget, including appropriate recommendations.  Participate in the review of programme reports for management, budget reviews, Peer Reviews, programme analysis, the Regional Office Annual Report, and the RMT, amongst others.

8. Work in close collaboration with the Partnerhips and Resource Mobilization on donor analysis, funding trends etc.

9. Follow up on CO and RO KPI related to financial management and provide necessary support.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

Education: An advanced university degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, Accounting or another relevant technical field is required.

A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience is required in one or more of the following areas: contribution management, budget, or financial management. Good command of excel is a requirement.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

                                         Knowledge of the French language is an asset.

                                         Experience with UN and SAP system is required.

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 [add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.l civil service.

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.

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.