FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER

Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located in the Budget and Project Finance Section, Programme Support and Management Service of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The post is based in Geneva. The Finance and Budget Officer reports directly to the Chief of the Budget and Project Finance Section.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Budget preparation:
• Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program budget/financial implications statements in light of additional mandates and activities.
Budget administration:
• Issues allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
• Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels.
• Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. Prepares financial reports to donors and for internal managers.
• Participates in the preparation of budget performance submissions.
• Reviews budget performance, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
Finance and accounts:
• Ensures consistent application and observance of the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules;
• Provides inputs for replies to reports of internal and external oversight bodies including verification missions for the projects financed by the European Union;
• Ensures compliance with procedures and practices for expenditure control and financial reporting, identifies and solves related complex problems;
• Oversees the preparation of proper accounting records and reports including analysis of accounts and assembly of accurate and timely data and supporting information;
• Provides guidance on all accounting matters, leads preparation of financial statements, and ensures compliance with deadlines, particularly at year-end.
• Participates in developing policies and procedures to ensure transition to accounts compliant with International Public Sector Accounting Standards in the context of the proposed Enterprise Resource Planning system.
General:
• Provides advice and guidance, including training, to UNCTAD staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures.
• Participates in interdepartmental meetings on matters related to resource requirements, financial and budgetary issues.
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to budgetary and financial management, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Drafts reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on financial and budgetary issues, and correspondence on those maters.
• Undertakes research and analysis of financial and budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
• Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 105.5 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules.
• Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems, related electronic applications and the controls that underpin them.
• Represents Budget and Project Finance Section in inter and intradepartmental meetings.
• Plans, organizes, manages and supervise the work of General Service staff assigned to operational support of technical assistance projects.
• Acts as Officer-in-Charge of the Section in the absence of the Chief and performs other related duties.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary and financial policies, procedures and new programmes. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary and financial matters. Familiarity with both International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and United Nations System Accounting Standards (UNSAS). Excellent computer skills and proficiency in Excel and database applications.Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; 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.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Planning and 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.
Technological awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology. Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office. Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks. Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

A professional accounting qualification (chartered accountant, certified public accountant, or equivalent) is desirable.

Work Experience

At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required.
Experience with SAP-based ERP applications(e.g. UMOJA) and particularly the finance modules and Business Intelligence tools is desirable.
Experience in preparing financial reports to donors, undertaking financial analysis and monitoring of budgets is desirable.
Experience in role mapping and user provisioning of SAP-based tools is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is also desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

United Nations Considerations

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, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, 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. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
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.
Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.
Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

No Fee

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.