Finance and Budget Officer

This position is located in the Finance Division in the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Finance and Budget Officer reports to the Chief of Financial Statements Section. The Financial Statements Section is responsible for the preparation of IPSAS-compliant financial statements, providing support to the Board of Auditors in its annual audits of UN financial statements and guidance on the application of accounting policies.

Responsibilities

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

Finance:

• Analyses accounts and reviews/evaluates regular financial reports at Headquarters, from Offices-away-from-Headquarters and Missions. Identifies problem transactions and irregularities in related accounts, resolving them in a timely and effective manner.
• Approves/Confirms that proposed obligations or expenditure for services, facilities supplies and equipment expenses, as well as those pertaining to personnel, are in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the UN, relevant appropriations and staffing tables and corresponding approved allotments/appropriations.
• Ensures that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained.
• Assists, prepares or consolidates financial statements for inclusion in the UN Financial Statements to be audited. Responds to internal/external audit observations. Reviews the financial statements of other entities for which the Controller has certification authority.
• Provides advice and guidance concerning the United Nations’ Financial Regulations and Rules and Accounting Instructions.
• Provides authoritative interpretation of requirements for handling transactions.
• Monitors, analyses transactions recorded into the accounting system.
• Defines requirements and works with systems units with respect to production of relevant financial reports.
• Participates in the development of accounting policies.
• Provides information needed to respond to audit findings.

Budget preparation:

• Assists with the review and analysis of data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from (a) Departments/offices at Headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects; and (b) medium-sized peacekeeping operations.
• Provides support to managers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Reviews, analyses and provides input into finalization of programme budget/financial implications to the Security Council statements in light of additional mandates.
• Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; assists in securing approval from the General Assembly.

Budget administration:

• Monitors budget implementation and determines/recommends reallocation of funds when necessary.
• Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels.
• Reviews all requisitions for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged, ensuring availability of funds.
• 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 relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions.
• Reviews and makes appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provides substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies.

General:

• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme and/or budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures;
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Keeps up-to-date on current financial regulations/professional publications and accepted principles;
• Monitors and supervises the work of staff as required;
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Education

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

Job – Specific Qualification

• An accounting qualification by an internationally recognized accounting body such as Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, budget and administration is required. Experience in applying private sector or public sector accounting standards such as International Financial Reporting Standard(s) (IFRS) or International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) is required. Experience working with SAP Financial Accounting and Financial Management is required. Experience with preparing Financial Statements is required. Two years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in analyzing audit reports and applying financial control and reporting procedures is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/234984?language=en