Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Finance & Budget Officer reports directly to the Chief of Service, Finance. Acting as Secretariat to the Committee on Contributions, the Contributions Section provides support to the Committee and General Assembly in negotiating the scale of assessments and ensures the timely issuance of assessments and information on the status of assessed contributions.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Finance & Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Programme plan: • Reviews, analyses and finalizes the preparation of the programme plan and its revisions on the basis of departmental submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies. • Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their review of the programme plan and its revisions; secures approval from the General Assembly. • Ensure legislative mandates are accurately translated into program budgets. Budget preparation: • Reviews, analyses and finalizes 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; (b) peacekeeping operations; ensure compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates. • Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions. • Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program 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: • Issues allotments/appropriations, authorizes sub-allotments/appropriations, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures. • Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary. • 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. • Authorizes payment to Governments for settlement of certified death and disability, contingent-owned equipment and letters-of-assist claims; determine average monthly troop strengths, establishing amounts reimbursable and initiating payments for reimbursement to troop-contributing countries. • Prepares budget performance submissions. • Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies. Finance: • Manages a complete financial operation, encompassing a wide variety of funding sources, a large volume of transactions, and extensive dispersed activities. • Assists the Service Chief/Secretary of the Committee on Contributions in preparing reports for and servicing the Committee on Contributions and the Fifth Committee; and implements the financial methodologies for preparing Member States’ assessments. • 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. • Analyses accounts, reviews/prepares regular financial reports. Proposes/implements solutions with respect to problem transactions and irregularities. • Ensures that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained. • Prepares or consolidates financial statements for inclusion in the UN Audited 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. • Produces major/complex financial reports for management including trend and forecast analysis. • Provides substantive support to the development and implementation of new accounting systems. Takes initiative to improve accounting processes and approaches. • Provides data for the preparation of year-end performance reports. • Guides, trains and supervises staff in the function. General: • Provides advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and field staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting. • Participates in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions on matters related to resource requirements, programming, financial and budgetary issues. • Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to finance and budget, 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. • Drafts official documentation to troop contributing countries concerning reimbursements from the United Nations. • Undertakes research and analysis of financial and budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications. • Acts as Certifying Officer or Approving Officer in accordance with established regulations and rules. • Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them. • Provides support with respect to representation of the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs. • Represents OPPFB or division in inter and intra-departmental meetings. • May plan, organize, manage and supervise the work of the Unit/Section assigned. • Incumbents may be asked to perform other related duties.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary policies, procedures and new programmes. 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.
Education
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting 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
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years’ experience in accounting, finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. Experience with finance methodologies of international organizations is required. Experience communicating on financial matters with Member States or similar high-level officials in the United Nations system or comparable international organization is required. Experience in preparing reports for and servicing legislative bodies is required. Experience analyzing audit observations and coordinating audit responses is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
• This position is temporarily available for a period of six months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
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.