Senior Finance and Budget Officer (Temporary Job Opening)

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Field Operations Finance Division in the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Senior Finance and Budget Officer will report to the Chief of Service. FOFD supports the Controller in exercising accountability for the financial resources made available by the Member States for peace operations. The Division is committed to an ongoing change process to ensure the highest effectiveness and efficiency standards in budget preparation and presentation including the mainstreaming of results-based budgeting. The working environment of peace operations is dynamic, and the FOFD team is committed to meeting the corresponding demands. The main partners of the Division are the field operations, the Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Department of Operational Support, the legislative bodies and troop- and formed police-contributing countries.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Budget preparation: • Plans and co-ordinates review of budget submissions. • 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) field operations; ensures compliance with the legislative mandates. • Co-ordinates the preparation of budget submissions from managers. • Reviews, analyses and finalizes financial implications to the Security Council statements in light of additional mandates. • Provides substantive support and guidance to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; secures approval from the General Assembly. Budget administration: • Manages/issues allotments/appropriations, 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. • Oversees the review and finalization of budget and performance reports; monitors variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Provides advice and support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in review of budget and performance reports; secures approval from the General Assembly. Finance: • Monitors cash levels and operating reserves for special accounts. • Provides authoritative advice, financial interpretations, adaptations and corrective actions in response to audits and other queries to ensure adherence to UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Regulations and Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars. • Manages staff, plans and discusses with staff individual work programmes and evaluates performance. 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 on matters related to resource requirements, financial, administrative and budgetary issues. • Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to the financing of field operations, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures. • Prepares/finalizes reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on financial and budgetary issues, and correspondence, including guidelines, instructions. • Reviews and analyses financial and budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications. • Represents the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs; represents OPPFB or Division in inter- and intra-departmental meetings. • Plans, organizes and manages staff and work programme; plans and discusses individual work programmes with staff and evaluates their performance. • Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of and ability to apply financial rules, regulations and procedures in the UN environment. Ability to maintain accurate records, review and interpret a wide variety of data. 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. 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. Commitment to continuous learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession. Actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally. Contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates. Shows willingness to learn from others. Seeks feedback to learn and improve. Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Judgement/Decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting 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

Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. Experience in report-writing on financial and budgetary matters is required. Experience with the administration of financial and budgetary polices and practices is required. Experience with the operations of intergovernmental and legislative machinery is required. Experience with financial systems/finance modules of enterprise resource systems, such as Oracle, SAP or PeopleSoft, 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.

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 11 months or until 30 November 2025. 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 job opening 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. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for 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.