Finance and Budget Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

The post is located in the Field Operations Finance Division (FOFD) in the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Finance and Budget Officer reports directly to the Section Chief. 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 Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

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) field operations; ensure compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates and prepares budgets for field operations as well as backstopping activities.
• 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.
• 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.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Incumbents may be asked to perform other related duties.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, 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. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. Experience with budgetary policies and practices, financial regulations and rules is required. Experience in the use of information technology tools for financial analysis and monitoring of budgets is required.
• Experience in the use of enterprise resource planning systems, the budget preparation module and business intelligence tools is required. Experience in preparing and writing reports is required.
• 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in results-based approaches to budgeting is desirable. Experience with peace operations is desirable. Experience with the operations of intergovernmental and legislative machinery 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/247888?language=en