Finance and Budget Manager at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director and within delegated authority, the incumbent will seek to deliver effective and efficient financial and budgetary support for the successful implementation of deliverables from core and extrabudgetary projects within the Science Division. The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. Budget Preparation
   1. Reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements for Science Division, including programmatic aspects.
   2. Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions.
   3. Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program budget/financial implications to the Division's programme of work.
   4. Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; assists in securing approval from the General Assembly.
2. Budget Administration
   1. Issues allotments, authorizes sub-allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
   2. Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary.
   3. Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels.
   4. Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
   5. Prepares budget performance submissions.
   6. Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
   7. Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
3. General
   1. Provides advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and field staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
   2. Participates in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions on matters related to resource requirements, programming and budgetary issues.
   3. Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to program budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
   4. Drafts reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on budgetary issues, and correspondence.
   5. Undertakes research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
   6. Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 110.4 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules.
   7. Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them.
   8. Provides support with respect to representation of the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs.
   9. Represents Science Division in inter and intra-departmental meetings.
   10. Plan, organize, manage and supervise the work of the Financial Management Unit.
4. Perform other related duties.

Competencies

1. 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. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary matters. 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.
2. 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.
3. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
4. CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

Advanced University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business and or public administration, finance, accounting, or related area 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.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required.
• Experience with SAP (Umoja) or similar Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) is desirable.
• Experience within the UN system or other international or public sector organization 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 another official United Nations language is desirable.

NOTE: ‘Fluency’ equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and ‘Knowledge of’ equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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