Finance & Budget Officer at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities for the Finance & Budget Officer Job

• Within delegated authority, the Finance & Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Medium-term plan:
• Reviews, analyses and finalizes the preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions on the basis of divisional and sub-programme submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of intergovernmental bodies.
• Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their review of the medium-term plan and its revisions; secures approval from the United Nations
• Environment Assembly (UNEA) and 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) Divisions at headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects; (b) ensure compliance with the medium-term plan, strategic framework and other legislative mandates.
• Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program budget/financial implications 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 and UNEA.

Budget Administration

• Issues allotments, authorizes sub-allotments, 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.
• 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

• Provide business analysis and technical direction for planning, implementing and supporting financial information systems including Enterprise resource planning (ERP) (Umoja),
• Analyze industry best practice in business processes, and design and manage the implementation of new methods of work with departmental or organizational scope that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of financial operations;
• Evaluate existing systems and identify the need for new systems (or modifications to existing systems); select options for solving system and workflow problems and propose the most suitable solutions based upon functional and economic considerations
• 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 and budgetary issues.
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to program, 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 budgetary issues, and correspondence.
• Undertakes research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
• Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rules to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and 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 UNEP 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. 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.
• 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 & 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.

Finance & Budget Officer Job Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field. A first university degree with a combination of two years professional and academic qualifications may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area. Experience working with
• International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and with international organizations is highly desirable.
• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.