This position is located in the Division of Administration, Registry under the direction of the Chief Administrative Officer.
Budget preparation:
- Coordinates the preparation of the programme budget and performance reports of the Mechanism.
- Reviews, analyses and finalizes budget proposals in terms of staff and non-staff requirements for the two branches of the Mechanism. Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions.
- Reviews, analyses and finalizes programme budget/financial implications to the General Assembly when warranted in light of additional mandates not known at the time of budget preparation.
- Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; participates in the team defending the budget submission and performance reports during ACABQ and General Assembly review.
Budget management and administration:
- Approves allotments, authorizes sub-allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring funds availability.
- 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.
- Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
- Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
- Manages the staffing table of the organization.
General
- Provides advice and guidance, including training, to staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures and programme planning
- Participates in inter-departmental meetings 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 programme and budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
- Undertakes research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
- Acts as certifying officer to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules.
- Represents the Mechanism in intra-departmental meetings involving budget matters.
- Organizes, manages and supervises the work of the Unit/Section.
- Incumbents may be asked to perform other related duties.
- Professionalism – Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary policies, procedures and new programs. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.
- Communication – Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed
- Planning and Organising – 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.
- 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 Organisation. 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.
Advanced university degree in business administration, finance or related field. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
- A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required.
- Demonstrated experience in report-writing on financial and budgetary matters is required.
- Experience with the administration of financial and budgetary policies and practices is required.
- Experience with financial systems/finance modules of enterprise resource systems, such as Oracle, SAP or PeopleSoft is highly desirable.
- Experience in drafting and finalizing formal reports with substantive and financial content is desirable.
- Experience in the coordination and the preparation of formal reports from inputs by other professional staff is desirable.
English and French are the working languages of the Mechanism. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a second official UN language is an advantage.
There may be an assessment exercise for qualified candidates followed by a competency-based interview.