The Finance and Budget Officer (P3) is a key role within the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the UN agency for human settlements mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. This position supports the Urban Economy Branch and is central to the effective financial management and resource planning of the organization.
Responsibilities
MEDIUM-TERM PLAN:
- Review, analyze, and finalize the preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions based on departmental submissions, integrating recommendations and decisions from specialized inter-governmental bodies.
- Provide substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies during their review of the medium-term plan and its revisions.
- Assist in securing approval for plans from the General Assembly and the Executive Board.
- Ensure that legislative mandates are accurately translated into programme budgets.
BUDGET PREPARATION:
- Review and analyze data for finalizing cost estimates and budget proposals, covering staff and non-staff requirements from divisions/offices at headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects.
- Provide support to managers in elaborating resource requirements for budget submissions.
- Participate in reviews, analyses, and provide input into the finalization of programme budget/financial implications for the Executive Board concerning additional mandates.
- Provide substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review and assist in securing approval from the General Assembly and the Executive Board.
BUDGET ADMINISTRATION:
- Issue allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
- Monitor budget implementation and recommend/determine reallocation of funds as needed.
- Monitor expenditures to ensure they remain within authorized levels.
- Review all requisitions generated by the Umoja/SAP ERP system for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged and that funds are available.
- Administer and monitor extra-budgetary resources, including reviewing agreements and cost plans, ensuring strict compliance with regulations, rules, established policies, and procedures.
- Prepare relevant documentation concerning budget performance submissions.
- Review and make appropriate recommendations regarding the finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
- Provide substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies.
GENERAL:
- Prepare analytical reports and presentations on strategic issues, including data analysis, issue identification, forming hypotheses, and synthesizing conclusions into recommendations and presentations.
- Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns, providing insights through graphs, charts, tables, and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting.
- Stay updated on documents/reports/guidelines impacting programme budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations/decisions and United Nations policies/procedures.
- Monitor and supervise the work of subordinate staff, as required.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Competencies and Skills
PROFESSIONALISM:
- Possess knowledge of financial principles and practices.
- Ability to independently conduct research and analysis, formulate options, and present conclusions and recommendations.
- Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
- Demonstrate professional competence, mastery of subject matter, conscientiousness, and efficiency in meeting commitments and deadlines.
- Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
TEAM WORK:
- Work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
- Solicit input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise.
- Be willing to learn from others and place the team agenda before the personal agenda.
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING:
- Develop clear goals consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities, and adjust priorities as required.
- Allocate appropriate time and resources for completing work.
- Foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning; use time efficiently.
CLIENT ORIENTATION:
- Seek to understand things from clients’ points of view.
- Establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect.
- Identify clients’ needs and match them to appropriate solutions.
- Keep clients informed of progress or setbacks; meet timelines for delivery of products or services.
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or a related field is required.
- A first-level university degree combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying 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 desirable.
Job - Specific Qualification:
- Additional certification in Accounting is desirable.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, administration, budget, or business administration is required.
- Working experience with an Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) system, e.g., SAP, is required.
- Experience in the implementation of Accounting Standards, including IPSAS, is required.
- Experience in administering and monitoring extra-budgetary resources, including reviewing agreements and cost plans to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, rules, and procedures, is desirable.
- Experience in reviewing and providing recommendations on budget performance reports, including analysis of variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures, is desirable.
- Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or a related area is desirable.
