Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Executive Office of the Programme Management and Support Services Division (PMSSD) in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), based in Geneva, Switzerland. The P3, Finance and Budget Officer reports to the P4, Administrative Officer and is under the general supervision of the P5, Executive Officer. This position is available for an initial period of six months with possibility of extension.


Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the P3, Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Budget Administration: - Issues allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures. - Monitors budget implementation and determines/recommends reallocation of funds when necessary. - Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels. - Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, preparation, review and clearance of related financial reports, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures. - Prepares relevant tion with respect to budget performance reports, making appropriate recommendation and analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. - Manages and oversees the Service Level Agreement billing for administrative services provided by the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), which entails the delivery of a range of administrative services to ECE, including financial management services, human resource management services, central support services, and information and communications technology services. - Acts as an alternate Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 105.5 to ensure proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules. - Reviews and analyses expenditures postings in UMOJA system to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged, ensuring availability of funds. - Coordinate with concerned sections to assist in the monthly and financial year-end reporting in the preparation of the IPSAS Financial Statement. - Ensures accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained. Budget Preparation: - Reviews and analyses data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from ECE Divisions. - Provides support to managers to ensure the timely elaboration and submission of resource requirements for budget submissions through the organization channels and tools. - Provides substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies, such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and the Fifth Committee. General: - Keeps up to date on /reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme and/or peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures; - Provides advice, financial interpretations, adaptations, and corrective actions in response to audits, Statement of Internal Controls and other queries to ensure adherence to the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules, Administrative Instructions, Bulletins and Circulars under the supervision/guidance of the Administrative Officer and Executive Officer. - Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. - Assist in monitoring and supervising the work of the staff in the Unit, including identifying and addressing training requirements; - Performs other related work as required.


Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of financial principles and practices. Ability to work independently and to conduct research and analysis, formulate options and present conclusions and recommendations. Ability to conduct data analysis and produce financial reports to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. 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. 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. Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services. Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas. Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box." Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.


Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.


Job - Specific Qualification

Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.


Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, business administration or related field is required. At least two years of experience with financial systems/finance modules of an enterprise resource planning system (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, or similar) including self-service analytics, data visualization applications, or business intelligence tools is required. At least two years of experience in the use of Power BI, Advanced Microsoft Excel or other data visualization tools for financial and budgetary analysis, reporting and monitoring is required. Experience in providing support on budgetary issues to intergovernmental bodies is desirable. Experience in cost management, results-based budget formulation and management, accounting, audit, financial reporting or other related areas is desirable. Experience in the United Nations Common System or a comparable international organization is desirable.


Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat and Russian is a working language of ECE. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required and knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.


Assessment

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


Special Notice

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 30th November 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply:Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. • This position is temporarily available for an initial period of six months, with possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.