The position is located in the Programme Planning and Budget Division (PPBD) of the Office of Programme, Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Programme Budget Officer reports to the Chief of Service/Unit and to the Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division.

PPBD is committed to ensuring the highest standards in the preparation and presentation of programme budgets of the United Nations. These budgets are formulated in line with the agreed results-based budgeting methodology. The Service/Unit is responsible for the preparation, dissemination and coordination of budgetary practices, policies and guidance related to all aspects of programme budgets and for the continuous pursuit and development of improved solutions that address challenges affecting the programme budget. Given its central role, it consolidates budgetary information and presents it to a broad range of stakeholders, including internal and external clients, senior managers, specialized, oversight and intergovernmental bodies.

Within delegated authority, the Programme Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Budget preparation:
• Reviews and analyzes data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from Departments/offices at Headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects.
• Provides support to managers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Reviews, analyses and provides input into finalization of programme budget/financial implications to the Security Council statements 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.

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, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Prepares relevant documentation with respect to budget performance.
• Reviews and makes appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provides substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies.

General:
• Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Provides advice and guidance, including training to staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures.
• Provides inputs to reports and correspondence for intergovernmental bodies and for management on budgetary issues.
• Researches and analyses budgetary policies and procedures and recommends changes, as necessary.
• Supports the review of budgetary practices and processes with a view to streamlining such practices and processes, including through automation.
• Explores opportunities for the enhancement of information systems related to budgeting and proposes improvements, when applicable.
• Supports the preparation and presentation of summarized information to senior managers and inter-governmental and expert bodies in an attractive and accessible manner.
• Monitors and supervises the work of subordinate staff as required (usually in the field).
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Professionalism: Knowledge of financial principles and practices. Ability to independently conduct research and analysis, formulate options and present conclusions and recommendations that are supported by facts. Ability to validate data and its sources, and to review, summarize and present information in a simple, accessible and attractive manner. Ability of reconcile differences and instances of non-compliance in budgetary and financial data, and propose adequate corrective actions. Ability to develop and apply budgetary regulations, rules, policies and procedures. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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.

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.

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.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budgeting, business or public administration, financial management, accounting, or related area is required.

A minimum of two years of providing support, including training to a large and diverse client-base is desirable.

A minimum of two years of experience with financial systems / finance modules of enterprise resource planning (ERP) such as Oracle, SAP or PeopleSoft or similar software is desirable.

A minimum of two years of experience in analyzing and proposing budgetary policies and practices, financial regulations and rules is desirable.

Experience summarizing information from large data sets and presenting it in a clear, attractive and accessible manner is desirable.

Experience in re-engineering and automation of processes, improvement of working tools and other measures that result in increased productivity is desirable.

Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

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 an advantage.

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

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. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 December 2022, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

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.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.