Senior Finance and Budget Officer, New York

• Organization: DESA - Department of Economic and Social Affairs
• Country: United States
• City: New York
• Office: DESA New York
• Grade: P-5
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UN Secretariat, New York

Closing date: Friday, 7 October 2016

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Posting Title: SENIOR FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER, P5
Job Code Title: SENIOR FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER
Department/ Office: Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Duty Station: NEW YORK
Posting Period: 9 August 2016-7 October 2016
Job Opening number: 16-FIN-DESA-63998-R-NEW YORK(G)
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Special Notice
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.
Organizational Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Budget and Finance Section, Executive and Programme Support Office, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The Executive and Programme Support Office provides human resources, finance and budget, logistics and general administrative support to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), Chief Executives Board (CEB), and Regional Commissions New York Office (RCNYO). The Senior Finance and Budget Officer reports to the Executive Officer of DESA.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Senior Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for managing the work of Section and the following duties

• Plans, organizes and manages the preparation of Programme Budgets, the Programme and Budget Performance Reports and project proposals for financing from extra-budgetary resources.
• Ensures legislative mandates are accurately translated into programme budgets.
• Plans, co-ordinates, reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, position papers, budget submissions and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, the Fifth Committee, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate; coordinates the preparation of all financial and administrative implication statements resulting from draft legislative proposals relating to the work of the Department.
• Co-ordinates the preparation of budget submissions from managers.
• Provides substantive support and guidance to the Executive Officer and other senior staff of DESA on budgetary matters.
• Manages the implementation of overall strategies and intra and inter-divisional/departmental policies and procedures.
• Monitors expenditures and maintains financial control of all departmental allotments issued against the UN regular budget and extra-budgetary resources; reviews cost plans and activities proposed for funding from the trust funds to ensure that the proposed activities conform to the terms of reference of the trust funds and that funds are available; manages the preparation of departmental requests to OPPBA for allotment advices to ensure proper allocation of resources.
• Administers and monitors and ensures that the administration and implementation of regular budget funds, substantive trust funds and technical cooperation programmes and projects are carried out in a timely fashion, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures such as United Nations Regulations, Rules, procedures and administrative instructions.
• Oversees the review and finalization of budget performance reports; monitors variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provides advice and supports projects in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
• Manages, supervises oversee and carries out the work programme of the Section under his/her responsibility; co-ordinates all actions within the Department required for the preparation of the biennial programme budget and the monitoring of its implementation by initiating, coordinating and expediting all actions related to the preparation and final submission to the Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts (OPPBA); provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
• Provides advice and guidance, including training, to staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
• Represents the Department in inter-departmental meetings, financial meetings, seminars etc. 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 budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on programme performance or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports; ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and ensures that the outputs produced by the Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Section under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Prepares Host Country Agreements; prepares audit responses.
• Plans, organizes and manages staff and work programme; coordinates diverse projects in the Section; guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision; plans and discusses individual work programmes with staff and evaluates their performance.
• Recruits staff for the Section taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values and is responsible for evaluating candidates and conducting interviews for job openings within his/her purview.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget management and financial administration of resources. Proven analytical skills and ability to provide technical advice in budget management to managers. Ability to manage a programme in a field operation and formulate new strategies and approaches to budget management issues. 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.
• 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.
• Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• 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 Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

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

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required.
• Experience in preparation and presentation of budget proposals, performance reports, submissions and reports to intergovernmental bodies is required. Experience in application of integrated management information systems in the areas of budget and finance administration is required.
• Experience in providing guidance and advice to senior management relating to budget and finance is required.
• Experience in application of staff and financial rules, regulations, policies and practices for a government or intergovernmental organization is desirable.
• Experience in the work of the United Nations economic and social development is desirable.
• Experience in preparation of audit responses is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
United Nations Considerations
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, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on 'The Application Process' and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on 'Manuals' hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The screening and 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, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira.
Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations.
Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: 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 a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
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.