Back SENIOR FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER (Chief Cost Recovery Unit)

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Programme Planning and Budget Section of the Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS), Division of Administration, United Nations Office at Geneva. The Senior Finance & Budget Officer (Chief, Cost Recovery Unit) reports to the Chief of PPBS. Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Finance and Budget Officer (Chief, Cost Recovery Unit) will be responsible for the following duties:

BUDGET PREPARATION:
• Plans and co-ordinates review of budget submissions.
• Reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements; ensures compliance with the Programme Plan and other legislative mandates.
• Co-ordinates the preparation of budget submissions from managers.
• Reviews, analyses and finalizes programme budget/financial implications in case of additional mandates.
• Provides substantive support and guidance to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review; secures approval from the General Assembly.

BUDGET ADMINISTRATION:
• Manages/issues allotments, authorizes sub-allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
• 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.
• Oversees the review and finalization of budget performance reports; monitors variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provides advice and support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in review of budget performance reports; secure approval from the General Assembly.

COST RECOVERY:
• Manages and coordinates cost recovery related processes from end to end, including continuous improvement efforts.
• Leads the update and development of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with client offices.
• Prepares budget instructions, guides cost plan development and analysis and closely works with service providers and management to agree on resource levels and changes to the cost recovery regime.
• Coordinates the annual review and update of rate cards and advises service providers on pricing options and requirements. Ensures updates are properly reflected in the Umoja service catalogue.
• Oversees the billing process and monitoring of variances including workload volumes and outstanding receivables.
• Provides and develops guidance on cost recovery policies and procedures in close collaboration with the Office of the Controller and drives process innovation.
• Ensures the cost recovery regime complies with applicable policies and procedures and that the financial health of cost recovery funded activities is maintained.
• Monitors implementation, and proactively takes corrective action and in close collaboration with concerned parties.
• Analyzes cost plan amendment requests and makes recommendations to management to resolve problems.
• Responds promptly to address client entity concerns and coordinates issue resolution cross-functionally.

GENERAL:
• Provides advice and guidance, including training, to relevant staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
• Participates in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions 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.
• Prepares/finalizes reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on budgetary issues, and correspondence, including guidelines, instructions.
• Reviews and analyses budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and/or modifications.
• Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 110.4 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with budgets and established regulations and rules.
• Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them.
• Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme by maintaining and updating detailed processes and procedures; prioritizing, assigning and guiding individual responsibilities; developing needed expertise and knowledge; evaluating performance; and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• 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, ability to provide technical advice in budget management to managers, and ability to provide seasoned advice and strategic support in examining complex policy issues, identifying pertinent data, and presenting progressive proposals to management. Ability to develop new strategies and approaches to budget management issues. Ability to formulate and guide IT solutions to improve processes, and to structure complex and disparate data in support of decision making. 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. 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.

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.

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.

Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction. Conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

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 that 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 experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific Qualification

Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), as a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) or equivalent is desirable. Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in budget, administration, finance, or a related area is required.

Experience in the development of administrative policies and procedures in the area of cost recovery is desirable. Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in both English and French is required. Assessment

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

Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move 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 letter.

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.