Budget and finance officer, P4 (5 months temporary contract)

ISDR/T/04/2013

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Organization setting and reporting

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in socio-economic and humanitarian fields. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and 5 regional offices and other field presences. Specifically, UNISDR coordinates international efforts in disaster risk reduction, and guides, monitors and reports on the progress of the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action; campaigns to create global awareness of disaster risk reduction benefits and empower people to reduce their vulnerability to hazards; advocates for greater investments in disaster risk reduction to protect people's lives and assets, and for increased and informed participation of men and women in reducing disaster risk; and informs and connects people by providing practical services and tools such as PreventionWeb, publications on good practices, and by leading the preparation of the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction and the organisation of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The position is located in the UNISDR Office in Geneva. The Budget and Finance Officer will report to the Chief, Executive  Office. Within delegated authority, the Budget and Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

· Review, analyse and finalize the preparation of the biannual work programme and its revisions on the basis of  departmental submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies.
· Ensure legislative mandates are accurately translated into program budgets.
· Review, analyse and finalize cost estimates and budget proposals, in term of staff and non-staff
requirements from sections/units at headquarters and in the Regional Offices, including
programmatic aspects ensuring compliance with the work programme and other legislative
mandates.
· Provide detailed input with respect to resource re quirements for budget submissions.
· Review, analyze and finalize program budget/financial implications to the Senior Management.
· Issues allotments, authorize sub-allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate  expenditures.
· Manage and monitor budget implementation and recommend reallocation of funds as necessary.
· Monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels.
· Administer and monitor extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations, rules, established policies and procedures.
· Prepare budget performance submissions.
· Review and finalize budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
· Provide substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
· Provide advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and regional office staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
· Participate in interdepartmental 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 program ensuring  compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
· Drafts reports for Senior Management on budget issues and related correspondence.
· Provides substantive support to resource mobilization ensuring that financial data and requirements are indicative of the cost-plan.
· Undertakes research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, makes recommendations for changes and /or modifications’; providing insightful and expert analysis of complex financial requirements, performance and other issues by examining requirements, comparative trends and scenarios.
· Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rule 110.4 to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules.
· Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them.
· Plan, organize, manage and supervise the work of the assigned team.
· Incumbents may be asked to perform other related duties.

Competencies:

· Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principals and practices, budget development and financial  administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary polices procedures and new programmes. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary matters.

· 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.

· Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

· 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; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

· 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.

Managerial Competencies:

· Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and
deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

· Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidences in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to theirs; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.

Qualifications:

Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance or other related areas. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget or related fields.

Language: Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.