Associate Budget and Finance officer

UN Environment is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UN Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The position is located at the Ecosystem Services Economics Unit in the Ecosystems Division. The Ecosystem Services Economics Unit has received funding from the European Union to implement the Action on Promoting biodiversity and sustainability in the agriculture and food sector through economic valuation and the funding from the German International Climate Initiative to implement the project: Supporting Biodiversity and Climate friendly Land Management in Agricultural Landscapes. Under the overall supervision of the head of Ecosystem Services Economics Unit (ESE), the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

The post holder will have a coordinating role in the administrative and programme support items across the portfolio, specifically:

BUDGET PREPARATION:

• Prepare cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of office resource requirements such as staff and non-staff requirements, including programmatic aspects; reviews, analyses and revises data with respect to the finalization of the budget proposals.
• Provide support to programme officers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
•  Administer the allotments in accordance with the established procedures including redeployment/reallocation of funds.
• Liaise with implementing partners and programme officers for the preparation of budgets and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations in drafting agreements
• Administer and monitor extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
•  Monitor budget implementation and determine/recommend reallocation of funds when necessary.
• Monitor expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized/approved levels.
• Review all requisitions generated by the Umoja system for goods and services to ensure correct objects of expenditure have been charged and confirm availability of funds.
• Prepare relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions.
•  Review and make appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Provide substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:

• Monitor the preparation of project documents and their subsequent revisions, liaising with relevant internal colleagues and teams in implementing partner organizations.
•  Review draft letters of agreement and memorandums of understanding with supporting organizations before administration clearance.
•  Monitor the liaisons with supporting organizations to assist programme officers.
• Assist in the coordination of project implementation of the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food (TEEBAgriFood):
• Act as focal point for all financial management related matters within the Compliance Assistance Programme in Ecosystem Services Economics Unit.
• Liaise with the programme officers, in preparing project documents, liaising with the Corporate Services Division (CSD), UNEP and Budget and Financial Management Service (BFMS), United Nations Office Nairobi (UNON) as necessary. Ensure that payments to the executing agencies are processed accurately and in a timely manner and coordinate with programme officers to monitor expenditures.
• Monitor expenditures on a timely basis, ensuring that they are within the approved budget:
• Liaise with UNON regarding the financial database of Umoja approvals, providing reports as requested.
• Revise and analyse interim and final expenditure reports submitted by the executing agencies and ensure the expenditures are in line with the original budget
• Coordinate the submission of Approval Sheets and follow up each approval.
• Inform the Head of Ecosystem Services Economics Unit, on the status of funds available.
• Check UNON project accounts to ensure that expenditures are correctly reflected.
• Assist in the timely preparation of interim and final financial reports to be submitted to the donors.
  

Monitoring and Progress Controls

Ultimate result of services:

• Uses business intelligence for reporting and monitoring donor and project portfolios
•  Keep up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
• Provide data for the preparation of bids, purchase orders, consultant contracts and commercial contracts, as relevant.
• Provide support to the program officers in planning for the TEEBAgriFood regional symposiums and other workshops.
• Grants execution through the Implementing partners portal- Umoja
• Provides advice and guidance, including training to staff on budget and financial policies and procedures
•  Perform other related duties, as assigned.

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

• A minimum of two (2) years progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required.
• Experience in preparing financial reports is required
• Experience with Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is desirable.

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. 
• Working knowledge of other UN official languages is desirable.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Contract type: Staff
Contract level: P2 - Temporary Appointment  (TA)
Contract duration:' 11 months initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability'

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO)