Finance and Budget Officer at United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Responsibilities

Budget preparation and administration 

• 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. 
• Prepares/finalizes reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on budgetary issues, and correspondence, including guidelines, instructions. 
• Acts as Certifying Officer under Financial Rules to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with budgets and established regulations and rules.  Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary. 
• Prepares budget performance submissions. Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.

Finance & Accounting 

• Monitors the financial function of the Organization which includes a number of different and diverse operations and interrelated accounts of the financial system. 
• The incumbent is expected to review the operational objectives and related financial policies and procedures affecting the Organization's accounting and financial systems. S/he also takes the lead in implementing required changes. 
• Reviews and ensures that UNEP's financial statements are International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) compliant. 
• Supports the agile implementation of upgrades to the various modules the system. Keeps up to date with new IPSAS policies and implements in conjunction with UNON. 
• Liaises with UNON, Administrative/Fund Management Officers (A/FMOs), and auditors as required to identify and resolve finance issues. Provide support and guidance on financial aspects of legal agreements.  

Project closure  

• Provides operational guidance for closing expired projects in the UNEP Divisions/Offices, particularly in support of the newly established Climate Change Division.  
• Liaises with UNEP Finance Staff and Project Managers, Implementing Partners and government representatives to gather historical information on project implementation.Performs in-dept analysis in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to determine final balances of grants
• .Monitors progress of the project closure exercise, hold regular progress meetings, report to CSD Senior Management on the project closure exercise and take proactive measures to mitigate against potential risks. 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.

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; Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• 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.  

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.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.  Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

• Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) or equivalent is desirable. 

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, programme management, business administration or related area is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience in implementing, applying, and contributing to development of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is required. A
• minimum of five (5) years of hands-on, practical experience with preparing annual financial statements for large international organizations involving multiple sources of funds is required.
• A minimum five (5) years of supervising and managing a team of accounting professionals involved in each of the following areas: resource mobilization, implementing partners management, grant management, certifying officer responsibilities is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years relevant experience in conceptualizing, preparing, and defending policy and administrative decisions/guidance to diverse inter-governmental bodies in support of negotiations and international environmental agreements is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in reviewing and advising on financial implications of terms and conditions of legal agreements with host countries, donors and UN Agencies is desirable.
• Experience with use of finance modules in an ERP system, , including analysis of accounting data and creation of management reports using Business Intelligence tools, is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years experience in developing, building capacity and delivery of training on financial and legal arrangements with project implementing partners is desirable.
• Experience in performing analysis, reviewing, and designing tailored donor reports is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable