Org. Setting and Reporting
The position is located in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), in Laayoune. The Finance and Budget Officer, P3 reports to the Chief Budget and Finance of Section.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Finance & Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Budget preparation:
Reviews and analyses data with respect to the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
Provides support to managers with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
Reviews, analyses, and provides input into the finalization of programme budget proposals and financial implications, ensuring alignment with mandates, donor requirements, and organizational financial policies.
Provides substantive support and assistance during the budget review to relevant intergovernmental, expert and oversight bodies. Budget administration:
Monitors budget implementation and determines/recommends reallocation and reprioritization of funds when necessary.
Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels while flagging deviations for financial performance reporting.
Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
Monitors the implementation of approved budgets, comparing actuals against planned allocations, and preparing variance analyses.
Prepares relevant documentation with respect to budget performance submissions in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
Reviews and makes appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
Provides substantive support to intergovernmental and legislative bodies. Finance:
Analyses accounts and reviews/evaluates regular financial reports to assess accuracy, consistency and compliance with financial policies. Identifies problematic transactions and irregularities in related accounts and resolves them in a timely and effective manner.
Reviews and reconciles various clearing accounts and complex General Ledger accounts to ensure accurate balances in coordination with the Regional Service Center in Entebbe (RSCE) and in line with the Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Investigates erroneous/invalid entries and takes appropriate corrective accounting action on the preparation of the Mission year-end financial statements
Approves/Confirms that proposed obligations or expenditures, are in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the UN, relevant appropriations, staffing tables and corresponding approved allotments /appropriations.
Ensures that accurate, complete, and reliable accounting, reporting, and internal control systems are in place and that all relevant records are properly maintained.
Assists in the preparation and consolidation of financial statements for inclusion in the UN Financial Statements to be audited and responds to internal and external audit observations.
Provides training, advice, and other guidance concerning the United Nations’ Financial Regulations and Rules, finance processes, and Accounting Instructions.
Provides interpretation of requirements for processing transactions and monitors, analyzes entries recorded in the accounting system.
Collects, reviews, and interprets financial data to support monitoring, forecasting, and reporting.
Provides timely and accurate information to support responses to audit findings and financial performance reviews. General:
Keeps up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to programme and/or peacekeeping budgets, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as with United Nations policies and procedures.
Keeps up-to-date on current financial regulations/professional publications and accepted principles.
Identifies opportunities for process improvement and recommend changes for increased effectiveness and efficiency.
Monitors and supervises the work of staff as required.
Performs other related duties, as assigned.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards. Ability to apply conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills in financial and budget management. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make conclusions and recommendations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Planning and 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. 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.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or similar recognized professional designation is desirable.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, budget, financial analysis and reporting, business administration or a related area is required. Experience with preparation of a complete budget proposal for a field-based mandate implementation, encompassing a Result Based Budgeting programmatic framework, planning assumptions, personnel and non-personnel requirements and resource analysis is required.
Experience in supervising and managing a team is required Experience with providing financial services and budget management for an international organization in a field-mission type of environment is required. Experience with financial systems and financial modules of ERP such as SAP is required. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a structured interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available for 6 months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless
(a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and
(b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2):
(1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and
(2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.
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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.
This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.