Closing date: Thursday, 29 February 2024
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund was established in 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide retirement, death, disability, and related benefits for staff of the United Nations and other member organizations of the Fund. The Pension Fund pays benefits in 17 currencies to more than 80,000 beneficiaries who reside in 190 countries, and services more than 140,000 participants who work in the 25 member organizations of the Pension Fund. The Fund has offices in New York (United States) and Geneva (Switzerland) and two liaison offices in Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand), respectively.
The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund-Pension Administration (UNJSPF-PA) comprises about 250 staff from diverse countries and cultures, based across four prominent duty stations (New York, Geneva, Bangkok, and Nairobi). We are a career employer offering unique opportunities for growth within the United Nations system. We offer staff competitive benefits, including up to six weeks of annual leave per year, a defined benefit pension plan (not subject to variation of capital markets), parental leave, a comprehensive insurance plan, and flexible working arrangements subject to operational requirements. Our office is located in the heart of Manhattan, within walking distance from the Grand Central Station hub, in a state-of-the-art facility (the One Dag Hammarskjöld building). Visit www.unjspf.org for more details.
This position is located in Financial Services in UNJSPF. The Senior Finance & Budget Officer/ reports to the Chief Financial Officer of UNJSPF.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Senior Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Programme plan:
Plans, organizes and manages the preparation of the programme plan and its revisions on the basis of departmental submissions, taking into account recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies.
Proactively supports relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in the review of the programme plan and its revisions; Presents and prepares responses to Fund’s governing bodies (particularly the Budget Committee, the Pension Board, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, and the 5th Committee of the UN General Assembly) of secures support and approval for the Fund’s Budget
Ensures legislative mandates are accurately translated into programme budgets
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 from (a) secretariat of the Pension Board; (b) Pension Administration; (c) Office of Investment Management; and (d) Office of Internal Oversight Services, ensuring compliance with programme plan and other legislative mandates.
Co-ordinates the preparation of budget submissions from managers
Reviews, analyses and finalizes programme budget/financial implications stemming from decisions from the Pension Board for submission to the General Assembly decisions by the Pension Board
Reviews cost sharing methodologies and conducts period surveys to establish standard costs and the cost of services provided by UNJSPF to the UN Staff Pension Committee
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 and financial statements; secures approval from the General Assembly
General:
Provides advice and guidance, including training, to UNJSPF 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 finance and 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
Supports the financial reporting process of the Fund for administrative expenses and assets, prepares reporting under IPSAS 24
Represents the UNJSPF in meetings of legislative organs; represents Financial Services in inter and intra-departmental meetings
Plans, organizes and manages staff and work programme; plans and discusses individual work programmes with staff and evaluates their performance
Develops, improves and monitors the implementation of cost sharing methodologies utilized between the Fund and it’s Member Organizations
Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need
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 and ability to provide technical advice in budget management to managers. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
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.
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.
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 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) in business administration, finance, or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job – Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required
Experience with United Nations results based budget methodology, and formulation, implementation and reporting of budgets in the United Nations Secretariat is required
Experience in presenting budget proposals to governing bodies such as United Nations General Assembly is desirable
Experience in financial reporting under IPSAS is desirable
Knowledge of an ERP budget system, preferably BPC, is desirable.
Language
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The applicable human resources procedures are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Fund and the UN Secretariat. Any candidate from a member organization of the UNJSPF applying for this post is considered as an internal candidate provided he/she has been appointed through the appointment and promotion procedures applicable in his/her respective organization
Staff members are subject to the authority of the head of the entity and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures
The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position
For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 Nov 2023, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.
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.
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.
To apply for this job please visit careers.un.org.