Budget & Finance Specialist, P-3, End Violence Against Children, EVAC, New York, NY

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 140,639 USD and 184,155 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope...

The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (EVAC) is seeking an experienced, highly organized and reliable Budget and Finance Specialist to manage and oversee all aspects of the organization’s budget and financial management. S/he will be responsible for tracking, analyzing and reporting income and expenditures, including donor contributions, and will be accountable for analyzing needs, preparation, management and monitoring of resources, involving all sources of funds and in-kind contributions across the End Violence Secretariat and Fund, thus contributing to the effective planning and management of the organization. S/he will collaborate closely with UNICEF’s Funds Support Office and contribute to overall strategies related to contribution and budget management and reporting and capacity building of End Violence, ensuring compliance of all financial operations with UNICEF policies, procedures, guidelines, standards of performance, ethics, and integrity. The successful candidate will be highly responsive, proactive and results-oriented, with a flexible approach and a commitment to building a thriving, collaborative work environment.

Every year, over 1 billion children experience violence. Violence in childhood undermines all other investments in children: in their health, education and development, often with negative lifelong consequences and intergenerational impact. Recognizing the devastating impacts of violence against children, in 2015 world leaders committed to end all forms of violence, abuse and neglect by 2030, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. In July 2016, the UN Secretary-General launched the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and an associated Fund.

The End Violence Partnership includes governments, UN agencies, international organizations, civil society, faith groups, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, research practitioners, academics and children themselves – uniting their voices, actions and resources in a unique public-private collaboration focused solely on ending all violence against children.

In five years, the Partnership has helped develop and promote the INSPIRE solutions to end violence; enrolled more than 30 governments as Pathfinder countries; launched an innovative initiative with education sector partners to end violence in and through schools; awarded some $57 million in grants to tackle childhood violence online, in schools and in humanitarian situations; welcomed over 550 organizations as members; and galvanized those working to end violence through collective advocacy and events including an inaugural Solutions Summit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put children everywhere at even higher risk of violence and abuse and threatens to undermine progress made in recent years. But COVID-19 has also heightened awareness, inspired new collaborations and ways of working, and demonstrated the value of the End Violence Partnership as a global platform for collective and evidence-based advocacy, action and investments. Together, we have a window of opportunity to start to translate the rhetoric of building back better into a reality for children in the coming years.

Purpose of Assignment

The Budget and Finance Specialist will be hired on a UNICEF Temporary Appointment from May 2021 to April 2022, for a total duration of 364 days. The position is based in New York and reports to the Deputy Director of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children. S/he will work in close collaboration with the End Violence Executive Director and members of the Leadership Team. S/he will contribute to a culture of professionalism that emphasizes curiosity, learning, collaboration and delivery.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Deputy Director, the Budget and Finance Specialist will be responsible for the following key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

• Support to financial planning and management
• Control of accounts
• Knowledge and capacity building

Support to financial planning and management

• Prepare/analyze financial data/estimates and documentation, verifying relevancy, accuracy and completeness to facilitate financial planning for the End Violence Secretariat and Fund. Provide technical and operational support and advice during strategic planning exercises and throughout the financial planning and implementation process.
• Lead the financial oversight management, monitoring and reporting of the End Violence budgets, and where applicable stakeholders budgets; proactively analyse financial data and make recommendations for the Executive Director and Deputy to take risk-informed decisions.
• Provide technical and operational support on the application, interpretation and implementation of financial policies, procedures and guidelines to the Executive Director, Deputy and other staff and stakeholders. Resolve routine financial issues and/or recommend (and record) deviation from procedures and guidelines to meet objectives.
• Evaluate financial and reputational risk in transactions carried out by the office and alert when actions are needed by management.
• Support resource mobilization for the End Violence Secretariat and Fund in the formulation of donor proposals and partnership agreements and contracts; and in systematic contribution management, monitoring and donor reporting.
• Provide technical support to the Deputy Director and grant managers in reviewing financial plans and budgets of implementing partners; monitor compliance with HACT framework, including support to financial assessments, assurance and capacity development of implementing partners.
• Prepare workplans for supervisee/s, provide timely technical guidance, monitor work in progress and review work completed to approve transactions and/or certify/verify accuracy of work and compliance with IPSAS and UNICEF regulations and rules, policies, procedures and guidelines.

2. Control of accounts

• Review budget implementation according to approved workplans and certify compliance with policies and procedures. Keep stakeholders informed for timely action.
• Process and/or review (as per delegated authority) the accurate and timely submission of payments and other financial transactions within scope to the UNICEF Global Shared Services Centre, ensuring compliance with budgetary limits, IPSAS and UNICEF regulations, rules, policies, procedures, standards of accountability and ethics. Monitor business transactions submitted to and processed by GSSC from a perspective of efficiency, performance and risk management. Take timely action on outstanding accounts to resolve pending issues.
• Monitor and analyze financial transactions, accounting reports and reconciliation of accounts to ensure accurate and current financial information for applicable compliance (e.g. IPSAS, donor reporting, internal policies) and management oversight, planning and/or action.
• Support supply and logistics strategies and interventions to meet organizational needs while ensuring value for money, including procurement of fit-for-purpose services and products and providing technical and advisory support to the Executive Director, Deputy and other stakeholders.
• Liaise with the UNICEF Funds Support Office (FSO) in tracking donor contributions to the End Violence Fund and Secretariat to ensure their timely deposit and recording in UNICEF systems. Coordinate with FSO on funds disbursement to implementing partners.
• Prepare or contribute to management/statutory office financial and accounting reports to the End Violence Board/Executive Committee/Working Groups/donors/ UNICEF, verifying reliability of data and compliance with organizational guidelines.
• Provide support to the Executive Director, Deputy and other Secretariat staff in collaborating with oversight bodies (e.g. End Violence Executive Committee, Working Groups, OIAI, donors, etc.) to provide answers and to follow up on resolution of financial observations and recommendations. Advise management on actions to be taken to enforce and strengthen accountabilities. Manage all aspects of internal audit exercises, if required.
• Assure proper and timely completion of accounts closure activities (monthly, quarterly and yearly).
• Manage and review credit card accounts transactions and operations in accordance with UNICEF/UN financial regulations and rules, policies, procedures and banking practices. Keep abreast of procedures and regulations regarding maintenance of bank accounts. Keep supervisor and relevant colleagues informed for timely action.
• Periodically review table of authority and financial delegations to ensure compliance with existing policies, and that accountabilities are clear, documented, and placed at adequate levels as per global policies and/or best practices.

3. Knowledge and Capacity Building

• Contribute to a culture of the highest ethical standards and behaviour in management and oversight of financial resources.
• Support and update Deputy Director and staff on budget implementation, ensuring alignment with relevant financial policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Support institutional memory within the office through maintenance of well-organized financial record-keeping and tracking.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in financial planning/management, business management, accounting or other relevant disciplines; a first-level university degree in combination with 7 years of relevant experience in the below fields may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in financial and contributions management, budget planning and monitoring, donor proposals and reporting in an international development organization or large corporation is required.
• Experience in grant management and/or enterprise risk management is desirable.
• Knowledge of other relevant technical or operational area, such as data analytics, administration, human resources, supply and logistics, or information and communications technology would be an asset.
• Experience in a UN system agency or organization, some of which served at global level and/or in a developing country or humanitarian context, is considered an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel, is required.
• Experience in database packages, web based management systems and ERP systems (preferably SAP financial modules) is considered as an asset.
• Experience with IPSAS and/or IFRS is considered as an asset
• Strong project management skills, with an ability to prioritize work and set clear goals for self and team in a fast-paced, evolving setting (e.g. wide range of tasks, ambiguity, flexibility).
• Demonstrated ability and commitment to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment in an international organization with a complex stakeholder network.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; analytical and strategic ability;
• Oral and written fluency in English is required; knowledge of other UN languages is desirable.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, leads and manages people (1)
• Demonstrates self awareness and ethical awareness (2)
• Works collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and maintains partnerships (2)
• Innovates and embraces change (2)
• Thinks and acts strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (2)
• Applying technical expertise (2)
• Planning and organizing (3)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

EVAC/UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

EVAC/UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Your appointment is limited to EVAC, a UNICEF hosted fund. While UN staff regulations and rules, as well as UNICEF policies and procedures, apply to you during your appointment, certain provisions therein may apply to you differently due to the limited scope of your appointment. In particular, you will not be subject to rotation exercise as per the Executive Directive on Staff mobility and rotation (CF/EXD/2015-002) or any revision thereof. In addition, during your appointment in EVAC, you will not be considered eligible for conversion to a Continuing Appointment as per UNICEF Administrative Instruction on Continuing Appointment (CF/AI/2017-002) or any revision thereof. In the event that your post is abolished, the priority granted and other support provided to staff on abolished posts in staff selection processes will only be extended to posts within EVAC and not to other posts in UNICEF.

To secure a UNICEF appointment outside EVAC, you will need to be selected in a competitive recruitment exercise. Upon selection for a UNICEF post outside of UNICEF hosted funds, the period you have served with the UNICEF hosted fund will count towards the calculation of the tour of duty in your duty station and eligibility for a continuing appointment.