Planning Officer (Budget), P2, Maseru, Lesotho

Contract

This is a P-2 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 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 78,131 USD and 106,121 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, an advocate

Every child has the right to survive and thrive

UNICEF has helped reduce child mortality all over the world by working to reach the most vulnerable children, everywhere.

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Planning Officer (Budget) is responsible for supporting the coordination of the planning process; ensuring effective budget monitoring; supporting programme coordination; coordinate mid/end year reporting; and support the Programme Review Committee for partnership documentation with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support the development of sectoral annual work plans and annual management plans and ensure they are completed in a timely manner and in line with the five-year country programme document.

2. Acts as the secretariat for the Programme Review Committee. This entails, providing technical support to UNICEF and partners in completing all required documentation in a timely manner, ensuring they are of excellent quality; monitoring value for money; organizing PRC committee meetings and taking notes; monitoring the timeliness of disbursements of funds to partners and attending quarterly Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) meetings. Keep the Representative and Deputy Representative abreast of findings and recommendations from field monitoring trips.

3. Provide secretariat support to all programme coordination committees, including the Adolescent and Early Childhood Development working groups. Provide technical support to the programme counterparts/committees, e.g. review budgets and financial plans of implementing partners; and monitor compliance with (Harmonized Cash Transfer) HACT framework, including support to assessments, assurance and capacity development of implementing partners.

4. Contribute to the timely preparation of quality reporting including donor reports and the annual Country Office Annual Report. Organize mid and end year reviews and participate in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) quarterly meetings. Coordinate inputs for concept notes and briefing notes on development partners for the Representative as required. Work closely with the Communications Specialist to coordinate speeches and talking points for the Representative.

5. Work closely with the M&E Specialist to coordinate the findings and recommendations from field monitoring trips and report against HACT assurance plan.

6. Provides one-stop facility for all documentation related to grants as per audit requirement and open/update existing grant files with submitted documents; and retrieves information from VISION on costs of programme elements, such as staff and related costs, from automated files and compiles them in standardized and customized reports. Provides information on allotment accounts and availability of funds; issues revised sub-allotment; advises and updates allotment lists.

7. Supports the office in budget planning and ensuring financial fiduciary measures are in place. Monitors performance against management score card indicators and provides reports to sections:

• Lesotho CO in budget and grant management – track progress with Donor conditionality

• Report management- monitoring and timeliness of result reporting

• Technical and operational support to Grant implementation

• Networking and partnership building with various partners for grant utilization

• Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building of partners on different grants

• Support the Donor Relations docket

• Coordinate with HQs on incoming funds, Programme Budget Allocation ( PBA )issuance, revision, extension, and adjustments, as well as on issues regarding allocations and conditionality.

• Coordinate with programme sections on the allocation of PBAs as per donor conditionality. Register the allocations in the system, including any subsequent changes or reallocation. Monitor the expiry of PBAs and ensure that actions are taken for full utilization by the expiry date.

• Conduct regular review and reconciliation of PBAs against HQ fund utilization cube in the allotment and actual expenditures. Coordinate with HQ on any discrepancy and corrective action required. Carry out re-phasing of PBAs at the end of the year and adjustments on allocations after the closure of accounts.

• Advise Supervisor (s) on any PBA that are low on utilization keeping in mind the performance target set by the office or with any deviation from donor conditionality. Make recommendations on budget reallocation based on expenditure trends during reviews.

• Provide support and advice to programme sections on issues related to funding status, budget implementation, policy and procedures, and management of budgets. Carry out training to staff as needed. This can be done by keeping abreast of UNICEF Accounting, Budgeting, Financial and Operations procedures and guidelines.

• Review and ensure the quality of data in SAP and other online platforms in terms of correctness in coding and completeness and appropriateness of information. Review the reliability and integrity of financial information in the system and identify any inadequacy of internal control systems and procedures. Propose appropriate recommendations to reduce risks in the utilization of financial resources. Participate in peer reviews or risk assessment activities.

8. Coordinate the Deputy and Representatives office in all critical aspects of work in close collaboration with the chiefs of sections and the Chief of Operations. Develop, introduce and maintain work flows and tools to streamline the high volume of work of the deputy representative’s office and enable proactive and strategic identification of priority actions. Prioritize issues for the deputy representative including planning, coordination, quality assurance and Budget management.

9. Support to HACT planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.

• Serve as reference person on HACT implementation in the office and secretary to the HACT working Group

• Quality assurance of HACT and other policies/procedures on the management of the implementing partners

• Analysis, planning, monitoring, and reporting for HACT

• Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building of partner

• Networking and Inter-Agency partnership

10. Support the Adolescent Development Specialist and the Child Protection Specialist on mainstreaming Gender related issues across programme documents and in addressing the initiative on ‘Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’.

11. Performs other related duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the success of the team, including guiding, training, and coaching short-term staff, including interns and consultants, as needed.

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

Education:

A university degree in International Development, Public Affairs, International Relations, Ccommerce/accounting/business management, or a related field

Work experience:

At least two years of relevant professional experience in programme planning, budgeting, PME, liaison and/or any resource-mobilization related activities, preferably in an international organization.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies:

▪ Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)

▪ Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

▪ Works Collaboratively with others (1)

▪ Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)

▪ Innovates and Embraces Change (1)

▪ Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)

▪ Drives to achieve impactful results (1)

▪ Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Functional Competencies:

▪ Formulating strategies and Concepts (I)

▪ Analyzing (II)

▪ Applying Technical Expertise (II)

▪ Planning and Organizing (II)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Remarks

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.

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.

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