Background

Applicants who previously applied need not apply.
 
The Office of Financial Resources Management (OFRM), Bureau of Management, supports the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the promotion of its sustainable human development agenda. It achieves this by developing and making fully operational a dynamic and harmonized integrated resource management framework based on comprehensive analysis that   enhances UNDP’s financial and administrative performance, as well as facilitates UN reform and coherence. To these ends, the framework addresses strategically critical financial and administrative resource planning and management issues, including results based budgeting; the integration of the Programming Arrangements and the Institutional Budget within the context of the integrated budget from 2014 onwards; enhanced cost classification and cost recovery; capital budgeting; adherence to IPSAS; foreign exchange and investment activities; facilities management; administration of office space, organizational assets and travel; Balanced Scorecard Management and other performance management initiatives; and support to UN harmonization.

Effective and efficient integrated resources management is enabled through a continuous and robust process comprising:
  • Formulation and implementation of corporate financial and administrative strategies, policies and procedures;
  • Formulation, alignment, documentation and implementation of UNDP’s funding frameworks, assuring their integrity, viability and alignment with the Strategic Plan;
  • Provision of policy guidance, advisory services and operational support to strengthen client capacities and help them achieve results, seeking to build consensus within UNDP and with key stakeholders on critical budgetary related matters requiring Executive Board legislation;
  • Administration of the organization’s internal control framework, overseeing and monitoring financial management of all global UNDP offices, including through formulation/implementation of resource planning, management and oversight tools and reports;
  • Promoting clear accountability for financial transactions and producing financial statements, including financial reporting to donors and the UNDP Executive Board;
  • Providing capacity building support and guidance to ensure that travel, facilities, insurance and fixed asset management is adequately addressed in all locations.
The Budgeting and Project Management function is a highly important cross-cutting role. This will include the responsibilities previously held by OPB for development and implementation of the organizational budgeting framework, working closely with Strategic Resource Planning in establishing the framework and then monitoring its application at organizational level. Emphasis must be placed on the development and management of holistic budgets covering core and non-core resources.
 
This post is part of OFRM's Budgeting and Project Management Unit and performs the critical functions described below. The Manager, Budgeting and Project Management will be the primary supervisor responsible for setting RCA objectives and evaluating performance.

Duties and Responsibilities

The following is the post summary and description of duties and responsibilities:
 
The Budgeting and Project Management Specialist, under direct supervision of the Manager, Budgeting and Project Management and under the overall leadership of the Deputy Director and Chief, Budgeting and Project Management, will lead activities and manage relationships to mainstream and promote comprehensive integrated financial resources and project planning, ensuring that there is a full integration with respect to project and budget planning throughout the life cycle of an approved project. To this end, the incumbent will work closely, through matrix management arrangements, with OFRM Strategic Planning, Client Support and Financial Analysis Services and with other managers and staff in the Bureau of Management, BDP, OSG and other internal stakeholders to provide effective resource allocation, budget planning, project management and monitoring tools and services to ensure the integrity of the resource planning, budgeting and project management functions. In supporting clients, partners and other OFRM project teams to align resources according to corporate goals and practice results-based resource planning and budgeting, the incumbent will provide value-added analyses; leverage opportunities provided by Atlas; contribute to policy formulation and disseminate best resource, budget and project management practices.

Resource Planning, Budgeting and Project Management:
  • Actively contribute strategic and substantive input to the design of the overall operational framework for integrated financial resource planning;
  • In liaison with the Strategic Resource Planning and Policy and Procedures Units, translate Executive Board and EG approved budgeting and project management strategies into clearly articulated and implementable policies and procedures;
  • Design of training materials to facilitate the implementation of the integrated financial resources framework across the entire organization;
  • Lead and work closely with the Strategic Resource Planning, Client Service and Financial Analysis Services Teams to ensure appropriate tools are designed and available for the different parts of the organization to implement the integrated financial resources framework;
  • Lead and contribute to ad hoc projects related to the overall budget function of the organization;
  • The function will be responsible for operationalization of the integrated work plan and design of the tools required to implement it, and will provide guidance and otherwise help ensure that work plans are properly costed and that cost recovery elements are incorporated into the integrated work plan and budgets;
  • Serve as the focal point for position management and budget related matters (for example, pro-forma costs, agency services MOUs and standard SLAs);
  • Provide regular reports to ensure appropriate management decisions are taken based on integrated results;
  • Design and develop tools for performing the reconciliation between budget and the IPSAS financial statements.
  • Work closely with BOM, BDP, OSG and other internal stakeholders on redefining the project tools required for differentiated business models in the organization that ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness;
  • Work with OIST, in close coordination with Strategic Resource Planning, Client Service, and Financial Analysis Services Teams to translate business and functional requirements into changes to Atlas and create relevant reports;
  • Contribute to responses to the budget-related internal and external audit queries.
Resource planning and strategy development - Contribution to Executive Board documents:
  • Work closely with Strategic Planning and organization-wide planning focal points, contribute to related activities on the integrated financial resource planning and monitoring framework and alignment of relevant mechanisms;
  • Provide relevant key data and analysis thereof;
  • Support preparation of financial tables for position papers and budget related documents to be presented to Executive Board;
  • Support negotiation of budget strategy and institutional results framework.
Resource planning, budgeting and project management - Performance assessment and analytics: 
  • Provide advisory services and lead training on proper utilization and interpretation of the suite of commitment control derived resource management and project management reports at the office, fund and project levels;
  • Analyze trends in resource allocations, budgets and utilization;
  • Provide critical information and analyses for use in EG and OPG Briefs, and Executive Board documents on institutional budget and cost recovery;
  • Lead activities with respect to the preparation of functional specifications for new Atlas reports and queries related to resource management; monitoring of budgetary allocations and utilization; cost recovery sustainability; and project management. Lead/coordinate development and user acceptance testing of new reports as well as critical enhancements to existing reports, serving as lead liaison between OFRM, OIST, and clients.
Results-based planning, budgeting and management: 
  • Provide advisory services on results-based management including the Integrated Work Planning and Allocation tool and IWP monitoring report;
  • Support the alignment of core and non-core resources to development and management results;
  • Provide costing and analysis to aid in the formulation of UNDP’s corporate institutional budget. Prepare budget scenarios to facilitate decision making by senior management.
Other functions:
  • Serve as focal point for all aspects of the Commitment Control (KK) module of atlas (reporting, technical, reconciliation, cross walks to other atlas data sources, queries, and data extracts;
  • Oversee the maintenance and upgrading of the IPSAS-compliant suite of Management Reports (resource management & project management);
  • Budget formulation, analysis, and costings.
Impact of Results:
 
Incumbent contributes to implementation of UNDP policies and best resource management practices, as well as alignment of resource allocation and planning processes with corporate goals and priorities. Incumbent’s work outputs directly impact and drive organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Results delivered will contribute to build the strategic, integrated resource planning, budgeting, allocation and management processes of UNDP, at the senior management level as well as the office and staff levels.
 
Nature of Interactions:
  • Works productively with other units of OFRM in cross-unit project teams;
  • Serves as lead liaison between OFRM, OIST, and clients in the development of analytical reports related to budgeting and project management;
  • Interacts with other unit members on a daily basis and provides information, feedback and other inputs related to the common purpose of effective budgeting and project management at UNDP.

Competencies

Corporate competencies: 
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
  • Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills;
  • Ability to work under a tight schedule and accept additional responsibilities.
Functional competencies:
  • Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
  • Ability to lead formulation and monitoring of management projects;
  • Solid knowledge in financial resources and human resources management, contract, asset and procurement, information and communication technology, general administration, budgetary and financial policies and processes;
  • Proficient in UNDP corporate instruments, such as the institutional budget and programming frameworks;
  • Ability to lead business process re-engineering, implementation of new systems (business and technical side), and effect staff behavioural/ attitudinal change;
  • Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
  • In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master’s degree or equivalent in international development, public administration, business administration, public policy or other relevant social sciences, finance/accounting, information technology or related field.
Experience:
  • Minimum 7-years of relevant experience in the areas of resource and budget management, programme management, or finance;
  • Excellent knowledge and familiarity with Atlas; expertise in using office software applications; knowledge of SQL an advantage.
Language:
  • Proficiency in English, fluency in at least one other UN language would be highly desirable.
Attention to all applicants:
 
Candidates must submit the updated and signed UNDP P11 form (please click English version). When completing your P11, please include email addresses for your Supervisors.
 
FC: 02300