Compare your current skills to what this opportunity needs—we'll show you what you already have and what could strengthen your application.
Job Description
Job no: 594065 Contract type:
Temporary Appointment Duty Station:
New York Location:
United States Categories:
Financial Management UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job - it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. For every child, the right to a Chance UNICEF's fundamental mission is to uphold the rights of every child, everywhere—across programmes, advocacy, partnerships, and operations, with equity at the heart of its work to ensure every child has an equal opportunity to survive, develop, and thrive. The Global Programme Division (GPD) plays a central role in driving programme excellence across UNICEF, providing global strategic leadership, policy direction, and technical guidance to ensure coherence and alignment across sectors, regions, and partners. As part of this structure, Centres of Excellence (CoEs), located in Nairobi, Panama, Amman, and Bangkok, provide high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance, linking global policy with country-level implementation to deliver results for children at scale. How can you make a difference? As the Budget and Finance Associate, you will provide operational support on budget and financial management across the unit, in close coordination with Programme teams. You will support the monitoring of budget allocations, salary funding, and financial transactions, including year-end closure activities, and assist in reviewing financial reports to support informed decision-making. You will play an important role in supporting Programme teams by providing guidance and day-to-day operational support, interpreting and clarifying financial reports, and ensuring that budget allocations and financial processes are effectively managed. In this role, you will contribute to the efficient management of financial resources by supporting payroll funding processes, budget transfers, and the allocation and transfer of funds. You will also collaborate with the Central Support Centre (CSC) in New York and other locations to help streamline processes and resolve operational bottlenecks. You will support the implementation of HACT processes, including the delivery of trainings for Programme Assistants and the processing of related transactions. In addition, you will coordinate with Programme teams to identify procurement needs and ensure that related budget requirements are addressed. Through your work, you will contribute to the timely allocation and transfer of funds, timely disbursement of funds to partners, and adequate payroll funding—ensuring that financial operations effectively support programme implementation and results. The position is located in the Strategic Operations Unit. Under the guidance of the Finance and Budget Manager, the Budget and Finance Associate provides operational support on budget and financial management across the unit, in close coordination with Programme teams. The role supports the monitoring of budget allocations, salary funding, and financial transactions, including year-end closure activities. It also assists in reviewing financial reports and providing guidance and day-to-day operational support to Programme teams. Key responsibilities include supporting payroll funding and cost distributions, budget transfers, and ensuring timely allocation and transfer of funds. The incumbent collaborates with CSC New York and other locations to help streamline processes and resolve operational bottlenecks. The role also supports HACT processes, including processing transactions and delivering trainings, and coordinates with Programme teams to identify procurement needs and ensure related budget requirements are addressed. To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… Minimum requirements:
Education :
Completion of secondary education is required. University courses in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration is an asset and certifications (ACCA, CPA, etc.) are desirable.
Work Experience :
A minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget management, or administrative operations is required, including experience in budget monitoring, financial reporting, payroll and cost recovery processes, the use of financial systems (ERP), and any other related fields.
Skills :
Budget Management, Financial Reporting, HACT transactions, ERP, MS Suit.
Language Requirements :
Proficiency in English is required.
Desirables:
Language:
Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset. Experience with
UN/UNICEF
systems, Finance Interface(s), Procurement, and IPSAS standards are considered an advantage.
Capabilities Required:
Collaboration Navigate organizational dynamics and adapt behavior to respond to different situations Choose appropriate words, tone and tailors' messages respectfully and persuasively to suit different audiences Write clear, concise and well-structured reports and documents using appropriate language Pay close attention to what others are saying, asking questions for clarification Present ideas and information clearly in front of groups Problem Solving Analyze data, identify trends, patterns and anomalies Evaluate information, analyze problems, identify underlying causes and risks Summarize and communicate findings, focusing on actionable insights to support decision-making Make decisions in time-sensitive situations, even with incomplete information Assess the potential impact of solutions (costs, benefits and risks) Digital Dexterity Utilize AI-powered tools and platforms to automate data analysis Apply prompts to improve the quality of reports and data, ensuring alignment with internal regulations and policies Use specialist technology business systems and software Analyze and summarize data from various business systems to generate reports and insights For every Child, you demonstrate... UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. UNICEF competencies required for this post are… (1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.
