Job Summary:

As the only specialized organization with the mandate to support educational policy, planning and management, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) plays a unique role within the United Nations system. IIEP was established in 1963 as an integral part of UNESCO. It supports ministries of education and their partners around the world to plan and manage education systems through four types of capacity development programs: training, technical cooperation, research and development, and knowledge sharing. IIEP has offices in Paris, Dakar, and Buenos Aires. IIEP draws on voluntary contributions from core donors and earmarked project funding to achieve its goals and objectives. Under the overall authority of IIEP Director and the direct supervision of the Finance and Operations Manager of IIEP, the Budget Officer will advise and support the Finance and Operations Manager of IIEP, in the Corporate Services Unit (CSU)/Administrative Office (AO) unit on all budget-related matters within IIEP’s three offices.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Budget Preparation and Implementation

• Prepare, review and analyze cost estimates and budget proposals to support IIEP medium-term plan and the preparation of the budget for approval by the Institute’s Governing Board.
• Ensure proper management of appropriations allotments, and commitments, to ensure that they remain within authorized levels, in compliance with the organization’s rules & regulations and accounting standards.
• Review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with applicable rules, regulations and established policies and procedures.
• Ensure the establishment of all approved budget codes and structures for both Core Funding and Project Funding to enable the timely implementation of programs and projects.
• Contribute to closing tasks, including carry forward exercise and the necessary reconciliation with accounting, in accordance with IPSAS requirements and UNESCO Headquarters’ closure instructions.

Budget Control and Monitoring

• Monitor and communicate the overall implementation of IIEP’s managed funds to management by preparing variance analyses to identify deviations.
• Analyse & monitor all costs in terms of staff and non-staff requirements, prepare, and recommend budget revisions and funds reallocations as and when necessary. Ensure alignment of staff costs with HR planning.
• Provide technical advice and guidance, as required, to IIEP 3 offices on programmatic, budgetary policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting.
• Ensure that projects managers are aware of budgetary principles, methodologies, rules, and procedures by providing guidance and training, and regularly update the Institute’s budget guidelines, instructions and/or standard operational procedures, in line with the evolution of UNESCO financial policies and practices, as well as IIEP and UNESCO Governing Bodies’ resolutions/decisions.
• Enhance Funding Management and Monitoring:

1. Incorporate risk management elements in project budget proposals to help project managers identify implementation risks from the start.
2. Ensure the full and optimal implementation of IIEP’s cost recovery policy and alert the management of any deviations in this area.
3. Liaise with relevant UNESCO’s corporate services on budgetary issues relating to harmonization and alignment within the UN system, to ensure compliance with UNESCO’s current rules and procedures.

Reporting

• Prepare documents, dashboards, presentations, charts, tables and statistics, for analyses and preparation of budget related reports, to support informed decision-making by IIEP management and Governing Body.
• Keep up to date on documents/reports/guidelines/issues that have a bearing on matters related to programme budgets, as appropriate, ensuring compliance with IIEP recommendations and decisions as well as with UNESCO policies and procedures budgetary issues, and correspondence.
• Prepare documents and reports for the submission to IIEP’s Governing Body (GB) Executive Committee and Plenary Session, in accordance with GB relevant bodies’ decisions and recommendations.
• Prepare relevant information with respect to IIEP programme and budget to be shared with relevant UNESCO organizational units (including ED parent sector, corporate services at Headquarters, field offices and other institutes).
• Provide substantive support for the required inputs and reports to internal and external audits and evaluations.
• Undertake research and analysis of budgetary policies and procedures, make recommendations for changes and/or modifications

Other

• Act as Certifying Officer ensuring that ensuring that funds are used in accordance with the organization’s objectives and budgets, and that all transactions are executed properly and in compliance with all relevant rules regulations and procedures.
• Additional activities that may be required to ensure the success of the work team.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial):

–

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master level or equivalent) in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of finance, budget, business accounting, and other related fields, of which preferably 2 years acquired in the UN system.

Skills and competencies:

• Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgement, along with analytical and conceptual skills.
• Capability to independently conduct research and analysis, formulate options, present conclusions, and defend recommendations.
• Demonstrated analytical and organizational skills, ability to identify issues and formulate options/recommendations.
• Expertise in conducting data analysis and producing financial reports to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting.
• Knowledge of financial management and accounting practices, as well as financial administration of resources.
• Proficiency in interpreting rules and administrative guidelines and solving routine and non-routine issues in Finance and Budgeting.

• Excellent communication skills (oral and written), including proficiency in drafting clearly and concisely in English and French.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment and with external and internal partners.
• Initiative and persistence, with the calmness to face difficult problems or challenges.
• Ability to identify priority activities and assignments, adjusting priorities as required, and allocating appropriate amounts of time and resources for completing work.
• Foresight to anticipate risks and allow for contingencies when planning, as well as monitoring and adjusting plans and actions as necessary, using time efficiently.
• Discretion, tact, and maturity with the discernment to apply sound judgment in the context of given assignments.
• Capacity to work independently with minimal supervision, and to perform under pressure, paying close attention to detail and quality of work.
• Excellent IT skills, including proficiency in Office software such as Word and Excel.

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of English and French.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

Work Experience:

• Experience in the use of enterprise planning systems (ERP), financial modules, automated budgeting, and accounting systems, preferably SAP.

Skills/Competencies:

• Knowledge of the United Nations and/or UNESCO budgetary rules and procedures

Languages:

• Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish).