Budget Officer

**Job no**: 575949
**Contract type**: Fixed Term Appointment
**Duty Station**: Panama City
**Level**: NO-2
**Location**: Panama
**Categories**: Operations, 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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

**For every child, a champion**

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

**Strategic office context**:
The Regional Operations section supports the Regional Office (RO) governance and management systems and leads the operations function for the effective delivery of technical assistance, oversight, advocacy, knowledge sharing and capacity building to Country Offices (CO). The section oversees programme and operations budget planning, monitoring and reporting function of the Regional Office, leads the regional Programme Budget Review exercises and provides technical assistance and capacity building support to Country Offices in results-based budget management.

**How can you make a difference**?**

Under the supervision of the Operations Manager P4, the Budget Officer supports the Regional Office programmatic and operational budgetary planning, monitoring, and reporting in compliance with donor conditions and internal UNICEF rules and regulations. The Budget Officer supports the establishment of an efficient budget management system within the RO. The incumbent performs a variety of specialized tasks in support of the preparation, monitoring, and quality review of country offices budget submissions and performance data, involving different sources of funds, information gathering and analysis of data/trends. The incumbent provides technical support to 24 COs, conducts quality review of regional IBCS database, delivers budget related trainings, interacts with DFAM to process system changes, and provides inputs to global policy and systems improvement.

**Key accountabilities and duties & tasks**:

- _**1. Policy, procedures and systems**

**2. Budget planning**

**3. Budget Monitoring**

**4. Budget Reporting**

**5. P**artnership, coordination and collaboration**

**6. **Effective management and development of staff including supervision of Finance/Budget related GS staff as required.**

**7. Perform any other duties and responsibilities assigned as required.**
- If you would like to know more about these duties, please review the complete Job Description here:_ _JP Budget Officer Level 2 ROs.pdf_

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

**_ Minimum requirements:_**
- **Education**: University degree in Accounting, Budget, Finance, Business Administration, or any other relevant field of discipline.
- **Work Experience**:Two years relevant professional work experience in budget management and monitoring its execution; Experience in a UN system agency, large private or public company is an asset. Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) is highly desirable. Understanding of Results Based Management is desirable. Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units is an ass