Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the Director-General of UNON is the representative of the Secretary-General in Kenya. UNON supports programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Resident Coordination System (RCS) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, security, conference and information services (www.unon.org). These posts are located in Budget and Financial Management Service (BFMS), United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Under the direct supervision of the Section or Unit Chief, BFMS, UNON, the incumbents will provide strategic, technical, and operational support in budgeting, financial management, grants management, voluntary contributions, and implementing partner oversight in compliance with the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules and IPSAS. Within delegated authority, the Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

BUDGETING: • Provides substantive input into organizational strategic planning, results-based budgeting, and resource allocation processes. • Reviews and analyses cost estimates and budget proposals for both regular and extra-budgetary resources, ensuring alignment with programme mandates and funding agreements. • Supports intergovernmental and inter-agency processes through preparation of documentation and analysis of budget submissions. • Monitors budget implementation and financial performance, analysing variances and recommending corrective actions or reallocation of resources. • Ensures the utilization of resources is fully compliant with the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules and established budgetary policies. • Prepares budget performance reports with comprehensive variance analysis and provides recommendations for management decision-making. • Manages the approved staffing table and monitors financial implications of post management, recruitment, and organizational changes. • Implements and monitors cost recovery mechanisms and ensure timely collection and reconciliation of receivables. ACCOUNTING, GRANTS AND VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS: • Reviews and validates contribution agreements to ensure accurate financial recording and proper recognition of revenue. • Monitors accounts receivable related to voluntary contributions and applies appropriate financial treatment, including expected credit loss where applicable. • Provides expert advice on grants management policies, procedures, and financial compliance requirements to programme managers and stakeholders and prepares donor financial reports. • Ensures that all financial transactions related to grants are properly recorded, reconciled, and reported in line with IPSAS standards. • Supports audits by providing detailed analysis and responses to internal and external audit observations related to grants and financial reporting. • Reviews reconciliations, open item managed accounts (OIM), and suspense balances, ensuring timely resolution of discrepancies. • Participates in development and enhancement of accounting policies, internal controls, and standard operating procedures. IMPLEMENTING PARTNER (IP) MANAGEMENT: • Oversees financial management of implementing partner agreements, ensuring compliance with UN Financial Regulations and donor requirements. • Reviews and approves financial transactions related to implementing partners, ensuring accuracy, eligibility, and proper documentation. • Monitors implementing partner financial reports and utilization of funds, identifying risks and recommending corrective measures. • Strengthens financial assurance frameworks for implementing partners, including risk assessments, monitoring mechanisms, and capacity support. • Ensures that disbursements to implementing partners are aligned with approved work plans and funding agreements. • Provides guidance to stakeholders on financial management and reporting requirements related to implementing partner arrangements. GENERAL: • Reviews and analyses financial and operational reports to identify trends, risks, and areas for improvement. • Provides advisory support to management on financial policies, procedures, and operational efficiency. • Ensures that accurate accounting records, audit trails, and internal controls are maintained. • Responds to financial queries from management, stakeholders, and auditors in a timely and professional manner. • Supervises staff, provides training and guidance, and contributes to work planning and performance monitoring. • Acts as a quality assurance and knowledge focal point within the unit. • Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of financial principles and practices related to the management of grants and trust funds. Ability to independently conduct research and analysis, formulate options and present conclusions and recommendations to management in support of decision-making. Shows pride in work and achievements and demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges and remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates. Provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise. Is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

Professional qualification from a recognized accountancy body like Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Certified Public Accountants (CPA), or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related area is required. Supervisory experience with performance management is required. Experience with Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) systems specifically in the use of Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP) ERP is required. Experience with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) framework is required. Experience in Implementing partner (IP) management, management of grants, trust funds and voluntary contributions accounting and donor financial reporting is required. Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area with ability to create and customize reports is desired.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to legislative body funding availability. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. The requirement is not applicable when a person considered for appointment is serving or has previously served as affiliated personnel (for example as a consultant, individual contractor, intern or gratis personnel) with a specialized agency or an Office, Fund or Programme such as UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP or UNOPS which is separately administered and funded from voluntary contributions. When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 April 2026 are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

United Nations Office at Nairobi

FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER (MULTIPLE), P3