Budget Officer (Fixed Term) - Finance Department, West Bank

About the role

UNRWA is recruiting a Budget Officer for its Finance Department in the Field Office West Bank, on a fixed-term appointment of 1 year including a 1-year probation period, with possible extension depending on funds, performance and need. The post reports to the Deputy Head Field Finance Office and directly supervises the Assistant Budget Officer A14. It is open to internal and external candidates, and only candidates residing in the West Bank or Jerusalem within commuting distance of the duty station and holding a valid work permit may apply.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the budget operation for programme budget and external grants, supervising review and checking of budget estimates and adjustments, and managing reporting and monitoring of budget data and expenditure.
• Prepare forecasts, evaluation reports and consolidated estimates, certify fund availability and issue sub-allotment advice on Imprest Funds.
• Plan, lead, monitor and evaluate the work of assigned staff, give technical guidance and supervise or deliver training.
• Contribute to the annual work plan, guidelines, monitoring and evaluation tools, and revise field manuals, instructions and procedures in line with headquarters standards.
• Coordinate with expending officers on corrective actions, circulate headquarters budget instructions and ensure timely submission of budget estimates.
• Review budget and expenditure data monthly or quarterly, follow up significant variances, adjust and control budget reserves and take part in quarterly budget reviews.
• Ensure Work Breakdown Structure/Element (WBS/WBE) is applied correctly in hard and soft commitments, purchase requests, purchase orders and payroll runs, reconcile obligation reports with budget and expenditure reports and analyse variances.
• Monitor external grants with the Field Projects Office, advise Division Heads, compile budget statistics and draft reports and statements.
• Advise the Head Field Finance Office on the annual/biennial budget, act as deputy in their short-term absence, verify and enter budgetary data in the finance system and distribute monthly budget and expenditure reports.

Required profile

• First university degree in accountancy, finance, business administration or a related field, including coursework in advanced accountancy and financial management systems.
• At least six years of experience in a finance or accounting office of a large governmental, international or commercial organization in a computerized environment with a financial management information system, of which three years at supervisory level; experience with Excel and Access is required for the supervisory period.
• English at UN Level II (reading, writing, listening, speaking); Arabic at UN Level I is desirable.
• Applicants must state their current UNRWA grade if internal, and provide a cover letter for Grades 12 to 20 or bands E to H.

What we offer

• Grade 16 monthly basic salary of USD 1,705, payable in JD at the UN exchange rate, plus a special occupational allowance.
• Jerusalem allowance (NIS 2,000 per month for eligible West Bank staff with a Jerusalem ID, or NIS 1,000 for eligible East Jerusalem staff).
• Monthly provident fund contribution (15.4%), compulsory medical insurance, 30 days annual leave, dependency allowance, 2 days sick leave per month, 14 weeks maternity leave and 2 weeks paternity leave.