Regional Budget & Programming Officer, P3

Area of expertise : Resource management

Country : South Africa

Type of contract : Long term opportunities

Closing date : 20 October 2019, 23:59 GMT

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

At WFP, we are looking for a talented Regional Budget & Programming Officer, P3  based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The candidate will work independently, using technical knowledge and experience to analyze data, prepare reports, provide advice and solutions to problems, and identify opportunities for improvements. Jobholders at a Regional Bureau levels are likely to be managing a medium-sized team and working under the supervision of a more experienced staff member, receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed.

JOB PURPOSE

To lead budget and resource analysis and programming activities and provide technical support in the Regional Bureau, partnering with senior management to apply best practice approaches that support the efficient, effective and compliant utilization of funds.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Budget Planning and Management

1. Participate in the development, revision and review of budget plans under the various IRM structures i.e. Country Strategic Plans (CSPs), Immediate Response Limited Emergency Operations (IR-LEO) and Limited Emergency Operations, by coordinating the budgeting processes, ensuring compliance with WFP standards, budget and programming policies and procedures.

2. Contribute to the preparation and review of various corporate budgets such as the Management Plan and the Country Operations Management plan (COMP), coordinating inputs from various units as required.

3. Review CO budgets for accuracy, appropriateness, cost containment/effectiveness, and completeness in line with available guidelines, flagging any shortcomings and providing comprehensive feedback to the COs as needed.

4. Monitor ongoing performance against budget for WFP operations, through various financial analyses and provide expert advice on budgetary adjustments as necessary to budget owners for optimal resource utilization and in adherence to available guidance and policies.

5. Actively engage in the preparation of funding proposals, advocating for prioritization of resources by activity and modality as necessary, against operational shortfalls and in close collaboration with Activity and Sub Offices managers.

6. Coordinate project closure activities including CSPs, IR-LEOs, and LEOs, ensuring that follow-on operations are available in a timely manner to receive potential resource transfers for their timely start, and actively propose solutions to identified issues that risk timely closures.

Pipeline Management

1. Coordinate the matching of commodity pipeline requirements with sourcing options in collaboration with Supply Chain and Programme teams, building and maintaining productive partnerships at the operational level to ensure timely shortfalls coverage.

2. Support the CO and RB team in monitoring the resource pipeline across all transfer modalities (Food, Cash-Based Transfers, Capacity Strengthening, and Service Delivery) to maximize operational effectiveness, following standards and processes, and providing advice on resource allocations based on the severity of pipeline shortfalls using relevant pipeline management tools.

3. Review and clear Regional Bureau monthly pipeline reports for accuracy, consistency, and completeness, consolidating cleared reports to feed into various analyses and making appropriate recommendations to enable decision making at regional and global levels.

4. Convene and lead a monthly, cross-functional, pipeline working group, (across Area Offices, Sub Offices and Field Offices as needed), that proactively discusses resource availability and upcoming shortfalls, recommending timely mitigation measures.

5. Prepare, review and manage Advance Financing requests as a way of meeting pipeline needs and maximize the utilization of the contributions with shorter validity, in close collaboration with the Programme and Partnerships teams and HQ.

6. Participate in meetings with internal and external stakeholders to discuss the utilization of incoming contributions, as well as support the process of developing funding proposals, ensuring appeals are made against critically underfunded activities, in line with donor interest, and CO priorities.

Funds Management

1. Manage the programming of received funds in a timely manner, according to prioritized operational needs, submitted funding proposals, donor conditions and restrictions, and in close collaboration with the Partnerships teams.

2. Monitor the use of fund sub allotments as per available procedures and guidelines, to avail funds to spending units for timely commitment.

3. Convene and lead the Regional Resource Management Committee (RMC) as per agreed timelines, presenting resource analyses and delivering recommendations on how to prioritize available and incoming resources against the CPB implementation plans, flagging potential surpluses, deficit and unspent balances and recommending corrective action.

4. Monitor and advice on the utilization of funds (unprogrammed, unallocated, unobligated, unspent amounts, surpluses/deficits), advance financing repayment, loan, and borrowing/repayment approaching grant validity issues, and alert fund managers appropriately, providing timely recommendations on possible corrective actions.

5. Guide and advise spending units on the use of grant relevant contributions to ensure timely and correct use of availed resources in line with approved proposals to enable further reporting against original budgets.

6. Support the preparation of interim, progress and final reports as stipulated in various contribution agreements between WFP and specific donors, particularly for those locally negotiated contributions.

Global Commodity Management Facility Management (GCMF)

1. Contribute to the setup of a GCMF supply-line in the Country Offices and Region as required.

2. Support the management of the facility, contributing to knowledge transfer about the facility, demand and/or replenishment analysis and contribute to decision making when multiple Country Strategic Plans (CSPs), and/or Activities compete for the same stocks.

Other

1. Lead data analysis efforts and innovatively develop varying reports, to meet varying requirements and audiences and enable informed decision-making, ensuring consistency of information presented to senior management and external stakeholders.

2. Contribute to the development and improvement of systems, techniques, tools, processes, and procedures to better monitor and manage WFP budgets and resources.

3. Develop the capacity of WFP staff in budgeting, fund management, and operational planning through coaching around the regular day-to-day transactions as well as developing, updating and delivering training using available materials, manuals and guidelines.

4. Document internal business processes, develop Standard Office Procedures (SOPs), and training packages on resource management matters, and provide onboarding briefs to newcomers in the Country Offices and Regional Bureau team.

5. Lead a medium-sized team, guiding, supervising and coaching them to provide the expected level of operational support, act as a point of referral on complex analysis and queries, and ensuring their appropriate development to enable consistently high performance.

6. Represent the unit at internal meetings/committees/working groups as required, in order to obtain and provide information from a budget and resource programming perspective.

7. Contribute to standard emergency preparedness practices, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitoring the management of financial risks.

8. Perform other relevant duties as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or other relevant fields, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

• Additional professional training in project management, statistical analysis and/or financial management is desirable.

Experience:

• Proven abilities to proactively approach problem solving and generate ideas for optimal team outcomes amidst operational challenges and resource constraints.

• Has managed large, complex operations in overseeing project performance against available resources, ensuring adherence to available policies and procedures.

• Has developed extensive experience in working across functions to address identified resource management issues and gaps and influence Country/Regional Directors to make required decisions.

• Developed and managed large teams successfully.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of WFP operations and business processes, rules and procedures, and applies them consistently in the implementation and support of WFP programme interventions.

• Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of WFP operational requirements and how those translate into resource management requirements, enabling the proposition of recommendations for improvement in a proactive rather than reactive manner.

• Exhibits expert knowledge in improving business planning processes and promoting Value-for-Money principles in accordance with WFP policies and strategic mission, as well as national priorities.

• Demonstrates the ability to lead teams in proactively providing resource management solutions that enhance the deliverance of value for money to our beneficiaries, aligning staff practices with mission-critical priorities, as appropriate.

• Ability to consolidate and share resource management information in a way that emphasizes accuracy and consistency in numbers across teams, making relevant conclusions and recommendations to drive management.

Language:

• International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. He/she will be required to travel abroad sometime to remote and difficult locations.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details please visit icsc.un.org.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

20 October 2019

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.