The United Nations is recruiting a Finance and Budget Officer at P-4 level in New York (Job Opening ID 284720), and applications close on 28 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy: the post sits in the Finance Division of the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), part of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC), and it requires at least seven years of progressively responsible experience.
Vacancy 284720 at a Glance
🆔 Job Opening ID: 284720
🏅 Category and level: P-4
📄 Recruitment type: Position Specific
🏢 Department: Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC)
🏦 Office: Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB)
🗂️ Unit: Financial Reporting and Analytic Service, Finance Division
📍 Duty station: New York
👤 Reporting line: usually directly to the Section Chief
🏷️ Funding: extra-budgetary
⏱️ Initial period: one year
Where the Post Sits Inside the UN Finance Division
The Finance & Budget Officer works within a chain of units that keeps the accounts of the United Nations in order, and each of them has its own defined remit:
🌐 Finance Division: accounts for and reports to the appropriate authorities on the use of United Nations financial resources.
📘 Financial Reporting and Analytics Service: mainly responsible for preparing IPSAS-compliant financial statements for all funding sources and for ensuring the sustainability of IPSAS-compliant accounting and reporting.
🔍 Financial Analytics Section: analyses financial data and coordinates global support to financial accounting-related activities, so that the enterprise resource planning system stays strong.
🏗️ This post: responsible for coordinating support and reporting activities for Property, Plant and Equipment, Intangibles, Internally Developed Assets and Inventory.
Programme Plan Duties
All duties in this vacancy are carried out within delegated authority. On the programme plan, the officer:
📝 Reviews, analyses and finalizes the preparation of the programme plan and its revisions on the basis of departmental submissions, taking into account the recommendations and decisions of specialized intergovernmental bodies.
🤝 Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their review of the programme plan and its revisions, and secures approval from the General Assembly.
⚖️ Ensures that legislative mandates are accurately translated into program budgets.
Preparing Budget Proposals and Cost Estimates
🧮 Reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements, from departments and offices at headquarters and in the field (including programmatic aspects) and from peacekeeping operations, ensuring compliance with the programme plan and other legislative mandates.
📋 Provides detailed input on resource requirements for budget submissions.
📜 Reviews, analyses and finalizes program budget and financial implications to Security Council statements in light of additional mandates.
🎯 Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies in their budget review, and assists in securing approval from the General Assembly.
Administering Budgets and Extra-Budgetary Resources
📤 Issues allotments and appropriations and authorizes sub-allotments and sub-appropriations, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures.
📈 Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary.
🚦 Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels.
🧩 Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including the review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations, rules and established policies and procedures.
💶 Authorizes payment to Governments for settlement of certified death and disability, contingent-owned equipment and letters-of-assist claims; determines average monthly troop strengths, establishes amounts reimbursable and initiates payments for reimbursement to troop-contributing countries.
🖊️ Prepares budget performance submissions.
📉 Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
🗣️ Provides substantive support to relevant intergovernmental and expert bodies.
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Running a Complete Financial Operation
⚙️ Manages a complete financial operation, encompassing a wide variety of funding sources, a large volume of transactions and extensive dispersed activities.
✅ Approves or confirms that proposed obligations or expenditure for services, facilities, supplies and equipment, as well as those pertaining to personnel, are in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the UN, relevant appropriations and staffing tables, and corresponding approved allotments or appropriations.
🧾 Analyses accounts, reviews or prepares regular financial reports, and proposes or implements solutions for problem transactions and irregularities.
🔒 Ensures that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained.
📑 Prepares or consolidates financial statements for inclusion in the UN Financial Statements to be audited.
🔦 Responds to internal and external audit observations.
🗃️ Reviews the financial statements of other entities for which the Controller has certification authority.
🔮 Produces major and complex financial reports for management, including trend and forecast analysis.
💻 Provides substantive support to the development and implementation of new accounting systems.
🌱 Takes initiative to improve accounting processes and approaches.
📆 Provides data for the preparation of year-end performance reports.
📐 Collects and analyses data to identify trends or patterns and provides insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports, using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
🔗 Coordinates with other UN entities on special finance projects.
👥 Guides, trains and supervises staff in the function.
Advice, Reporting and Representation Work
💡 Provides advice and guidance, including training, to headquarters and field staff on budgetary and financial policies and procedures.
🧭 Participates in inter-departmental meetings and technical survey missions on resource requirements, programming, financial and budgetary issues.
📚 Keeps up to date on documents, reports and guidelines that bear on finance and budget matters, ensuring compliance with intergovernmental recommendations and decisions as well as United Nations policies and procedures.
✍️ Drafts reports for intergovernmental bodies and for management on financial and budgetary issues, as well as correspondence.
📨 Drafts official documentation to troop-contributing countries concerning reimbursements from the United Nations.
🔬 Undertakes research and analysis of financial and budgetary policies and procedures and makes recommendations for changes or modifications.
🧱 Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them.
🎙️ Provides support with respect to the representation of the Secretary-General in meetings of legislative organs.
🚪 Represents OPPFB or the Division in inter- and intra-departmental meetings.
🗺️ May plan, organize, manage and supervise the work of the assigned Unit or Section.
➕ May be asked to perform other related duties.
Competencies the UN Will Look For
Professionalism
🧠 Knowledge of accounting principles, procedures and standards.
🔭 Ability to apply conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills in accounting operations.
🗞️ Ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identify issues, formulate options and make conclusions and recommendations.
🧪 Ability to analyse and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey the resulting information to management.
🌟 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.
Planning and Organizing
🥅 Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
🗓️ Identifies priority activities and assignments and adjusts priorities as required.
⌛ Allocates an appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work.
🌦️ Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning.
🔄 Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary.
⚡ Uses time efficiently.
Commitment to Continuous Learning
📰 Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation or profession.
🚀 Actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally.
🤲 Contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates.
👂 Shows willingness to learn from others.
💬 Seeks feedback to learn and improve.
Education and Professional Certification
🎓 Required: an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, finance, accounting or a related field.
📗 Accepted alternative: a first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
🪪 Desirable: certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) or equivalent.
Work Experience Required for This P-4 Role
🥇 A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, budget and administration.
📏 Experience in applying accounting standards (such as IFRS, IPSAS or equivalent) and in preparing, reviewing or supporting the production of audited financial statements and related disclosures.
🖥️ Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning systems (for example SAP, Oracle or equivalent), including financial transaction processing, reporting and analysis in asset accounting, inventory accounting, lease accounting and project accounting.
📲 A minimum of four years of experience using financial reporting and data analytics tools to support financial oversight, reporting, monitoring and decision-making.
🧯 A minimum of two years of experience analysing audit observations, coordinating audit responses and implementing corrective actions or process improvements.
🛠️ Experience developing accounting policies, financial guidance or training materials, or supporting the organization-wide implementation of new accounting standards, business processes or financial system enhancements.
Experience That Would Strengthen Your Profile
🏘️ Experience supporting a broad user community with accounting for Property, Plant and Equipment, Intangibles, Assets under Construction, Leases and Inventory.
🧰 Experience in business process analysis, financial systems testing, data governance or the implementation of ERP enhancements.
English at UN Level III
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required, and the minimum level for each skill is set according to the UN Language Framework:
📖 Reading: UN Level III
🖋️ Writing: UN Level III
🎧 Listening: UN Level III
🎤 Speaking: UN Level III
Assessment of Qualified Candidates
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Funding, Contract Length and Probation
🔖 This post is financed by extra-budgetary funding.
🕐 Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.
🔁 The appointment or assignment and any renewal are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.
🔰 External candidates recruited under section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation, and those recruited under 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.
Mobility and Assignment Rules
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her, and all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members may be assigned by the Secretary-General to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c).
Staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level, and in 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.
Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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, and it recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. It 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
Integrity Standards in UN Recruitment
Under article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and due regard is paid to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The vacancy sets out these conditions:
🚫 Candidates will not be considered for employment 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 any of these acts.
⚠️ 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.
🛑 Sexual abuse means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
❗ 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.
🚭 The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Every opportunity listed on Youth Works Hub goes through the checks described in our guide on how we verify opportunities, which also helps you recognise offers that deserve a second look.
Completing Your Application in inspira
Applications are handled through the online recruitment platform inspira, and these points from the vacancy apply to every applicant:
📌 Follow carefully all instructions available in inspira.
🆘 Refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on "Manuals" in the "Help" tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
🗒️ Provide complete and accurate information on your personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions in inspira, as this is required to be considered for the job opening.
🔐 Check everything before you submit: no amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification can 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.
🏁 Applicants are evaluated on the information submitted, according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislation of the United Nations, including the Charter, General Assembly resolutions, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level is the Finance and Budget Officer post in New York?
The post is at P-4 level and is advertised as a Position Specific job opening under ID 284720. It is based in New York and usually reports directly to the Section Chief.
Can I apply with a Bachelor's degree instead of a Master's?
Yes, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. The degree should be in business administration, finance, accounting or a related field.
How much experience does this UN finance job require?
You need at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, finance, budget and administration. Within your profile, the vacancy also requires at least four years with financial reporting and data analytics tools and at least two years handling audit observations and responses.
Is a CPA or CA qualification mandatory?
No, certification as a CPA, CA or equivalent is listed as desirable rather than required. Experience in applying accounting standards such as IFRS or IPSAS is, however, a requirement.
Do I need to speak French for this position?
French is a working language of the UN Secretariat, but for this job opening only English is required. The minimum is UN Level III in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
How long is the appointment?
The appointment or assignment is for an initial period of one year, and the post is financed by extra-budgetary funding. Any renewal depends on the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.
Which nationalities can apply?
The vacancy does not limit applications to particular nationalities, and the United Nations states that it pays due regard to recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
What is the exact closing time on the deadline date?
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal are removed at 11:59 p.m. New York time on the deadline date. For this vacancy, that date is 28 November 2026.
You can browse more international job opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
Deadline
⏳ 28 November 2026
Links
🖱️ Apply on the UN Careers Portal: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/284720?language=en
🔠 UN Language Framework: https://languages.un.org
