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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, the right to a Chance

UNICEF’s fundamental mission is to uphold the rights of every child, everywhere—across programmes, advocacy, partnerships, and operations, with equity at the heart of its work to ensure every child has an equal opportunity to survive, develop, and thrive.

The Global Programme Division (GPD) plays a central role in driving programme excellence across UNICEF, providing global strategic leadership, policy direction, and technical guidance to ensure coherence and alignment across sectors, regions, and partners.

As part of this structure, Centres of Excellence (CoEs), located in Nairobi, Panama, Amman, and Bangkok, provide high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance, linking global policy with country-level implementation to deliver results for children at scale.

How can you make a difference?

As the Budget and Finance Associate, you will provide operational support on budget and financial management across the unit, in close coordination with Programme teams. You will support the monitoring of budget allocations, salary funding, and financial transactions, including year-end closure activities, and assist in reviewing financial reports to support informed decision-making.

You will play an important role in supporting Programme teams by providing guidance and day-to-day operational support, interpreting and clarifying financial reports, and ensuring that budget allocations and financial processes are effectively managed.

In this role, you will contribute to the efficient management of financial resources by supporting payroll funding processes, budget transfers, and the allocation and transfer of funds. You will also collaborate with the Central Support Centre (CSC) in New York and other locations to help streamline processes and resolve operational bottlenecks.

You will support the implementation of HACT processes, including the delivery of trainings for Programme Assistants and the processing of related transactions. In addition, you will coordinate with Programme teams to identify procurement needs and ensure that related budget requirements are addressed.

Through your work, you will contribute to the timely allocation and transfer of funds, timely disbursement of funds to partners, and adequate payroll funding—ensuring that financial operations effectively support programme implementation and results.

The position is located in the Strategic Operations Unit. Under the guidance of the Finance and Budget Manager, the Budget and Finance Associate provides operational support on budget and financial management across the unit, in close coordination with Programme teams.

The role supports the monitoring of budget allocations, salary funding, and financial transactions, including year-end closure activities. It also assists in reviewing financial reports and providing guidance and day-to-day operational support to Programme teams.

Key responsibilities include supporting payroll funding and cost distributions, budget transfers, and ensuring timely allocation and transfer of funds. The incumbent collaborates with CSC New York and other locations to help streamline processes and resolve operational bottlenecks.

The role also supports HACT processes, including processing transactions and delivering trainings, and coordinates with Programme teams to identify procurement needs and ensure related budget requirements are addressed.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Finance Budget Assc G6 TA NYHQ.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Completion of secondary education is required.
University courses in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration is an asset and certifications (ACCA, CPA, etc.) are desirable.
Work Experience:
A minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget management, or administrative operations is required, including experience in budget monitoring, financial reporting, payroll and cost recovery processes, the use of financial systems (ERP), and any other related fields.
Skills: Budget Management, Financial Reporting, HACT transactions, ERP, MS Suit.
Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
Experience with UN/UNICEF systems, Finance Interface(s), Procurement, and IPSAS standards are considered an advantage.

Capabilities Required:

Collaboration

Navigate organizational dynamics and adapt behavior to respond to different situations
Choose appropriate words, tone and tailors' messages respectfully and persuasively to suit different audiences
Write clear, concise and well-structured reports and documents using appropriate language
Pay close attention to what others are saying, asking questions for clarification
Present ideas and information clearly in front of groups

Problem Solving

Analyze data, identify trends, patterns and anomalies
Evaluate information, analyze problems, identify underlying causes and risks
Summarize and communicate findings, focusing on actionable insights to support decision-making
Make decisions in time-sensitive situations, even with incomplete information
Assess the potential impact of solutions (costs, benefits and risks)

Digital Dexterity

Utilize AI-powered tools and platforms to automate data analysis
Apply prompts to improve the quality of reports and data, ensuring alignment with internal regulations and policies
Use specialist technology business systems and software
Analyze and summarize data from various business systems to generate reports and insights

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Finance/Budget Associate, G-6, Temporary Position, Global Programme Division, 364 days, GPD - Strategic Operations, New York HQ #00137739