Budget Analyst - Fixed-term co-terminus 2 years, Rome

Organizational Setting

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The Office of Strategic Budgeting (OSB), as a part of Corporate Services Support Group (CSSG), aims to strengthen IFAD's budgeting function and is responsible for ensuring a strong link between planning, resource allocation, results monitoring and strategy. Within a ten-year Strategic Framework, the process aligns medium-term priorities to the allocation of financial and human resources. OSB is responsible for implementing results-based budgeting through this process and tracking costs from activities to results. By leading these functions, OSB helps IFAD think and act strategically to enhance performance, impact and value for money.
The key processes the office manages are: (i) strategically focused budget consultations, and earlier communication of budget envelopes; (ii) results-based budgeting and enhanced systems to enable cost tracking at the activity and output levels; (iii) consolidation of corporate planning functions through facilitation of a strategic prioritization process with the Executive Management Committee (iv) flexibility for budget holders to manage staff and non-staff budgets; (v) management of positions and workforce planning with the redistribution of key responsibilities of the organizational developmentfunction within IFAD and (vi) strategic advice on efficient result based budgeting and support to divisions in the decentralized context.

Budget Analysts work under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance of the Director and the direct supervision of a Senior or mid-level Budget Specialist.

Job Role

Budget Analysts typically work with a higher-level Budget Specialist in monitoring financial performance and preparing and evaluating financial reports; the incumbent may alternatively supervise a homogeneous portion of a financial operation which is predominantly process oriented.
The position holds a Budget Holder resposibility in a decentralised context, where increasingly budget authority and budget administration is delegated to regional and country offices.

Position specific:

• Support the review of supplementary funds data and agreements to promote quality, integrity and compliance, including structured validation of financial information and ensuring alignment with institutional policies and cost recovery principles.
• Support coordination with relevant divisions to facilitate alignment between budgets and approved agreements, verifying that resource allocations accurately reflect agreed financial terms and implementation frameworks.
• Prepare and maintain regular and ad hoc reporting and monitoring tools, developing data analytics and supporting supplementary resources oversight, budget execution tracking, adjustments and reconciliation processes, also through the use of Artificial Intelligence.

  Key Functions and Results

  1. BUDGET BUSINESS PARTNER: The Budget Analyst is a credible, trusted partner to the client offices served. The incumbent supports the Fund's Budget strategy, provides technical and procedural support to the disperse and diverse network of budget and administrative analysts/assistants and plans as well as models a commitment to financial integrity by acting as a responsive and constructive service provider with a focus on results. The Analyst supports budget execution management and provides verbal and written advice and guidance to supervisors and staff on Budget regulations, resource allocation rules and procedures, facilitating a mutual understanding of roles and fiduciary accountabilities in support of the integrity in the management of the Fund's financial resources. The Budget Analyst's focus is on building her/his knowledge base of the Fund's governing structure, mandate, long-term business strategy, organizational dynamics and culture.

  2. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: At this level Budget Analysts are establishing expertise in the UN's financial principles, policies, regulations, rules and procedures. Representative activities include:
  (i) reviewing, approving, reconciling and processing a range of transactions on a regular and recurring basis;
  (ii) reviewing, analysing and projecting programme budgeting implications in light of additional mandates or other programme changes;
  (iii) analyzing and evaluating reports produced on a regular basis, explaining variances and producing reports and correspondence as required;
  (iv) ensuring the timely and correct entry into the General Ledger of all input in accordance with corporate accounting practices, approving and posting all payable, receivable and correction journals;
  (v) monitoring allotments and expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized parameters and resolving emergent financial issues.

  3. AGENT OF CHANGE: The Budget Analyst maintains an awareness of the principles of change management and proactively serves as a role model for transformation and capacity for acceptance of change. The incumbent uses a knowledge of results-based management and budgeting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other information technology to analyze and promote acceptance of new methods of work and automated work flows. At this level the Analyst manages change through consultations with Budget colleagues and outreach to client offices to ensure open and regular communications pertaining to current and planned changes in the Fund's financial administration.

  4. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Budget Analyst is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the personal use of assigned IFAD resources, including equipment, supplies and, as applicable, staff supervised.

  1. BUDGET PREPARATION. In the course of the annual IFAD's administrative budget preparation exercise, take a lead technical role in the process of SF budget and other non-core resources budget envelopes preparation, negotiate with IFAD divisions and operational units as required and ensure that staff and non-staff SF resource allocations are consistent with the DWP outcomes and recommendation and with corporate priorities. In performing the technical work in this process, the Senior Budget Specialist, OSB will support the OSB Director and the OSB team.

  2. BUDGET EXECUTION. Report on SF and other non-core resources budgets allocation and utilization, through regular monitoring and mid-year reviews, ensuring efficiency in resource use and compliance with corporate procedures. Provide recommendations for the Director, OSB on re-allocation of resources. As and when required and/or delegated, take independent decisions on SF budget issues.

  3. AGENT OF CHANGE. Play a key role in the restructuring of SF and other non-core resources budget architecture including related policies, procedures, processes, systems to increase transparency and efficiency. This initiative requires a close collaboration with other divisions. Review of the SF budget process itself with a view to strengthening the strategic dimensions of IFAD's SF budgeting and the policy engagement of Senior Management, as well as for streamlining management and staff inputs. Coordinate the improvement of SF budget reports as needed

  4. RESOURCE RATIONALISATION. Assist the external and internal benchmarking and identification of appropriate cost and efficiency targets across IFAD's IFI network and track IFAD's performance against them in relation to non-core resources management. Support and actively participate to internal and external negotiation of supplementary funds agreements with donors/ recipients, ensuring that legal documents reflect sound budget management arrangements, applicable policies and procedures and full cost recovery.

  5. REPORTING. Support on the development of a consolidated financial reporting system of IFAD budget, including SF and other non-core resources and prepare periodic reports, in adequate frequency, to aid corporate decision making. Prepare position papers to assist the corporate decision making process, as required.

  6. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS. The Senior Budget Specialist is typically a team leader with accountability for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This may include: (a) People Management through work plan development, recruitment, performance and career management of P and GS staff as well as learning management establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD; (b) Resource Management by providing strategic and data inputs into the divisional budget preparation exercises; (c) Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring: (i) knowledge content within functional area is continuously updated and available to colleagues and clients; (ii) best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed; and (iii) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available to the Fund's managers, supervisors and staff; and Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, simplification of transaction and reporting processes and improved client services.

  Key Performance Indicators

  Budget Analysts analyze unusual transactions and recommends actions to be taken and/or exceptions to be made in the application of financial regulations, rules and procedures. Budget Analyst positions have access to advice and on-the-job training from specialists in the individual Budget occupations in the resolution of on-going non-routine work.

  Position specific: The KPIs are

  • properly applied financial regulations and budget policies procedures across IFAD and within specific third parties funding agreements
  • maintenance and production of exhaustive financial reports

    Working Relationships

    The work relationships of Budget Analysts involves both written and verbal communications to obtain and provide information regarding decisions on specific cases or to explain why an action has been taken or to obtain information needed to take decisions or support further financial processes. Internal Fund contacts extend to supervisors and staff throughout the Fund to promote understanding of Budget regulations, rules and/or procedures pertaining mainly to routine Budget matters within her/his area of assignment. This requires skill in building constructive, effective relationships. External contacts are predominantly with banks, institutions or suppliers/vendors, Borrowers and Cooperating institutions, etc. and are for the purpose of exchanging information and making commitments within predetermined parameters.

    Position specific:

    The incumbent works closely with the network of budget and administrative analysts/assistants.

    Job Profile Requirements

    Organizational Competencies - Level 1

  • Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence
• Demonstrating Leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change

Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem solving and decision-making ability Managing time, resources and information: Manages own time, information and resources effectively Team Work: Contributes effectively to the team Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understanding between self and others Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationshipsManaging performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively

Education:

Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on in accounting, finance, business administration or other job related field or related field is required.
(*) Note: For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD's Human Resources Implementing Procedures.

Work experience:

At least two (2) years of progressively relevant experience is required.
Position-specific experience: Professional experience in accounting, financial management, budget analysis or management analysis in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope is highly desirable.

Languages:

Required English (Excellent) Desirable: French, Spanish, or Arabic

Skills:
Job role specific

Budgeting, Know-how in corporate strategic budgeting and financial planning and monitoring (including tracking of costs) Financial reporting and accounting, Know-how in financial reporting, statutory and other reporting as well as financial regulations, policies, rules and procedures applicable to IFAD and IFICorporate approach, Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities) Synthesis, Outstanding ability to synthesize and simplify complex technical information for a variety of (non-technical) audiences Budgeting, resource management, Know-how in budget administration and accounting, resource allocation and planning at divisional level Advanced data analytics, Statistical and econometrics research, forensic and advanced data analytics / data mining Analytical skills, Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations 4Data management, Data collection, cleaning, transformation and consolidation; data-base architecture and development ; data presentation Verbal communication, Clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language Basic ICT and digital fluency, Expertise relevant to the specific role (e.g. in-depth, computer information systems, including micro-computer operating systems software, hardware and applications software and other office technology equipment), end-user computing configuration management

Other Information

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

Representatives or alternate representatives of Member States on the IFAD Executive Board, Governors or alternate governors to the IFAD Governing Council and other Member States Permanent Representatives and their Alternates to IFAD (collectively ''IFAD Member States Representatives'') who apply for or take up any type of employment with IFAD may do so only after a twelve-month period has elapsed after the effective date of cessation of their IFAD Member States Representatives responsibilities as established in the notification of termination of functions communicated through the official channels.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation in line with its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy and the Policy to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse.

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