Consultant– Finance and Budget Expert (Programme Management – Health Financing)

Job Description

Result of Service

• Ensures effective financial management of health financing and Universal Health Coverage (UHC)-related programmes, with improved alignment between programme budgets and planned outputs, enhanced transparency, accountability, and timely delivery of programme activities.

• Provides reliable assistance in the coordination of programme and project planning and implementation activities, demonstrating a clear understanding of the programme context and applying increasing independence in processing work and follow-up actions.

• Demonstrates initiative in identifying and resolving issues and problems, maintains a high level of organization, and produces accurate financial reports, records, and data with minimal supervision, consistently applying appropriate UN policies, guidelines, and procedures.

• Effectively and in a timely manner liaises and interacts with colleagues and stakeholders, both internally and externally, to support smooth programme implementation and coordination.

Work Location

Addis Ababa

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background:

Sustainable health financing is critical for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improving health outcomes across Africa. ECA supports member States through analytical work, policy advisory services, and technical cooperation aimed at strengthening fiscal space for health, enhancing public financial management, and improving efficiency and equity in health systems. Effective implementation of these initiatives requires strong financial management systems that align programme resources with results-based frameworks. This includes efficient budget execution, monitoring of expenditures, and timely financial reporting to support programme delivery.

In this context, ECA seeks the services of a Finance and Budget Expert to support programme implementation and ensure effective financial management of health financing-related initiatives. The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Director of the Macroeconomics and Governance Division (MGD) and the Programme Management Officer under the Office of the Director (OOD), in close collaboration with the assigned ECA Staff.

He/she will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer The tasks to be performed by the Consultant include:

• Provides substantive support in the preparation and implementation of activities/processes for all projects related to health financing, UHC strategies and health systems strengthening initiatives (RB/XB), typically representing a large and complex component of departmental programme activities.

• Provides support to the Programme Management Officer with respect to the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions, ensuring alignment with programme work plans, analytical outputs and technical cooperation activities in the health financing area.

• Reviews and makes appropriate recommendations with respect to the finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures, particularly in relation to programme outputs such as policy analysis, capacity development and advisory services.

• Reviews, analyses and provides input in the monitoring and evaluation of programmes/projects (RB/XB); categorizes, updates, tracks and analyses data related to programme implementation, including financial resources utilized for health financing studies, policy advisory work, and capacity-building activities; carries out periodic status reviews, identifies issues and initiates follow-up actions.

• Compiles and records funding agreements in Umoja; compiles and records implementing partner reports; prepares donor financial statements in a timely and accurate manner; prepares funds commitments and purchase orders in support of programme implementation.

• Monitors budget implementation, including verification of charges and obligation documents in Umoja for all financial transactions; ensures establishment of proper monitoring systems through scheduled reporting; prepares periodic budget revisions and ensures appropriate resource allocations; reconciles accounts with amended budgets; evaluates trends of financial implementation and makes recommendations to improve efficiency in programme delivery.

• Initiates a range of accounting transactions on a regular and recurring basis (reviews, approves, reconciles and processes); and supports the production, review and evaluation of financial reports with a view to identifying anomalies and unusual trends affecting programme implementation.

• Obtains necessary clearances, processes and follows up on administrative actions and resolves issues related to project implementation, including recruitment, travel, organization of meetings and workshops, authorization of payments, procurement of goods and services, ensuring timely delivery of health financing programme activities.

• Prepares, maintains and updates files (electronic and paper) and internal databases; generates periodic and ad hoc reports and background materials to support programme monitoring, reporting and evaluation.

• Drafts correspondence and communications related to programme/project administration, including work plans, budgets and revisions, as well as contributions to periodic programme reports and documentation related to health financing initiatives.

• Assists in ensuring that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant financial records supporting programme implementation are maintained.

• Supports the Programme Management Officer in researching and analysing information required to respond to audit queries, findings and recommendations Work implies frequent interaction with the following: Colleagues and senior staff associated with assigned programmes/projects. Staff in Divisions across the institution, e.g. Procurement, Administration/Finance/Budget, Translation, Human Resources, etc.

Qualifications/special skills

• A minimum of advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) or University degree (Bachelor) is required in the area of finance, business administration and management, or information technology is highly desirable.
• For Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) at least five (5) years of professional experience; For university degree (Bachelor) at least seven (7) years of professional experience.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in programme or project administration relating to accounting and finance environment, with strong IT skills is required.
• Particular attention is given to candidates who have knowledge of Umoja and overall UN financial and budgetary processes.
• Experience in the advanced use of Microsoft Excel is highly desirable.
• A minimum of 7 (seven) years of experience in programme or project administration relating to accounting and finance environment, with strong IT skills is required Particular attention is given to candidates who have knowledge of Umoja and overall UN financial and budgetary processes
• Experience in the advanced use of Microsoft Excel is highly desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.