Individual National Consultant - Public Finance and Budget Expert (remote)

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them reach their full potential. We are committed to our mission, fostering a diverse and passionate culture where careers are built through professional and personal development, all while serving children and communities globally.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to provide crucial support to the federal Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Nepal for the preparation of the country’s federal Citizens Budget (CB). The role involves assisting the Budget and Program Division in facilitating consultations, conducting sectoral analysis, and ensuring quality assurance for the timely publication of a clear, useful, and visually simplified budget document accessible to the general public. This position will act as the team leader for a technical assistance team, collaborating closely with the MoF to meet the standards required for the Open Budget Survey and ensure the CB effectively communicates budget plans and their implications to citizens.

Responsibilities

As the Public Finance and Budget Transparency Expert and Team Leader, responsibilities include: - Leading the technical assistance team and collaborating with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to ensure timely completion and quality standards for the Citizens Budget (CB), aligning with Open Budget Survey requirements. - Developing and finalizing the CB template for the fiscal year 2026/27 in collaboration with the Budget and Program Division. - Simplifying complex financial information (revenue, expenditure, deficit, financing, federalism-related allocations) for non-technical audiences. - Interpreting budget allocations, COFOG, and explaining implications for key sectors like health, education, and social protection. - Highlighting distributional impacts on vulnerable groups (women, children, marginalized communities, provinces) and quantifying benefits where possible. - Ensuring the CB reflects Nepal’s federal governance context and intergovernmental responsibilities. - Identifying allocations that are pro-poor, gender-responsive, climate-responsive, and linked to federalism. - Identifying children-focused allocations within sectoral budgets. - Demonstrating the alignment of the annual budget with national policies and fiscal transparency standards. - Facilitating consultations, work sessions, and workshops with stakeholders, including CSOs and sectoral ministries. - Supporting the finalization of the CB draft, validating figures and narratives against official MoF documents. - Reviewing drafts from graphic designers and translators to ensure accuracy. - Drafting standard operating procedures (SoP) for CB preparation. - Preparing an Inception Report with a work plan, draft template, and progress on committee formation.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in public finance, budget analysis, budget transparency, or a related area. Experience in leading technical assistance teams and working with government ministries is highly desirable.

Skills

Public Finance Management, Budget Analysis, Budget Transparency, Fiscal Policy, Stakeholder Consultation, Team Leadership, Report Writing, Data Analysis, Communication, Project Management, Open Budget Survey Standards, Financial Simplification

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